The Cry of the Fishmonger Playoff Fashion Tip: Never Mix Teal and Mustard
The Sharks open the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs Wednesday night as a #5 seed on the road against the #4 Nashville Predators. If this match-up sounds familiar, it's because these two teams were first-round opponents last year, when the Predators made their post-season debut, falling to the Sharks 4-1.
The Predators had a quietly outstanding season this year, going 51-23-8 for 108 points, despite playing to sparse crowds at home, and wearing Grey Poupon-colored uniforms. Their trade-deadline deal for Peter Forsberg added yet another scoring forward to a line-up that includes Paul Kariya, diminutive speedster Scott Sullivan, J.P. Dumont, David Legwand, and Martin Erat. Their D is mobile and skilled, led by the hilariously named Kimmo Timonen (just say it out loud without smiling, we dare you), Marek Zidlicky (ditto), and Shea Webber (2 out of 3 ain't bad).
In goal, Tomas Vokoun had another excellent year, and his "backup", Chris Mason, is their 2nd
goalie in the same way that Vesa Toskala is the Sharks' backup.
By Ian, contributing
Why Sharks Fans Should Be Worried
The men in mustard have a lot of forward depth, and added Jason Arnott this year for some grit and playoff experience after last-year's team was summarily brushed aside by the Sharks in the first round. Their D are quick, and work well with the forwards for break-out plays and turnover scoring chances. Vokoun can be fantastic, and like the rest of the team, he's looking to prove himself this year (last year he was sidelined with a blood disease for the playoffs).
Any team in the West can win the whole shebang this year, and Nashville managed to secure home-ice for the first round, which tells you something about how consistently well they have played. With so many confident teams heading into the playoffs, *somebody* is going to go home unhappy, and the Sharks can't expect any easy games.
Why Sharks Fans Should Be Happy
Despite their depth throughout the lineup and new additions this year, Nashville still remains a
rather fragile club. Forsberg has been hurt all year, Sullivan is currently out with chronic back problems, and Vokoun didn't look that great after returning from hand injury late in the season. Kariya and the rest of the forwards are the type of players that get forced to the perimeter during the playoffs, and the Sharks have a decided size advantage to go with their equally good team speed.
Joe Thornton has been a monster down the stretch, and it sounds like he's ready to erase his reputation as a playoff choker. Even with the Nashville defense keying in on the top line of Thornton, Milan Michalek, and Jonathan Cheechoo, that leaves more room for Patrick Marleau, Bill Guerin, and Mark Bell (who could go a long way toward making it up to the fans and Sharks brass if he performs in the playoffs after his disastrous regular season). Marleau is Captain Clutch in the playoffs. Mike Grier and Curtis Brown shore up the checking line along with rookie Steve Bernier, and their size and physical play should wear down the Predators as the series goes on.
On D, we just can't say enough good things about the Craig Rivet acquisition. He's fit in perfectly, is a right-handed shot (which the Sharks have needed for years), and is the kind of steady veteran that can help the younger Sharks rear-guards succeed in the playoffs. Like the forward match-ups, the Sharks defensemen are as fast as the Predators', but bigger and stronger.
The Fishmonger Predict-O-Meter
Sharks in 6, with the Predators getting worn down as the series goes on.
The Rest of the West
#1 Detroit Red Wings vs. #8 Calgary Flames
The Flames are a team built for the playoffs, and former Shark Mikka Kiprusoff almost
single-handedly won the Cup for Calgary a couple of years back. But this isn't 2004 and you have to score more than once or twice a game in the new NHL.
The Fishmonger Predict-O-Meter: Detroit in 6
#2 Anaheim Ducks vs. #7 Minnesota Wild
Despite Jacques Lemaire's magnificently boring coaching we just can't see the Wild keeping up
with Anaheim's defensive depth, forward talent, and J.S. Giguere's playoff beard, which will
eventually completely block his vision (good!) and the goal mouth (bad!).
The Fishmonger Predict-O-Meter: Anaheim in 5
#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #6 Dallas Stars
The creepy, creepy Sedin twins and goalie Roberto Luongo star for Vancouver, while Dallas has
Mike Modano plus a bunch of pylons for offense and Marty Turco in net. Defense and goaltending will win this series. While the Cancucks and Stars defensement are pretty equal in skill, nobody's lost money betting against Turco in the post-season.
The Fishmonger Predict-O-Meter: Vancouver in 6
The Eastern Conference
#1 Buffalo Donald Trumps vs. #8 New York Islanders
The Sabres had an impressive year, with the best record in the league. The Islanders barely
squeezed into the playoffs, lubricated by Ryan Smyth's tears.
The Fishmonger Predict-O-Meter: Trumps in 5
#2 New Jersey Devils vs. #7 Tampa Bay Lightning
Goaltending is the most important factor in the playoffs. The Garden State's got stink weeds,
criminals, and Martin Brodeur. You have to respect Jersey.
The Fishmonger Predict-O-Meter: Jersey in 6
#3 Atlanda Thrashers vs. #6 New York Rangers
We don't expect either team to go deep in the playoffs, but the Thrashers' best forwards are
younger, faster, and not injured.
The Fishmonger Predict-O-Meter: Atlanta in 7, and an arena appearance by Lil' Jon.
#4 Ottawa Senators vs. #5 Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL messiah Sidney Crosby goes to the post-season for the first time in his young life, leading
the way for the upstart Penguins, single-handedly saving his franchise and the league, and
curing the sick & lame during TV time-outs. Is His perfection and benevolence enough to beat the incredibly skilled and deep Ottawa squad? We have no idea.
The Fishmonger Predict-O-Meter: Crosby's name will be mentioned more than all the Senators
players combined