And now, it’s Stanley Cup conference finals time.
I did very well in my conference semifinals picks, going 3-1. I didn’t pick the Dallas-San Jose series correctly, but I did stay up to watch Sunday’s four-overtime contest in Game 6.
Now, it’s time for my bold predictions for the conference finals.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh: The Pennsylvania civil war. These two teams don’t like each other. I have friends in Pittsburgh, but I won’t be liking them for the next two weeks.
The Penguins may have superstar Sidney Crosby, but the Flyers have this generation’s Bobby Clarke in Mike Richards. He’s tenacious like Clarke, he gets under your skin like Clarke and he’ll do anything to help the team win. And he will get under Crosby’s skin in this series.
Here are some other reasons the Flyers will win this series and get to the Cup final for the first time since 1997:
– The Flyers won the season series, 5-3.
– The Flyers are 3-0 in playoff series against the Penguins. They won the 1989 Patrick Division final (4 games to 3), the 1997 Eastern Conference quarterfinals (4-1) and the 2000 Eastern Conference semifinals (4-2).
– Flyers coach John Stevens has beaten Penguins coach Michel Therrien in a playoff series. Stevens’ Philadelphia Phantoms eliminated Therrien’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the 2005 AHL Calder Cup East Division final.
– Pennsylvania’s governor, Ed Rendell, was Philadelphia’s district attorney from 1977-85, and the city’s mayor from 1992-99. In winning a second term for governor in 2006, he beat former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann, getting 60 percent of the vote. Dominating.
– The Flyers have never gone bankrupt. The Penguins have – twice.
– Philadelphia doesn’t make bad beer anymore.
So, there you have it. Flyers in six.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Dallas vs. Detroit: The Red Wings are dominating. The Stars have been surprising. I have picked against the Stars both times, and got burned.
I am picking against the Stars again. This time, I know I won’t get burned. Red Wings in five.
