'Coaches might not do that, but hockey analysts do, and Melrose said anybody in the East can emerge as the favorites to play in the conference finals. Pittsburgh and Atlanta are playing as well as anyone, and he's hesitant to label Buffalo the favorite anymore. "It's not where you finish, it's how you're playing going into the playoffs," he said. "You have Buffalo who has basically been in first place all year — they're going to play a team who has been in playoff mode for 20 games. … You saw that happen last year when Edmonton beat Detroit. That's why upsets happen."'