StevePerryHair wrote:Jonny B wrote:StevePerryHair wrote:Jonny B wrote:That sounds about right. I choose two teams to advance, and they roll over and play dead. Usually that happens with all my predictions; it just took a little longer this year.
Then I will thank you in advance never to choose the Pens to advance....ever

I'll consider it.
Just waiting to see if Montreal can pull another comeback. But let's assume the Flyers advance. Which team would you like me to jinx?
I would like for YOU to wish for Montreal to advance....

(in other words, jinx them

) But I will be rooting for the Blackhawks regardless. Hoping it will be the Blackhawks vs. Flyers.

(still grumpy the Pens are out though

)
I did. When they knocked out both the Caps and Pens, my next prediction was Habs in 6 over the Flyers.
If the Blackhawks are your pick, then you're in luck. I'm thinking Flyers in 7.
Thing is, there's a lot going for the Flyers. They beat Brodeur & the Devils. Came back 0-3 against Boston, then followed it up by defeating the Habs, who themselves took down both the President's Trophy winning Caps & defending Stanley Cup champs the Penguins. That's a lot of quality opponents there.
The Flyers have a Cup winning coach in Peter LaViolette.
They have a Cup winning veteran defenseman in Pronger.
They have a goaltender that is virtually unknown in Leighton. He looks near-invincible because there just isn't enough film on this guy and nobody knows how to beat him yet.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks have everything going against them.
Sure, they have a little Cup experience in the likes of Jon Madden. They got plenty of Cup-losing experience in Marion Hossa. But for the most part, they're a young team with no experience in a Cup final. That of course, didn't bode too well for the Penguins in their first of two attempts, and likely shouldn't here.
Dustin Byfuglien has been quite the role player in winning games, but do you think Big Buff will get to screen the Flyers goalie so much with Bigger Pronger playing the blueline?
I'm still not sold on Antti Niemi. He's shown some moments of greatness but has also played real shaky in other starts. I think his performance will make or break the Blackhawks.
In addition, the Blackhawks are as close as futile as you can get in the NHL. Every sport has a futile team. The NFL has the Detroit Lions. In Baseball, it's the Cubs. In the NBA, it's every team not named the Lakers, Celtics, or Spurs. In the NHL, it's the Blackhawks. They have the longest Stanley Cup drought, and they're also the Original 6 team with the fewest Stanley Cups at 3, and prior to this year's appearence, tied for the fewest Finals appearences as well by Original 6 teams.
And if that isn't enough, I should note that Marion Hossa also plays for Chicago. During both Wings/Pens finals, the only significant change on the roster both years was Hossa. And both times, he was on the losing end.
So, outside of their #2 seed status, there's nothing that says that the Blackhawks can win.
That said, you now know why
I'm taking the Flyers in 7.
...
There you go. The Flyers are now jinxed. Now watch your Hawks raise the Cup 2 weeks from now..
...except on the rare occassion where I jinx my own jinx and end up being right once in every thousand attempts. You never know with me.