After a fun first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the second round begins this week. Things are starting to get more intense as the eight remaining teams vie for a spot in the conference finals. The four series in this round are all high-quality and are bound to bring about some exciting hockey action. Here are the predictions for each series in the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
(M2) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (M1) New York Rangers
This battle of Metro Division rivals is bound to be one for the books. The league-best New York Rangers are coming off a dominant sweep of the Washington Capitals in round one. The Carolina Hurricanes had a successful first-round series themselves, defeating the New York Islanders in five games. It’s a battle of two well-coached, depth-filled teams that are also coming in with great goaltenders. The Hurricanes are opening as the betting odd favorites, but it won’t be that easy of a series to win.Â
The Rangers fired on all cylinders in round one with an explosive power play unit, success in shutting down key players on defense and only spending three minutes playing from behind. While the Hurricanes have all of the tools necessary to be competitive in this series, the first round left some questions. The Islanders kept things very close with them and were just outmatched talent-wise. Facing a more talented Rangers roster, they may struggle to suppress the opposition in the same way they did in their last series. Each game will come down to the wire, but ultimately, the Rangers are just playing too strong of a game to bet against them right now.Â
Prediction: Rangers in 6
(A2) Boston Bruins vs. (A1) Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers continued their recent run of postseason success, dispatching the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. The Boston Bruins started the first round with a 3-1 lead, but got pushed all the way to seven games. However, unlike last season, they finished the job and won game seven in an overtime thriller. Now they seek the ultimate redemption against the same Panthers team that embarrassed them in the first round last season.
They’ll have to slow down a powerhouse offensive team to do so, as the Panthers lead the East in goals per game this postseason. But they may be up for the task, as the Bruins were one of the top defensive teams in the first round, led by the elite play of Jeremy Swayman. This has all of the makings of a series that can go to seven games again. In the end, the Panthers should be the team that comes out on top. The Bruins offense went cold over their last three games and are going up against a tough netminder in Sergei Bobrovsky. That, along with the Panthers significant rest advantage and home ice, should give them the edge.
Prediction: Panthers in 7
(P2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (P1) Vancouver Canucks
Despite a tumultuous goaltending situation, the Vancouver Canucks battled to a six-game series win over the Nashville Predators. Their opponent, the Edmonton Oilers, defeated the Los Angeles Kings for the third straight postseason, this time in six games. These clubs haven’t met in the postseason since 1992, when the Oilers won in six games. In the regular season, the Oilers struggled mightily against this Canucks team, losing all four games.
Even with their struggles against the Canucks, it’s hard not to look at the Oilers as the favorites in this series. While Arturs Silovs performed admirably in goal in the first round, he and the Canucks are staring down a more high-octane offense. With that offense being backed by the strong play of Stuart Skinner, there’s a lot going for the Oilers. That being said, the Canucks were the best in the division for a reason and overcame a lot of adversity in the first round. They’re a gutsy team that won’t fail to bring the fight in this series. Yet when it’s all said and done, the Oilers have what it takes to persevere over the Canucks. They have more postseason experience and the ability to overwhelm the young netminder on the other side.
Prediction: Oilers in 6
(C3) Colorado Avalanche vs. (C1) Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars found themselves in a precarious position after dropping the first two games of their first round series at home against the Vegas Golden Knights. However, they picked themselves up, made a triumphant comeback and won the series in seven intense games. Their second round opponents, the Colorado Avalanche, blew the Winnipeg Jets away in five games in the first round. Their offense was prolific, scoring a playoff-high average of 5.60 goals per game.
After unleashing on an above average goalie like Connor Hellebuyck, the Avalanche cemented themselves as a force to be reckoned with. Awaiting them is a Stars team that’ll prove to be a lot more challenging to play against. Their roster is one of the most complete in this year’s field, and Jake Oettinger hasn’t allowed more than three goals in any of his starts thus far. That being said, they displayed some cracks in the armor, with the Golden Knights taking them to the distance. But the resilience they displayed was a glowing example of why they’re a top two team in the league. This meeting of seasoned postseason teams could provide another tightly-knit series that goes to seven games. Given the momentum they have coming into this series, the Stars should prevail over the Avalanche.
Prediction: Stars in 7
Featured image courtesy of NHL.com
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