With 3 games left in the season, odds are you know whether or not your team is going to make the playoffs (Sorry Buffalo, but it’s time to give it up.)
Being a Bruins fan, I’m well aquanted with rivalries and great playoff matchups, but this years playoffs are beginning to look like a dud as far as first round matchups are concerned.
As recently as 2 weeks ago, the first round in the east looked like this
Bruins vs Canadiens
Devils vs Rangers
Capitals vs Penguins
Flyers vs Carolina
The first three matchups were playoff gold. The oldest rivalry in hockey, the Devils and Rangers have quite the history, and the Art Ross battle of Malkin vs Ovechkin would have been PERFECT for marketing.
Alas, we’re stuck with this
Bruins vs Rangers
Capitals vs Canadiens
Devils vs Penguins
Flyers vs Carolina
I’m not sure how I feel about this. The Bruins vs Rangers has the Boston vs New York story line, and Sean Avery commands a lot of attention especially after Tim Thomas went after him last week.
But Caps Habs? Nah.. Devils Pens? Nah.. Carolina vs Flyers is a better series than either of these.
Now… realistically, the second round could look better. Bruins vs Habs, Penguins vs Flyers would be a PERFECT second round, the two best, most physically series of the year. And how about a Bruins vs Flyers Eastern Conference Finals? A lot of bad blood there.
“The crowd is looking for a call! How’s this for Irony HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH… It’s true!”
From the Blue Line 