Playoff Pool Primer Round 3

Goalies

The playoffs in the West have been a low scoring affair, and expect that to continue with defensive-minded squads LA and Phoenix squaring of the the Conference Finals. Jonathan Quick leads all goalies with a 1.55 GAA and a stellar 8-1 record. Phoenix can’t match LA’s depth so count on Quick chalking up four more victories with a sub 2.00 GAA.

In the East it is a battle of Vezina finalist Henrik Lundqvist and legend Martin Brodeur. New Jersey made quick work of the high-powered Flyers, but the Rangers should be able to come out on top thanks to a well-rounded team anchored by arguably the best goalie in the league.

Defense

Michael Del Zotto and Dan Girardi find themselves at the top of the scoring leaderboard thanks to a couple of seven games series. However, Drew Doughty is probably a better choice, with 6 points in 9 games. However, the boys in blue are good secondary options as all signs point to an extended series in the tri-state area. If you are a Phoenix fan, Keith Yandle is the choice in the desert.

Forwards

With Philly eliminated, the high scorers so far are no longer options. Ilya Kovalchuk, Brad Richards, Dustin Brown and Antoine Vermette lead the respective remaining teams. The first three are pretty safe bets, but Vermette is less likely to keep his current pace. My personal pick is Brown, but it’s tough to go wrong with any of Jeff Carter, Anze Kopitar or Brown.