2012 NHL Playoffs - Conference Finals Preview

The Conference Finals are all set in the race for the Cup, and the Stanley Cup Finals are just weeks away. There will be a battle across the Hudson River in the East as the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils face off. The West is a bit more surprising as two teams that hail from cities with palm trees and desert battle on the ice. The Pacific Division was viewed to be the weakest in hockey all season, and here we are, assured that there will be a Pacific Division representative in the Stanley Cup Finals. Let the puck drop on the Conference Finals.

Eastern Conference Finals



1 NY Rangers (-170) vs. 6 New Jersey (+150)

The New Jersey Devils lost Game 1 to Philadelphia in the East Semis, then rallied to win 4 straight and advanve to their first Conference Finals since 2003 when they won the Stanley Cup. Martin Brodeur once again proved that he is everlasting, as the 40-year old played great in the crease. Now they are on the brink of returning to the Stanley Cup for the first time in 9 years. The Rangers have had to take the toughest path possible to get to this point - win two Game 7s. They have battled through grueling series with Ottawa and Washington. Do they have enough in the tank to outlast their cross town rivals? I think the Rangers will advance to their first Cup in 18 years.

Prediction - NY Rangers over New Jersey 4-2

Western Conference Finals



3 Phoenix (+150) vs. 8 Los Angeles (-170)

The goaltenders for both of these squads have been special, and that is the primary reason that each team has been able to pull off 2 upsets already. One of these cities will get a taste of the Stanley Cup Finals. Not many kids play ice hockey in the desert or on the beach. The Kings have gone from an 8-seed that barely made the playoffs to the current Cup favorite. Neither of these teams have ever won a Stanley Cup. The Coyotes have never reached that point while the Kings lost in the Stanley Cup Finals back in 1993. One of these teams will get the chance to win their first Cup. I took the Kings in the preseason, and they are finally playing up to that potential.

Prediction - Los Angeles over Phoenix 4-2