ROUND 2 (Ring the Bell) - by SIOUX 7

Well the first round came to an end with Vancouver ending Dallas season with a 2-1 win last night.

Now a look at the 2nd round match-ups.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Buffalo Sabres(1) vs New York Rangers(6)
- This should be another quick series for the Sabres, they easily dispatched the Islanders in 5 games and I think they will do the same to the other New York team. Buffalo has too much depth for the Rangers to handle. Buffalo now has all their players back from various injuries through out the regular season. The only way the Ranger can hope to get past the Sabres is for Henrik Lundqvist to pitch a couple of shut-outs. In the end, the Sabres will slash-up the Rangers in 6.

New Jersey(2) vs Ottawa Senators(4)
- This should be a good tough series, they have met many times in the playoffs, so there is a bit of a rivalry here. This series will go to the goalies, if Brodeur can return to his usually stellar playoff form, i.e. the last two games against Tampa Bay, the Devils will advance to the Eastern Conference Championship Series. If, Brodeur plays like he did in the first games against Tampa, the Devils will find themselves in a big hole, that they will not be able to climb back out of. Ottawa has more offensive power than the Devils and probably a little better set of defense men too. But, we all know that a goalie that can get hot in the playoffs can steal games and then steal the series. This will be another 6-game series, with the Devils vetoing the Senators bid for a Stanley Cup.


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Detroit Red Wings (1) vs San Jose Sharks(5)
- Well Detroit fans finally have some good news, they made it out of the first round for a change. This will be a much harder series for Detroit to win. San Jose has much more offense than Calgary, which will be too much for the Wings to handle over a 7 game series. Hasek is good goalie, he was a great goalie, he has just lost a move or two and the age is showing. That is why I will predict the Sharks to take a big bite out of the Wings in game 6, chomp chomp chomp, mmm tasty.

Anaheim (Mighty) Ducks(2) vs Vancouver Canucks(3)
- Vancouver ended the first round, ending Dallas' bid to try and shake that playoff gorilla off there backs, maybe next year. This too should be a good series, if the Canucks Roberto Loungo is in his world (.950 save percentage) he will be tough to beat. You could steal the old saying, "Only God saves more than Luongo." But if the Ducks find a spicket and Luongo starts to leak, the Canucks hopes could disappear faster than Goon's beer on a Saturday night. The Ducks have a well balanced team from top to bottom. They have arguably the 2 best defense men in the league with Niedemeyer and Pronger, one offensively minded the other a menace to forwards society. With all that balance, I have to go with Anaheim flying over Vancouver in 6-games.