Unfinished Business First Round Playoff Preview: Eastern Conference

#1 Washington Capitals vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens:
I preface this with the following: I want the Canadiens to win. I hope that the Canadiens will win. But I can't see it happening. These are the Washington Freaking Capitals. They have the best player in the league, arguably the best forwards in the league and one of the smartest coaches. Defensively, the two teams are about a wash with the Habs slightly stronger. In goal, the Canadiens have the advantage. Jaroslav Halak is one of only three goaltenders who finished in the top ten in shutouts, GAA, Save Percentage and Winning Percentage (the others being Ryan Miller and Ilya Bryzgalov).  I know that Jose Theodore has been great in 2010 for Washington but call it a hunch the Bell Centre faithful will get to him at least once. In addition, the Habs have played the Caps tough this year (2-1-1 is quite reasonable) and Washington needs to get a few kinks ironed out before they steamroller the rest of the league. Montreal can surprise them on these aforementioned "kink nights" but that's about it. Ovi and co. are too strong to fall to (based on regular season points) the worst team to make the playoffs since the lockout.

Prediction: Caps in Six


#2 New Jersey Devils vs. #7 Philadelphia Flyers
I've been reading around the interwebs that the Flyers are the sexy upset pick in the East. The argument goes that Fat Brodeur has lost a step, Philly won the season series 4-1-1 and the Devils as an organization are a bit washed up. And all of this maybe true. But the Flyers are going with Bobby, er, Brian Boucher in goal. Boucher hasn't started a playoff game in eight years and hasn't won one 10. In fact, 1999-2000 was the only time he's been ever thought of a as a starting goalie. New Jersey won't be going all the way this year but Brian "The Waterboy" Boucher and the Flyers aren't going to be ones to stop them.

Prediction: Devils in Six


#3 Buffalo Sabres vs. #6 Boston Bruins
The Buffalo Sabres posses the league's best goaltender (Ryan Miller), one of the craftier coaches (Lindy Ruff), the best rookie defenceman (Tyler Myers), the league's second best penalty kill and just saw their best goalscorer (Thomas Vanek) return from injury in style with a four goal performance (Michael Cammalleri, please take note). Plus, there's a good chance that their first line centre (Tim Connolly) returns. The Bruins are still missing Marc Savard, still are playing with a hurt Zdeno Chara and without a Phil Kessel. Oh yeah, he plays for the Leafs. But the B's have the Leafs second overall pick. And next year's. Tukka Rask should be able to win one game in Boston and that's about it.

Prediction: Sabres in five


#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Ottawa Senators
If only to be a jackass, I'm calling for a sweep. Ottawa is the most famous choke artists in the NHL over the past decade. The San Jose Sharks (I'll get to them in my Western Conference preview) come close but the even the Sharks' period of sustained craptasticness is dwarfed by the Sens. Ottawa had the talent to have won at least two Cups from 1999 until 2009. Instead, they died like dogs year-after-year and usually to the Leafs. The one time that they made the Cup Final, they were outmatched by an Anaheim team that was far inferior in talent but made up for it in physicality. As for the Penguins, what do I have to say? They're the defending champs, the two-time Eastern Conference winners, have two of the three best players in the NHL and world class supporting staff. If I wasn't being a jackass, I would point out that Brian Elliott is playing well enough to likely steal a game on his own. But since I am...

Prediction: Penguins in four

Eastern Conference Champs: Washington Capitals
Since I've been riding them all season, I'm not backing down now. This is the year that Ovechkin gets the monkey off his back, beats Crosby and the Penguins and leads the Caps the Stanley Cup Final.