This is pretty much what we NEED. 9 wins, or 8 wins, and 2 OT losses.
Personally I think they CAN do it, but WILL they? I thought the loss to TB was bad. This yesterday was an abomination. Forget the rookie Goaltender. I don't care who was in net. Could have been Ken Dryden, could have been Nabokov, Khabibulin, Lundqvist, Jyzgalov, Brian Elliott, Jonathan Quick, Brodeur on their side haha doesn't matter!
How many times has this team been shutout? We went the longest this season of any team I'm pretty sure. Shut out in opening night, and not shut out again until game number 62! Before last week the Red Wings, and Devils were the only teams in the league to be shut out only once this season, and no teams hadn't been shut out at all.
The Rangers shut us out too, we have been shut out three times on the season. Still not bad, but I'd prefer it never happen. Our offence has been wildly inconsistent of late.
We'll be comfortably in the playoffs, but it's getting closer to the time when we start to think about getting the right matchups.
I would definitely prefer Philly over Pittsburgh. I know Philly has given us problems at some times and not others. But I do not want to face a Pittsburgh team that may have Crosby back in the playoffs. We know what they have been without him. But I would rather not face them if Crosby can be anything like he is when healthy. Makes them that much more dangerous.
I'm absolutely not scared of Philly this year. They are a one-line team and they don't seem to play the kind of team defense they did when Richards was captain.
We don't want Winnipeg. The travelling that is required for that is going to a kill an Eastern team...
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"Why I'll be a Devil forever [...] two words. Trust and respect." - Mr. Pat Burns
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We don't want Winnipeg. The travelling that is required for that is going to a kill an Eastern team...
Winnipeg will have to travel too. I'd take the best chance at winning the first round even if it means being gassed for the second. Not saying that Winnipeg isn't a good team, but I think it's a much better matchup than Boston, New York, or Pittsburgh.
I'm absolutely not scared of Philly this year. They are a one-line team and they don't seem to play the kind of team defense they did when Richards was captain.
I'm not particularly scared of them either. We have the offence to keep up with them, their defence is a mess with injuries, and nobody knows when Bryz will crack under the pressure.
I'm not hoping for a Flyers match up, but I'd feel pretty confident going into a series against them.
Winnipeg will have to travel too. I'd take the best chance at winning the first round even if it means being gassed for the second. Not saying that Winnipeg isn't a good team, but I think it's a much better matchup than Boston, New York, or Pittsburgh.
NHL playoffs are still 2-2-1-1-1, right? With either MLB or NBA going 2-3-2 I forget from time to time who is what format. The idea of the travel to/from Winnipeg doesn't bother me too much. It only becomes a concern if the series goes to 7 games. If we play them, its them as the 3, Devils as the 6. The idea of going 7 games, with the back and forth to Winnipeg for games 5, 6, and 7 that would be of some concern. Especially since we'll be going right back on the road for the next series (if we won) about what, 2 days later? I wouldn't be crazy about playing Boston or the Rangers after that. But by the same token, I would be a little worried playing either of those teams after going 7 games regardless of who we have in the first round, so its a semi-moot point.
Does the NHL reset by seed like the NFL does or is it a set bracket? Just wondering for where things go ahead. The news of Sid's potential return in Pittsburgh makes the thought of being the 5 and playing them a bit scarier then say 2 weeks ago.
If you let me pick seeding 5-8 where I'd like the Devils to fall, keep that 7 away from me because we just match up SO poorly with Boston for some reason. Philly doesn't seem that scary, but recent history just makes it seem they give us fits, and Pitt with Sid would be scary, but we seem to have success against MAF.
Whether it be the Jets, or Floridia the South's winner is going to be the weakest upper seed and best possible match up, no series will be easy but you still have to think that is the "easiest" road, though the 5 is still fine and MUCH better then the buzzsaw that is the 7 seed...rather fall to 8 then be the auto out that Boston looks like.
