NHL Playoff Predictions Round 2 Part II
Carolina Hurricanes Vs. New Jersey Devils
Forwards
The Carolina Hurricanes have a nice mix of speedy young players and wise older veterans including Trade Dealine acquisition Doug Weight from the St. Louis Blues fire sale. Eric Staal has been a monster for the Hurricanes giving the opposition fits trying to contain him. Losing Eric Cole to a serious and scary neck injury appears to have had a minimal effect on the team play thus far. This mix of forwards can strike early and often.
The New Jersey Devils have a fantastic top line featuring the "Killer G's" Bryan Gionta and Scott Gomez. These two forwards have been phenomenal throughout the 1st round of the playoffs and they are supported by Patrick Elias whose making a comeback from knee surgery. Unfortunately after the top line the skills and production teeters off considerably.
Edge: Hurricanes.
Defence
Mike Commodore, who played on the Stanley Cup runner-up Calgary Flames in '04 is the 'Canes top d-man, followed closely be Glen Wesley and veteran Bret Hedican. Night in and night out these 3 stalwarts are paired against the oppositions top lines and special teams. The other 3 d-men are less experienced and make the game closer.
The Devils play a defensive system that's geared around letting goalie Martin Brodeur see the puck and generally keeping the play out of their end of the ice, especially when they have the lead. Half of the d-men on this eam are veterans of the Devils for years (Colin White, Richard Matvichuk and Paul Martin). Thus they buy into the system and have helped the newer guys along.
Edge: Devils
Goaltending
Rookie goalie Cam Ward has been living his dream and taking advatage of his opportunity to start for the Hurricanes at the same time. He will have to continue to be sharp in this series as the Devils are really difficult to come back against. Backing up Ward is veteran Martin Gerber who previously backed up J.S. Giguere during his phenomenol run in '04. Gerber is reliable when called upon.
Marin Brodeur is perhaps the best if not, one of the best goalies in the world. The veteran 'keeper is cool under pressure and it usually takes a pretty good shot to beat him. Although he had a rough night in Game 1, look for him to bounce back in game 2. In the unlikely event that Brodeur should go down with an injury the Devils would be forced to play unknown back-up Scott Clemmensen. Clemmensen has had less than a period of playoff experience (when Brodeur was pulled early in the 3rd period of Game 1) and it's unknown how reliable a 'keeper he is
Edge: Devils
Special Teams
The Hurricanes have a real sharpshooter in Eric Staal, supported by veteran center Doug Weight. QB'ing this PP is Mike Commodore who hhas an accurate shot. Glen Wesley also controls the Blueline. On the PK Doug Weight can set up Eric Staal for a SH chance and neither is afraid to take one for the team.
Martin Brodeur determines how well the PK performs, thus the team is focused around keeping shots to the outside and keeping the pesky forwards out of Brodeurs line of sight. On the PP Patrick Elias and the Killer G's (Gionta and Gomez) are a formidable trio who can tip the point shot and set up down low.
Prediction: Hurricanes in 5
Forwards
The Carolina Hurricanes have a nice mix of speedy young players and wise older veterans including Trade Dealine acquisition Doug Weight from the St. Louis Blues fire sale. Eric Staal has been a monster for the Hurricanes giving the opposition fits trying to contain him. Losing Eric Cole to a serious and scary neck injury appears to have had a minimal effect on the team play thus far. This mix of forwards can strike early and often.
The New Jersey Devils have a fantastic top line featuring the "Killer G's" Bryan Gionta and Scott Gomez. These two forwards have been phenomenal throughout the 1st round of the playoffs and they are supported by Patrick Elias whose making a comeback from knee surgery. Unfortunately after the top line the skills and production teeters off considerably.
Edge: Hurricanes.
Defence
Mike Commodore, who played on the Stanley Cup runner-up Calgary Flames in '04 is the 'Canes top d-man, followed closely be Glen Wesley and veteran Bret Hedican. Night in and night out these 3 stalwarts are paired against the oppositions top lines and special teams. The other 3 d-men are less experienced and make the game closer.
The Devils play a defensive system that's geared around letting goalie Martin Brodeur see the puck and generally keeping the play out of their end of the ice, especially when they have the lead. Half of the d-men on this eam are veterans of the Devils for years (Colin White, Richard Matvichuk and Paul Martin). Thus they buy into the system and have helped the newer guys along.
Edge: Devils
Goaltending
Rookie goalie Cam Ward has been living his dream and taking advatage of his opportunity to start for the Hurricanes at the same time. He will have to continue to be sharp in this series as the Devils are really difficult to come back against. Backing up Ward is veteran Martin Gerber who previously backed up J.S. Giguere during his phenomenol run in '04. Gerber is reliable when called upon.
Marin Brodeur is perhaps the best if not, one of the best goalies in the world. The veteran 'keeper is cool under pressure and it usually takes a pretty good shot to beat him. Although he had a rough night in Game 1, look for him to bounce back in game 2. In the unlikely event that Brodeur should go down with an injury the Devils would be forced to play unknown back-up Scott Clemmensen. Clemmensen has had less than a period of playoff experience (when Brodeur was pulled early in the 3rd period of Game 1) and it's unknown how reliable a 'keeper he is
Edge: Devils
Special Teams
The Hurricanes have a real sharpshooter in Eric Staal, supported by veteran center Doug Weight. QB'ing this PP is Mike Commodore who hhas an accurate shot. Glen Wesley also controls the Blueline. On the PK Doug Weight can set up Eric Staal for a SH chance and neither is afraid to take one for the team.
Martin Brodeur determines how well the PK performs, thus the team is focused around keeping shots to the outside and keeping the pesky forwards out of Brodeurs line of sight. On the PP Patrick Elias and the Killer G's (Gionta and Gomez) are a formidable trio who can tip the point shot and set up down low.
Prediction: Hurricanes in 5
posted by opinionator777 at 9:22 PM
1 Comments:
I certainly hope Carolina takes it.
Almost my entire playoff pool is made up of Detroit and Carolina players, so with the Wings out I'm really counting on the 'Canes to go far.
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