WTF dang should have asked to hold the comments till after I posted the series histories and etc.. oh well here it is!!!!
OK gophers the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs started on April 14, 2010… as was mentioned above, my topic got pucked out for sure.. so will do this again.. so here are the histories and etc of both the 1st and 2nd rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs…
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals:
#8 Montreal Canadiens @ #1 Washington Capitals
First ever meeting for both clubs..
Mtl’s last appearance: 2009 in ECQF loss to Bos 4 games to 0
Wsh’s last appearance: 2009 in ECSF loss to Pitt 4 games to 3
Montreal has beaten Washington 4 games to 3 after coming down from 3 games to 1 to do the unthinkable and boot the Caps out…. Wow…
#7 Philadelphia Flyers @ #2 New Jersey Devils
1978 Phil 2 @ Colorado Rockies 0 (NJ’s old name) Preliminary round
1995 NJ 4 - Phil 2 Eastern Conference Final
2000 NJ 4 - Phil 3 ECF
2004 Phil 4 - NJ 1 EC Quarterfinals
Phil’s last appearance: 2009 in ECQF loss to Pitt 4 games to 2
NJ”s last appearance: 2009 in ECQF loss to Carolina 4 games to 3
Philadelphia just eliminated NJ 4 games to 1 and has gone on to the 2nd round…
#6 Boston Bruins @ #3 Buffalo Sabres
1982 Bos 3 – Buf 1 Adams Semifinals
1983 Bos 4 - Buf 3 Adams Finals
1988 Bos 4 – Buf 3 Adams SF
1989 Bos 4 – Buf 2 Adams SF
1992 Bos 4 – Buf 3 Adams SF
1993 Buf 4 – Bos 0 Adams SF (on Brad May’s OT goal known as May-Day)
1999 Buf 4 – Bos 2 EC Semifinals
Bos’s last appearance: 2009 in ECSF loss to Carolina 4 games to 3
Buf’s last appearance: 2007 in EC Final loss to Ottawa 4 games to 1
Boston just booted out Buffalo 4 games to 2 and has gone to the 2nd round…
#5 Ottawa Senators @ #4 Pittsburgh Penguins
2007 Ott 4 – Pitt 1 EC Quarterfinals
2008 Pitt 4 – Ott EC QF
Ott’s last appearance: 2008 in ECQF loss to Pitt 4 games to 0
Pitt’s last appearance: 2009 in Stanley Cup Final victory vs Detroit 4 games to 3
Pittsburgh busted out Ottawa 4 games to 2 on the OT victory in Game 6 and will move on to get closer to repeating as Stanley Cup champions
Western Conference Quarterfinals;
#8 Colorado Avalanche @ #1 San Jose Sharks
1999 Col 4 – SJ 2 WC Quarterfinals
2002 Col 4 – SJ 3 WC Semifinals
2004 SJ 4 – Col 2 WC SF
Col’s last appearance: 2008 in WC Semifinals loss vs Det 4 games to 0
SJ’s last appearance: 2009 in WC SF loss to Anaheim 4 games to 2
SJ just got rid of Colorado in a wild series win 4 games to 2 and will get closer to going to the Stanley Cup Final in the quest for a championship.
#7 Nashville Predators @ #2 Chicago Blackhawks
First ever meeting for both clubs
Nash’s last appearance: 2008 in WCQF loss to Det 4 games to 2
Chi’s last appearance: 2009 in WC Final loss to Det 4 games to 1
Chicago eliminated Nashville 4 games to 2 in a thrilling series and will get going onto to the 2nd round.
#6 Los Angeles Kings @ #2 Vancouver Canucks
1982 Van 4 – LA 1 Smythe Division Final
1991 LA 4 – Van 2 Smythe Semifinal
1993 LA 4 – Van 2 Smythe Final
LA’s last appearance: 2002 in WCQF loss to Col 4 games to 3
Van’s last appearance: 2009 in WCSF loss to Chi 4 games to 2
Vancouver and LA battled well, only to have the Canucks pull out a big 4 games to 2 series victory and will advance further onto the Stanley Cup Final. However, I see a bright future for the Kings as I am so impressed with how they played well enough in that series loss….
#5 Detroit Red Wings @ #4 Phoenix Coyotes
1996 Det 4 – Winnipeg Jets 2 (Phoenix’s old name) WC QF
1998 Det 4 – Phx 2 WCQF
Det’s last appearance: 2009 Stanley Cup Final loss to Pittsburgh 4 games to 3
Phx’s last appearance; 2002 WC QF loss to SJ 4 games to 1
Phoenix was thought to be the best bet to finally beat Detroit and move onto the 2nd round but the Red Wings have put the dampers on that by winning 4 games to 3.. I wanted to see the Coyotes advance and boot the Pukewings out but oh well….
Eastern Conference Semifinals:
#8 Montreal @ #4 Pittsburgh
1998 Mtl 4 – Pitt 2 EC SF
Can the surging Habs do well vs the defending Stanley Cup champs Penguins or will Pittsburgh swat aside Montreal on the way back to the Cup Final?
#7 Philadelphia @ #6 Boston
1974 Phil 4 – Bos 2 Stanley Cup Final
1976 Phil 4 – Bos 1 Stanley Cup Semifinals
1977 Bos 4 – Phil 0 SC SF
1978 Bos 4 – Phil 1 SC SF
Will Philly and Boston resume the fierce rivalry as a result of the 2010 Winter Classic matchup where we saw the Flyers and Bruins battle and some fights broke out there?
Western Conference Semifinals:
#5 Detroit @ #1 San Jose
1994 SJ 4 – Det 3 WC QF (that year the Red Wings were top dogs with 62 wins and the Sharks just came into the playoffs for the first time ever and did the shocking unthinkable, booting the Red Wings out!!!)
1995 Det 4 – SJ 0 WC SF
2007 Det 4 – SJ 2 WC SF
Will the Red Wings chug on to get another crack at the Stanley Cup or will the Sharks finally take a big bite out of the wings and spit Detroit out of the playoffs?? (I wanna see SJ ram out Det and finally get to see no more freaking Pukewings around!! HEHE!!)
#3 Vancouver @ #2 Chicago
1982 Van 4 – Chi 1 Campbell Conference Final
1995 Chi 4 – Van 0 WC SF
2009 Chi 4 – Van 2 WC SF
Does Chicago have it to jump all the way to the Cup Finals or will Vancouver finally get revenge for the loss to Chicago last year?? Will the Canucks and Blackhawks fly all over and do a classic battle once again?!?!?!