Just a quick word about the picture.  I have no idea who this girl is or what it has to do with the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs (besides the cup obviously) but I couldn't resist posting a hot chick holding the cup.  Thing of beauty!!!

What a second round to the Stanley Cup Playoffs!  Not one, not two, but three of the four series went to a seventh and deciding game.  Crosby ended up on the winning side of the first ever playoff match up between him and Ovechkin (Ovechkin is still way better) and the youth in Chicago is a real contender, probably much sooner than anybody thought they would be.

In the east Washington got off to a great start in the series against Pittsburgh, opening up a 2-0 lead.  Even though the Caps were the two seed, I have to admit I didn’t take them very seriously at the beginning of the playoffs due to goaltending problems.  After getting familiar with the ability of Varlamov against the Rangers, and the Caps having won the first two at home, I really expected this series to be over in five games, six tops with Washington hailing victorious.  Pittsburgh then won two at home to tie the series at 2 and further, went on to take game 5 in Washington.  At that point it appeared Washington was dead in the water, and then trailed for stretches of time in game 6.  Washington was able to pull out game 6 in OT.  But it was back to where we started with Washington.  Varlamov surprised a lot of people with his play, but in the end it was goaltending that doomed Washington.  Varlamov played his worst game when it mattered most and was yanked from game 7.  Pittsburgh went on to win in a pretty dominant way and ended the series.

In the Boston/Carolina series it came down to the wire once again for the Carolina Hurricanes, but for the second straight series they managed to pull off a late in the period goal on the road to win themselves another series.  The Canes were dominant early in this one but Boston answered winning games 5 and 6.  The Bruins came home for game 7 with all the momentum and I thought they would take game 7.  But, Cam Ward and the Hurricanes were equal to the task and pulled it out late in the first overtime of an incredibly exciting hockey game.

Out west we saw another series with some momentum changes.  I thought this would be the hardest fought out series but turned out to be the shortest.  Vancouver and Chicago split the first two with Vancouver.  But then Vancouver came back and won a big game 3 in Chicago to regain home ice advantage.  At that point I felt like Chicago was in trouble and I once again may have made a mistake picking and upset against Vancouver.  Chicago entered the driver’s seat in game 4 and never looked back.  They pretty much dominated Vancouver from that point on, Luongo never really found his game again and Chicago was able to close out the series in front of their (unbelievably loud) home fans at the United Center in game 6.

Finally in the Detroit/Anaheim series it went the distance.  Anaheim got a split in Detroit and then came home to win game 3 at home making it look like maybe they had Detroit in some trouble.  But, Detroit answered with an explosive win in game 4, and then another win at home in game 5.  Anaheim answered by winning game 6 at home, but then came out flat in game 7.  Detroit may have felt like celebrating early with a two goal lead approaching the later stages of the game, but Anaheim was not done.  They managed to tie game 7 at three in the third.  That was until Dan Cleary scored the series winning goal with under four minutes remaining in the third period.

Conference Semi-finals Wrap Up:

Pittsburgh defeated Washington in 7.

Carolina defeated Boston in 7.

Chicago defeated Vancouver in 6.

Detroit defeated Anaheim in 7.

Conference Finals Predictions:

Detroit over Chicago in 7.

Pittsburgh over Carolina in 6.

Let me wrap up by saying those are just neutral predictions that I feel are most likely.  I will be cheering against both of those predictions because I’m guessing that unless you live in Western Pa. or Michigan you hockey fans could care less about another Pittsburgh/Detroit final.  This is a huge test for Chicago. I think if they can come out of this series they may be able to take it this year.  Only time will tell.  Enjoy the conference finals!!  Until next time hockey fans.