The second round of the NHL playoffs begin tonight. All of these matchups should produce some great hockey and I expect at least two of them to go the distance. Here is a brief preview and prediction for all the series.
Nashville Predators v. Winnipeg Jets – The Preds took way too many penalties against the Avalanche but won’t get away with it against the more prolific Jets. On the other hand, Pekka Rinne can usually cover for the Preds defensive lapses. The Jets are a little banged up but they have nothing to lose having finally won the first series in franchise history. Meanwhile, the pressure is on Nashville, who has been built to win this year. Incredibly, the Jets may be just as deep as the Preds, especially at center ice. In the end, I think experience carries Nashville. Prediction: Preds in 7.
Las Vegas Golden Knights v. San Jose Sharks – Both these teams live for speed and both have plenty of depth. The Knights scored just enough to sweep LA but the Sharks are prone to giving up lots of shots so the pressure will be on Martin Jones. The Knights penalty kill has been great while the Sharks power play has been anemic. As in the prior series, Marc Andre Fleury and the staunch Vegas defense will carry them to victory again. Prediction: Vegas in 6.
Tampa Bay Lightning v. Boston Bruins – This series may well be determined by whether Andrei Vasilevskiy can play like a Vezina trophy winner, a prized for which he is a finalist. He has been great all season and the Lightning will need him to cover for their real defensive liabilities. The matchup of the series will probably be Bergeron shadowing Kucherov. In addition, the Bruins seemed a little worn down late in that Toronto series and the Lightning should be fresh. Prediction: Bruins in 7.
Pittsburgh Penguins v. Washington Capitals – This series also may come down to goaltending as both Murray and Holtby have shown they can go from great to suspect pretty quickly. The Pens probably have the better offense but the Caps power play has been on fire. It’s hard to bet against Crosby and Malkin and Washington has seen its share of heartbreak. Prediction: Pens in 7.
Enjoy the games and we’ll see you in a couple of weeks for a recap!
