Sports Take

Starting in the Eastern Conference with the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes, no one knows who will be starting in net for the Rangers. It’ll either be the veteran in Lundqvist, or the newcomer with almost no experience in Shestyorkin. If I was the Rangers I’d go with the experienced and hungry for the Cup in Lundqvist, but that decision isn’t mine to make. Meanwhile the Hurricanes could be the dark horse in the series with a young talented group, but I don’t think that the ‘Canes will be able to overcome that and the Rangers with Mika Z will come out on top with a 3-1 series win.

Moving on to the Florida Panthers and the New York Islanders. The Panthers were on a roll before the pause, picking up steam and looking on their way to a playoff spot in the wild card. Facing the Islanders will be difficult but a possibility to win, that’s a beautiful thing about the Stanley Cup Playoffs, once you’re in anything can happen. Florida has an ability to be seen as underdogs and rise to the occasion, I don’t think it’ll be this year as the Islanders are too talented, the Islanders will move on 3-1 in this one as well.

Next is the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins. This has the makings to be one hell of a series with a healthy and rested Carey Price. One of the things holding the Canadiens back in the playoffs in the past has been an overworked Price just to get them in the playoffs, when the time came Price folded under the weight of carrying the team on his head. Now with rest and looking like the MVP he can be the Penguins are going to need all their goal scoring talent to get even one against Price. That being said the Pens still have Crosby and depth, that could be the difference. The depth of the Pens is greater than the Canadiens. I think that this will be a series that goes the distance with a 3-2 win for the Canadiens. Price will be the MVP we know him to be. A final thought, Lafreniere with the Penguins, I shudder at the thought of no other team winning the Prince of Wales Trophy for a long time.

Lastly the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Columbus Blue Jackets. If the line of Tavares, Matthews, and Marner lives up to the expectations and the defensive core does what it can do than there’s no doubt. It’ll be a 3-0 sweep for the Leafs. And Torts get to give a lot more sound bites of disappointment. I don’t have anything that the Blue Jackets could win this series.