On the bandwagon

It's officially the first day of the playoffs, and the eve of the first Ducks-Sharks game. Seems like everyone's got predictions, everyone's got opinions, everyone's got keys to the cup. So, in similar fashion, I'll share mine.

Keep in mind though, I'm no analyst. I love hockey in general, yes, but I don't know too much about team histories (other than the Ducks), or who's strong and who's not. I know what I know just by reading a hockey blog here and there, perusing the nhl.com site, catching random games on tv, and noticing who my Ducks have had to beat in this season's conference standings.

So, I don't have any stats or special formulas to help me with my picks. Likewise, I don't have any burdensome rituals before I make my decisions.

It's all about gut instinct, people. Ugly, but true. Putting myself in the Cup Playoff Challenge game is about as official as I get. This is what I got:

In the West, Round One:
- Ducks in 7 over the Sharks, 35 total goals
- Red Wings in 7 over the Blue Jackets, 35 total goals
- Canucks in 5 over the Blues, 25 total goals
- Blackhawks in 7 over the Flames, 35 total goals

In the East, Round One:
- Bruins in 7 over the Habs, 35 total goals
- Capitals in 5 over the Rangers, 25 total goals
- Devils in 7 over the Hurricans, 35 total goals
- Penguins in 7 over the Flyers, 35 total goals

Yup, what do I know? Except I'm averaging 5 goals a game, that's where those total goal numbers come from. Tonight, there were wins by the Pens, Canucks, Rangers, and the Devils... so I'm not doing too bad.

As for our Ducks, I think they have a pretty good chance against the Sharks. They just have to keep a few things in mind. Again, just my humble opinion:

- Discipline, discipline, DISCIPLINE! Don't give those Sharks power plays, cuz they will bite if you give them a chance.

- Tight goaltending. Jonas Hiller has no playoff experience, yet he's been riding a pretty hot streak. DON'T play him in back-to-back games, he stinks in that situation. That's when we put J.S. Giguere and his huge playoff experience between those pipes. Also, if Hiller starts to look even the least bit unfocused, I say pull him and get Jiggy in there. The last thing we need is a goalie injury due to unfocused netminding.

- We've got two excellent scoring lines. The Getzlaf-Ryan-Perry line will most likely be matched up against the opponent's biggest shutdown line. Hopefully, we'll be able to count on the Miller-Selanne-Ebbett line to come through with the goals.

- Francois Beauchemin is back! I can't tell you how happy I am about this! He looked really good on the ice in those last two regular season games. With Chris Pronger, Scottie Niedermayer, Ryan Whitney, and James Wisniewski on the back end, our defense is going to be tough to beat.

- Have fun! Our boys seem to do best when they are enjoying themselves on the ice. Since so many people had pretty much written off a Ducks postseason, I think our boys go into this one with a lot less pressure than the Sharks. Hell, there's no Presidents' Trophy to live up to. Take advantage, boys, and have a great time out there.

We'll be rooting for you!