Your 1st-round picks

by holiday park on Apr 28, 2009 10:14 AM EDT

I'm curious how everyone's picks for the first round have played out so far.

For my part? Apparently I should have decided to gamble my life savings on this year's NHL playoffs. If the Hurricanes and Capitals win tonight, I will be 8/8 in predicting the winners of the first-round series. More specifically, I had the Penguins winning in 6 games and barely missed calling the Detroit and Boston victories exactly (had each winning in 5). The clearest sign that my tea leaves are not leading me astray: I had Anaheim beating San Jose in 6, and specifically noted that Joe Thornton would be invisible during the series.

All of which probably means that I should quit while I'm ahead and not start thinking I know anything about hockey. But I'm curious anyway how everyone else's picks have turned out.

The content expressed in fanposts does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff here at Pensburgh.com. FanPosts are opinions expressed by fans of various teams throughout the league but may be more Pittsburgh-centric for obvious reasons.

Tweet Comment 16 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Good work so far, hp. I’m in a sameboat as you (kinda) if Washington and New Jersey win tonight, I’ll be 8 for 8 too.

i personally only got the CHI/CGY series in the correct number of games (I called NJ in 7) — I was off by 1 game on pretty much all of the series.

Picking Anaheim over SJ (which I did) is commendable, but saying Joe Thornton will be invisible isn’t something I can give you credit it for. That’s like predicting it’ll be a hot day this 4th of July or that there will be snow in Canada for Christmas. Too easy. Haha

by Hooks Orpik on Apr 28, 2009 11:01 AM EDT reply actions

I took SJ over Anaheim and cursed you last night for taking the opposite and outdoing me. I’d have to look over the rest in that post we did earlier in the month but I know I’m not close to 8/8, that’s fo sho.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Apr 28, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions

In your defense, IIRC you predicted the Rangers upsetting the Caps; you were looking like a genius for a while there.

P is for Latrobe.

by holiday park on Apr 28, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions

To be honest with you, I’m ok with getting that one wrong now…

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Apr 28, 2009 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions

i just knew the sharks were not going to sink their teeth in the Ducks for the playoffs (only in a bucket of golf balls.

Lifes rough, wear a helment

by lambofgad on Apr 28, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions

sweet

Good work to you too. And of course you’re correct about Thornton. As I like to say, the 3 surest signs that spring has arrived are as follows: (1) there are buds on the trees; (2) people are out jogging and rollerblading on the weekends; and (3) Joe Thornton looks like he’s about to throw up as he leans in to take a faceoff in overtime.

P is for Latrobe.

by holiday park on Apr 28, 2009 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions

If the Canes and Caps win I will be 7/8 gosh darn Sharks (I should have known better). I got the bonus points for the amount of games in the Vancouver, Pens, and Chicago series for bonus points and I got the exact amount of goals in the Pens series to get tons of bonus points in our pool.

by PensFan024 on Apr 28, 2009 11:20 AM EDT reply actions

My rationalization for the Sharks was – “They can’t POSSIBLY bomb this one again.” Oh well. The year I officially allow myself to believe that is the year they win the cup.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Apr 28, 2009 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions

For me, Sharks-Ducks was all about the matchup. This is also why I don’t believe Boston is leaving the second round this year. If you close out the season playing passionless hockey, you might not be mentally ready for a nasty, physical team like Anaheim (for other examples see the 2007 Red Wings, the 2006 Red Wings, and the 2004 Red Wings). The regular season is long, long over.

P is for Latrobe.

by holiday park on Apr 28, 2009 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah, i agree HP. i didn’t know that hiller would be so good, but i really liked pronger, niedermayer, beauchmin and whitney as a top 4 set of defensemen.

i hope the ducks can take it to the red wings next series, but i dont know, detroit’s a lot deeper when it comes to forwards. we’ll see. if selanne can channel his old self that sure would help.

by Hooks Orpik on Apr 28, 2009 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m going back and forth on that series. Detroit’s recent success in playoff series against Anaheim is rather, well, unspectacular. And the Ducks have shown they can beat a big, talented team with better goaltending than Osgood, and do so without home ice. I do think the Wings will have much tougher sledding than they did in the first round; given the long layoff between series it’s not inconceivable that they could drop game 1 at home. But my gut tells me that ultimately Detroit will advance.

P is for Latrobe.

by holiday park on Apr 28, 2009 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, I called the sweeps pretty well...

I had Boston and the Wings sweeping their 1st series. I also called the Pens in 6. For most of the other series, I had the right team but wrong number of games. San Jose’s choke job fucked me as well… I thought this was going to be their year to lose to the Penguins in the Stanley Cup!

go pens!

by cyroose on Apr 28, 2009 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

Really don’t want to sound like a prude, but I’m more or less liberal with everything except F bombs on here. Just wanna try and set the standard for anyone who may be visiting from another site and such.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Apr 28, 2009 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, we’ll know all the pieces to the puzzle tonight. I’m planning on doing a round up/recap, o Round 1, and a Round 2 preview for Winging It In Motown just as I did to start up the Playoff season.

So, I’ll reserve judgment until then. Should get it gathered Thursday, hopefully, because I have all day to write things up that day.

PensBurgh penalty - Lavender - 2 minutes for hijynxing.

by Lavender on Apr 28, 2009 6:53 PM EDT reply actions

I got the pens in 6 right, caps still can pull it off for my pick, even though i’d rather they not, Boston I don’t think anyone got wrong but i did say 5 not 4. My 2 duds were SJ and Flames, hard to bet against the presidents trophy winner, I got the flames wrong cuz i live in calgary and every second car has a flames flag on it, i thought they would get healthier but they were playing with broken ribs and dislocated shoulders and without key D-guys on top of that. I didn’t call any sweeps. its hard enough to call the winner let alone the number of games.

Phili B

by ColeHarbour on Apr 28, 2009 7:06 PM EDT reply actions