THE FINALS!
What The Puck?!
Written by Chase Howard
1st Branch - Honda
Colorado vs St Louis
I feel bad for St Louis after this drubbing but hey they won out in a somewhat tough playoff race and are only two years removed from hoisting the Stanley Cup. No reason to be despondent in St Louis. Well, those mountain dwellers in Colorado are singing a jaunty tune as they cool and calmly swept this series and were first to secure a spot in the second round as many predicted the Avalanche swept the Blues right of the playoff mountain.
Original prediction - Avalanche in 5
Final record - Avalanche in 4
Series MVP- Nathan Mackinnon
Vegas Golden Knights vs Minnesota Wild
This series also has gone as suspected but in a much more entertaining fashion than the one above. This has been a great series full of competitive passionate hockey and despite the Knights getting ahead 3-1 yet I'm watching game seven right now so credit the Wild for refusing to go quietly. Shout out the Golden Knights for winning their first game 7. Advice to the next team the Knights watches out for in the second period they outscored the Wild 11-2 in second periods in this series. The Knights had a huge team game 7 where all but two players had a shot on goal. The two players that didn’t register a shot on goal Alex Tuch and Chandler Stephenson had one and two assists respectively.
Original Prediction- Knights in 7
Final Record- Knights in 7
Series MVP- Mattias Janmark- you get your first NHL hat trick in game 7 you get MVP
Round 2 Matchup- Colorado Avalanche vs Vegas Golden Knights
This is going to be a good series. I would not be surprised to see the Winner of it in the cup final. I think these teams are well-matched and both serious contenders. Most of the games will likely be tight, hell these teams finished 1 and 2 in both their divisions and the overall NHL standings. Game 1 is Sunday, May 30th at 8 pm (ET)
Official Prediction- Avalanche in 6
2nd Branch -Discover
Carolina Hurricanes vs Nashville Predators
This series has been legit crazy and well the Hurricanes were maybe the best team in the league this season and the Predators were perhaps the hottest team coming into the playoffs. The series seemed to never settle, the Canes went up 2-0 the Preds came right back to tie at 2-2 both overtime victories (double overtime to boot). Then the Canes won two games in a row both in overtime themselves, to summarize four games in a row were not only decided by a goal but needed overtime to get there, one of the best series this round for sure.
Original Prediction- Canes in 5
Final Record- Canes in 6
Series MVP- Sebastian Aho
Florida Panthers vs Tampa Bay Lighting
The Lightning became the first team since 2018 to advance to the second round as the reigning Stanley Cup champion, after a tough back and forth battle with the Panthers. Who has become a legitimate heavyweight in their own right but it seemed that determination, experience, and as always luck decided the series; unfortunately for the Panthers, all three of these went for Tampa. Despite the loss, the Panthers should feel good about this season and their play (at the time) in this series, especially game five 4-1 drubbing of the Lightning, likely their worst loss of the season. However, as championship teams due the lighting put their heads down and rebounded from that game to take the series with a 4-0 game six. The Lightning has now won five consecutive best-of-7 playoff series without going to Game 7. They have won three in a row in six games after losing Game 5, including against the New York Islanders in the Eastern Conference Final and the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Final last season. It was the 15th time in Stanley Cup Playoff history a team has won at least five straight.
Original Prediction- Lighting in 7
Final Record- Lighting in 6
Series MVP- Victor Hedman
Looking Ahead
Carolina Hurricanes vs Tampa Bay Lightning
Another series I expect to be quite good and quite close. These teams play a contrasting style and it seems that the Hurricane's ability to control the neutral zone and limit Tampa’s puck possession time will be key.
Game 1 is Sunday, May 30th at 5 pm (ET)
Official Prediction- Hurricanes in 7
3rd Branch - Scotia
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens
The only series still in action and quite an interesting one it has been. Well, Montreal has played fairly well and stuck to their guns, for better or for worse the Leafs control this series.
Original Prediction- Leafs in 5
Final Record- N/A (currently 3-2 Leafs)
Series MVP- N/A
Jack Campbell | Photo from Sports Net
Edmonton Oilers vs Winnipeg Jets
Ok I’ll admit it I got this one wrong I thought McDavid was too good to keep a lid on and Winnipeg's late-season struggles were a sign of worse things to come. Well, this is part of why I love hockey cause the Jets were determined to go nowhere but up and stayed physical and aggressive every minute of every game. This series reminded me of how crucial role players and overall team depth is. I doubt anybody is arguing the Jets have more top-end talent than the Oilers; but depth, good defense, and adjustable intelligent coaching >two elite offensive talents and a mediocre supporting cast. Don't mistake me this was a close series, though the first game was won by three two of those were empty netters and the Jets won the next three games in overtime to complete the surprising sweep. The Jets just never gave in and always played to track and disrupt the Oilers look at their comeback from 4-1 with less than nine minutes left to a 5-4 overtime win; there's no quit in a good playoff team… ever.
Original Prediction- Oilers in 6
Final Record- Jets in 4
Series MVP- Nikolaj Ehlers (sorry Paul Stastny)
Looking ahead
We are still waiting to see here but we expect this to be Leafs Vs Jets and far from smooth sailing, don't be surprised if things get chippy fast.
4th Branch - MassMutual
Pittsburgh Penguins vs NY Islanders
Well, I got the number of games right but not the team. If you recall when looking ahead to this matchup I thought it would be decided by which team generated the most high-quality chances would win, I also thought if the Islanders won their quality D and goaltender Seymon Varymalov would be the reason. Well, Seymon missed game 1 and seemingly never settled but rookie stopper Ilya Sorokin won his four starts superbly. Meanwhile, the Islanders frustrated the Penguins' stars (Crosby had one goal in the series) and were able to play their own brand of hockey. Pittsburgh even led in game six three times but as they said themselves there's simply no quit in the Islanders. This team could surprise some more.
Original Prediction- Penguins in 6
Final Record- Islanders in 6
Series MVP- Ilya Sorokin
Washington Capitals vs Boston Bruins
Original Prediction- Bruins in 7
Final Record- Bruins in 5
Series MVP- Tukka Rask - in the deciding game 5 the Capitals outshot the Bruins 20-4 in just the second period yet the game ended 3-1 Boston.
Looking Ahead
Boston Bruins Vs NY Islanders
This is bound to be a tough defensive series where a single goal or lucky voice plays a huge role. Was initially thinking to give the edge to Boston primarily due to experience and rest. However, after reviewing some tape of the Islanders' round 1 I think they play a perfect style to get the Bruins off their game. Game 1 is Saturday, May 29th at 8 pm (ET)
Official prediction- Islanders in 7
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Quick hits
Despite finishing last in the Honda Division with a 17-30-9 record the Anaheim Ducks have elected to retain GM Bob Murray and Head Coach Dallas Eakins, showing there is still belief in their abilities and vision for the team. Anaheim has missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, the third time since joining the NHL for the 1993-94 season that this has happened. Murray has been the general manager in Anaheim since way back on Nov. 12, 2008, when he replaced Brian Burke. While Eakins was hired on June 17, 2019, Eakins is 46-63-18 in his two seasons.
The Vancouver Canucks announced Canuck Legends and brother Henrik and Daniel Sedin will team up for the Canucks once again this time in the office instead of on the ice. Canucks GM Jim Benning said their roles are being determined and a formal announcement can be expected in a few weeks. The identical twins retired in 2018 after 17-seasons in the NHL all with the Canucks. Vancouver selected Daniel Sedin (No. 2) and Henrik Sedin (No. 3) in the 1999 NHL Draft. They are the only siblings in NHL history to each score at least 1,000 points and lead Vancouver in several statistical categories. Both their numbers (22,33) were retired last season.
Nazem Kadri met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman this week as he attempted to appeal his recent eight-game suspension. They met over Zoom on Thursday, there is no timetable for a ruling from the commissioner. The Suspension stems from the illegal hit to the head of Blues defenseman Justin Faulk, Kadri has already served two games. This is the third time Kadri has been suspended in the postseason. When playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, he has suspended three games for boarding Boston Bruins forward Tommy Wingels in Game 1 of the 2018 Eastern Conference First Round. He also was suspended for the remainder of the 2019 first round for cross-checking Boston forward Jake DeBrusk in Game 2. Kadri was replaced by forward Carl Soderberg in the final two games of the series, who had one assist averaging 9:30 in ice time.
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