BetUSradio: NHL Playoff Previewby Shawn Sillinger Detroit favored The regular season is done - bring on the playoffs. With all eight NHL postseason matchups now set, let's take a quick look at each of the first-round battles. Western Conference 1-Detroit versus 8-Edmonton The Edmonton Oilers get the unenviable task of taking on the top-seeded Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs. But don't write off the Oilers just yet - they did have a little bit of success against the Red Wings during the regular season. Edmonton won two of the four games between the teams this year, although they lost the last two. However, Detroit was the runaway winner of the President's Trophy, and will be the overwhelming favorite in this series. Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk, who is nursing a lower-body injury, is expected to return to the ice in time for the opening game of the playoffs. The Oilers go into the playoffs injury-free, and rested players down the stretch. 2-Dallas versus 7-Colorado Peter Budaj was the starting goaltender for Colorado in all four of their regular-season matchups with Dallas this season. The Avs went 1-3 in those games, and have lost three straight to the Stars. However, Colorado is hopeful that new starting goaltender Jose Theodore can turn those numbers around in their first-round matchup with Dallas. The Avalanche also have Alex Tanguay back in the lineup, and the winger scored on his first shift after missing a month with a knee injury. Colorado winger Steve Konowalchuk has been practicing with the team, but is not expected to return anytime soon. Dallas has had a very healthy season, and is injury-free heading into the playoffs. 3-Calgary versus 6-Anaheim The Flames cruised to the Northwest Division title thanks in large part to their stellar record in their own arena. And the Flames will have home-ice advantage when they take on the Ducks in the first round of the playoffs. Anaheim rebounded from a poor start to the season to climb all the way up to sixth place in the final Western standings. The Flames and Ducks split their regular season series two games apiece, with Anaheim winning the first and last games of that four-game set. Calgary winger Marcus Nilson has a knee injury, and his status for the playoff opener is still unknown. Anaheim tough guy Todd Fedoruk is suffering from back spasms but hopes to return for Game 1. 4-Nashville versus 5-San Jose Joe Thornton led the Sharks up the standings after his arrival in San Jose, and they'll take on the Predators in the first round of the postseason. Nashville defeated San Jose at home in their first two meetings of the season, but the Sharks turned the table with two home wins over the Preds to earn a split of the four-game regular season series. While San Jose is healthy heading into their first-round matchup, Nashville is having issues with injuries. Preds goalie Tomas Vokoun will miss the entire postseason as he gets treatment for a blood disorder, while winger Steve Sullivan (groin) and defenseman Marek Zidlicky (shoulder) are both question marks for the beginning of the playoffs. Eastern Conference 1-Ottawa versus 8-Tampa Bay The Senators clinched the top record in the Eastern Conference on the last day of the regular season, and as a result they'll play expansion cousin (and defending champion) Tampa Bay in the first round of the playoffs. The Sens had no trouble with the Lightning during the season, as they won all four of their meetings by a combined 16-6 score. However, a lingering groin injury means Senators starting goaltender Dominik Hasek is unlikely to be ready for the start of the playoffs. That means Ray Emery will get the call in net for Ottawa at least until Hasek is able to return to the ice. For Tampa Bay, center Vaclav Prospal sat out the final game of the regular season with an upper-body injury. 2-Carolina versus 7-Montreal Getting blanked by the Sabres on Tuesday night knocked the Hurricanes down to second place in the Eastern Conference, and they'll now take on the Canadiens in their first-round matchup. That could be good news for the Canes - they beat Montreal all four times they played them this season, by convincing scores of 5-3, 7-3, 8-2, and 5-1. The Hurricanes have two ailing wingers right now, with Ray Whitney listed as day-to-day with a groin injury, and Erik Cole out indefinitely with a serious neck injury. Cole could return to the ice if Carolina advances a few rounds. The Habs are only missing Steve Begin, as the center suffered a knee injury two weeks ago against the Devils. 3-New Jersey versus 6-NY Rangers A late-season surge allowed the Devils to vault over both the Rangers and the Flyers and win the Atlantic Division on the most-wins tiebreaker. That end result means New Jersey and veteran goaltender Martin Brodeur will meet the New York Rangers and rookie netminding sensation Henrik Lundqvist in the first round of the Eastern playoffs. The Rangers and Devils played eight games against each other during the regular season, and each team picked up four wins. New York hopes to get Martin Rucinsky back at some point in the first round, as the winger has been out almost a month with a finger injury. New Jersey enters the postseason with no significant injuries to report. 4-Buffalo versus 5-Philadelphia A rough patch a few weeks ago killed the Sabres' chances of winning the Northeast Division, but a strong finish to the season allowed them to lock up the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. That gives them home-ice advantage in their first-round series with the Flyers, who they defeated three times in four meetings during the year. Sabres winger Jochen Hecht has been out with a knee injury, and his status for the first game of the playoffs is unknown. Center Peter Forsberg has been in and out of the lineup lately with groin problems, so the Flyers are crossing their fingers and hoping that he'll be able to hold up to the rigors of the postseason. If not, they could be in trouble. --- by BetUSradio at 1800-sports.com on April 19, 2006
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