Winning the Stanley Cup is one of the most difficult tasks in sports, as the grueling two-month tournament comes on the heels of an exhausting six-month regular season. Making this year’s playoffs even more taxing is the lingering effect of the Olympic “break,” which was anything but a break for the teams that reached the medal round and played as many as seven hard-fought games in just 10 days.

One star who didn’t go to Turin was Calgary Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, who chose instead to take the time to rest his ailing hip. The time off did “Kipper” a world of good, allowing him to emerge as the prohibitive favorite to win the Vezina with a stellar performance down the stretch, backstopping the Flames to the Northwest Division title.

Look for Kiprusoff to thrive behind Calgary’s hard-nosed defense and help the Flames defeat the Ottawa Senators in the first all-Canadian final since the Flames defeated the Montreal Canadiens in 1989.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Ottawa Senators vs. (8) Tampa Bay Lightning

The Senators would probably prefer to have the injured Dominik Hasek in goal, but the experience young Ray Emery is about to get will prove invaluable in the seasons to come. With the NHL’s finest defense playing in front of him, Emery should enjoy a fairly easy ride until Hasek is healthy enough to take over. Meanwhile, the defending champion Lightning will rely upon the wholly inadequate goaltending tandem of Sean Burke and John Grahame, neither of whom will instill a modicum of fear in the Senators. Barring a miracle, this should be the most lopsided series of the first round.

The Pick: Senators 4-0

(2) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (7) Montreal Canadiens

The Hurricanes exceeded all expectations this season, largely because their fast-paced, open-ice style was perfectly tailored for the “new” NHL. Led by Eric Staal, Doug Weight, and Rod Brind’Amour, the Hurricanes are extremely deep down the middle. Meanwhile, the Canadiens come to battle with Cristobal Huet, who has been one of the NHL’s top netminders since he took over the starting job from the departed Jose Theodore. Huet has a superior defense in front of him, led by Andrei Markov and Sheldon Souray, which should be a huge help as he attempts to neutralize Carolina’s dangerous offense. But ultimately, the Hurricanes will prevail in a tight series.

The Pick: Hurricanes 4-3

(3) New Jersey Devils vs. (6) New York Rangers

It’s impossible to overstate how well the Devils have played since Lou Lamoriello took over behind the bench and Patrik Elias made his return from hepatitis A. Combined with the emergence of Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta as elite level forwards and a return to elite-level form by goaltender Martin Brodeur, the Atlantic Division champion Devils are incredibly dangerous.

However, if Rangers rookie sensation Henrik Lundqvist is fully recovered from his hip injury, he can match Brodeur save for save. He’ll have help in the stands, too, as the Ranger faithful are expected to invade the Meadowlands and negate the Devils’ home-ice advantage. Along with Jaromir Jagr and his supporting cast, who match up well with the Devils on the ice, look for Lundqvist to be the “cooler” and put an end to the Devils’ 11-game winning streak and lead the Blueshirts to a dramatic victory in what should be a long, emotional series.

The Pick: Rangers 4-3

(4) Buffalo Sabres vs. (5) Philadelphia Flyers

This series comes down to the officiating. If the NHL maintains its crackdown on obstruction and interference, the speedy Sabres will have a huge advantage against the Flyers’ plodding defense. If not, the Sequoia-like Derian Hatcher and Mike Rathje (both 6-foot-5, 235 pounds) will have their way with the diminutive Sabres forwards, led by Daniel Briere and Chris Drury (both 5-foot-10, 180 pounds).

The Sabres, however, have a clear advantage in goal, where rookie Ryan Miller is far superior to the Flyers’ Robert Esche. If either team’s starter falters, the backups (Buffalo’s Martin Biron and Philadelphia’s Antero Niittymaki) are both more than capable in their own right. And unless Peter Forsberg – hobbled by a groin injury for most of the second half – is playing at near-100%, the Sabres should emerge victorious.

The Pick: Sabres 4-2

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (8) Edmonton Oilers

The Wings may have posted the NHL’s best record, but remember that they share a division with three of the NHL’s worst teams (Columbus, Chicago, and St. Louis), meaning the Wings played more than a third of their schedule against meager opposition. Meanwhile, the Oilers’ Northwest Division is without question the toughest in the NHL. Edmonton edged out division rival Vancouver – a preseason Cup favorite – for the final playoff spot. The Oilers and Wings match up quite well against each other, and split their four regular season meetings. Look for Chris Pronger and trade deadline acquisitions Dwayne Roloson and Sergei Samsonov to shine for the Oilers, helping Edmonton pull off an upset that really shouldn’t be all that much of a shock.

The Pick: Oilers 4-2

(2) Dallas Stars vs. (7) Colorado Avalanche

The Stars were one of the NHL’s biggest surprises this season, winning big with a Finn-heavy lineup and enjoying renaissance performances from Sergei Zubov and captain Mike Modano. But goaltender Marty Turco has been shaky all season, and now he’s bothered by a hip injury that could prove problematic.

On the other end of the ice, Avs captain Joe Sakic is the hottest forward in the league right now, while Milan Hejduk, Alex Tanguay, and revitalized former Star Pierre Turgeon provide ample support. The big story for Colorado, however, will be Jose Theodore. A change of scenery was just what the doctor ordered for Theo, who will lead the Avs past Dallas and into the second round.

The Pick: Avalanche 4-2

(3) Calgary Flames vs. (6) Anaheim Mighty Ducks

This should be a tremendous defensive struggle featuring the last two Western Conference participants in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Flames boast the NHL’s best netminder in Miikka Kiprusoff, while Jean-Sebastien Giguere will look to prove that his 2003 Conn Smythe Trophy-winning performance was no fluke. Scott Niedermayer anchors the Ducks’ blue line and can be expected to deliver at least 25 minutes of flawless hockey every night, while Flames rookie Dion Phaneuf is a huge hitter with a lethal slap shot. Expect a series filled with 2-1 and 3-2 scores, and look for Flames captain Jarome Iginla to step up to the occasion and outperform Ducks offensive leader Teemu Selanne.

The Pick: Flames 4-1

(4) Nashville Predators vs. (5) San Jose Sharks

The Predators were dealt a terrible blow when star netminder Tomas Vokoun – a top Vezina Trophy candidate – announced he’d miss the playoffs with blood clots. Instead, they’ll rely on backup Chris Mason. Making matters worse, Nashville finds itself matched up against the NHL’s hottest team. The Sharks have been absolutely stellar since Joe Thornton found his way to San Jose in the fall; he’s a bona fide candidate to win the Hart Trophy as league MVP. With “Jumbo Joe” and Patrick Marleau as their first and second line centers, the Sharks will be extremely difficult for the Predators to stop; only a superhuman effort from Nashville winger Paul Kariya will keep this series close.

The Pick: Sharks 4-1

Mr. Greenstein is the editor in chief of InsideHockey.com.

STANLEY CUP & REGULAR SEASON AWARD PREDICTIONS

Stanley Cup Finals
Calgary Flames defeat Ottawa Senators

Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP):
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames

Hart Trophy (MVP):
Jaromir Jagr, Rangers

Norris Trophy (Defenseman):
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings

Vezina Trophy (Goaltender):
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames

Calder Trophy (Rookie):
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Jack Adams Trophy (Head Coach):
Lou Lamoriello, New Jersey Devils