NEW JERSEY VS. TORONTO BUFFALO VS. PITTSBURGH COLORADO VS. LOS ANGELES DALLAS VS. ST. LOUIS

NHL SERIES BREAKDOWN Buffalo Sabres vs. Philadelphia Flyers ESPN analyst Bill Clement breaks down the first-round series between the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers. EDGE 5-on-5 The Sabres are the best defensive team in the NHL. They have good balance up front and players who know how to play both ways, like Doug Gilmour, Curtis Brown and Vaclav Varada. It's amazing that they are the No. 1 defensive team without holdout Michael Peca. That indicates the philosophical approach that coach Lindy Ruff takes. They are also underrated on the blue line. When Richard Smehlik and Alexei Zhitnik are on top of their games, they are as good a defensive pair as any around. The Flyers got stronger when John LeClair came back, but he's more of a power-play specialist than he is a 5-on-5 killer. They can play with almost anyone 5-on-5, and will have to be airtight against the Sabres to make this a series. EDGE Buffalo power play vs. Philadelphia penalty kill The Sabres' power play has come a long way since the start of the season. It finally started to look like an NHL unit near the end. They have pretty good momentum going their way. Jason Woolley is the key to their power play; he really quarterbacks things well from the blue line. Their power play goes as Woolley goes. The Flyers had trouble on their penalty kill for most of the season. Without Keith Primeau, they will be hurting even more. EDGE Philadelphia power play vs. Buffalo penalty kill The Sabres have the No. 1 penalty-killing unit in the NHL. The Flyers, again, don't have Primeau, at least for the start of the series. Combine the Flyers' 19th-ranked power play and the Sabres' NHL-best unit, you have to go with Buffalo. EDGE Goaltending We all know about Dominik Hasek. While he has never been the No. 1 story in any playoff round he has ever played, he will have to be in this series for the Sabres to advance. This could be Hasek's last season, although he hasn't said that yet. If it is, you know he will be digging in. I think Roman Cechmanek, however, will be the story of the series. He is 3-0 against the Sabres this season, including 36 saves in the regular-season finale. He has always been Hasek's understudy internationally, and this is his chance to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight. EDGE Coaching I gave both coaches votes for the Adams Trophy as the top coach. I have incredible respect for both Ruff and Bill Barber. Unless Barber gets Primeau back, Ruff has far more to work with. He would have the edge not because of his coaching, but because of the personnel he has to work with. EDGE Intangibles The Flyers truly believe they can win the series. The Sabres are the team that the Flyers wanted to meet, and the Flyers are the team that the Sabres didn't want to meet. Also, the Flyers enjoyed a 4-0 advantage over the Sabres during the regular season. EDGE Prediction - Sabres in 6 If Primeau can play in the series by Game 4, the Flyers will win in seven games. If Primeau can't make it back, the Sabres will win in six games. He will swing the series one way or the other. He's out for now, so for the time being, Buffalo has the edge.

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