After a quick and fairly uninteresting first round, it appears we are headed for mostly much of the same in the second round. After last night's games we have three series that sit at 3-0, which means they are pretty much over and will all end in the next game or two in favor of the team currently leading.
So much for parity in the WHL this year, eh? The eight first round series included five sweeps and two 5-game wins. In total the first round required 36 games to complete - that's four more games than the absolute minimum of 32 games to play eight series. Now in the second round we have the possibility of three sweeps out of four series (not saying they'll all be sweeps, but at 3-0 you have to strongly consider the possibility that the next game will make it 4-0).
I guess it's not surprising to me - after all, I did predict three of the series would end in five games and that number is still in play for all three of those predictions. (As an aside, I'm clearly going to have to eat some crow on the Moose Jaw / Medicine Hat series, so it might as well be now: I totally underestimated the Warriors and overestimated the Tigers. Totally.)
But it is a little disappointing. You want the playoffs to have drama. Excitement. Seventh games, the edge-of-your-seat stuff. We haven't really seen any of that, unless you consider the raft of season-ending injuries and suspensions of high-profile players this year to be the stuff of drama. Right now it looks like we're going to get two rounds deep in this year's playoffs without a single series that really makes people sit up and take notice of the WHL. The only hope left in the second round is for Spokane to make a series of it with Tri-City. That one sits at 1-1 with game three tonight, so there is hope there yet.
The good news? The third round looks like it could be a doozy. If the 3-0 leaders all close out their series, and the Americans do beat the Chiefs, then the top two teams in both conferences will have made it to the semifinals.
3 comments:
With you eating crow in the MJ/MH series how do you see them matching up vs Edmonton?
What is it about MJ that you underestimated? YOu said they could win and that the D will give Etem fits and the depth up front with cause a problem for Bunz. Just wondering where you think you may have gone wrong.
Well, I thought Etem and Bunz would be more effective against the Warriors than they were. Thought Bunz could steal some games, which didn't happen, and Etem only had one point in the three games he played (though admittedly he missed almost all of one of those three after getting tossed out).
I figured the Warriors might be able to win it but I really thought a couple big stars like Etem and Bunz would be more effective than they were. Oh well.
As for the third round, I think I am going to be going with Edmonton over the Warriors. Not because I doubt the Warriors (again) but simple because I think Edmonton is better. We'll see how I'm feeling when it comes time to put predictions down on paper but right now I think I'll be picking the Oil Kings in a longer (6 or 7 games) series.
Tough series to predict for sure... the depth on Edmonton is something not to be over looked IMO.
The one thing that I wouldn't bet against is the Warriors ability to wear down the opposing teams D as well as keep the puck 200 feet from our goalie.
This will be the first time in our entire season we have had ALL of our top end players in our lineup yet we managed to put together a fairly solid season.
Edmundons, Beach, McIlrath, Howden, Bowman all missed the early part of our season. Reilly missed all of the middle portion and that was in fact a huge blow to our lineup for many reasons. PP being our number one problem there. Henry and Braes weren't added til trade deadline. Of course Howden gone for World Jr's as well as many of our youngsters over Christmas. Suspensions were big part during the middle frame of the season as well. Affecting Edmundson, McIlrath, Miller, Beach again.
As mentioned this series will be the first time that this team has EVER stepped on the ice together as a collective force to face any team. The last 2 series was the most we had ever had in the lineup but this will be the true test.
I think the Warriors have what it takes this year but of course, it is the playoffs and anything can happen. You have to wonder though when Reilly comes back and is being inserted as a 5/6 dman, just how good of a team are we looking at here.
Just a few thoughts.
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