The first game of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs is between two eastern heavyweights. The Carolina Hurricanes have been stellar all season and have done everything right before the playoffs. The Bruins are coming in as underdogs but they are not short of star power on their lineup. This series should be a good one as it kicks off Monday evening from PNC Arena.
The Bruins have gotten healthy and now look like a complete team. They play hard and physical hockey which you need for the playoffs. They got Hampus Lindholm at the deadline to level up their defense and hope for a deep playoff run. In the end, I think it will come down to whether or not Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastranak can perform. They are leaders on this team and they’re going to have to be sharp against a gritty Hurricanes defense. Also, their goaltenders have proved to be reliable this season. Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman both have solid stats this season and now Bruce Cassidy has the option of rotating them throughout this series. This is a strong and experienced Bruins team which has what it takes to beat the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Carolina Hurricanes have been fantastic this season and they look like a real contender. Jordan Staal has been on fire and they’ve gotten good stuff from every line. Seth Jarvis has been fun to watch along with many other young Canes. When you look at the Hurricanes roster, all you see is good hockey players. The Canes play hard hockey and forecheck very well. They cause turnovers and create scoring chances out of thin air. They also have the best penalty kill which shows how good they are on the backend. Tony DeAngelo has 51 points in 63 games and has had a super year. One thing of concern for the Canes is whether or not Freddie Anderson will be available for this series. Anderson, the Canes number 1 goaltender has an injury and it is unclear if he can play. Anderson has been spectacular this season and it is a big loss for the team if he can’t play. This team is made for the playoffs and I have no reason to why they can’t make it to the final.
I believe that the Carolina Hurricanes will win this in 5 games. Even though they might not have their starting goalie, their backup is as good and they’ll protect him. In their lineup, they have everything you need. Vincent Trochek provides the physicality, Andrei Svechnikov has the skill, and Sebastian Aho does pretty much everything. The Bruins are a good team but I feel that they are no match for the division champs of the Metro Division.
The Hurricanes are looking to go all the way but have to face the 2019 Stanley Cup Finalists. Can the Boston Bruins pull off an unpredictable upset or will the Carolina Hurricanes move to the 2nd Round? We’ll find out soon enough as the playoffs start Monday, May the 2nd.
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