Sunday, April 10, 2011

Stanley Cup Playoffs Pick Challenge

Somehow I suspect this contest will be less popular than the one that will go up later in the week...

I debated between doing this contest like I traditionally do the basketball one (5 points per winner x the round number, 2 points for getting the number of games right.) But since the NHL reseeds after each round, you could have your conference finalists playing in the 2nd round. I don't want to do it like the NFL one though, since we should still have the fun of picking the number of games in each series. So here's the compromise.

First round: 3 points per correct winner, 1 bonus point per correct number of games (winner needs to be right to earn bonus point)
Second round: 5 points per correct winner, 1 bonus point per blah blah blah...
Third round: 7 points per correct winner, 1 bonus point
Finals: 10 points, 1 bonus point

I like this since it allows the opportunity to come back in the later rounds even if you don't do great in the beginning. In addition, make your cup final picks now. 10 bonus points for picking the winner correctly, 5 for picking the correct loser (but you get 5 if your winner makes it but loses. If you somehow get the right teams in the finals but the wrong team wins, you get 10. So it's really like 5 for the two entrants in the finals, and 5 for the winner, I guess.)

Anyways, make your first round picks and your cup finals pick in the comments. If you don't sign in through gmail first, make sure to put your name somewhere in the comment. If you want to make all your picks now, that's fine, just don't come crying to me when you leave points on the table later.

My picks:

Capitals over Rangers in 6 (I was tempted, but I think the Capitals will get the playoff monkey off their back this time)
Flyers over Sabres in 5 (Flyers seem like a better team than the one we beat last year, I don't think they'll have trouble yet...)
Bruins over Canadiens in 6 (I like what I've seen from the Bruins this year. I haven't seen as many Eastern Conference games as I have Western, but every time I watch the Bruins I see a team that plays simply and doesn't make mistakes.)
Lightning over Penguins in 6 (I think the Lightning are the wildcard of the East, could get hot and just mess everything up)

Canucks over Hawks in 5 (I don't care how many voodoo dolls we shake in Luongo's direction, have you seen anything over the course of the last month that indicates we're capable of taking 4 from the best team in the NHL? I haven't. Hope I'm wrong.)
Kings over Sharks in 7 (Don't think the Sharks get their playoff monkey off their back. And I have a feeling about this Kings team, at least until they run up against the Canucks.)
Coyotes over Red Wings in 6 (Despite today's result, still don't have a lot of faith in the Red Wings, either. I feel like they're a team going in the wrong direction.)
Ducks over Preds in 5 (The Ducks are hot. A Canucks-Ducks Western Conference Final could be the Bulls-Heat of the NHL)

Stanley Cup pick: Canucks over Bruins.

10 comments:

  1. East:
    Washington in 5
    Philly sweep
    Montreal in 7
    Pittsburgh in 6

    West:
    Chicago in 6
    San Jose in 6
    Phoenix in 7
    Anaheim in 7

    Stanley Cup Finals: I know, it's crazy, but:

    Hawks over Flyers

    I haven't watched nearly enough hockey to provide any sort of unretarded analysis. But I do truly think the Hawks will find a way.

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  2. East:
    Washington in 5
    Philly in 6
    Boston in 7
    Pitt in 5

    West:
    Hawks in 7
    SJ in 5
    Detroit in 5
    Nash in 6

    Stanley Cup
    Hawks over Washington

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  3. EAST
    Rnd 1:
    Rangers in 7
    Philly in 6
    Boston in 6
    Tampa Bay in 7

    Rnd 2:
    Philly vs Rangers: Philly in 5
    Boston vs TB: Boston in 6

    Conference Finals:
    Boston vs Philly: Philly in 5

    WEST
    Rnd 1:
    Van in 6(Sighhhhhh I know. The Hawks just aren't deep enough this year, and Vancouver's going to come out with a vengeance. But fuck Vancouver.)
    San Jose in 6
    Detroit in 7
    Ducks in 6

    Rnd 2:
    Van vs Ducks: Ducks in 7
    SJ vs Detroit: Detroit in 5

    Conf Finals:
    Det vs Ducks: Ducks in 7

    STANLEY CUP:
    Ducks vs Philly: Philly in 6

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  4. whoa, ballsy conall, making all your picks now.

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  5. Yeh I said it.
    The Rangers will win the first round. My only reservations with my picks are that I'm betting Pronger comes back strong.

    A few things for sure...
    CHOKERS:
    1. Washington
    2. Vancouver
    3. San Jose

    Even though this isn't last year's playoffs, I think history will repeat itself.

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  6. Well you can figure out the reseeding if you think you know who's going to win. They don't reseed by a lottery pick.

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  7. Yes, but if the Rangers don't beat the Caps, then your Eastern conference final picks might be playing in the semifinals, and you could only get one right.

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  8. Through 3 completed series, here are the standings:

    Katz 11
    Will 4
    Tristan 3 (stupid Red Wings)
    Conall 3

    So Katz is a Red Wings loss away from being perfect, and the rest of us have only got one series right so far. Brutal.

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  9. Katz 14
    Will 8
    Conall 7
    Tristan 3 (goddammit. However, I really hope I get another series wrong tonight!)

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  10. What are the updated scores? I had Boston, Philly, San Jose, Detroit, Vancouver, and I got TB in 7! I have more than 7 points!

    Sorry my picks are a little late.

    WEST:
    Vancouver in 5
    Detroit in 6

    Conf Finals:
    Detroit in 7

    EAST:
    Washington in 6
    Philly in 7

    Conf Finals
    Washington in 6(I'm changing my mind about Wash)

    Stanley Cup:
    Washington v Detroit: Washington in 6

    Dahhhhh....I hate going back on what I said.

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