Who will advance in NHL playoffs? Staff picks, predictions for conference finals
Who will advance in NHL playoffs? Staff picks, predictions for conference finals
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Can the Florida Panthers really go back-to-back?
With a dominant roster and playoff experience, the Panthers are poised to make a strong run at back-to-back Stanley Cup titles.
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The defending champion Florida Panthers are in the Eastern Conference finals for the third season in a row and are looking to make a third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
The Dallas Stars are making their third consecutive appearance in the Western Conference finals, but they have come up short the last two seasons.
The Panthers will play the Carolina Hurricanes in a rematch from 2023, which Florida won in a sweep. The Stars will play the Edmonton Oilers, who beat them in six games last season.
Which two teams will reach the Stanley Cup Final? USA TODAY Sports weighs in with predictions for the Hurricanes-Panthers and Stars-Oilers series:
Season series: 2-1 Panthers. Total goals: 13-6 Panthers.
Jason Anderson: Hurricanes in 7. Carolina made light work of the Washington Capitals, and that may be the difference in a series that feels sure to be a marathon. Andrei Svechnikov's eight postseason goals are second only to Dallas' Mikko Rantanen (nine), but goalie Frederik Andersen's .937 save percentage might be the more important stat. The defending champs won't go down easily, but the Canes have delivered on all fronts through two rounds.
Mike Brehm: Panthers in 6. The Hurricanes have lost 12 consecutive games in the conference final. They will end that streak, but it will be hard for them for them to knock off the defending champions. Carolina's Frederik Andersen is playing great, but Florida's Sergei Bobrovsky has given up only four goals in his last four games after a rough start to the second round. The Panthers have plenty of scoring depth, led by trade deadline acquisition Brad Marchand, who's playing on the third line.
Jace Evans: Hurricanes in 7. The Hurricanes have generated very little discourse these playoffs, outside of discussions about whether the team is or isn't "boring." What they are is great, ripping through the Devils and Capitals in five games apiece with a relentless offense that throws an obscene number of shots toward the cage. If shots get through on the other end, they've often hit Frederik Andersen — the best goalie in these playoffs by far (1.36 GAA, .937 save percentage).
Season series: 2-1 Stars. Total goals: 12-9 Stars
Jason Anderson: Stars in 6. Both teams have players lighting it up on the offensive end in the postseason. Mikko Rantanen has 19 points for Dallas, while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have combined for 25 assists. It's at the other end where each team has had issues, with Edmonton's goalies combining for a .886 save percentage. The Stars have given up a whopping 408 shots in the playoffs, but Jake Oettinger has been up to the challenge, leading the league in some key underlying metrics for goaltenders. Expect plenty of goals in this series, but ultimately Dallas moves on.
Mike Brehm: Stars in 7. The Oilers are deeper than they were last season, but so are the Stars, with the additions of forwards Mikko Rantanen and Mikael Granlund. Defenseman Thomas Harley took a big jump when Miro Heiskanen was hurt, and now Heiskanen is back. This series will go the distance because Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm will return at some point. The Stars get the edge in the series finale because they're at home, and coach Peter DeBoer is 9-0 in Game 7.
Jace Evans: Oilers in 6. Seeking to erase last season's heartbreak, Edmonton has some team of destiny vibes. They looked completely on the ropes against the Kings in the first round only to rally in wild fashion and win six consecutive games after switching to Calvin Pickard in net. After Pickard was injured, Stuart Skinner got his job back and responded with two consecutive shutouts to oust the Golden Knights. You need some magic to win the Stanley Cup. It certainly feels like the Oilers have it. (And having Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl also helps.)
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