Karl's Picks - NHL Playoffs

It's that time of year again - time for playoff hockey. Now that games mean something the best teams will really step it up. Will Washington choke again? Will San Jose finally make it the final? Can the Blackhawks shock everyone and repeat? Only time will tell, but these are my predictions

First Round
Eastern Conference

#1 Washington over #8 New York in 5
Washington rides recent momentum into postseason to easily handle the Rangers

#2 Philadelphia over #7 Buffalo in 7
Ryan Miller tries his best, but Philly overpowers them in a tough series

#6 Montreal over #3 Boston in 7
Carey Price stands on his head to get Montreal past Boston

#5 Tampa Bay over #4 Pittsburgh in 5
Stamkos and St Louis surprise the Penguins and light them up often

Western Conference

#1 Vancouver over #8 Chicago in 4
Vancouver blows by Chicago with minimal resistance

#2 San Jose over #7 Kings in 6
San Jose is simply too strong for a team like the Kings - they put up a fight but Sharks still win

#3 Detroit over #6 Phoenix in 7
Phoenix gives Detroit a scare and this series comes down to the wire - with the Wings barely edging them out.

#4 Anaheim over #5 Nashville in 7
In another real close series, both these teams grind out seven games. This is the series that I feel could have 5 overtime games.

Second Round
Eastern Conference
#1 Washington over #6 Montreal in 6
Price continues to put up an effort, but Washington is just too strong for the Canadiens, and they take the series

#5 Tampa Bay over #2 Philadelphia in 7
This series is gonna have a lot of goals scored. Both these teams are gonna light the lamp, but I see Roloson pulling off just enough saves to get Tampa through.

Western Conference
#1 Vancouver over #4 Anaheim in 7
Vancouver has a much tougher test in Anaheim, and this is gonna be a tough series. I see Vancouver eventually pulling ahead, but Anaheim could pull the upset.

#2 San Jose over #3 Detroit in 5
San Jose just looks like a better team in every area against Detroit, and it shows - the Sharks cruise through to the conference finals

Conference Finals
#1 Washington over #5 Tampa Bay in 5
Washington LIGHTS up Tampa over 5 games, and Tampa just can't keep up.

#1 Vancouver over #2 San Jose in 7
This series, while close, I feel will be easier for the Canucks then the series against Anaheim was. Sharks are good enough to get some wins, but the Canucks take the series.

Final
#1 Vancouver over #1 Washington in 6
This is the year I feel Vancouver will finally win a Cup. They've looked great all year, even battling though injury. It's always nice when a Canadian team wins the cup, and it's been 18 years since the last time, so I think were due.