Now that every team has played their first game in the first round of the 2007 NHL playoffs, let’s see how my hockey pool picks did.

All in all, I think I’m doing pretty darn good, both in terms of predicting the first round winners and in terms of the individual players I chose to represent my first-round squad in the Sportsnet Playoff Fantasy Hockey Pool.

Let’s start with the series themselves. In the Western playoff race, I chose the Wings over the Flames (W 4-1), Ducks over the Wild (W 2-1), Canucks over the Stars (4OT W 5-4), and the Sharks over the Predators (2OT 5-4). That’s four for four.

For the NHL playoffs in the East, I selected the Sabres over the Islanders (W 4-1), Devils over the Lightning (W 5-3), Thrashers over the Rangers (L 4-3), and the Senators over the Penguins (W 6-3). That’s three for four, bringing my overall record to 7-1 thus far. Of course, winning game one does not guarantee that a hockey team can go on and win the series, but it’s certainly a good indication.

In terms of my individual player picks for the hockey pool, I have 17 points total from the 12 players selected (two points given to goalies for the win). Here’s the breakdown:

Western Conference
Joe Thornton (SJ) – 0 Goals, 2 Assists
Teemu Selanne (ANA) – 1 Goal, 0 Assists
Daniel Sedin (VAN) – 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Scott Niedermayer (ANA) – 0 Goals, 0 Assists
Nicklas Lidstrom (DET) – 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Roberto Luongo (VAN) – 1 Win

Eastern Conference
Sidney Crosby (PIT) – 1 Goal, 0 Assists
Marian Hossa (ATL) – 0 Goals, 0 Assists
Dany Heatley (OTT) -1 Goal, 0 Assists
Sergei Gonchar (PIT) – 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Ryan Whitney (PIT) – 0 Goals, 1 Assist
Martin Brodeur (NJ) – 1 Win

Looking at the stats for the first game, there are a few players that we should be watching as these series progress. Some are superstars that we already knew about, while others have emerged from the shadows having not received much press beforehand.

In the West, Roberto Luongo was amazing with his 72 saves, and it was good to see Marcus Naslund finally come to life. Patrick Rissmiller was the hero for San Jose, popping in the game-winning goal in overtime over the Predators. Jean-Sebastian Gigeure has been riding an emotional roller coaster with the complications surrounding his newborn son, so Ilya Bryzgalov stepped up the plate and helped lead the Ducks with 24 saves and a win against the gritty Wild. And Pavel Datsyuk showed the Wings that he deserved his new seven-year contract, netting a goal and adding an assist in Detroit’s win over the Flames of Calgary.

In the East, Brian Campbell, defencemen for the Buffalo Sabres, has been a solid performer all year and he continued his offensive ways by getting two goals and an assist. Zach Parise was key to the Devils win, popping in a couple of goals of his own. Michael Nylander, with one goal and two assists, out-performed fellow Ranger Jaromir Jagr in their win over the Thrashers. And finally, I will not single out an individual player from the Ottawa Senators, as the entire team put on a clinic against the Penguins. The Sens were up 6-1 at one point: that’s dominance if I ever saw it.

Looks like we’re in for a pretty high-scoring first round of the NHL playoffs. And I’m loving every minute. Let the Game Two’s begin!