Let's take a look around the league while we wait for tomorrow's contest between the Penguins and Capitals.
The much anticipated Nashville and Winnipeg series began last night and it was the Jets who earned the 4-1 victory despite getting stomped. Connor Hellebuyck was awesome and turned aside 47 out of the 48 shots he faced. Pekka Rinne allowed three goals on 16 shots. Winnipeg stole victory from the jaws of defeat. If you're Nashville it has to be somewhat encouraging even with the loss. Winnipeg is a really good team and they owned the flow of the game. It will be up to Connor Hellebuyck to stay in god mode if the Jets don't find any adjustments. I'm hoping the Jets make some positive adjustments while the Predators get some better goaltending. I would be disappointed if this series didn't give us some competitive and close games.
I have Nashville winning the Stanley Cup and even with a 4-1 loss I am not discouraged by that pick based on how the game unfolded.
Vegas is still searching for their first ever playoff loss. That is something that most people would have shrugged their shoulders at last July. Of course they don't have a loss they didn't make the playoffs. The fact they are five games into the playoffs with no loss and three shutouts is really something. The Golden Knights are getting career years from their goaltender and a bunch of forwards. The Sharks aren't a bad team and the Golden Knights trucked them 7-0 in the opener. Will Joe Thornton be the Sharks savior in this series with a potential return from injury? Will it even matter? There should be a large number of NHL general managers looking themselves in the mirror on how Vegas was able to do what they did. Especially considering that they didn't take full advantage of the expansion draft. They let a few teams off the hook.
I had the Sharks winning this series. They aren't off to a great start. Vegas' boat is plenty big enough
Boston and Tampa should be a good series. All the second round series look like good matchups on paper. My concern for Boston is that it shouldn't have been as hard as it was to dispatch the Maple Leafs. Boston does have what could be considered the best line in hockey, but Tampa has one of the best defenseman in the game to help out against them. Trading for Ryan McDonagh comes in handy when you can't get Hedman out against the Bergeron line. I really like the forward depth on Tampa Bay. If Hedman can do his thing against Boston's number one line I could see Tampa's depth winning out. Nikita Kucherov has ten points in only five games so the Lightning do have the firepower to match Boston's big line. As for Boston's depth guys like Jake DeBrusk are going to need to keep producing like they've been. Would it kill Rick Nash to turn his possession into goals for one of these years in the playoffs?
I have Tampa Bay going to the Stanley Cup Final so by default I have them winning this series.
Thanks for reading!