by Larry Leavitt

I’m not as much shocked that the San Jose Sharks were eliminated in that the Los Angeles Kings came back and won it and they are an extremely good team. The Kings are strong and powerful and they’re well coached. I’m more shocked that the Sharks didn’t give them a better fight when they had them up 3-0. That just amazes me how they could not finish this off.

As far as changes in coaching or player personnel what history shows us the Sharks organization always takes its time to disect what is happening in the past. They very metodically go through top to bottom, there is no stone unturned everybody will have a talk with the general manager Doug Wilson and the coaches and eventually Wilson will have to give his reccomendations to the ownership.

The owners have a right to override it or do whatever they want, the question will start with Wilson whether they want him to stay or do they go down to the coaches or do they go down to the players? There will have to be some change and for the players, it looks like head coach Todd McClellan will still be there.

Unless there is a coach who is available from another team and if the Sharks like that coach much better, we’ll just have to wait and see time will tell.

Minnesota vs. Chicago playoff preview: The Blackhawks are the dominate team and everyone expects them to roll through this and Minnesota has really been making a good series out of this. If you compare this to the Sharks-Kings series can Chicago come back and make it past the Wild in a seven game series anything can happen.

New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh: Both of these teams have that hot and cold streak in them and right now it’s just who’s riding the hot hand, the Rangers are doing really well. The Penguins you can’t count them out with Syd Crosby this should go seven games and this will be a back and forth series.They really match each other up very well.

Montreal vs. Boston: The Canadiens after sweeping to get into the second round has had time to get ready for this second round series with the Bruins. The Habs have had a lot of time to watch the Bruins struggle and get into this series and what’s not to like about both of these teams going into this head to head.

Montreal has a lot of pressure in this series, there the only Canadian team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the toal country is behind them pushing and they have a lot of pressure from the country to do well. On the other hand Boston their always there, their a tough team the Bruins are well rounded they have four good lines and they push hard.

Anaheim vs. Los Angeles: The Southland can be very proud of both of their teams getting to the second round and facing each other. The interesting part of this is both of these clubs they played in the Winter Classic at Dodger Stadium this year and they played each other very hard this year.

This will be about bragging rights who is going to win this series? I don’t know how to pick the winner on this one and I don’t want either one of them to win but kind of proud that California has two great teams in the race still. This is going to be a tough series, I’ll give the edge to the Kings believe it or not even though their the lower seed and they just keep battling back and the toughness they showed in coming back from behind down 3-0 against San Jose to win it.

Larry Leavitt will be doing commentary throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs for http://www.sportsradioservice.com