Well, this one sounds awfully familiar. The Coyotes played the Wings gamely in last season's first round, ultimately falling in seven games. Game 7 was one of those deflating blowout ends to the season, but the goal differential in the six games before that was 20-17 in the Wings' favor.
3-Red Wings (47-25-10) vs. 6-Coyotes (43-26-13)
Season Series: 2 Det OTW, 1 PHX SOW, 1 PHX reg. win
SBN Fanatics: Winging it... | Five for Howling
Still, it was always going to take some serious luck to pull off the upset. Unfortunately for those pulling for the underdog, it's likely the same scenario this year. Judging by the first picks in our LHH playoff pool, most of you agree.
Still, there may be a few more concerns in the Wings' armor this year. To the Coyotes' favor is that Henrik Zetterberg is hobbled and sure to at least miss the first game. Also in their favor: Goaltending. Beyond that, it's a lunch-pail crew (Shane Doan led them with 20 goals, but they have 10 guys with double-digits) versus the Red Wings methodcal machine.
Schedule/TV
| Wednesday, April 13 | at Detroit, 7:00 p.m. | CBC (HD), VERSUS | |
| Saturday, April 16 | at Detroit, 1:00 p.m. | NBC (HD), CBC (HD) | |
| Monday, April 18 | at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m. | CBC (HD), VERSUS | |
| Wednesday, April 20 | at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m. | CBC (HD), VERSUS | |
| *Friday, April 22 | at Detroit, 7:00 p.m. | CBC (HD), VERSUS | |
| *Sunday, April 24 | at Phoenix, TBD | CBC (HD) | |
| *Wednesday, April 27 | at Detroit, TBD | CBC (HD) | |
Picks
Heart Says: The Wings are fun to watch as a hockey team...but I do not like them. Pasting "HOCKEYTOWN" over your logo is a defacement in my book -- and also terribly ironic given the sparse '70s-'80s crowds from which they emerged. More than that though, I'd love to see the team Goldwater has by the jewels go on a long playoff run. It would present wonderful complications. Go Coyotes, however long it takes you.
Head Says: Yeah, we've been down this road before. Dave Tippett will have his gang ready for a battle, but unless the Wings get poor early-'90s playoff goaltending, it's ultimately Wings in six.
And you?
(This is the spot to talk about this series specifically, but remember to leave your full playoff picks in WebBard's FanPost. Also: Tonight is the draft lottery at 8 p.m. We'll have a separate thread for that.)