The Stanley Cup Playoffs are well underway and while it has only been a couple of days, there is a lot to take away. In the East, the Flyers are rolling over the Penguins but Sabres-Bruins has been a series that has stood out. In the West, all the series have extremely tight margins, but Stars-Wild is the one that tops the list. This is the best time of the year in the hockey world and there is plenty of entertainment, with three to four games a day.
The first prediction I have from the playoff action so far is that the Flyers will go far into the playoffs, and an Eastern Conference Final victory would not be shocking. In the three games of the series, they have jumped out to a 3-0 series lead, winning two on the road and one at home. Last night, I watched Philadelphia dominate the Penguins, and all four lines contributed. The Flyers forecheck was aggressive, and they took the game to Pittsburgh, causing more offensive zone time and pressure on the Pens. Most of all, Philly’s goaltending has been incredibly special. Dan Vladar had the third best goals a game in the regular season, and he continued his form into the playoffs, as the Flyers have the third best goaltending in the playoffs too. They have had stable and reliable goaltending, making it difficult for Pittsburgh to get on the board. They have a lot of young guys making plays, like Porter Malone, and this is a team that is easy to get behind. The Flyers are a hardworking hockey club and there are good things coming for them in these playoffs.
The second prediction I have is that the Colorado Avalanche are second round exits. From two games against their series against the LA Kings, Colorado has barely won in both, winning 2-1. This is a team that had the most points in the regular season, but their starpower has not shown itself yet. Scott Wedgewood, the Avs’ goalie, is playing terrific, but in the latter stages of the playoffs, I am not sure I can trust them to rely on goaltending. Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon and the other big boys have not woken up yet, and that worries me, especially with the pressure of being the favorites to win the Cup. The Avalanche’s first line forwards, Necas, MacKinnon and Lehkonen have combined for a mere three points in the series and the offense has not been efficient. In the past, President Trophy winners have not been able to secure the Cup, and the Avalanche do not look super strong currently. In the regular season, Colorado led the league with 3.63 goals a game, while their first round opponents, the Kings, had the fourth worst, at 2.68 goals a game. The Avalanche should not be struggling this much and when they get deeper into the playoffs, I am uneasy for them. Compared with other teams in the West, I like the play of the Stars and Wild more than Colorado at the moment, and it is a competitive Western Conference that will be difficult to get past.
Lastly, I believe the Canadiens-Lightning series will be a series for the ages, and the winner of it will make an appearance in the Eastern Conference Final. It has only been two games, but they have played eight periods, as two overtimes have been needed. Nothing separates these two teams, they tied on points in the regular season, and now in the playoffs, the series is split 1-1. Both games so far have been intense, physical, and these teams are extremely evenly matched. Montreal’s power play has been fantastic so far, sitting at 40%, but if I had to pick a winner, I’d lean the way of Tampa Bay as of now. They have the experience and Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is a tremendous goalie who gets better in the most critical of situations. Although, for Montreal, they are playing with a chip on their shoulder, as they fell to Tampa five years ago in the Cup Final. It was amidst COVID-19, but this time, Montreal’s fans will be in full force for Games 3 and 4. The Canadiens need to play well at home and hopefully, win both at home to take a 3-1 lead in the series. With already two overtimes in two games, this series will be remarkable and if it goes the distance to seven games, it will be a treat to all hockey fans.
16 teams remain but by the end of June, one will be hoisting the trophy. This year, the first round matchups are incredible, from the battle of Pennsylvania to a Sabres home playoff game for the first time in 15 years. The energy is electric in the stadiums and there is nothing like playoff hockey in American sports. Will the Avalanche break the Presidents Trophy curse? Who will make it to the finals in a difficult Eastern Conference? Can the Tampa Bay Lightning get back to Stanley Cup winning ways and bring Florida another trophy?