Pick 'em: Like Habs to the slaughter
by Dominik on Apr 15, 2010 2:44 PM EDT
in This, That & What-Not
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PrintContinuing our reader polls of who you will win -- or who you want to win -- we turn to the East's 1 vs. 8 seed, perhaps the most lopsided matchup (on paper) of this year's playoffs. The Canadiens, who limped into the playoffs, versus the Capitals, who it feels like clinched the President's Trophy sometime before the final season of "Lost" began.
A Slovakian goalie who's wrested away the pre-ordained job. A trash-talking Czech sniper awaiting a free agent payday. A sublime Russian defenseman. An overpaid but skilled ex-Ranger. Do the Habs have a chance? If you're watching tonight and want to chat it up, you can do that here as well.
| Thursday, April 15 | at Washington, 7:00 p.m. | TSN, VERSUS | |
| Saturday, April 17 | at Washington, 7:00 p.m. | TSN, VERSUS | |
| Monday, April 19 | at Montreal, 7:00 p.m. | TSN | |
| Wednesday, April 21 | at Montreal, 7:00 p.m. | TSN | |
| *Friday, April 23 | at Washington, 7:00 p.m. | TSN, VERSUS | |
| *Monday, April 26 | at Montreal, 7:00 p.m. | TSN, VERSUS | |
| *Wednesday, April 28 | at Washington, TBD | TSN | |
(1) Washington Capitals (54-15-13) vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens (39-33-10)
SBN coverage: Japers' Rink | Habs Eyes on the Prize
Reasons to Pick the Caps: General dominance from top to crease blueline. The usual praise from left to right.
Reasons to Pick the Habs: There aren't any, really. So let's go with this: The traditional narrative for ascending dominant teams includes some stumbles before they get over the hump. Many assume last year was the Capitals' stumble -- that Game 7 home chokejob against the eventual champs. But history tells us sometimes these teams stumble multiple times. The Islanders' first Cup win didn't come until after they had fallen back -- in the regular season -- after multiple seasons of 100+ point finishes in the late '70s that ended in semifinal or even quarterfinal losses.
It's not likely, but monumental brain farts from dominant teams in cruise control do happen.
Reasons to Root for the Caps: You like any one of their many impressive stars. You want to see a Caps-Pens rematch.
Reasons to Root for the Habs: Um...you like underdogs? Other than historic connections with the Habs or hatred for the Caps (you know, they do revere Dale Hunter), I can't imagine why I'd wish the Caps to fall this round. I want to see a long series with them against a better opponent.
* * *
Head Says: Caps in five. Heart Says: Gosh, I have no heart in this. But I just want the Caps to advance to face a strong opponent or two.
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1979-80
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May 24, 1980: Tonelli to Nystrom. At long last, the steady build of the New York Islanders from expansion doormat to surprise semifinalist to annual contender reaches the promised land: Buoyed by a late season trade for Butch Goring that gave the team the depth up the middle GM Bill Torrey had been seeking, the Islanders knock off the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.
The victory justified the faith in coach Al Arbour who guided them from their second season to their first Stanley Cup seven seasons later. The Islanders would not be the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup, but they would be the only one capable of a dynasty.
1980-81
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May 21, 1981: This time it was much easier. After falling to "only" 91 points in the 1979-80 season, the Islanders returned to their division title tradition, piling up 110 points -- a whole 13 points over second-place Philadelphia.
Between the quarterfinals (where they beat the upstart Oilers in six games) and the finals, the Islanders reeled off eight consecutive wins -- with a four-game sweep of archrival Rangers in between. As they defeated the Minnesota North Stars in five games for their second Cup, their goal difference in the final was a combined +10.
1981-82
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May 16, 1982: Another year, another landslide title. The Islanders won the Patrick Division by a whopping 26 points over the second-place Rangers, and were seven points clear of their nearest competition for the President's Trophy, the still-not-quite-ripe Edmonton Oilers.
A first-round scare against the Pittsburgh Penguins turned in the Isles' favor thanks to John Tonelli's heroics, and a true dynasty was on its way: Past the Rangers in six games, then an eight-game sweep of the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks to run away with the Stanley Cup.
1982-83
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May 17, 1983: Not so fast, whipper-snappers. The Edmonton Oilers' steadily rising challenge for league supremacy took them all the way to the finals for the first time, where the New York Islanders summarily dispatched them in a four-game sweep. For the Islanders, the Dynasty was secured. For the Oilers, it was a powerful lesson in where talent ends and the demands of playoff hockey begin.
Four years, four Cups, 16 consecutive playoff series wins (a record that would grow to 19 until the rematch with the Oilers the following year). Mike Bossy scored 60 goals yet again, and Wayne Gretzky became acquainted with Billy Smith's crease.
