The second round of the NBA and NHL playoffs are here. Today we dive into those matchups and give some brief notes on the teams eliminated over the weekend. Without further ado here is some second-round scouting.
NHL
New York Rangers vs Carolina Hurricanes
This promises to be a great series. Game one was a struggle for the Canes who you could tell had some rust on them after a few days off but the Rangers, the longest-rested team of the playoffs looked like it and came out of the gate firing.
Mika Zibanejad had an unreal first game and will be a key contributor for the Rangers, a team whose depth and stars have shown up big through the playoffs. Meanwhile, Carolina remains the second-deepest scoring team within these playoffs. This will come down to the goaltending and both Frederick Anderson and Igor Shersterkin have been excellent thus far.
This was the series I had the hardest time picking but despite the game one result I think the Hurricanes respond.
Prediction: Hurricanes in 7.
Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins
The Panthers are the deeper, more physical, and better team. Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman and the defense are playing at a different level though and I think that levels things.
Sergei Bobrovsky is the better goaltender still though and so I have to take the Panthers to win here, I do think the Bruins force six games though. This is going to be chippy as it comes between two division rivals with a lot of history that just do not like each other very much. It is the battle of the past and present of the division, this is the Panther’s time though.
Prediction: Panthers in 6
Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche
As an Avalanche fan, this is the toughest matchup the Avs will face until they see a team like Florida, Carolina, or the Rangers in the cup final.
Not only does Dallas have the scoring threats from everywhere they also have the incredible goaltending to match up extremely well with the Avalanche. Wyatt Johnston is playing at a different level right now and he’s the team’s third-line center.
The factors that tilt the ice for the Avs are twofold, the depth, and Cale Makar who has decided to take his play to another level in the postseason after a particularly ho-hum regular season. Makar was the best Avs player on the ice in the Winnipeg series, if he can do that again, Colorado has a very good shot of advancing to the Western Conference finals.
The Stars have the better goaltending but they don’t have the depth the Avs have acquired going into the playoffs. The same things were said before the Winnipeg series, I will let the blog boys and East Coast media elites ignore the Avs, I will not. I’m not picking against this team until they lose.
Prediction: Avs in 6.
Vancouver Canucks vs Edmonton Oilers
The Canucks are a cool story but here is where I am at with them:
- All-star Elias Petterson no-showed for round 1.
- The goaltending is an issue and injuries have created a nightmare scenario.
- I’m not sure they can survive a track meet with the Oilers, the Pred’s style is so different, I worry about the Canucks ability to adapt.
Oilers run a track meet, power play keeps clicking and the goaltending holds up.
Prediction: Oilers in 5.
NBA Second Round Quick Hits
- Nuggets T-Wolves: Anthony Endwards is a fun series character and the T-Wolves are a very good team but I am not picking against the Nuggets in a seven game series until they lose. Nuggets in 7.
- Thunder Mavericks: Shai Gilgeous Alexander vs Luka Doncic, what a tremendous battle! I am very excited to check out this series, the Thunder are a great team though. Doubting them has made a lot of people look stupid. I think they find more answers for Kyrie Irving than the Clippers did. A fun series but one that ultimately ends in 6. Thunder in 6.
- New York Knicks Indiana Pacers: Garden keeps rocking, Knicks keep rolling. New York steals one in Indiana and this thing is done in 5.
- Celtics Cavs: Donovan Mitchell is not going to shake those playoff demons out against this Celtics team. Boston continues its rolling run. Celtics in 6.
NHL What’s Next
- Leafs: Blow it up.
- Predators: Pick a direction, sell or stay losing in the first and second rounds.
- Knights: Fix the cap situation, make a decision on Hertl and run it all back next year for another shot at the title.
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