I'm not sure here. I was hoping for Ottawa and NJ to come through, but no luck.
Both teams have a good amount of resilience. Both teams have had different people stepping up. Both teams have unspectacular defenses that are overachieving & blocking a lot of shots.
I think Buffalo's got the deeper, more well-rounded team, but Carolina's got better top-end forwards. Their forward group has been gaining more confidence over time, and are going to the net with increasingly more authority and physicality.
Both teams are strong & dangerous in transition. Perhaps Buffalo a little moreso than Carolina, due to their speed (Afinogenov, Briere, Pominville, Dumont, et al). They do well in converting chances off the rush, whereas many Carolina goals seem to come off the cycle with some sort of screening going on.
Miller IMO has an edge on Ward, based on their play this past round ... but not by much. And this is solely based on the fact that Ward had issues with the Habs game two, and Devils game four (when both teams were skating & moving the puck around the offensive zone better) .
I'm torn on this one. I think Buffalo might have the better all-around team, but Carolina has so much resilience and warriors that it's tough to bet against them.
Both teams are really close. They both use speed and move the puck well. I also think Miller has played a tad better, but I don't think it's significant enough to make a huge difference in this series. I'd go with Carolina, especially if they get enough power play opportunities. Carolina's power play has been deadly and, while Buffalo is good at using speed and transition to create shorthanded chances, my non-existant money's on Carolina. I just hope this one goes 7.
I'm not sure here. I was hoping for Ottawa and NJ to come through, but no luck.
Both teams have a good amount of resilience. Both teams have had different people stepping up. Both teams have unspectacular defenses that are overachieving & blocking a lot of shots.
I think Buffalo's got the deeper, more well-rounded team, but Carolina's got better top-end forwards. Their forward group has been gaining more confidence over time, and are going to the net with increasingly more authority and physicality.
Both teams are strong & dangerous in transition. Perhaps Buffalo a little moreso than Carolina, due to their speed (Afinogenov, Briere, Pominville, Dumont, et al). They do well in converting chances off the rush, whereas many Carolina goals seem to come off the cycle with some sort of screening going on.
Miller IMO has an edge on Ward, based on their play this past round ... but not by much. And this is solely based on the fact that Ward had issues with the Habs game two, and Devils game four (when both teams were skating & moving the puck around the offensive zone better) .
I'm torn on this one. I think Buffalo might have the better all-around team, but Carolina has so much resilience and warriors that it's tough to bet against them.
Definately behing the French Connection and the Sabres. So much resilience needs to be applied to the Sabres as well, play without top guys a lot of the time but still find a way to win it. Will finally see what Ward would do against a much better offense than the previous two. Kalinin's loss could hurt them, but our own Rory Fitzpatrick will do the job.
Tough battle for sure, but the Sabres will come on top in 6.
This serie could be very good , both teams have a solid group of fowards and i think it's even up front . Neiter team has a star or bonafide #1D and it could play a major role in favor of Buffalo who just beat up Chara , Redden and co. while Carolina had to face NJ D who's not really better than the Habs D . The goalies are fairly even , but ill give the edge to Miller who was the best goalie in the AHL a couple years in a row , but as anon said i doubt goaltending plays a major role in this series , unless one of them lose his groove of course. The coachs are great Ruff and Laviolette will have a lot of work to do . I think Ruff experience and the way he schooled Senators Murray give him the edge , he know who to use his guys but i can't see this playing a major role in the series either as both teams have depth.
I think Buffalo will come out in 6 , but it's gonna be tight and could go both ways. I also think im a bit of a homer for Buffalo who has a lot of Quebecois and could beat up the crap out of Justin Williams!
It should be a very exciting series since both teams like to play the same kind of high pressure game.
Its going to be a fast paced, up tempo game.
These teams basically cancel each other out in many senses so it comes down to special teams.
Special teams wise, I have to give the nod to Buffalo and I'm not just looking at the playoffs. They were top 3 in PK and PP in the regular season.
Montreal is a similar team to Buffalo in the sense that they have smaller but tenacious and speedy forwards and an underrated D. Its just that Buffalo takes it up a notch compared to the habs. So if the habs gave everything the canes could handle, how can they stop the sabres?
It should be the best series from a fan's point of view in these playoffs.
I also think im a bit of a homer for Buffalo who has a lot of Quebecois and could beat up the crap out of Justin Williams!
Why the angst? It's not like he's a malicious punk. It's unfortunate for us he was careless with his stick, but I'm more pissed off at the refs for that than anything else. He's proven himself to be a pretty good hockey player (I'd like to see him in Montreal).
Why the angst? It's not like he's a malicious punk. It's unfortunate for us he was careless with his stick, but I'm more pissed off at the refs for that than anything else. He's proven himself to be a pretty good hockey player (I'd like to see him in Montreal).
then he high sticked markov in the face the very next game and got away with it.
Malicious Punk? no
Wreckless Player (esp with his stick)? Very much so in the habs series
I'm not sure here. I was hoping for Ottawa and NJ to come through, but no luck.
Both teams have a good amount of resilience. Both teams have had different people stepping up. Both teams have unspectacular defenses that are overachieving & blocking a lot of shots.
I think Buffalo's got the deeper, more well-rounded team, but Carolina's got better top-end forwards. Their forward group has been gaining more confidence over time, and are going to the net with increasingly more authority and physicality.
Both teams are strong & dangerous in transition. Perhaps Buffalo a little moreso than Carolina, due to their speed (Afinogenov, Briere, Pominville, Dumont, et al). They do well in converting chances off the rush, whereas many Carolina goals seem to come off the cycle with some sort of screening going on.
Miller IMO has an edge on Ward, based on their play this past round ... but not by much. And this is solely based on the fact that Ward had issues with the Habs game two, and Devils game four (when both teams were skating & moving the puck around the offensive zone better) .
I'm torn on this one. I think Buffalo might have the better all-around team, but Carolina has so much resilience and warriors that it's tough to bet against them.
Good analysis, Mike. Basically captures my feelings about both teams, and I can't say which one will emerge. I'll flip my magic quarter when I get home. Should be fun to watch, though.
I think Buffalo will come out in 6 , but it's gonna be tight and could go both ways. I also think im a bit of a homer for Buffalo who has a lot of Quebecois and could beat up the crap out of Justin Williams!
I agree with your analysis though we could give a little edge on forwards to Carolina but I don't feel like it...
As far as Quebecois beating the crap out of Williams well you won't find any Qubecs goons in that team, though I'm feeling like making Derek Roy, since he speaks french so well, our adopted Quebecois and could give Williams an nice open ice bodycheck to begin the series!!!!
then he high sticked markov in the face the very next game and got away with it.
Malicious Punk? no
Wreckless Player (esp with his stick)? Very much so in the habs series
These things happen. It's not like he does this on a regular basis. Has he gone around sticking New Jersey players in the face? Did he have a reputation for doing this stuff in the regular season? Not that I'm aware. Like I said, I'm more pissed off at the refs than anything. How the hell they can miss a guy getting (accidentally) stabbed in the eye on a scoring chance is beyond my comprehension.
These things happen. It's not like he does this on a regular basis. Has he gone around sticking New Jersey players in the face? Did he have a reputation for doing this stuff in the regular season? Not that I'm aware. Like I said, I'm more pissed off at the refs than anything. How the hell they can miss a guy getting (accidentally) stabbed in the eye on a scoring chance is beyond my comprehension.
I'm not arguing with you on any of these points but Williams is the "bad guy" from our series. And we are strictly talking about our series. Not any other series.
It was maginified because it happened in a playoff series.
It doesn't mean Williams is a chronic offender but it happened enough and caused enough severity from our series that we will remember it.
And I agree with you, I'm also mad at the refs.
Like you said, these things happen but it doesn't make it any easier to accept a player's wrecklessness
I'm starting to lean towards Carolina here. They play desperate hockey 90% of the time, they're clutch, and I think Buffalo's going to have issues handling Carolina's tenacious forwards & forecheck.
Ottawa has no tenacious skilled forwards. They're either tenacious or skilled. Carolina's skilled forwards are also their tenacious ones.
Carolina has three warriors up front (Brindy, Staal, Williams) that make the usually perimeter softies like Whitney & Stillman play well. Buffalo has one warrior (Drury).
All-around, I think Buffalo has the better D, slight edge in goal, deeper offense, and while they also have an admirable resiliency, they don't play with the same desperate man-possessed way that Carolina does.
Carolina wore out NJ's D as well in that series. It was very noticeable. Carolina was just so fast on the forecheck and took the body every single time, it forced a lot of turnovers which Carolina translated into scoring chances quickly. Impressive showing.
Buffalo's got the same qualities, but they don't have that same size/tenacity mix that Carolina does. They're swifty, certainly craftier, but they're going to need to be driving the net consistently to beat Ward, and I think Carolina's better in that department.
On the other hand, Carolina's defense is more prone to running around, and Buffalo is severely better on special teams.
Also, I like Laviolette. He's better than Murray as a coach (IMO). He made excellent adjustments whenever his team hasn't played up to par. It wasn't so much because of Ward that Carolina turned that Montreal series around, but that it was a completely different (stronger) system.
MTL and NJ complain that they didn't get to test Ward enough. That's no coincidence: Carolina's adjustment to real playoff hockey is the reason.
Remember: Montreal did score 3 goals on Ward in Game Two, and beat him in OT. He wasn't unbeatable, it's just that Carolina's system changed and grew progressively stronger as the playoffs have gone on.
I think the most exciting thing about this series (since I'm not a big fan of either team...) is that it just solidifies that the game is being called and the new NHL is in full force throughout the postseason, two quick up tempo teams making it the semi's, it's nice to see in a sense. Also no matter who goes through in the West, it'll be the same there, I'm loving it. And more importantly, I think it bodes well for our future.
That said, my heart hopes Buffalo takes it, since I'd like to see big nose Brind'Amour and the Canes crash and burn, and then Buffalo can lose in the finals to Edmonton preferable or San Jose and I'll be a very happy camper. Well as happy as one can be when the Habs are out hitting the green.
I thought the Canes could handle NJ. I'm no genius though, I thought Ottawa would steamroller Buffalo. Mike's right about Laviollette imo, he makes little adjusments and he's been right most of the time.
Deandebean made a commnet on another thread about Mtl. needing more north/south players rather than east/west players. Well, I thought Ottawa played a little too much east west, and Carolina plays the best north/south I've seen in the po's so far. Offensively, they just keep coming, they get too many chances,draw too many penalties, I think Canes in 6 or 7.
Overall, I can't see Anaheim losing, but there's a lot that can happen before that call has to be made.
To be honest, th deadliest line for that team is whatever line Staal plays on. He's always dominant that kid. Shut him down and the canes are very weak. Plus they've been very undisciplined of late, Buffalo will make them pay.
Yep. You were completely right about those two series', and I was completely wrong.
I'm still not convinced either Carolina or Buffalo will sustain this play over time, but for the sake of these playoffs, I'm leaning towards Carolina right now to come out of the East.
To be honest, th deadliest line for that team is whatever line Staal plays on. He's always dominant that kid. Shut him down and the canes are very weak. Plus they've been very undisciplined of late, Buffalo will make them pay.
I also say Buffalo wins the cup in 6.
I think carolina has pretty good speed too. Buffalo might have more team speed but not by much.
But you touched on the sabres PP. Its not just the PP, its the PK. They have clearly proven all year long that they have the best, if not, one of the best special teams squad in the entire NHL.
As for the Sabres winning the cup, I think they have as good a shot as anyone left right now to take it all. I wouldn't dare call them an underdog against anyone they may end up playing from now to the end and I haven't called them underdogs the enitre playoffs
Yep. You were completely right about those two series', and I was completely wrong.
I'm still not convinced either Carolina or Buffalo will sustain this play over time, but for the sake of these playoffs, I'm leaning towards Carolina right now to come out of the East.
do you consider buffalo a cinderella team?
Call me crazy but I think this season is just a sign of things to come from Buffalo for the next few seasons
I'd like to see a Buffalo vs. Edmonton final. I think that would be the most exciting option considering the teams left and I could live with the cup going to one of those cities.
