Round 1 playoff predictions revisited
It's time for our favorite part of the prediction panel: Fact-checking!
The Silver Seven staff made a whole bunch of predictions about the Ottawa Senators and their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series with the Montreal Canadiens. Who knows what they're talking about and who's full of hot air?
1. Who will score more points, Erik Karlsson or P.K. Subban?
Karlsson had 6P (1G, 5A) and Subban had 4P (2G, 2A).
- Adnan: Erik Karlsson
Correct! - Peter: I'm predicting six points for EK, five for PK, so Erik comes out ever so slightly ahead.
Peter hits the bullseye! - Darren: PK.
Whoops. - Mark: PK Subban
Whoops. - Ryan: Erik Karlsson, and I've put money on it. For charity.
Correct! - Amelia: Erik Karlsson. Karlsson will score 15 points in the series, including 9 goals. PK will get 8 points.
Ameila apparently believed this series was going to last 12 games. - Mullet: I think Erik Karlsson starts each game with a handicap of 1 point, so I'll have to give him the edge there. I'm thinking 4 points for Subban and 6 for Karlsson.
RBM gets the double bullseye! - Dave: Karlsson, but it will be closer than my pride wants to admit.
Correct! - Bobby: So, by saying Ottawa wins, I must also say Karlsson has a bigger impact.
Correct! /
2. Who will win the battle in the crease, Craig Anderson or Carey Price?
Anderson led the playoffs with a .950 save percentage. Price had a lowly .894 mark.
- Peter: Since Craig Anderson's had the better season, I'll pick him.
A good choice. - Darren: Craig Anderson. Anderson's been the better goalie this year, and I don't think that changes within the next four-to-seven games.
Correct! - Mark: I'm taking the consistency and saying Anderson.
Correct! - Ryan: Anderson. It's tough if Peter Budaj comes in, though. But just like when they were a tandem in Colorado, Budaj will lose.
Correct, though incorrect about Budaj. - Amelia: Craig Anderson.
Correct. - Mullet: Carey Price will lose the crease battle due to malicious interference on the part of Jakob Silfverberg.
Correct. - Dave: Don't want to hedge here, but I call this a push. Andy hasn't been the same since the injury and Price is better than he's played of late.
No points for hedging. - Bobby: Craig Anderson.
Correct. - Adnan: Anderson is by far the better goaltender this year.
Correct.
3. Can Ottawa's league-leading penalty kill contain Montreal's potent powerplay?
Montreal's power play finished 10th of 16 teams. They were 5th in the regular season.
- Darren: I think they'll cancel each other out
Nope. - Mark: Short answer: Yes.
Correct. - Ryan: Neither team will be as successful. Montréal won't score as much, but Ottawa won't be able to defend as well.
Wrong. - Amelia: Ottawa's penalty killing won't be as good as in the regular season. But the refs will be calling playoff rules so it's a wash.
It was not a wash. - Mullet: Ottawa's PK should have no trouble shutting down Montreal's P.K.
Nailed it. - Dave: That's where the series hinges. Since I think the Sens can pull this one out, the PK will hold strong.
Correct. - Bobby: Advantage Ottawa on the man disadvantage.
Yep. - Adnan: I call this one a draw.
I call you incorrect. - Peter: Yes and no:
No points for hedging.
4. What form do you think the 417 Rivalry will take, once the series is said and done? Which players from either team will animate the rivalry, if anyone?
The series went bonkers when Eric Gryba knocked Lars Eller from the series. Everyone was angry after that.
- Mark: But I don't think we'll see any kind of blood feud emerge from this series.
Not quite right, genius. - Ryan: Genuine hate between the teams and fans. We've seen elements of it starting to percolate.
Good call, Classic. - Amelia: I hope it takes on the form of genuine rivalry.
I'd say that it did. - Mullet: I'm anticipating a rough and tumble series.
The way the Habs dropped like flies I'd call this accurate. - Dave: Going to get ugly.
Indeed. - Bobby: This series will foster bad blood, but hopefully the ire won't overly infect the fan base.
Hope harder next time, Bobby. - Adnan: My hope is that this leads to a fewer number of fans in Ottawa supporting both clubs. I can't stand that.
This isn't even an answer. - Peter: I doubt we'll see many fights in the series, but I think there will be a lot of physicality and some questionable infractions. It'll set up an interesting rivalry next season.
Wrong on the fights, right on the outcome. - Darren: I think that things will get pretty heated due to the close geography of the teams as well as the number of Habs fans that are sure to be in attendance at Scotiabank Place.
Well, they got heated, but not because of the geography.
5. What's your series prediction?
The Sens won in 5.
- Ryan: Ottawa in six,
Right team, wrong number. - Amelia: Ottawa in 5.
Bullseye. - Mullet: The Habs will take it in 6 games, and by "it" I mean the solemn bus ride back to Montreal after losing the series to Ottawa.
Right team, wrong number. - Dave: Sens in 7.
Right team, wrong number. - Bobby: Ottawa, in six.
Right team, wrong number. - Adnan: Ottawa in six.
Right team, wrong number. - Peter: Sens in six.
Right team, wrong number. - Darren: Habs in six.
Oh, Darren, when will you learn? - Mark: Sens in 7.
Right team, wrong number.
Radek Bonk's Mullet - 8
Peter - 5
Amelia - 5
Ryan - 4
Dave - 4
Bobby - 4
Adnan - 3
Mark - 3
Darren - 2
In conclusion, listen to Radek Bonk's Mullet and ignore the rest of us morons, especially Darren. Stay tuned for our round 2 prediction panel tomorrow!