Other Eastern Conference series

Hockey on the brain! Hockey on the brain! No more Rangers news today. Who else we got?

Devils-Hurricanes. This is the series where I'm gonna sound like a standard dumbass sportscaster. Before Game 1, I picked the 'Canes. Now, I'm leaning toward the Devils. Don't judge me, hear me out. The 'Canes got very, very, very hot, and the Devils (by which I mean Marty Brodeur, who determines their fate) were losing all over the place. It seemed like Marty would pick up his game a little for the playoffs, but the 'Canes would just keep rolling, until someone bigger snapped them out of it. But it also seemed like the 'Canes would be snapped out of it, at some point, hard. It's possible that their 4-1 loss at The Rock was that snap, and if it was, I think Marty can steal the Devils another series. Sad, I know, but totally plausible.

Bruins-Canadiens. Hooooo-boy! If the Rangers hadn't made the playoffs, besides rooting passively against the Devils and Penguins, this is the series I'd watch. I know I keep saying the Bruins are the team to beat in the East, as does everyone else, and we're all right. I know the Bruins really should win this series handily. But my sweet Lord, are these gonna be good games. These two teams hate each other, and they do so with a lot hitting. Yes, I know the Bruins won game one 4-2, and they're easily the best all-around team in the East, but don't expect the Canadiens to lose every game. I don't see the Bruins taking two in a row in Montréal. And I do see a ton of good, old-fashioned hockey.

Penguins-Flyers. Everyone who talks about sports is dumb, right? So, naturally, everyone thinks that this series is the evenly-matched one of the bunch. Seriously, in the East, the media conversation is that the top seeds are obviously winning these series, but the "Keystone State Battle of Pennsylvania Hockey Superiority" or whatever they call it is gonna be the close race. This is sophomoric. They think this for a few reasons:
--OMG Sidney Crosby is the face of the NHL!! That means the series has to be dramatic for RATINGS!!
--They finished right in the middle! 4th and 5th are way closer to each other than all the other pairs of numbers, so the teams are close in ability!
--Pennsylvania! Same state! Drama! Two cities, one state! RATINGS!!
--Last season, we also had a playoffs, and these guys were the BEST TWO TEAMS in the East! They played in the Conference Finals! This must be just like that! Two powerhouses!

These are all stupid reasons. The fact is that since February, the Pens have been way outplaying the Flyers. Just because two teams finished near each other doesn't mean they're close in skill. The Flyers are falling apart and the Pens are hot. Just because they're both from Pennsylvania, and they happened to play in the unbalanced Conference Final last season, doesn't mean they're an even match. The Pens should have this series well in hand. I'm not happy about it, but it's true.

That's all. Just wanted to blog about something. If I'm bored later, I'll do the West (Go Blues). Otherwise, I won't. Watch some hockey tonight! I don't care which game(s)! It's the playoffs!