Barring a miracle from Vancouver, we get either the Yotes or the Hawks. Who do you want? Phoenix will be without Torres and apparently Boedekker got hurt, not sure how long. Hossa is out for the Hawks. With the Hawks we get home ice. I want Chicago. Also, with Chicago, very little travel and good start times. Plus, if we do get Chicago, that means they won in 7 games and might be a little tired.
Probably Chicago, we have had their number this year. But my gut tells me we would be better off against Phoenix. However that is mostly just fear of Toews. He is just so good. I still voted Chicago though, so its really whatever. I believe in the Preds to go far. I think beating Detroit will give them such confidence that we will go through anyone we have to.
Chicago has more experience and more speed, while Phoenix has the better goaltender and more grit up and down the lineup. It's really a matter of picking one's poison. I'm not sure I don't want Phoenix, just because I feel more confident going against a top line that doesn't feature one of the best all-around players in the game. Then again, we seem to match up really well with the Blackhawks, and they're without Hossa, who was the one guy giving us fits all year.
Honestly, I like our chances against either team, because both have obvious strengths and obvious weaknesses. I'd like to play Phoenix just to avert any risk of seeing Chicago jerseys in Nashville, but we also have home ice against Chicago, and considering the form our crowds are in, that could be vital.
Barring two miracles we could get St. Louis too. If Chicago and Vancouver come back we get St. Louis. Thought about that one last night and was like dang, we could pretty much get anybody. If Vancouver and Phoenix win out, then we get Vancouver. I think we can pretty much get anybody that's left which is pretty odd to be perfectly honest.
I want Chicago. As long as we're beating teams who always beat us in the playoffs in the past, let's go for the Hawks.
Beating Detroit, Chicago then St.Louis in the WCF would be glorious. Let's not get ahead of ourselves here though.
I think we can outmatch Chicago physically and defiantly have the advantage in goal. If it was Pheonix, I'd feel pretty nervous knowing that we wouldn't get many opportunities at the net, and when we did, Smith would be there. I'll take Chicago D/G over Pheonix D/G all day.
Barring two miracles we could get St. Louis too. If Chicago and Vancouver come back we get St. Louis. Thought about that one last night and was like dang, we could pretty much get anybody. If Vancouver and Phoenix win out, then we get Vancouver. I think we can pretty much get anybody that's left which is pretty odd to be perfectly honest.
I wouldn't call Chicago's comeback a miracle necessarily. They have a chance to force Game 7 on home ice against a team they've been dead even with all series. Hell, all five games have gone to overtime. You don't get much closer than that.
I wouldn't call Chicago's comeback a miracle necessarily. They have a chance to force Game 7 on home ice against a team they've been dead even with all series. Hell, all five games have gone to overtime. You don't get much closer than that.
I was talking games down, 3-1, not the evenness of the games. Having to win 3 in a row when you face elimination is a tall order no matter how close you've played your opponent.
I want Chicago. The Preds were 16-5-1 against the Central. 10-4-1 when you take out the CBJ games. Also it would be nice to take out another demon with the Hawks.
I don't want the preds to face a red hot goalie like Mike Smith !!
This is the worst a team can face !! a red hot goalie.
Because when this goalie will be in grace ... (like they are generally when your team plays against them) ... he will become a wall. And the best team, the best scorers, the best whatever may reveal useless !!
1. Sexier matchup. In-season rivalry, they've beaten us in the playoffs before, time to get revenge.
2. Goalie problems. Crawford and Emery are not Stanley Cup goalies. Mike Smith, on the other hand, is sneaky good.
3. Better start times, short travel times if you wanted to go to an away game.
4. Home ice! Woo!
1. Sexier matchup. In-season rivalry, they've beaten us in the playoffs before, time to get revenge.
2. Goalie problems. Crawford and Emery are not Stanley Cup goalies. Mike Smith, on the other hand, is sneaky good.
3. Better start times, short travel times if you wanted to go to an away game.
4. Home ice! Woo!
This for all the reasons above. If Hossa can't go, they're a much easier team than before.
The Preds could dominate Chicago IMO especially if they are without Hossa. Their lineup just isn't deep at all at forward. They like to play loose free flowing hockey like Detroit but aren't as good overall as Detroit. We could contain them and I see us putting up more goals against them than we did against Detroit. I like our chances and I was rooting to face them round 1.
Phoenix is a very winnable series as well. But they just play a grinding hard style of hockey. They would keep games close and as you see in their series right now with Chicago if you keep games close and tight anything can happen.
One thing about Phx is that they are old. Almost as old as Detroit. And they will be coming off a longer, harder fought series. I question how long they can hold up. Anyway, both matchups have their pluses and minuses, it's really a wash for me. Come whoever may.
I want the Yotes. I think it will be a good test for us and if we get through it would better prepair us for a possible Blues team. Preds, Yotes, and Blues play a lot alike.
Plus if the Hawks get bounced in the first round by the Yotes i see a blowup coming like in Detroit which could be good for the Preds in the future.
Wings, Hawks, and Blues seems like murders row. I am not sure we could make it through.
I think Nashville can beat either team, but I feel like Chicago is the better match up. Yes they can score, but so could Detroit (and so can the Preds for that matter). Their defense and goaltending both are worse than Detroit's.
With Phoenix you have a team that will play a similar style compared to Nashville. I think Nashville does it better, and the talent in the line up is obviously in Nashville's favor. The games will be hard hitting, a bit slower, and capitalizing on mistakes will win the series for either side.
I'd rather play Chicago. Let's just make it an All-Central play offs
Let's not get ahead of ourselves here though.
St Louis
