2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 2 Summary

Ok – going into the second round if you asked me which team was the weakest I would’ve said Nashville.  I didn’t think any team was going to be swept but if I had to guess, I would’ve grudgingly guessed Nashville, particularly if Vancouver’s offense turned on.  Who would’ve known that of Nashville, Philadephia, Detroit and Washington, Nashville was the only one that didn’t lose its first three games?!

Honestly, what was up with the Eastern Conference this year?!  Two series were sweeps?  What the hell?  This round ended so quickly I felt like I got cheated out of a lot hockey (not to mention my fantasy pool).  But I guess unpredictability is part of what makes the playoffs exciting …

Eastern Conference

(1-5) Washington-Tampa Bay: I don’t have much else to add about this series as it was already over by the time I wrote the previous post.  I still can’t believe that Washington got swept, though … what a shame.

(2-3) Philadelphia-Boston: Lol!  Ok so not only was I betting on Philly beating Boston, I was hoping it would be in a dramatic fashion given what happened last year.  I can laugh at it now but going in, I really thought Philly was one of the strongest teams in the Eastern Conference and that they probably had a good shot at Vancouver for the final.  Whoops.  I most certainly did not predict that they would get swept.  Philly getting swept hurt a hell of a lot more than Washington getting swept.  Why?  Because I don’t mind Tampa – they’re alright.  But Boston?  I really can’t stand that team.

Western Conference

(1-5) Vancouver-Nashville: This series started off a bit on the boring side and got slightly better with each game.  It wasn’t extremely exciting playoff hockey for the Canucks of whom I expected more.  The Predators play a very defensive style and the Canucks were just a bit more offensive than them.  Shea Weber and Ryan Suter played quite well and Pekka Rinne is a great goalie.  BUT, the most awesome player of the entire series was, of course, Ryan Kesler.  Wow, it’s like he single-handedly willed Vancouver to win the series.  Vancouver took it in six games but kudos to Nashville in any case.

Last year, I (as an outsider, of course) didn’t get how Kesler was even considered for the Canucks captaincy.  This was after he notoriously trash talked Team Canada after the Vancouver Olympics and he had a lot of local fans turning on him.  I wondered after all that shit he said about Canada why he was so eager to captain a Canadian team.  Now, I think he is worthy of captaincy after he quit his trash talking full stop this year.  Whether he is worthier than Henrik Sedin is another question (imho, based on the regular season, no – based on the post-season, most definitely) that Vancouverites can argue amongst themselves.

P.S.: Looks like the pattern I noticed here did not hold L

(2-3) San Jose-Detroit: Wow this series was awesome!  Hands down, it was my favourite series of the second round.  Both teams played hard and quite well every game.  Earlier, when San Jose was up 3-0, I wrote here that I would like the Wings to win a few more to take the series to seven games but that I doubted it.  I can’t believe that it happened and that the Wings were able to tie the series after that hole!  Not only did I get to watch more hockey but it was great hockey to boot.  Honestly, I was rooting for the Red Wings to win slightly more given the dramatic fashion in which they came back but it’s not like I dislike San Jose.

A few useless observations:

• Detroit has some of the best stadium music.  Unsurprisingly, it’s a bit Eminem heavy but it’s still better than what’s played at a lot of other stadiums
• I don't know who he is but the Bruins have the worst anthem singer
• Logan Couture had a seriously awesome blowout for game seven.  I saw him without his helmet on during the national anthem and he looked like a damn Pantene ad …
• Joe Thornton’s pre-game suit for game seven was a beauty.  What a flattering suit … too bad I can’t find a photo to post L