The first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs is in the books. It was filled with several exciting series and quite a few surprises. Now the second round is here and is bound to bring hockey fans even more thrilling and unpredictable matchups. Here are some previews and predictions for each second-round series.
(1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (2) Edmonton Oilers
The Golden Knights displayed why they finished as the West’s top team in their first-round series. After a bad showing in game one they quickly rebounded and won the next four straight. Laurent Brossoit put together a solid performance in net and the Knights’ forward depth really shined. Mark Stone and Chandler Stephenson specifically had a great offensive series to help guide the Golden Knights into the second round.
The Oilers enter the second round after a tightly contested six-game series with the Kings. They won the series purely on the strength of their offensive attack. All of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard scored in double digits for the Oilers. Those key performers and the team’s 56.3% scoring rate on the power play were the biggest contributors to the series win. With Stuart Skinner and the Oilers’ defense still playing below average, the offense is going to have to continue being the focal point for them.
With how both of these teams score this series is bound to be an offensive slugfest with a similar pace to the Kings/Oilers first-round series. The Golden Knights may be more equipped to handle that type of series than the Kings and really push the Oilers to their limit. However, the difference in this series will come down to special teams and that gives the advantage to the Oilers. Both phases of their special teams units have outdone the Golden Knights thus far and should give them the edge in another close series.
Prediction: Oilers in 7
(2) Dallas Stars vs. (WC1) Seattle Kraken
The Stars were surprised by the Wild out of the gate and lost two of their three first round games. But they managed to recapture their defensive prowess and hold the Wild to just three goals over three consecutive wins. And despite losing Joe Pavelski early in game one the offense was still very productive, especially on the man advantage. Jake Oettinger and this Stars team seem to be on the right track heading into the second round.
The Kraken pulled off a surprising first round victory over the defending champions in the Avalanche. What’s even more surprising about this victory is how they achieved it. They didn’t outscore the Avalanche by a large margin but rather got the first goal in every game and put a lot of pressure on their opponent. They also had the benefit of a great 88.9% penalty kill rate and Philipp Grubauer’s terrific 2.44 GAA and .926 save percentage.
Despite how well the Kraken played in the first round, they may meet their match with the Stars. They’re a much deeper team than the Avalanche and also are highly effective at keeping the puck out of the net. The Kraken could make things interesting if Grubauer keeps up this hot stretch he’s been on. However the Stars should ultimately find a way past the Kraken in the second round.
Prediction: Stars in 6
(2) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (WC2) Florida Panthers
In an absolute stunner the Panthers knocked out the best regular season team in history by beating the Bruins in the first round. They played an aggressive game and showed tremendous resilience after facing an early 3-1 series deficit. Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Mountour led the way for a Panthers attack that heated up at exactly the right time. With veteran goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky as the starter, there’s a lot going for the Panthers as they enter the second round.
In another unlikely turn of events, the Maple Leafs won their first playoff series since the 2004 postseason. They knocked off the three-time Eastern Conference champions in the Lightning to do so. Everyone is aware of how strong the core of this Maple Leafs team is and they finally managed to translate that into postseason success. Now with the giant weight of winning a first-round series off their back, the sky’s the limit for the offensively proficient Maple Leafs.
Although many will heavily favor the Maple Leafs, this series is anyone’s to take. Both of these teams boast top-five offenses and have a “never say die” mentality. The Panthers proved they are not to be taken lightly and will give the Maple Leafs a hard time. But with home-ice advantage and a huge confidence boost, this Maple Leafs team should again find a way to win another playoff series.
Prediction: Maple Leafs in 7
(1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (2) New Jersey Devils
The Hurricanes won their first-round playoff series for the third consecutive year. As per usual Rod Brind’Amour’s team executed their gameplan to near perfection. They were great on the forecheck, won board battles and sustained a lot of offensive pressure. Even without much goal scoring they were very opportunistic and capitalized on the opposition’s mistakes.
The Devils had quite the story in their round one series. They found themselves down 2-0 after their first two home games and turned to a rookie netminder in Akira Schmid. Schmid proceeded to play lights out and the Devils managed to regain their strong regular season form. A 4-0 shutout win in game seven was the exclamation point in a come-from-behind series victory.
A strong Hurricanes system will prove to be frustrating to a young Devils team but this series still favors them. The Hurricanes didn’t have the easiest of times outscoring a relatively weak Islanders offense. The Devils are a lot faster and have the ability to generate more chances against them. The additional factor of Schmid’s hot streak puts the Devils in a good position to pull off an upset.
Prediction: Devils in 6
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Featured image courtesy of NHL.com
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