The real season starts Wednesday. Here are the first round matchups and some thoughts.

EAST:
(1) NY Rangers vs (8) Pittsburgh: This one shouldn't be close. Pittsburgh is one of the 5 worst teams in the league over the last couple months.

4) Washington vs (5) NY Islanders: Will Trotz instill enough defense in the Caps to make a run? Two good offensive teams here, but the Islanders have been slumping lately.


(2) Montreal vs (7) Ottawa: The best goalie in the league vs the best goalie in the league. You gotta imagine Montreal is shitting their pants at drawing Ottawa.

(3) Tampa vs (6) Detroit: Can the vets of Detroit hold off the young guns of Tampa?


WEST:

(1) Anaheim vs (8) Winnipeg: IF there was ever an 8 over 1 upset in the making this is it. Anaheim has been in coast mode for a while. Winnipeg has been playing for their lives. Two big teams, this could be the best series of the first round.

(4) Vancouver vs (5) Calgary: On paper neither of these teams look like playoff teams, but they play hard and have punched above their weight. In Hudler-Monohan-Gaudreau Calgary has one of the most exciting lines in hockey.

(2) St. Louis vs (7) Minnesota: Another team with an out of nowhere goalie that no one wants to play, St. Louis has their hands full. Should be a great series.

(3) Nashville vs (6) Chicago: Someone has to win this one, right? Both teams suck, but the rules dictate that one must advance. No point in trying to predict...if either of these teams decide to show up they will beat the other. Rumor has it Kane will be back by game 3, great news for the Hawks, but keep in mind that they weren't that good even when Kane was leading the league in scoring.

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I'm feeling the upset here. Getzlaf, Perry, and Kesler are all better than anyone on Winnipeg's roster, but all three of them also cope with minor adversity about as well as a 17-year-old girl from Winnetka. If guys like Ladd and Byfuglien can rattle their chains without taking too many penalties themselves, the Ducks' big three will dipshit their way out of the proceedings like they always do. The Jets lead the league in minors with 374, they're 81.8% on the kill, but the Ducks are 28th/15.7% on the power play. Also, the glorious Anaheim Goaltending Pipeline is a little stopped up with Andersen underperforming and Gibson hurt. Fingers crossed. The Whiteout is going to be something to behold.

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password please?

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An unjust law is no law at all--St. Augustine of Hippo

Cause tried and true
I see the light in you
Oh, can you dig in my soul?
Could you smell my whole...
life?--Gener and Deaner

oops.

Kaner

One thing you can count on every year when the playoffs start is Ken Hitchcock's Blues will play poorly. Wild are totally dominating the Blues in this game. Blues have just 11 shots on goal through two periods.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

Whomever takes that st Lou/ wild series is going to be running on fumes come round 2. They both just seem to take a toll on each other.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Blues were awful tonight. I hope it continues.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

That was great to see the false hope with the STL short handed goal before the second Wild empty netter.

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CSFMB: Home of the small minded

The other NHL team that chokes every year, the Ducks, are losing 2-1 to the Jets. J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

It's "Go Jets Go" for the Winnipeg one. They wound up losing, but no one thought they'd sweep. Split in Anaheim, take both at the Whiteout, you got a stew going.

Blues-Wild is going to be an absolute bloodbath. Two fantastic teams being made to face off right away because the NHL's playoff bracket is retarded. It's imperative that the Hawks take care of their chucklefucks in short order so they can wait for the Blues and Wild to kill each other and finish off whatever's left.

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This is the first year I'm looking outside of the Blackhawks to find enjoyment in the other games.

I totally love the potential for Winnipeg upsetting Anaheim.

I also have a feeling the vets in Detroit will make a long run. My son and I have been debating the Eastern finals. He has the Rangers winning the cup over Nashville..he's since backpedaling on Nashville.

Blackhawks v. Detroit would be my favorite, but that's wishful thinking. Right now I'm going Minnesota / Rangers.

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That was a fluke last night. The Bolts could very well win the whole damn thing. They're not going out in the first.

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I regretted picking Winnipeg to beat Anaheim after seeing that so many people were doing the same. They would have a much better chance of pulling the upset if they could come in under the radar. The way it is now I bet Anaheim is extra fired up given the lack of respect they are getting.


It was great to see Backes cost his team a chance of tying up the game by getting yet another selfish sore loser penalty at the end of the game. They score late, cut it to one but they are on the PK due to their idiot captain.

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Backers is a piece of fucking shit and one of the primary reasons why St Louis will never win anything.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

If Hitchcock has any balls hiding beneath his estimable gut, he'd move the captaincy to Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk, Steen, or this inanimate carbon rod -- anyone but that bitch Backes.

I'm not giving up on the Jets just yet. But holy shit, Ducks fans on HFboards have been extra cunty about the fact that like 20% of hockey fans thought the Ducks might have their third straight Crapping Of The Pants. You'd think the whole world said the Jets would sweep.

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awesome.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Backes didnt even make an attemt to play the puck on the faceoff.The official drops the puck and he immediatly crosschecks his opponent. Dumbass.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

Haha, I remember Joe Thornton doing that to Dave Bolland in the 2010 WCF. The playoffs are not exactly Joe Thornton's time to shine.

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As much as I don't relish potentially facing Dubnyk, I LOVE seeing these assbags down 2-1

Keep it up, shitheads.

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Not a mult.

This crowd in Winnipeg. This is magical. Such an upgrade over Atlanta.

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St Louis loses, now down 2 to 1. Fuck the Blues!

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I've been committed to Ducks-Jets tonight, but I flipped over for a second to see that the Wild had just gone up 2-0 and Backes was being restrained by refs, presumably for being a dumbass. I guess I caught everything I needed to catch.

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I hope I am watching when Stewart decides to hand Backes his ass.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Looks like Pavelec used up all his bullets when he had that three-game shutout run to get the Jets into the playoffs. He's not stopping anything. The Ducks aren't really that good.

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Once again Ken Hitchcock's Blues look like shit in the playoffs. I like it.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

I'd much rather face the Blues than the Wild. Hoping this goes the full 7.

Also disappointed to see Winnipeg struggling.

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Doesnt matter. Hawks are better than both.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

They're better than neither. That doesn't mean they can't win, of course.

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The Jets/Ducks series has been awesome. Every shift there is a once a game type check.

Winnipeg has played a lot better than the series record indicates.

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Team Cutler.