The first round of the NHL’s Eastern Conference Stanley Cup playoffs is over – and this writer went 2-2 in his Eastern predictions. Let’s now turn our attention to the second round, and see if we can improve on that 50 percent success mark:
New York Rangers (1) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (2)
Why the Rangers could win: Did you see how the Blueshirts manhandled the Washington Capitals in the first round? They barely broke a sweat in sweeping the Caps, and set the league on notice – this isn’t the same Rangers team that faltered badly in Round 1 of the 2023 playoffs. Under the expert coaching of Peter Laviolette, the Rangers dominated Washington and saved themselves a lot of time and energy to punch their ticket to Round 2. Star goalie Igor Shesterkin is superior to Hurricanes counterpart Frederik Andersen, and the Rangers can match or improve on any element of Carolina’s game. The Blueshirts were the best regular-season team in the league, and the best Eastern playoff team in the opening round. Carolina has a chance to beat them, but not a great chance.
Why the Hurricanes could win: The Hurricanes also steamrolled their first-round opponents in Round 1 this spring, dispatching the New York Islanders in five games with relative ease. Carolina’s well-balanced, well-coached group has the speed and depth to keep pace with the Rangers, and in a six-or-seven-game series like the one this matchup promises to be, a fortunate bounce here or there can be the difference between an Eastern Conference final appearance and a second-round exit. Rod Brind’Amour is going to have his ‘Canes charges motivated and prepared to battle the Rangers, and nobody would be surprised if Carolina squeaked by New York in a long and difficult series.
Who is going to win: Rangers, in six games
The Rangers were our pick to win the East in our pre-playoffs predictions, and nothing has changed to make us feel any differently. The Rangers have it all, but they have that little bit extra – particularly, in goal – to be the difference against the Hurricanes. Shesterkin is a bona-fide difference-maker between the pipes, and he’s the primary reason we expect the Blueshirts to outlast the ‘Canes and make it back to the Eastern final and beyond. It’s not going to be a cakewalk for them, but the Rangers have the elite talent at all positions to at least be as good as Carolina, and we’re projecting the Rangers will take on either the Florida Panthers or Boston Bruins in the conference final.
Florida Panthers (1) vs. Boston Bruins (2)
Why the Panthers could win: The Panthers made short work of their intra-state rivals in Tampa Bay, sending the Lightning packing in five games in Round 1. Florida was by no small measure the better team of the two, limiting the Bolts to just eight goals in the Panthers’ four wins in the first-round series. And the Panthers conserved a ton of energy – at least, compared to the Bruins, who needed seven games to narrowly beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round. Florida has the energy and depth to outlast Boston, and the Panthers also have good enough goaltending to match Bruins star netminder Jeremy Swayman. Whatever the Bruins did to the Leafs in Round 1, the Panthers are going to do to Boston in Round 2.
Why the Bruins could win: The only way Boston is winning this series is if Swayman stands on his head and out-and-out steals games from the Panthers. The Bruins’ offense has been wobbly at best, but Boston beat the Leafs because their defense picked up the slack and limited Toronto to very few second and third chances in high-danger spots around the net. If they can thwart Florida’s high-quality scoring chances, Swayman should be able to give his teammates a chance to win this matchup and take on either the Rangers or Hurricanes in the conference final.
Who is going to win: Florida, in five games
Yes, we believe the Panthers are going to demolish the Bruins with relative ease, as Florida isn’t going to be dissuaded from imposing its will against Boston. The Panthers are at least as much of a well-coached group as the Bruins are, but Florida’s defense corps is better than Boston’s, and the Panthers’ go-to skaters are better than the Bruins’. The rest the Panthers built up by beating Tampa in five games should be a big help to them in this series, and we suspect this series will be just as short as Florida’s first-round series was. The Panthers are tracking toward a showdown against the Rangers, and while that will be a toss-up series, this tilt will go Florida’s way and eliminate the Bruins sooner than later.
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News Summary:
- 2024 NHL Playoff Predictions: Who Will Advance to the Eastern Conference Final? Will the Favorites Prevail?
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.