Playoff Predictions

I was right on three of the four matchups in the semi-final round. Seriously, this is way better than I usually do when I predict anything. I had San Jose going through to meet the Red Wings in the west and not the Dallas Stars.

By the way, if you stayed up last night for all four overtimes and you're not a Dallas Stars fan, you have my unending respect. I bet you are unemployed, too, but I give you respect nonetheless. Now go get a job.

So, you know, there is a lot of whining in Rangerland today and let's face it, there are a lot of questions for that team going forward. Jagr had flashes but yesterday he played like a guy resigned to his future in Russia. There was little or no desperation in the team at all until that fluky Wolfpack dude got the first goal. Then, when Dawes tied it up, there was a little life on the Ranger bench--but none of it from the captain.

My guess is that this offseason is going to see the departure of both Jagr (to Russia) and Joe Sakic (to retirement).

If you didn't catch it, Sakic begged onto the ice in the closing seconds of the game the other night against the Red Wings when the out-manned Avalanche got pasted 8-2. Nobody asks to get back out there in the waning seconds of a series where you've been catching a hoofin' unless you're going for a personal "moment". That's what leads to speculation, my friends.

Sakic missed a bunch of time this season with an assortment of ailments; chief amongst them was a sports hernia. If he does retire, the league will be without the face of the Colorado franchise and one of the classiest captains of all-time.

That brings us to the Conference Finals. The West will kick off Thursday in Detroit and the East will take a bow on Friday. I expect the Red Wings to keep rolling into the next round and they'll send Dallas home in five. They're just too scary and Johan Franzen is playing with such fire that secondary scoring for the Wings is becoming primary scoring!

Plus, I am rooting for former Islander Chris Osgood, so there you go. Red Wings in five.

Philadelphia has played incredibly well this spring. For a team to come from the sixth spot to the conference finals is a heck of an achievement. RJ Umberger is going to make himself some dollars this off-season; but I doubt that it is going to come from the Flyers since they are in Salary Cap Hell going forward. It feels like now or never for Philadelphia; is only because Paul Holmgren may not be able to reload as he did this past off-season.

With the Penguins, you get the sense that this is just the beginning of greatness. The Pens are getting great play from the guys you expect to carry the load (Crosby; Malkin; etc.) and they are also getting great contributions up and down the bench. I kinda see that loss to the Rangers as a bit of a wake-up call. The team had reeled off seven wins in a row before that loss and they may have gotten a collective big head for a minute. Hey, it happens to everyone.

I see The Battle of Pennsylvania actually going seven games with the Penguins coming out in the end.

Other predictions of mine, just for the fun of it: Dateline NBC will have a Chris Hansen-hosted Roger Clemens special this spring and we will finally get to hear Hansen say to Clemens the immortal line, "Hello, Roger. Have a seat."

Also, the Celtics will win the NBA championship. We've already lined up a special NBA Finals correspondent if the Celtics play the Lakers for the title since we gave up on the NBA when Reggie Lewis died.

Here are the schedules, courtesy nhl.com. The games with asterisks (*) are games "as necessary"


2008 EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Fri., May 9, 2008 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
Sun., May 11, 2008 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
Tues., May 13, 2008 Pittsburgh at Philadelphia
Thurs., May 15, 2008 Pittsburgh at Philadelphia
*Sun., May 18, 2008 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
*Tues., May 20, 2008 Pittsburgh at Philadelphia
*Thurs., May 22, 2008 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh


2008 WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Thurs., May 8, 2008 Dallas at Detroit
Sat., May 10, 2008 Dallas at Detroit
Mon., May 12, 2008 Detroit at Dallas
Wed., May 14, 2008 Detroit at Dallas
*Sat., May 17, 2008 Dallas at Detroit
*Mon., May 19, 2008 Detroit at Dallas
*Wed., May 21, 2008 Dallas at Detroit