Canucks Playoff Predictions

It’s official: the NHL playoffs are set, and Wednesday of this week all hell is going to break loose.  I can’t wait.  Except for one problem: exams.  What the fuck school?  Do you people realize we live in Canada?  Playoffs trump every other activity life throws at you.  In fact, the playoffs haven’t even started and already I have skipped studying to watch hockey games.  Tonight for instance, I watched the Stars vs. Wild game.  For those of you who don’t follow every single story of every single hockey team in the NHL, this game was important because if the Stars won, the Blackhawks would be eliminated.  Pretty sad for the defending champs.

I was watching the game and I really couldn’t decide what I wanted to have happen.  If the Stars won, my Canucks (who, by the way, won the league this year) would play them in the first round instead of the Hawks.  This is good for two reasons: the Stars don’t have as much talent as the Hawks, and the Stars didn’t eliminate the Canucks from the playoffs for the past two seasons.  A rational person would be cheering for the Stars.  On paper, the match-up looks a hundred times better.  Yet for some reason, I couldn’t do it.  I found myself fist-pumping when the Wild scored an empty netter to ensure that the Stars were eliminated.  Clearly I am insane.  Except I’m not.  I want my Canucks to live up to the hype and win the cup this year.  I really think they can do it, and that’s why I finally admitted that I WANTED the Hawks first round.  I want my Canucks to have to face their nemesis, and I want them to do it early.  It will be a good test of the team’s character.  To be honest with you, I don’t think it’s going to be much of a series.  Canucks in 5, and that’s being generous in my opinion.

Getting their rivals out of the way will get the team in the right state of mind to make a strong push to the finals.  The second round might be a little tougher than the first round if Anaheim is the lowest seed.  People are going to get sunburnt by the goal lights in that series.  Should be fun to watch at least (and nerve-racking).  I’m predicting the Canucks in 6, but I could see a game 7 being needed to decide that one.

Which brings us to the Western Conference finals, where I’m anticipating meeting Detroit.  Fucking Detroit.  God I hate them.  Every year they are always a contender, and I’m sick of it.  Sometimes I find myself wishing I had gotten on the bandwagon back in the Yzerman days like every Wings fan I know (ok, I only know one….shut up).  That series is going to 7, and I am going to have a mental breakdown at some point during it.  Canucks in 7, but honestly, I think it’s a coin-flip (I fucking hate those).

So then all the Canucks have to do is beat a Bruins or Flyers team that has way more size and strength.  Awesome.  I felt confident at the beginning of this.  Now I don’t.  This blog totally backfired.  Oh well.  Canucks in 7.  Please hockey gods, be nice to me this year.

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