NHL Stanley Cup Round 2 Preview
We turn the page on April NHL Hockey, say goodbye to 8 more teams, and move on to May, and the 2nd Round of the NHL 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. I have to admit, for a Round 1 that is usually the best in all of sports, this year’s was a bit underwhelming. All 8 of the betting favorites won their series and only 2 series took it to game 7. As expected, we saw Dallas and Vegas go the distance and the Leafs lost in Leafs fashion in Game 7 after battling back to stave off elimination twice. I actually think this round will be the best as we have incredible matchups where we have legit Stanley Cup Contenders eliminated in just 2 weeks’ time.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Metropolitan Division Final
New York Rangers (1) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (2)
This series saw the heavy favorites take their series in quick fashion. The New York Rangers handled the Washington Capitals very very quickly, as we expected. Igor Shesterkin let in just 7 goals in 4 games and is sporting a .931 SV%. One could argue the team on the other side didn’t give them much push, and in some case that is true, but he more than held his own and will be expected to be that good against a much deeper, faster, and nastier team. Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck are leading the team in scoring at 7 and 6 points, respectively. Adam Fox did his thing on the backend and the New York Rangers, while not dominating in the scoring side of the ledger. The Rangers handled their business and moved on. I do think some teams play a bit down to their competition, with expectation to win and not wanting to exert themselves knowing they will need everything in the next series. I think we haven’t seen the best of the Rangers quite yet.
The Carolina Hurricanes played a very interesting series. They handled the Islanders in 5 games, but it didn’t feel like it aside from certain times in the Series. We saw the Islanders own the puck and the play throughout a good portion of this series and the Hurricanes weren’t at their best. Again, was this a symptom of who you are playing. We saw this in another series in the West. The way the Hurricanes looked in game 2 is what we expected throughout but things seemed just a bit off from the looks of the Hurricanes. But the Hurricanes were just a bit better and found ways to win, that’s what great teams do. They will be the first to tell you that they will need to be better to take on this Rangers team. Freddie Andersen sported a .912 SV% in the series, but there were times we questioned him, I have to be honest. I am writing this after Game 1 and a couple of those goals against are making me think we may see Pytor Kochetkov take the net if Andersen struggles again. I fully expect him to start Game 2 but with a short leash. We have seen success in these changes by the Hurricanes in the past, just ask 12-year-old Tradon. Key Hurricanes like Jake Guentzel will need to make his mark on this upcoming series, that’s what he was brought in to do.
This series will go long guys. Both teams had plenty of rest and didn’t showcase their best hockey in their series and still moved on without a major hiccup. They are healthy and ready to play. This series is so close for me so it will come down to the nitty gritty. Goaltending, as of right now, fares in the Rangers favor, and Carolina will need to figure out that defensive game we expect of them if they are to help their tendy. The Rangers will need to keep pushing their weight around, looking at you Matt Rempe. I think this series will be very much determined by the special teams; much has been the story of the playoffs. Discipline will be important because these teams know how to find the net on their power play. This will go long and it will be ugly, best case scenario for the winner of the other Eastern Series. At the end of the day, I expect a huge response by Carolina tonight to even it up. Rod Brind’amour is motivated as ever to take this team to the promise land. Andersen will be better, defense will be better, and the Canes style will end up suffocating the Rangers in the end. I have Carolina in 7.
Atlantic Division Final
Florida Panthers (1) vs. Boston Bruins (2)
The Florida Panthers proved they are the big dogs of Florida now. They more than managed the Tampa Bay Lightning, who just seemed a step slower than the Panthers. Carter Verhaeghe is one of the most clutch players in NHL playoff history and Matthew Tkachuk played his game. Both players contributed 9 points in those 5 games. We saw Sam Bennett take an injury but is likely coming back this series. I would like to see more from the back end, especially Ekblad and OEL. Goalie Bob had an incredible few games, outplaying his rival in Vasilevsky. His save in game 2 might be the save of the Playoffs if not the last decade. However, he took a lot of shots and wasn’t as sharp as he will need to be to take on these upcoming teams. He has a .896 SV%. Florida handled the Bolts, but this Bolts team is not the team we remember from 2020-2021, or even 2022. The Panthers are down 1-0 in the series after getting goalied by Jeremy Swayman last night. They will have a big response on home ice tomorrow.
Boston almost became the first team in sports history to give up and lose a 3-1 Series lead 2 years in a row. Luckily for them, they were against the Leafs. The Leafs don’t lose in 5 games, they lose in 7 after a rollercoaster of a series. The story of the series and the B’s? Jeremy friken Swayman. We see this every year, there’s a goaltender that steals games, steals series, and looks unbelievably locked in that its almost impossible to score on him. His so engaged and playing with an amazing level of confidence, I saw in their game 1 last night. We didn’t see the best players up front be the best players until it really mattered. Pasta had an underwhelming round 1, until his amazing heroics in Game 7 OT, and again in game 1 in round 2. Brad Marchand has been incredible, but we will need to see more from the depth, which has been my biggest worry about this team. Former Duck Hampus Lindholm was the hero of game 7 in my opinion with a great tying goal and an unbelievable pass off the corner for Pasta’s game winner. Will expect him to make his mark going forward.
It was my expectation that whoever came out of the Boston/Toronto series was going to be stomped by the Panthers. I just didn’t think either team were of the same caliber as the other 3 in the East. I was humbled a bit in game 1 of the round that potentially saw the rust of the Panthers show through. The B’s didn’t have any time to catch a breath and sometimes its helpful when moving on. I do expect a big response by the Panthers, who were a bit embarrassed on home ice. Expect Goalie Bob to look better and the team to drive the net and give the B’s everything they got. I don’t think we saw the Florida Panthers at their best and the rust is shaken off. I think that the way that Florida plays, their skating depth, and their nasty game will eventually overtake the B’s. I do think that Swayman and company will make it very hard and it won’t be easy for the Panthers. That much was already proven. I see Panthers going to their 2nd Eastern Conference final in a row in 6 games.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central Division Final
Dallas Stars (1) vs. Colorado Avalanche (3)
The Dallas Stars opened their series against the Knights on the ropes, dropping both of their home games, to which James gave up on them (joking…kinda). But they turned everything around quickly winning 4 of the last 5 games of the series and were most certainly the best team of the two. Jake Oettinger settled in down the stretch and outplayed both Thompson and Hill at the end of the day. Dallas dug deep into their culture, their depth, and skill to win this series. Wyatt Johnston, the young up and coming player, is here baby. He looked absolutely amazing and made his mark already at just 20 years old, scoring 7 points. He had timely goals and was a force. The depth played their part as well with goals from Ty Dellandrea and Mason Marchment. They handled the Vegas Golden Knights, with that stacked lineup and made them look slower, sluggish, and just not the cohesive unit they were last year. Their series with Vegas was very very tight but the better team won in the end. I expect Pavelski to find his game in Round 2 and bolster that lineup that much more, it will be needed.
The Avalanche are so back to their 2022 glory, and everyone is worried now. Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck was the Vezina Trophy winner of 2024, and he looked dominated. Colorado scored 5+ goals in every single game, something that never happened to the Jets down the stretch. Game 1 was an absolute shootout that saw the Jets edge out the Avs, but it woke up the beast. The Avalanche trounced the Jets from then on and it wasn’t even close. The Jets struggled to stifle the speed of the Avalanche and it will be tough to stop this speed. The biggest question was Alex Gorgiev in net, but he responded so well after game 1 and played more than fine throughout the 4 straight wins. Rantanen, Makar, and MacKinnon were the best players, per usual and the depth guys found ways to make their mark. This is the team that everyone feared and it’s not fair that Dallas has to play 2 back-to-back Western Conference Finals before the actual Conference Final.
This is why I am so thankful the Oilers won enough to stay in the Pacific track. The Avalanche/Stars series will be the best series of the 4, no doubt. The juggernauts of the West will face each other at their best and the depth of the Stars will be tested by the absolute speed and will of the Avalanche. Oettinger is the better goaltender on paper and will need to be to stop this force. The D core matchup is as tight as it could be and this series could be decided by special teams and the depth. At the end of the day, I think that Dallas will find a way to stop the onslaught just enough to squeak out a Game 7 win after an amazing back and forth series. Stars in 7.
Pacific Division
Vancouver Canucks (1) vs. Edmonton Oilers (2)
The Vancouver Canucks edged out the Nashville Predators in a series that saw multiple goaltenders go down due to injury and a struggling Elias Petterson. The Canucks and their stout defense played a long, slower, and defensive series against a similar Nashville team. Many found the games slow and boring, but it was just great defensive hockey. Latvian netminder Arturs Silovs managed to hold down the net sporting a very strong .938 SV%. The Cancucks largely locked things down for the younger Latvian. For the most part, the Canucks won the possession game but the expected goals for and against was quite tight all things considered. Brock Boeser showed some heroism as did JT Millers. Quinn Hughes looked fine, if not uncomfortable at times. Petterson has a chance to rewrite his playoffs so far by coming out big in Round 2. Depth will need to dig deeper, and the Canucks will need to step up their defensive game that much more as they take on a much different Oilers team.
The Edmonton Oilers man-handled the LA Kings for most of the series. The biggest key to victory was the incredible special teams by the Oilers, who have a blended 145% (45% PP/100%PK) through their 5 games. The 5 on 5 game was a bit more even than the series suggested, albeit the goal scoring for the Kings that came in garbage time in game 1, kind of skewed some things. The Oilers took it to the Kings for stretches at a time and the 1-3-1 system was exploited, aside from Game 2 where the Kings scored 1st. It took Overtime to finalize the win on that and it was pretty close. The Kings were perfect in Game 4 but that wasn’t enough to beat Skinner who really settled in after game 2. The Oilers did not look their best and they will need to find another level if they plan on taking out their bitter rival in British Columbia. This Oilers team showed they have the defensive prowess to compete in the long run. I think that Playoff Leon is a better player than Connor McDavid, and that says a lot. He has probably been the best skater in the playoffs so far and this Oilers team is determined to go the distance.
The Canucks have home ice but are incredible underdogs according to Vegas. The Oilers are given a 70% chance to win this series, but I am not so sure of those numbers. The Canucks beat the Oilers in all 4 games in the regular season (granted so did Winnipeg against Colorado) and they are a team that is stout defensively, can skate with this Oilers team, and can find timely scoring, especially on the rush. The Oilers will have their hands full, even with a 3rd string goaltender to start the series. The longer it goes, the closer Demko comes back and then everything changes after that. I do think that the Canucks are in a learning position and will not have enough to beat this experienced, fast, and determined Oilers team. They will give everything they got but I think the Oilers will close out the series on home ice. Oilers in 6.