As a longtime hockey fan the build-up and anticipation of the Stanley Cup Finals is one of the most exciting times of the year, and this year is a particularly fascinating match up that has the potential to be one of the best finals in recent years. The Eastern Conference Champion Pittsburgh Penguins will face the Western Conference Champion San Jose Sharks in the Stanley Cup Finals, beginning with game 1 in Pittsburgh at 8:00PM ET on Monday night. Before I dive into the numbers and thoughts on the series, I want to look back at my predictions throughout the playoffs where I have gone 10/14. I went 4/8 in the first round (Hawks, Kings, Ducks and Panthers lost) but have since gone 6/6 in the Quarterfinals and Semifinals. With that being said, here's a look at the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals:
#2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #3 San Jose Sharks
Season Series: Season series tied 1-1-0
November 24th, 2015: San Jose Sharks 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 1 December 1st, 2015: Pittsburgh Penguins 5, San Jose Sharks 1 Preview Round Series Scores: Pittsburgh Penguins defeat New York Rangers in 5 games Pittsburgh Penguins defeat Washington Capitals in 6 games Pittsburgh Penguins defeat Tampa Bay Lightning in 7 games San Jose Sharks defeat Los Angeles Kings in 5 games San Jose Sharks defeat Nashville Predators in 7 games San Jose Sharks defeat St. Louis Blues in 6 games
Players to Watch:
Pittsburgh: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Kris Letang, Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino San Jose: Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Brent Burns, Joel Ward, Patrick Marleau X-Factor:
Pittsburgh: Sidney Crosby San Jose: Joe Thornton Team Leaders:
Goals: Joe Pavelski (SJS) - 13, Phil Kessel (PIT) - 9 Assists: Logan Couture (SJS) - 16, Nick Bonino (PIT) - 12 Points: Logan Couture (SJS) - 24, Phil Kessel (PIT) - 18 Wins: Martin Jones (SJS) - 12, Matt Murray (PIT) - 11 Save %: Matt Murray (PIT) - .925 SV%, Martin Jones (SJS) - .918 SV% Shutouts: Martin Jones (SJS) - 3, Matt Murray (PIT) - 1 Series Notes: -The Penguins come into this series having beaten the New York Rangers in 5 games, the Washington Capitals in 6 games, and the Tampa Bay Lightning in 7 games to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2009. -The Sharks come into this series having beaten the Los Angeles Kings in 5 games, the Nashville Predators in 7 games, and the St. Louis Blues in 6 games to reach their first Stanley Cup Finals in franchise history. -The Penguins have gotten help throughout their lineup in the playoffs, but none bigger than the HBK (Hagelin Bonino Kessel) line that has a combined 45 points so far. -The Penguins have gotten consistent scoring from Crosby and Malkin (15 points each), but both need to be at their best in this series. -With the injury to Trevor Daley, the Penguins are very thin on defense and will withstand a tough forecheck from the big Sharks forwards. A lot of pressure will be on Kris Letang (2 goals and 8 assists in 17 games) to produce in this series. -After briefly going to Marc-Andre Fleury last round, Mike Sullivan went back Matt Murray who regained his starting job by winning game 6 and 7. Murray will need to be at his best to match the Sharks high-pressure offense. -The Penguins need their depth guys to continue to produce, guys like Chris Kunitz, Bryan Rust, Matt Cullen and Conor Sheary. Rust was the hero in game 7 against Tampa Bay with both goals in a 2-1 win, this year's version of Max Talbot from 2009. -The Sharks have the top 3 scorers in the playoffs, Couture with 24, Pavelski with 22 and Burns with 20. -The Sharks core has lead the way the entire playoffs, the group of Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Brent Burns and Logan Couture has combined for 30 goals, 54 assists for 84 points in 18 games. All 4 of these guys have been fantastic, but the 2 Joe's in particular have lead the way for the Sharks. -Martin Jones has been quietly consistent for the Sharks, he's got a playoff-best 12 wins and 3 shutouts. -As good as the Penguins depth forwards have been, the Sharks have gotten equally as good of a contribution from depth guys like Joonas Donskoi, Joel Ward, and Tomas Hertl. -Marc-Edouard Vlasic has quietly been the most underrated player in the playoffs so far, with 1 goal and 10 assists and a playoff-best +13 playing around 23:30 of icetime a night. -What a dream come true it must be for veterans Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, a combined 2778 regular season games without a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals before now. -Both teams have played 18 games coming into this series, and will have several days off to rest before the finals begin on Monday. Prediction: This is a a fascinating series to me, one of the best Stanley Cup match ups in a long time (maybe even since the last time the Penguins were in the finals against the Red Wings). Both teams are absolutely loaded up front, and are riding young goaltenders who have been excellent in the playoffs. A common trend between these two teams is talent at center, with Crosby/Malkin/Bonino for the Penguins and Pavelski/Thornton/Couture for the Sharks ready to go head to head. These are two teams who have consistently been contenders year after year with strong regular seasons, only to fall short in the playoffs (back to 2009 when the Penguins last won the Cup, Sharks have never won it). Having to predict this series is very tough because it could truly go either way, but since the day the Sharks got past the Kings I have said they were going to win the Cup and I'm sticking with it. Here's to hope Jumbo Joe finally gets his hands on Lord Stanley!
(SHARKS IN 7. CONN SMYTHE = JOE PAVELSKI)
Conn Smythe Trophy Watch: 1. Joe Pavelski (SJS) - 13 goals, 9 assists, 22 points 2. Phil Kessel (PIT) - 9 goals, 9 assists, 18 points 3. Logan Couture (SJS) - 8 goals, 16 assists, 24 points 4. Joe Thornton (SJS) - 3 goals, 15 assists, 18points 5. Matt Murray (PIT) - 11-3-1, .925 SV%, 1 SO 6. Brent Burns (SJS) - 6 goals, 14 assists, 20 points 7. Sidney Crosby (PIT) - 6 goals, 9 assists, 15 points 8. Martin Jones (SJS) - 12-3-3, .918 SV%, 3 SO 9. Nick Bonino (PIT) - 3 goals, 12 assists, 15 points 10. Joel Ward (SJS) - 6 goals, 5 assists, 11 points I always love doing previews/predictions during NHL playoffs and this year has been unpredictable and yet extremely exciting to watch. This is my final blog of the 2015/2016 NHL Season, but things are already in motion with the NHL Draft and Free Agency for next season. With that being said, I am pumped for the Stanley Cup which begins Monday night at 8:00PM ET in Pittsburgh. Penguins vs. Sharks, Crosby vs. Thornton, Murray vs. Jones, buckle up! Joel Forman - The Forman Faceoff
Season Series: Tampa Bay won the season series 3-0-0
January 15th, 2016: Tampa Bay Lightning 5, Pittsburgh Penguins 4 (OT)
February 5th, 2016: Tampa Bay Lightning 6, Pittsburgh Penguins 3
February 20th, 2016: Tampa Bay Lightning 4, Pittsburgh Penguins 2
Players to Watch:
Pittsburgh: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Kris Letang, Carl Hagelin, Matt Cullen Tampa Bay: Nikita Kucherov, Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, Victor Hedman, Jonathan Drouin, Brian Boyle X-Factor:
Pittsburgh: Sidney Crosby Tampa Bay: Nikita Kucherov Team Leaders:
Goals: Nikita Kucherov (TBL) - 9, Phil Kessel/Patric Hornqvist (PIT) - 5 Assists: Tyler Johnson (TBL) - 9, Nick Bonino (PIT) - 8 Points: Tyler Johnson (TBL) - 13, Phil Kessel (PIT) - 12 Wins: Ben Bishop (TBL) - 8, Matt Murray (PIT) - 7
Series Notes: -Tampa Bay dominated the season series 3-0-0 outscoring the Penguins 15-9 in the process, but all 3 games came before the Trade Deadline -The Lightning enter this series having beat the Red Wings and Islanders in 5 games a piece -The Penguins enter this series having beat the Rangers in 5 games and the Capitals in 6 games -The Lightning have been lead on offense by Nikita Kucherov and Tyler Johnson, as Kucherov leads the playoffs with 9 goals and Johnson leads the team with 13 points. -A great match up to watch is Victor Hedman vs. Kris Letang, two of the best offensive defenseman in the NHL. -Tampa Bay will need scoring from their depth guys to win this series, guys like Brian Boyle, Ryan Callahan and Jonathan Drouin -Will be interesting to watch if Anton Stralman and or Steven Stamkos make their way back to the lineup at some point in this series. -Ben Bishop has been great so far in the playoffs, he faces a tough task in slowing down the Penguins. -A story to watch for the Penguins is in net with Matt Murray vs. Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury has been out since March with a concussion, and so far Matt Murray has been exceptional in the playoffs. Will be interesting to watch what Mike Sullivan does with his goalies against a good Tampa Bay offense. -Both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin had tough series against the Capitals, look for them to rebound in this series. -The best line in the playoffs so far has been the line of Carl Hagelin-Nick Bonino-Phil Kessel which has a combined 11 goals and 30 points in 11 games. -Look for another big series out of the Penguins depth forwards, in particular Matt Cullen who has been so good in the playoffs. Prediction: This is a really exciting series, probably the two best teams in the playoffs to this point. They play a very similar game that revolves around speed and the series can go either way, but I think the Penguins are headed back to the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2009
(PENGUINS IN 7) Western Conference Finals: #2 St. Louis Blues vs. #3 San Jose Sharks Season Series: San Jose won the season series 2-1-0
February 4th, 2016: San Jose Sharks 3, St. Louis Blues 1
February 22nd, 2016: San Jose Sharks 6, St. Louis Blues 3
March 22nd, 2016: St. Louis Blues 1, San Jose Sharks 0
Players to Watch:
St. Louis: Vladimir Tarasenko, David Backes, Troy Brouwer, Alex Steen, Alex Pietrangelo, Robby Fabbri San Jose: Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau, Joel Ward
X-Factor:
St. Louis: Vladimir Tarasenko San Jose: Joe Thornton Team Leaders:
Goals: Joe Pavelsi (SJS) - 9, Vladimir Tarasenko (STL) - 7 Assists: Brent Burns (SJS) - 11, Robby Fabbri (STL) - 10 Points: Logan Couture (SJS) - 17, Vladimir Tarasenko/Robby Fabbri (STL) - 13 Wins: Brian Elliott (STL) - 8, Martin Jones (SJS) - 8
Series Notes: -The Blues enter this series having won 2 grueling 7-game series, first taking down the defending-Champion Chicago Blackhawks and then the Dallas Stars. Both game 7 wins were also on the road too. -The Sharks enter this series having beaten the Kings in 5 games and then the Predators in 7 games. -Both of these teams having a strikingly similar path to the Conference Finals: Two teams for years labelled as contenders but never able to take the next step. -The Blues have gotten a strong contribution all around, but in particular their best players have been Alex Steen, Vladimir Tarasenko, Robby Fabbri and Troy Brouwer. -Both Alex Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko have been really good on defense, they have a tough task at hand with the big San Jose Sharks. -Brian Elliott has been the guy in net for the Blues all playoffs and he will need to be at his best to handle the Sharks. -Their will be pressure on the Steen-Backes-Berglund line to match the Thornton-Pavelski-Hertl line -The Sharks enter the series with several of the top scorers in the playoffs (Couture 17, Burns 15, Pavelski 13 and Thornton 11) -Look for these 4 guys mentioned above to drive the Sharks in this series, it will be interesting to see if the Blues can slow them down. -The Sharks have gotten strong play from guys like Melker Karlsson, Joonas Donskoi and Joel Ward, they need to contribute in this series. -This will be a big test in net for Martin Jones, who has been solid so far in the playoffs. -This series is going to be fun to watch, two phyiscal teams that are also extremely gifted offensively.
Prediction: Both of these teams have never won the Stanley Cup before, so it's going to be amazing for one and a huge let down for the other. This series really could go either way, but I'm rooting for Jumbo Joe and the Sharks.
(SHARKS IN 7)
This has the Pittsburgh Penguins advancing as the Eastern Conference Champions to face the San Jose Sharks (Western Conference Champions) in the Stanley Cup Finals. Joel Forman - The Forman Faceoff
Coming into the playoffs I had 3 Stanley Cup contenders that I thought were the favourites: Los Angeles, Chicago and Anaheim. Well they all lost in the first round, with the summer of redemption as the Blues beat the Hawks in 7 and the Sharks beating the Kings in 5. Here's a look at the 2nd round match ups in the West:
#1 Dallas Stars vs. #2 St. Louis Blues
Season Series: St. Louis won the season series 4-1-0
December 12th, 2015: St. Louis Blues 3, Dallas Stars 0
December 26th, 2015: St. Louis Blues 3, Dallas Stars 2 (SO)
December 27th, 2015: Dallas Stars 3, St. Louis Blues 0
February 16th, 2016: St. Louis Blues 2, Dallas Stars 1 (OT)
March 12th, 2016: St. Louis Blues 5, Dallas Stars 4 (OT)
Players to Watch:
Dallas: Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Patrick Sharp, Jason Spezza, John Klingberg, Patrick Eaves
St. Louis: Vladimir Tarasenko, Alex Steen, Jaden Schwartz, Colton Parayko, Alex Pietrangelo, David Backes
Series Notes: -Much like round 1, the biggest storyline of this series is the availability of Tyler Seguin who remains sidelined with his achilles injury. He played in game 2 of the 6-game series win over the Wild, but re-aggravated his injury and remains out to start the series.
-With Seguin out, pressure will be on the trio of Jamie Benn-Jason Spezza-Patrick Sharp to lead the way.
-Brian Elliot was perhaps the best goalie in the 1st round playing remarkable against the Hawks, he will need to be at his best to stop the Stars who scored the most goals in the NHL this year.
-Kari Lehtonen will start in net for the Stars, but look for Niemi to play if he struggles.
-The Blues had a huge impact from rookies Colton Parayko and Robby Fabbri in round 1, they are my players to watch in this series.
-the STL (Schwartz, Tarasenko, Lehtera) line was dominant in round 1 and will need to be at their best against Dallas.
-Look for a big series out of both David Backes and Alex Steen
-Alex Pietrangelo and Jay Bouwmeester will log heavy minutes for the Blues in this series.
-Speaking of defenseman, John Klingberg leads the way offensively for the Stars and will need to contribute in this series.
Prediction: This is going to be a fun series to watch between the division rivals. While I like the Stars offense, having Tyler Seguin out is a huge loss. With that in mind plus the Blues with serious momentum in beating the Hawks, I think St. Louis will advance.
(BLUES IN 7) #3 San Jose Sharks vs. WC #1 Nashville Predators
Season Series: Nashville won the season series 2-0-1
October 28th, 2015: Nashville Predators 2, San Jose Sharks 1
February 6th, 2016: Nashville Predators 6, San Jose Sharks 2
April 2nd, 2016: San Jose Sharks 3, Nashville Predators 2 (SO)
Players to Watch:
San Jose: Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau, Tomas Hertl
Nashville: Shea Weber, Roman Josi, Pekka Rinne, Ryan Johansen, James Neal, Colin Wilson
X-Factor:
San Jose: Brent Burns
Nashville: Pekka Rinne
Team Leaders:
Goals: Joe Pavelski (SJS) - 6, Shea Weber/Colin Wilson/James Neal/Mattias Ekholm (NSH) - 2 Assists: Brent Burns (SJS) - 6, Shea Weber/Roman Josi/Colin Wison (NSH) - 3 Points: Brent Burns (SJS) - 8, Shea Weber/Colin Wilson (NSH) - 5 Wins: Martin Jones (SJS) - 4, Pekka Rinne (SJS) - 4
Series Notes: -The Predators beat the Ducks in game 7 on the last game of the 1st round to advance, while the Sharks have been off for almost a week after finally beating the LA Kings in 5 games.
-The Sharks are dynamic on offense lead by the core of Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Brent Burns and Logan Couture. The Predators have a very tough task at slowing them down.
-Speaking of Burns, he was perhaps the best defenseman in the first round with 8 points and will need to keep it up in round 2.
-The Predators have one of the deepest defense groups in the NHL, particularly their top 4 of Shea Weber-Roman Josi and Mattias Ekholm-Ryan Ellis. They have a lot of work ahead of them.
-Martin Jones was strong in round 1 against the Kings but was shaky at times, he will need to be better against the Predators.
-The Predators need a big series out of Ryan Johansen and James Neal to win this series.
-Pekka Rinne was fantastic against the Ducks in round 1, he faces a dynamic Sharks offense and needs to be at his best.
-Colin Wilson is my player to watch for the Predators in this series.
Prediction: With the Sharks finally beating the Kings I think they are the team to beat in the West, and they will advance to the Western Conference Finals
(SHARKS IN 6)
This leaves the Western Conference Finals as the following match up: #2 St. Louis Blues vs. #3 San Jose Sharks Joel Forman - The Forman Faceoff
I went 3/4 in the Eastern Conference last round, picking the Capitals Penguins and Lightning while taking the Panthers who lost to the Islanders. Here's a look at the 2nd round match ups in the East:
#1 Washington Capitals vs. WC #2 Pittsburgh Penguins
Season Series: Season Series tied 2-2-0 October 28th, 2015: Pittsburgh Penguins 3, Washington Capitals 1
December 14th, 2015: Washington Capitals 4, Pittsburgh Penguins 1
March 1st, 2016: Washington Capitals 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 2
April 7, 2016: Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Washington Capitals 3 (OT)
Players to Watch:
Washington: Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Braden Holtby, Evgeny Kuznetsov, John Carlson, Justin Williams
Series Notes: -Here we go Sid vs. Ovie for the 2nd time in the playoffs, first since 2009 where the Penguins won in 7 games.
-However, there is much more to this match up than simply Sid vs. Ovie, these are the two best teams in the Eastern Conference going head to head
-Battle of the Russian superstar center's with Evgeni Malkin vs. Evgeny Kuznetsov, they will go head to head in this series and it will be amazing to watch
-Braden Holtby was very solid in round 1 against the Flyers, he will need to be much better in this series
-Matt Murray will take the net for the Penguins with Fleury still out with a concussion. He was good in round 1 but has a much bigger test than the NHL-best Capitals
-Defenseman to watch in this series are Kris Letang for the Penguins and John Carlson for the Capitals, 2 extremely gifted offensive players
-Both these teams are deep on forward, we know the talent in the top 6 but its going to be the role players that make the difference. Guys like Matt Cullen, Carl Hagelin and Nick Bonino for the Penguins and Jason Chimera, Tom Wilson and Mike Richards for the Capitals
-The Capitals have a tough task at slowing down the Penguins offense, and it starts with the core 4 of Brooks Orpik-John Carlson and Karl Alzner-Matt Niskanen
Prediction: The hype of this series is fantastic, really a great thing for the NHL. It's hard to predict a winner because I think the teams are so even, but for the sake of this prediction I will take the Penguins.
(PENGUINS IN 7)
#2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. WC #1 New York Islanders
Season Series: Islanders won the season series 2-1-0
November 28th, 2015: New York Islanders 3, Tampa Bay Lightning 2
March 25, 2016: Tampa Bay Lightning 7, New York Islanders 4
April 4th, 2016: New York Islanders 5, Tampa Bay Lightning 2
Players to Watch:
Tampa Bay: Nikita Kucherov, Tyler Johnson, Ben Bishop, Jonathan Drouin, Victor Hedman, Brian Boyle
New York: John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Thomas Greiss, Nick Leddy, Brock Nelson, Frans Nielsen
X-Factor:
Tama Bay: Nikita Kucherov
New York: John Tavares
Team Leaders:
Goals: Nikita Kucherov (TBL) - 6, John Tavares (NYI) - 6 Assists: Kyle Okposo (NYI) - 6, Jonathan Drouin/Tyler Johnson (TBL) - 5 Points: John Tavares (NYI) - 11, Nikita Kucherov (TBL) - 9 Wins: Thomas Greiss (NYI) - 5, Ben Bishop (TBL) - 4
Series Notes: -Due to the Ducks/Predators series I had to wait a day to write these, so the Islanders won game 1 5-3 last night
-John Tavares single-handedly won the the Islanders-Panthers series with a brilliant 5 goals and 9 points in 6 games, including tying game 6 in the last minute and winning it in OT
-The Lightning dismantled the Red Wings in 5 games with ease, Nikita Kucherov leading the way with 5 goals and 8 points in the series
-Ben Bishop was rarely tested in the Red Wings series, he faces a much grittier Islanders team that puts the puck to the net
-Thomas Greiss continues to start with Halak injured, and he was very solid in round 1 against the Panthers
-The Lightning need a big performance out of Victor Hedman in this series, only 1 point in round 1.
-For the Islanders Nick Leddy was fantastic in round 1, he's a player to watch in this series
-Jonathan Drouin continues to shine in the playoffs for the Lightning, he's my player to watch for the Lightning
-A big reason for the Islanders success is their depth on forward, particularly their 4th line as Don Cherry calls it the "best 4th line in the NHL." This is Matt Martin-Casey Cizikas-Cal Clutterbuck and they play a big role for Jack Capuano's team.
Prediction: This is another close series and I had a hard time picking a winner because I believe either team can win. With that being said, I think the Lightning will advance.
(LIGHTNING IN 6)
This leaves the Eastern Conference Finals as the following match up: #2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #2 Tampa Bay Lightning Joel Forman - The Forman Faceoff
Series Notes:
-Biggest storyline heading into this series is the availability of star forwards Tyler Seguin, who missed the last month of the regular season after slicing his Achilles tendon, and Zach Parise, who is out indefinitely with a herniated disc in his back. Both will likely start the series in the press box but Seguin looks to be returning soon while Parise isn't.
-Jamie Benn lead the Stars to a Central Division Championship this year, after a career-high 87 points last year he had 89 this year (including a career-high 41 goals).
-John Klingberg had a breakout year for the Stars, with 10 goals and 48 points he posted a career-high 58 points.
-The Stars were the only team in the NHL this season with 3 30-goal scorers (Benn 41, Seguin 33, Spezza 33)
-It will be interesting to see who Lindy Ruff goes with in net, Antti Niemi has more playoff experience than Kari Lehtonen but they pretty much split games 50-50 this year.
-Patrick Sharp will bring a great playoff resume to the Stars having won 3 Stanley Cups in 6 years with the Blackhawks previously.
-The Wild head into the playoffs after a fantastic 2nd half, ingnited by the firing of Head Coach Mike Yeo/replacement of John Torchetti.
-Devan Dubnyk will need to be at his best in this series, the Stars scored an NHL-best 267 goals this season.
-Ryan Suter will be played heavily in this series against the Benn/Seguin line, he has a tough task at hand.
-Watch for the Wild depth forwards to make an impact in this series, particularly Nino Niederreiter, Charlie Coyle and Erik Haula.
-Zach Parise will start the series on the IR with a nagging back injury (herniated disc). If he can't play at all in this series it will be a massive loss for the Wild.
Prediction: This is a very interesting match up between one of the best offensive teams and one of the best defensive teams in the NHL. Interesting to note that the Wild (#2 Wildcard) have upset teams in the 1st round as the wildcard for the past 2 years. While I think it could either way and will be a very close series, I am siding with the Stars as long as Parise remains hurt.
(STARS IN 7)
#1 Anaheim Ducks vs. WC #1 Nashville Predators
Season Series: Nashville won the season series 2-1-0
October 22, 2015: Nashville Predators 5, Anaheim Ducks 1
November 1st, 2015: Anaheim Ducks 4, Nashville Predators 2
November 17th, 2015: Nashville Predators 3, Anaheim Ducks 2
Players to Watch:
Anaheim: Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Ryan Kesler, Jakob Silfverberg, Sami Vatanen, Rickard Rakell
Nashville: Shea Weber, Roman Josi, James Neal, Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, Pekka Rinne
X-Factor:
Anaheim: Ryan Getzlaf
Nashville: Shea Weber
Team Leaders:
Goals: Corey Perry - 34 (ANA), Filip Forsberg - 33 (NSH)
Assists: Ryan Getlaf - 50 (ANA), Roman Josi - 47 (NSH)
Points: Filip Forsberg - 64 (NSH), Ryan Getzlaf - 63 (ANA)
Wins: Pekka Rinne - 34 (NSH), Frederik Andersen - 22 (ANA)
Shutouts: John Gibson - 4 (ANA), Pekka Rinne - 4 (NSH)
Series Notes:
-The Ducks enter this series having been one of the best teams in the NHL in the 2nd half, capping it off with their 4th straight Pacific Division title under Bruce Boudreau.
-As usual, the Ducks will be lead in this series by the dynamic duo of Ryan Getlaf and Corey Perry.
-The Ducks will need a strong offensive showing from their depth forwards, guys like Jamie McGinn, Andrew Cogliano, Jakob Silfverberg to name a few.
-With the Predators focusing on shutting down the Getzlaf line, their will be a lot of pressure for Ryan Kesler to produce in this series.
-Will be interesting to watch the Ducks goalie decisions, I can imagine Boudreau will start with Gibson but Andersen will be ready in needed to be called upon.
-Look for the young Ducks D to be active in the offense in this series, guys like Sami Vatanen, Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm.
-The Predators will rely heavily on Pekka Rinne to weather the storm of the Ducks offensive attack in this series.
-Shea Weber and Roman Josi will need to be at their best in this series, both offensively and defensively. They will be on the ice everytime Getzlaf or Perry is on.
-If the Predators want to pull off an upset in this series, the trio of Ryan Johansen-James Neal-Filip Forsberg will need to outscore the Ducks top guns.
-Look for the Predators to also be active on D, not just Weber and Josi but also Ryan Ellis and Matthias Ekholm as well.
Prediction: The Ducks are too strong and deep to lose in the 1st round, they will be too much for the Predators to handle
(DUCKS IN 5)
#2 St. Louis Blues vs. #3 Chicago Blackhawks
Season Series: St. Louis won the season series 3-2-0
November 4, 2015: St. Louis Blues 6, Chicago Blackhawks 5 (OT)
November 14, 2015: Chicago Blackhawks 4, St. Louis Blues 2
January 24, 2016: Chicago Blackhawks 2, St. Louis Blues 0
March 9, 2016: St. Louis Blues 3, Chicago Blackhawks 2 (SO)
April 7, 2016: St. Louis Blues 2, Chicago Blackhawks 1 (OT)
Players to Watch:
St. Louis: Vladimir Tarasenko, Alex Steen, Jaden Schwartz, David Backes, Kevin Shattenkirk, Colton Parayko
Chicago: Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Artemi Panarin, Brent Seabrook, Andrew Ladd, Duncan Keith
X-Factor:
St. Louis: Vladimir Tarasenko
Chicago: Patrick Kane
Team Leaders:
Goals: Patrick Kane - 46 (CHI), Vladimir Tarasenko - 40 (STL)
Assists: Patrick Kane - 60 (CHI), Paul Stastny - 39 (STL)
Points: Patrick Kane - 106 (CHI), Vladimir Tarasenko - 74 (STL)
Wins: Corey Crawford - 35 (CHI), Jake Allen - 26 (STL)
Shutouts: Corey Crawford - 7 (CHI), Jake Allen - 6 (STL)
Series Notes:
-Here we go again, another rivarly series between the Hawks and Blues who clash in the 1st round for the 2nd time in 3 years. History tells us the Hawks will win, but this matchup is always intriguing.
-Top storyline heading into the series is Duncan Keith being suspended for game #1.
-The top match up to watch in this series is sniper vs sniper, Patrick Kane vs. Vladimir Tarasenko. They were only two of four players in the NHL this season to score 40 goals, look for both to be at their best in this series.
-The Blues will need their top forwards to score in bunches to win this series, especially Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz, Alex Steen and David Backes.
-Look for the Blues to be very active offensively between Alex Pietrangelo, Kevin Shattenkirk and emerging rookie Colton Parayko.
-Brian Elliott will likely get the start in net for the Blues, but Jake Allen is in the waiting if Elliott struggles (as he has in the past). Both goalies had great seasons for the Blues, but the Blackhawks create headaches for goalies and we could see Hitchcock change things up at some point.
-The Blackhawks enter this series having won the Stanley Cup 3 of the lat 6 years, including being the defending champions.
-Patrick Kane was the best player in the NHL this season, leading the NHL with 106 points (career-high 46 goals and 106 points). He's primed for another successful playoff run
-The line of Kane-Artem Anisimov-Artemi Panarin was one of the best in the NHL this season, will be interesting to see their impact in this series.
-With the addition Andrew Ladd the Hawks have a dominant top 6. In addition to the Kane line they have the Ladd-Toews-Hossa line.
-Look for the Hawks depth forwards to make an impact too, particularly Andrew Shaw, Teuvo Teravainen, Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann.
-Once Keith returns from his suspension, look for the reigning Conn Smythe winner and his D-partner Brent Seabrook to have another great playoffs.
Prediction: At this point, after 3 Stanley Cups in 6 years, I can't bet against the Blackhawks. The Blues must be shaking their head for getting the Hawks again, and they will be outmatched in this series.
(BLACKHAWKS IN 6)
#2 Los Angeles Kings vs. #3 San Jose Sharks
Season Series: San Jose won the season series 3-1-1
October 7, 2015: San Jose Sharks 5, Los Angeles Kings 1
October 22, 2015: Los Angeles Kings 4, San Jose Sharks 1
December 22. 2015: San Jose Sharks 5, Los Angeles Kings 3
January 24, 2016: Los Angeles Kings 3, San Jose Sharks 2 (OT)
March 28, 2016: San Jose Sharks 5, Los Angeles Kings 2
Players to Watch:
Los Angeles: Jonathan Quick, Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Drew Doughty, Milan Lucic, Tyler Toffoli
San Jose: Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns, Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau, Joel Ward
Team Leaders:
Goals: Joe Pavelski - 38 (SJS), Tyler Toffoli - 31 (LAK)
Assists: Joe Thornton - 63 (SJS), Anze Kopitar - 49 (LAK)
Points: Joe Thornton - 82 (SJS), Anze Kopitar - 74 (LAK)
Wins: Jonathan Quick - 40 (LAK), Martin Jones - 37 (SJS)
Shutouts: Martin Jones - 6 (SJS), Jonathan Quick - 5 (LAK)
X-Factor:
Los Angeles: Jonathan Quick
San Jose: Brent Burns
Series Notes:
-This is my 2nd most anticipated series, and the series that could be the most physical in the 1st round.
-This series also has my two favourite defenseman in the NHL right now in Drew Doughty and Brent Burns.
-The Kings enter this series lead by goaltender Jonathan Quick, fresh off a career-high 40 wins.
-As always look for Drew Doughty to lead the Kings in this series, he will play top minutes against the Thornton/Pavelski line and offensively as well.
-The Kings will rely on their top 6 forwards of Carter, Kopitar, Lucic, Toffoli, Pearson and Brown to produce in this series. The Sharks are a strong offensive team and they need to match them.
-Jake Muzzin and Alec Martinez both emerged as breakout players during the Kings 2014 Stanley Cup run, look for them to contribute offensively in this series.
-My sleeper in this series is Vinny Lecavalier, he has found his game again under Darryl Sutter and has valuable playoff experience.
-The Sharks enter this series lead by Jumbo Joe Thornton, fresh off one of the best years of his career with 82 points.
-Martin Jones had a career-high 37 wins this season, 3rd in the NHL. He get's a shot at his former team and former goalie-partner in Jonathan Quick.
-Much like the Kings, the Sharks will rely heavily on their top 6 forwards to produce, These are Thornton, Pavelski, Couture, Marleau, Hertl and Ward.
-The Sharks will need a big offensive impact from Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic to win this series.
Prediction: Kings and Sharks will faceoff in a heavyweight clash for the 2nd time in 3 years. We all remember in 2014 when the Sharks went up 3-0, only to lose 4 straight to the Kings who would go on to win the Stanley Cup. As I mentioned with Chicago, very hard for me to bet against LA even though I want San Jose to win. Ultimately, lead by Jonathan Quick, the Kings will move on.
(KINGS IN 6)
This would have Dallas, Anaheim, Chicago and Los Angeles moving on to the next round. The match ups would be as follows:
#1 Dallas Stars vs. #3 Chicago Blackhawks
#1 Anaheim Ducks vs. #2 Los Angeles Kings
