Now i'm goin back to Canada

 On a journey through the past

And I won't be back 'til February comes (N. Young)

well today starts what we hope is a 2 month Journey to the center of the hockey earth. This may sound strange but i think the first round will be the toughest test for the Rangers. The Caps are a slow , old, boring team with a HOT Goalie.......i am extremely nervous that the longer let them hang around each game and the deeper the series goes, the greater the chance that the caps find a way......Conversely if we come out and take care of business in 5 or 6 games and beat them soundly in the wins......then we will cruise to the Conf Finals and I think we play up to our opponents level and Beat Boston, Fla, Tampa or Toronto............the Finals will depend on how healthy we are and who is our opponent.......but that miserable first round could derail the express.......let's hope i am dead wrong.

side note, the NHL says that the latest date for a game 7 of the finals in Monday June 17th......just so happens i will be in North Myrtle Beach on that date......how surreal to watch the Rangers win the Cup in a Gin Mill on the water in South Carolina of all places.

The Rest of the 1st round series play out like this.

Canes over Isles  

Florida Over Tampa

Toronto over Boston 

out west

my blue plate special again is Winnipeg

Jets over the Lanche

Nashville over Vancouver

Dallas over Vegas

Oilers over Kings

i looked it up....last year i went  4 of 8 in the first round......that's pathetic....but that's also Hockey.......if all 8 of the teams i think will lose , were to actually win.....i would only be mildly surprised....and you can't say that about any other sport....

I will stay with you, if you'll stay with me"
Said the fiddler to the drunk
And we'll keep the tab on a journey through the past