Playoff Prediction

I have put this off long enough: my super awesome playoff prediction!!

Boston Bruins (1st) vs Montreal Canadiens (8th)

Game 1: Bruins excitement and momentum overwhelms the Canadiens. Bruins 5-2
Game 2: Kovalev scores early, and it becomes a tough game; but the talent of the Bruins wins through. Bruins by 1 goal (3-2 or 4-3).
Game 3: Montreal gets a chance to turn the tables a bit, and bring some of their own emotion. Fans push the team to a new level. Montreal wins in OT.
Game 4: Bruins play a "perfect" away game, playing a strong, patient defencive system and scoring on the rush; exposing the pinching Montreal defence. Bruins win 4-1
Game 5: Back home, the Bruins are ready to go and the Canadiens are on the ropes. Normally I would say jitters get the better of the home team; but since the Canadiens have failed to play with any composure when needed, I say Boston perseveres. Bruins win by at least 2.

So there you have it: now you don't have to watch the games.

Of course, this could all go out the window if the Canadiens steal one in Boston. Maybe Gainey gets them ready; maybe the entire team comes to play. Maybe the slumping goal scoreres find their touch, and Thomas collapses. NO ONE is gunning for the Habs right now (except the failthful) -- not even Maggy the Macak on TSN, or the Dog on ESPN.

If the Canadiens want to win, they have to become "hard to play against" -- keep shots to the outside, kill the momentum, and punish punish punish on their chances. Short-handed, long passes, ugly goals... whatever -- score when you get any chance. Upsets happen, but they are a result of an underdog frustrating the momentum of the better team. And a big part of that is the goaltender: they have to stop a lot of pucks.

reference: Zednik/Audette/Gilmour and Theodore in 2002, Zednik/Kovalev and Theodore in 2004

Komisarek and Schneider are gonna get hammered. So the entire team better be ready for war. Laraque, if he plays, better stop just picking a fight and calling it a night; he better be swinging every shift (not necessarily a full on scrap, but lots of shoving!). No nice-guy pugilist.

The Montreal Canadiens are capable of winning this series; but they are going to have to shed a pound of flesh from the regular season and be a different team: a better team. And even then they'll need 7 games.

God Speed, little doodle. It sure would be nice to get those ghosts to show up. Everything else "typical" of this team has happened this year: fire the coach, wild antics... why not go for the trifecta of beating the Bruins?