Getty Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins and Matt Duchene #95 of the Columbus Blue Jackets battle for the puck in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The 2019 NHL Playoffs is topsy-turvy. Every division champ lost in the 1st Round, including last year’s Stanley Cup winner the Washington Capitals (in 7 games to Carolina). The Western Conference champs from 2018 also lost in 7 (Vegas to San Jose). In total, just 3 higher seeds advanced to the next round.
We’re getting closer and closer to the conference finals. The Hurricanes have already advanced after a sweep over the Islanders, as have the Bruins after 6 games versus the Blue Jackets. The Blues outlasted the Stars in double overtime in Game 7, while the Sharks and Avalanche have a Game 7 of their own tonight.
Let’s take a look at the rest of this round as well as the conference final dates and times that have been revealed to this point.
Most Likely Conference Final Playoff Matchups: Western Conference
(Originally written on 4/29) This one is totally up for grabs at this point. The Blues get one more game in Dallas (after taking Game 3 to lead 2-1), while the Sharks head to Colorado tied. The first question to ask is: who are the better road teams this season overall?
St. Louis went 21-13-7 away from Enterprise Center during the regular season, while the Stars put up a 19-18-4 mark. Meanwhile, San Jose went 21-16-4 on the road while the Avalanche were well under .500 at 17-16-8 outside of Pepsi Center.
Colorado has 2 of the top point-scorers in Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon at 11 points each. However, San Jose counters with a more balanced attack of Brent Burns (11), Tomas Hertl (10), Erik Karlsson (10) and Logan Couture (9). The Avalanche have the goalie advantage at the moment, as Philipp Grubauer has a higher save percentage and lower goals allowed average than the Sharks’ Martin Jones.
On the other side of the West, Stars goalie Ben Bishop is standing on his head with just 2.05 goals allowed per game. With home ice advantage and the better guy between the pipes, Dallas should make it to the finals. The opponent should be San Jose and its diverse offense.
Most Likely Conference Final Playoff Matchups: Eastern Conference
(Originally written on 4/29) One side of this pick is pretty easy. Carolina notched 1-0 and 2-1 victories in New York to build a 2-0 series lead heading back to North Carolina this week. While it’s been a goaltender driven series between the Islanders’ Robin Lehner (1.47 GAA) versus Petr Mrazek and Curtis McIlhinney, New York can’t generate offense.
It may not be a sweep with Lehner keeping games close, but the first 2 games put them against the wall.
Columbus has gone from the last team in Eastern Conference to obliterating the No. 1 seed in Tampa Bay in a 4-game sweep. After splitting in Boston behind a pair of 3-2 games, this underdog has confidence heading back to Ohio. The Bruins also sport a below .500 mark on the road (including overtime losses).
Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky allows a paltry 2.01 goals per game this postseason, while Boston was outside the top-10 in goals per game this regular season.
There seems to be a team every few years to go from bottom seed to the Stanley Cup Finals. Two years ago it was Nashville. A few years earlier it was the Kings, who won it all. The Blue Jackets looks like that team right now. I got them in the finals against the Hurricanes.
Conference Finals NHL Playoff Schedule
Note: Tentative times and dates are listed below with all information courtesy of Sports Media Watch.
First, Colorado and San Jose fight for the last spot in the Western Conference finals tonight at 9 p.m. on NBCSN. The only game time set at this point is between Boston and Carolina for Thursday.
Thursday, May 9
- Carolina Hurricanes at Boston Bruins 9 p.m. (NBCSN)
*The only other time set is 7:15 p.m. on May 18 on NBC. The teams in that game have yet to be determined.