The National Hockey League has treated fans to an amazing first two rounds of the 2022 playoffs. Proving yet again that the NHL has the best playoff of all the major North American sports.
The biggest story of the second round was hands down the Battle of Alberta. Edmonton and Calgary delivered a great high scoring series for the ages. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are yet again showing the world they may not be human.
Colorado and St. Louis also gave fans a great series. Featuring a Nathan Mackinnon takeover and all the Nazem Kadri and Jordan Binnington drama. Carolina and New York to me was the least interesting of any series in the second round (sorry Ryan Stern, I’m still salty about New York beating my Penguins). The series dragged on and no matter who won they’re most likely getting killed by Tampa.
Which leads to the biggest surprise of the round. Florida decided they weren’t a playoff team anymore. Only putting up three goals in four games in the process of getting swept by the Lightning. A truly pathetic performance that ruined a potential all time series for the battle of Florida.
Western Conference Final Preview
The Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche facing each other is every hockey fan’s dream. This series is less about the teams and is mostly McDavid against Mackinnon. Whatever happens in this series, whoever wins it, this will affect both players and their legacy.
This series will most likely be the most entertaining of the entire postseason. Connor McDavid has the potential to win this series on his own. But I have trouble trusting Mike Smith, he had a great first round but the second was a bit of a drop off. Calgary’s Jakob Markstrom struggling in net as well gave Mike Smith a bit of a break, but he’s still a very hard sell for another series.
Everyone is calling this series a battle of first line against first line. But I think goaltending will play a massive factor. We know Mackinnon and Landeskog will score for Colorado, and we definitely know McDavid and Draisaitl can too. It’ll come down to which goalie can slow the other team down a little more. I’m taking Darcy Kuemper for the Avs over Mike Smith any day. My pick is Colorado in six games.
Eastern Conference Final Preview
Watching the leadup to this series is like watching two trains about to collide. The Rangers have been a great story. Overcoming a 3-1 deficit in the first round and a 3-2 deficit in the second. New York is playing with house money and has nothing to lose. The rebuild for them is still in progress and this team is playing far above expectations. But they’re severely outmatched going against Tampa Bay.
Tampa has shown in rounds 1 and 2 that a three-peat is very much in play. They played a great series against Toronto and completely manhandled the Panthers. The only way they can lose this series is if they get out-goalied. A very hard thing to do when Vasilevskiy is in your net. But Igor Shesterkin definitely has the potential to do it.
I want the Rangers to win this series, I personally don’t want to see Tampa win another. But Tampa is so hard to bet against, I don’t see the Rangers put up much of a fight. I’ll be the first to celebrate if New York can pull it off but my pick is Tampa in 5.
