RADIO
Here are five bold playoff predictions for the 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.
1. The New York Rangers are a lock to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals
While the Rangers arguably have their toughest task in the first round taking on the Penguins, they are tied 1-1 in a very winnable series. The President’s Trophy winner Rangers have a great, if not the best offensive attack in the league and get to face a very hot-or-cold goaltender in Marc-Andre Fleury. The Rangers will have to face the winner of the Capitals-Islanders series, which should be easier for a team that made it to the Stanley Cup finals last season. A solid mix of veteran leadership and up-and-coming young talent that is beginning to produce is why the Rangers are a lock to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
2. The only team that will challenge the Rangers in the East is the Lightning
Tampa Bay has gotten the best of the Rangers in the regular season and still remains the only team that stands between the Rangers and their second Stanley Cup Finals appearance in as many years. The Lightning are tied 1-1 in their series against the Red Wings, and Stamkos and the gang should continue to dominate the shot differential and defeat the aging Red Wings, then likely facing the Montreal Canadiens, who are cruising past the Ottawa Senators in their first round match up. A Rangers-Lightning Eastern Conference Finals matchup would be very entertaining, however if the Lightning don’t advance in either this round or the next, there is nothing standing between the Blueshirts and Lord Stanley in the East.
3. If Chicago doesn't use a goaltending rotation, they won’t beat Nashville
Putting it plain and simple, Corey Crawford has been absolutely terrible in his two playoff appearances this season. In game one he was pulled after one period after allowing three goals. Backup Scott Darling entered the game and Chicago managed to pull off a comeback, winning 4-3 as Darling stopped 42-of-42 shots. In Chicago’s second game, Crawford managed to play all 60 minutes despite allowing six goals on 35 shots. While Crawford has won a Stanley Cup and has had post-season success, this is not the time to roll with a veteran goaltender that just can’t perform at an adequate level at the moment. Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville needs to start Darling in game three and for at least the remainder of this series, keeping the hot-hand, which clearly is Darling. Nashville isn’t an elite team but they will beat Chicago handedly if Crawford remains in net.
4. The winner of the Anaheim-Winnipeg series advances to the Western Conference Finals
Regardless of who wins between the Ducks and Jets, they will steamroll the winner of the Vancouver-Calgary series. Frankly neither the Canucks nor the Flames have a remote chance of advancing past Anaheim and have a slightly better, but still improbable chance of advancing past the Jets. Vancouver and Calgary are, as displayed in Game 2 of the series, just beating up on each other, sending the better of two beaten pulps to advance into the second round. The Flames have a nice young core and the Canucks… are just the Canucks, but neither team is ready to compete this season.
5. The Minnesota Wild make it to the Stanley Cup Finals… and win it
Before the acquisition of Devan Dubnyk, the Minnesota Wild were dead in the water. Afterward, they became the hottest team in the NHL post ASG. Minnesota also is statistically the best team on the road this season and as of recently, actually plays better on the road than compared to playing at the Excel Energy Center. The Blues will present a challenge to the Wild, as they aren’t built to play a physical game. The Wild are a very fast, skilled team that refuses to conform to any other teams style of play and dictates the pace and play of a given game. The Wild struggled against the Blackhawks a couple of years ago, but over the course of the past two season have slowly cracked the code to beating the Blackhawks, certainly in the playoffs where Chicago has sent Minnesota packing in each of the last two seasons.
Anaheim, the favorite to advance to the Western Conference Finals, will struggle against the speed and solid defense of Minnesota, led by perennial Norris Trophy finalist Ryan Suter. Regardless of who advances into the Stanley Cup from the Eastern Conference, the Wild will match up very favorably. An abundance of veteran goal-scorers in Zach Parise, Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville coupled with Ryan Suter, Jonas Brodin, Marco Scandella and Jared Spurgeon, perhaps the best top two defensive pairings in the NHL make the Wild a very trend pick to bring Lord Stanley to Minnesota for the first time.
