by Jes

Just because every blogger is obligated to have their series preview in by 5PM EST, I might as well post mine before I get smacked with a farmed salmon.

I went 2-for-2 in Round 3, giving me a 12-for-14 record overall (86%). Greg is at like 21% or something.

Of all the bloggers and writers, I am the bestest!

Here's the shakedown, kiddo.

Goaltending
Ray Emery: 15GP 12-3 1.95GAA 91.9SV%
J-S Giguere: 13GP 9-3 1.87GAA 93.1SV%

Sugar Ray Emery (oooh, what an original nickname) was rather ordinary in the first two series, but was just fine in the semi-finals. His SV% is actually in the lower half of playoff goalies, for what is it worth. The Sens play great defense in front of him, and he is their biggest weakness.

Obviously, Giguere is the better of the two and has the experience Emery does not. At least Emery is no Patrick Lalime, and Sens fans aren't nervous about his potential performance.

Edge: ANAHEIM

Defence
Anaheim: 10 goals, 23 assists, +14
Ottawa: 8 goals, 24 assists, +22

I'll take the Big 3 + the unsung Sean O'Donnell over the Senators group any day of the week (even Wednesdays).

The Sens, to their credit, are playing way more than the sum of their individual parts. Wade Redden is a fairly nice chip (even though he looks like a big puss), and "The Butcher "Meszaros is a fine young cannibal, but the Sens should almost be not playing as well as they are, given how ordinary their D looks on paper.

I just feel that the Ducks physical forwards will have their way with the likes of Schubert, Corvo, and Preissing.

Edge: ANAHEIM

Forwards

The Sens are known as a 1-line team, but that one line kicks some serious ass and the players are #1, #2, and #4 in playoff scoring. The Ducks' top forward scorer is Ryan Getzlaf with 13 points in 16 games.

Guys like Andy MacDonald, Dustin Penner, and Chris Kunitz have been rather disappointing. The Sens can throw out Mike "The Brick" Comrie, Mean Dean McAmmond, Chris "The Real Deal" Neil, Peter Schaeffer and Antoine Vermette if they want some secondary scoring.

Sens depth > Ducks Depth

EDGE: OTTAWA

Special Teams
Anaheim: PP = 15.3% (7th), PK = 87.5% (6th)
Ottawa: PP = 20.0% (2nd), PK = 88.6% (4th)

Anaheim also averages a league-high 6 shorthanded opportunities against per game, while the Sens are more disciplined at 5.27.

Edge: OTTAWA

Slovaks
Anaheim = None. Bastards!
Ottawa = Andrej Meszaros.

Edge: OTTAWA

Greg picked ... Ottawa
Edge: ANAHEIM

Overall prediction: Anaheim Ducks in 7.

Labels: ducks, predictions, senators, stanley cup