Thursday, June 02, 2022

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 3: Conference Finals


My energy to write these posts always fades after the team I want to win falls out.  This year it was my beloved Florida Panthers, who forgot how to score and got swept out of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning.  Maybe next year the Panthers will be able to get past Tampa.  Maybe. Also, our entire panel picked the Hurricanes to get past the Rangers, and the entire panel was wrong.  So, here’s our standings now:

Joey and Jax                     9

Jarrett and Smo               8

Bob all lonesome            7

 

Now we pick the conference finals!

Eastern Conference

New York Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Still trying to figure out how the Rangers got here. Oh, wait, goaltending injuries in Carolina had a lot to do with that.  Our panel unanimously picked the Lightning, including one person who picked them before their opponent was even set. Confidence? Or really, is Tampa just that good. I believe it’s the latter.  Lightning in 6

 

Western Conference

Edmonton Oilers vs. Colorado Avalanche

How ‘bout them Oilers?  It’s hard to believe with the talent this team has had that prior to this post season, they had only one postseason series since their trip to the finals in 2006? Their reward? A series against the Avs. Look for a lot of goals in the series.  Our panel is 80% confident the Avs have this one.  Avs in 6.

Bonus: Here’s a text chain we had going during game 1 of the Oilers vs Avalanche series.

JA: If the Avs had better goaltending, they’d already be drinking out of the cup.  Good Gravey

MJ: Good lord…hope you got the over.  The former AZ Coyotes goalies…

HA: Holy Crap. Old time hockey my friends.

JN: These guys still play like they are in Arizona.

JA: What was the over/under?!!! (editor’s note: it was 7.5)

MJ: Ya…like Koskinen is gonna make a difference. The dude has a .865 save percentage.

JA: Our boy Duncs looks old (editor’s note: he is)

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