In round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs, we had a winning record predicting 5 out of the 8 match-ups correct. With the winning record, we know we should just call it a day and go home with a smile on our faces and pat our backs. Job well done. We are going to get wild and crazy and drive on the highway with no lights on during the daylight hours. Instead of doing that, we decided predicting NHL round two outcomes of each series is a better idea. We will take a stab at it and hope luck is on our side as we give you round two of the Stanley Cup playoff predictions.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

COLORADO AVALANCHE VERSUS ST. LOUIS BLUES

Can the Blues Goalie, Jordan Binnington, do it again? Binnington looked a lot like the 2019 goalie we saw get hot in the Stanley Cup playoffs who carried the Blues all the way to the championship. Binnington in front of the net versus the Minnesota Wild in first round just had 1.67 goals-against average. That’s a Berlin Wall in front of the net. Hold your horses as the Avalanche’s have 5.25 Goals per game versus the Predators which they swept away like a Tom and Jerry housekeeper getting rid of the cat.

I just can’t see Jordan Binnington keeping the Avalanche from lighting up the lamp or even able to keep them in check in a full series. Defenseman Cale Makar of the Avalanche had a big series versus Nashville with ten points in 4 games during which he had 3 goals and dished out seven assists.

Too many worries & too many talented pieces to overcome means it looks like St, Louis will be singing the Blues in this one.

PREDICTION: AVALANCHE IN 5 GAMES

CALGARY FLAMES VERSUS EDMONTON OILERS

Edmonton’s star Connor McDavid finally gets the Oilers out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Round one exits have been a common theme for the Oilers. Then in Calgary the talk about the Flames superstar, Johnny Gaudreau, finally showing up in the playoffs and making himself be heard with his play on the ice. This will be a tough series as it should go the distance in the best out of seven. Connor McDavid played like the Superstar label that has been inserted on his jersey the last few years by producing 14 points in seven games. Evander Kane, who everyone hates, even produced in a high pressure series for Edmonton. When a series looks even, what my closing argument comes down to who is in the net. I like Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom with that stingy 1.53 goal-against average versus the Dallas Stars in round 1.

The Flames seemed like the team all year long destined to go deep into the playoffs. The Oilers machine is running on dirty crud and are due to bottom out as round two of the playoffs will be unfamiliar after they found a way to knock off the Kings in round one. It took everything from them in the process. Another long series will have different results for Edmonton.

PREDICTION: FLAMES IN SEVEN

EASTERN CONFERENCE

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING VERSUS FLORIDA PANTHERS

How often does the state of Florida have a match-up like this with two power house hockey teams playing for their own survival in the second round of the playoffs? The state of Florida is usually known for their power house College Football match ups over the years. Can the Panthers end the Lightning run of two Stanley Cup championships in a row? The Lightning may be without center Brayden Point for a few games of this epic battle in Florida since Girls Gone Wild invaded the beaches there.

The Panthers were the highest scoring team coming into the playoffs. Panthers stars Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov were MIA in the first series versus the Capitals.

I think the Panthers will give the Lightning a run for their money just like the first series versus the Leafs Tampa Bay faced. Lightning once again with their season on the brink and they’re defending their second Championship in a row means they will prevail. Andrei Vasilevskiy will once again be the X-factor for the Lightning ending a great Panther season. Have to go Lightning until actually someone beats them.

OUR PREDICTION: LIGHTNING IN SEVEN

CAROLINA HURRICANES VERSUS NEW YORK RANGERS

The Rangers and the Hurricanes had to go the distance of seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in two well fought out series. The Hurricanes overcame some bad history they had facing a Boston Bruins team that had their number. Even without their starting goalie, Frederick Anderson’s Hurricanes did well with Antti Raanta.

Igor Shesterkin struggled in the net for the Rangers versus the Penguins in round one. New York escaped round one against a Penguin offense that is one of the the tops in the league. Both the Rangers and the Hurricanes match-up well against each other. I think the Hurricanes have a bit more fire power than the Rangers. I liked the Hurricanes last year how they played & eventually got knocked out. I believe when you slay your dragon in Boston, then why not escape New York in round two.

OUR PREDICTION: CANES IN SIX GAMES

Rock you like a Hurricane.