NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Conference Finals Predictions: FUCK NO SHARKS

The NHL's post-season is once again filled with a bit more suspense than we've been getting from the NBA so far, what with both Eastern Conference semifinals needing to go seven games. And at this point, what are we to make of the No. 8-seeded Montreal Canadiens—a team with even less regular season points than some Western Conference teams that didn't make the playoffs? Well, considering that they've now knocked off this year's President's Trophy winner and last year's Stanley Cup champion in consecutive rounds, they deserve as much respect as ... that No. 7 seed they'll be up against. Or the top two seeds from the West on the other side of the bracket, really.

OK, honestly? This is all shaping up really well for my dear 'Hawks at this point. I'm in such a good mood, that I even added those additional Puck Daddy contributors to the mix:

1. (2) Erin Brown, CBS Sports: 9-3 (6)
 2. (1) YOURS TRULY: 9-3 (4)

3. (-) Scott Piankowski, Puck Daddy: 8-4 (3)
4. (10) Scott Burnside, ESPN: 8-4 (2)
4. (-) Ryan Lambert, Puck Daddy: 8-4 (2)
6. (6) Ross McKeon, Yahoo: 8-4 (1)
 7. (8) Matthew Barnaby, ESPN: 7-5 (4)
8. (3) John Buccigross, ESPN: 7-5 (3)

9. (12) Pierre LeBrun, ESPN: 7-5 (2)
 10. (4) Wes Goldstein, CBS Sports: 7-5 (1)

10. (4) Matt Romig, Yahoo: 7-5 (1)

10. (10) E.J. Hradek, ESPN: 7-5 (1)

10. (12) Sam McCaig, Yahoo: 7-5 (1)
14. (7) Barry Melrose, ESPN: 6-6 (5)
 15. (-) Dmitry Chesnokov, Puck Daddy: 6-6 (2)

15. (9) Greg Wyshynski, Yahoo: 6-6 (2)
 17. (14) Dennis Dodd, CBS Sports: 5-7 (2)
17. (-) Sean Leahy, Puck Daddy: 5-7 (2) 
19. (-) Darryl Dobbs, Puck Daddy: 4-8 (2)

20. (14) Mike Hurcomb, CBS Sports: 3-9 (1)

Again, I'm in kind of a rush right now and most nearly every site still has yet to put their own picks up, so more monkey business in the meantime:

Yahoo has nothing yet:

But ESPN is on the ball:

No word from CBSSports.com, however:

And now that I added the rest of the crew from Puck Daddy, of course there's nothing there yet either:

OK, so that tells us nothing. But if you're wondering what I'm predicting:

Chicago Blackhawks over San Jose Sharks in six games

 And so it appears the road to the Stanley cup for the Blackhawks will not, in fact, have to go through Detroit—this year, at least. It will be the first time the 'Hawks have not had home-ice, but considering how that's played out so far this post-season (Chicago's 4-1 on the road so far and the visiting team has won all four Game Sevens to this point), that's far from a bad thing. San Jose's got a pair of big, bad lines that are going to give their top two a stiff challenge, but the Blackhawks go deeper. And when you consider how much Captain Serious has perennially thrived against the Sharks not to mention that Marian Hossa is just about due to bust out, it would be an awful time for Joe Thornton to disappear on a team that's going to need him—even though that's precisely what we've come to expect from the guy. I'm bracing myself for a possible relief appearance from Cristobal Huet if necessary, but during the regular-season the 'Hawks had four goals off of rebounds against San Jose to the Sharks' one. Additionally, Chicago had nearly double the amount of even-strength goals. So according to all the numbers I'd prefer to pay attention to, this series clearly favors the Blackhawks.

Philadelphia Flyers over Montreal Canadiens in seven games

I just don't know how much Montreal really has left after playing the maximum possible 14 games through the first two rounds. That's only happened three times since 1994 and none of those three teams made it to the Stanley cup. Granted, how much does Philly really have left after battling back from their 3-0 deficit against Boston? I'll buy into the Flyers' momentum, I suppose, but honestly, I'm really just swayed by the Winter Classic connection that's seen the road team in that game get to the Cup each of the past two years—and lose. If the other series goes like I hope, then they can feel free to continue that last part of the tradition as well.