Who Will Win the Eastern Conference Finals in the NHL?

As the NHL playoffs heat up, we take a look at the teams vying for the Eastern Conference title. Who will come out on top?

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

In the Eastern Conference Finals of the NHL, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be up against the Tampa Bay Lightning The Penguins have been strong all season, but the Lightning are no slouches either. So, who will win?

The answer may lie in how the two teams match up against each other. The Penguins have a strong offensive game, led by star players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The Lightning, on the other hand, rely more on their defense and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy to shut down opposing teams.

In the regular season the Penguins and Lightning both had over 100 points. However, the Penguins had a better record than the Lightning did. The two teams also met twice in the regular season with each team winning one game.

When it comes to playoff experience, the Penguins have a significant advantage over the Lightning. The Penguin have won three Stanley Cups in recent years while the Lightning have never won a championship.

It is clear that both teams are evenly matched and it will be a close series. However, if we had to pick a winner, we would give a slight edge to the Pittsburgh Penguins

Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers

The Washington Capitals are set to take on the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals of the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs. This will be the first time these two teams have faced off in the playoffs since the Rangers knocked the Capitals out of the first round in 2015.

The Capitals are coming into this series as the favorites, having won the Presidents’ Trophy for having the NHL’s best Regular Season record. They also have home-ice advantage, which could prove to be crucial as the series progresses.

The Rangers, on the other hand, are no strangers to playoff success, having made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2014. They will also be buoyed by the fact that they have won all three of their playoff series’ this year on the road.

So, who will win this highly anticipated matchup? Below are some factors that could swing the series in either team’s favor.

###Home-ice advantage
As mentioned above, the Capitals have home-ice advantage in this series. This could be a big factor, as Washington has been nearly unbeatable at home this season, posting a 32-7-2 record at Capital One Arena. The Rangers, meanwhile, were just 21-14-6 on the road during the regular season

###Goaltending
Another key factor in this series will be goaltending. The Capitals have one of the best netminders in Braden Holtby, who led the league in wins (42), save percentage (.925), and shutouts (9) during the Regular Season Holtby also has plenty of playoff experience, having backstopped Washington to within one win of a Stanley Cup title in 2016.

The Rangers will counter with Henrik Lundqvist, who is no stranger to big moments himself. ‘King Henrik’ has led New York to within one game of a Stanley Cup title on two occasions (2012 and 2014) and has a career .921 save percentage in 139 playoff appearances.

Florida Panthers vs. New York Islanders

In the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs the Florida Panthers (4th in the Atlantic Division) will face off against the New York Islanders (2nd in the Metropolitan Division) in the Eastern Conference Finals

The Panthers have home-ice advantage in this best-of-seven series, which means that they will play Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 at their home arena, the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. The Islanders will host Games 3, 4 and 6 at their home arena, Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The Panthers are led by captain Sasha Barkov, who scored a total of 66 points (20 goals and 46 assists) during the regular season Other Key Players on the Panthers include forwards Jonathan Huberdeau (61 points), Aleksander Barkov (60 points) and Mike Hoffman (29 goals). In net, Sergei Bobrovsky had a solid regular season posting a .919 save percentage and a 2.58 goals against average.

The Islanders are led by captain Anders Lee, who scored 52 points (23 goals and 29 assists) during the Regular season Other key players on the Islanders include forwards Brock Nelson (49 points), Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44 points) and Josh Bailey (42 points). In net, Semyon Varlamov had an outstanding regular season, posting a .922 save percentage and a 2.52 goals against average.

Prediction: The Panthers have a strong offensive attack but their defense and goaltending are not as strong as the Islanders. I think the Islanders will win this series in six games.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Boston Bruins

The Stanley Cup playoffs are in Full Swing and the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins are set to square off in the Eastern Conference Finals. So who will come out on top?

The Red Wings are no stranger to success, having won the Stanley Cup a total of 11 times. They also have a solid core of experienced players, including captain Henrik Zetterberg and goaltender Jimmy Howard.

The Bruins, on the other hand, are a bit of a dark horse in this series. They finished the regular season with fewer points than the Red Wings but they have been playing some Great Hockey lately and they have a number of talented players, such as Patrice Bergeron and Tuukka Rask.

So who will win? It’s hard to say for sure, but it should be a great series between two evenly matched teams.

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators

The Chicago Blackhawks are currently leading the Nashville Predators two games to one in the best of seven series in the Western Conference Finals. The Blackhawks are looking to make their third consecutive Stanley Cup Finals appearance, while the Predators are looking to make their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in franchise history.

The Blackhawks have been led by captain Jonathan Toews, who has four goals and three assists in the series. Goaltender Corey Crawford has also been solid, posting a 2.01 goals against average and a .933 save percentage. The Predators have been led by defenseman Roman Josi, who has three goals and three assists in the series. Goaltender Pekka Rinne has posted a 2.03 goals against average and a .929 save percentage.

The Blackhawks have won five Stanley Cups in franchise history, while the Predators have never won a Stanley Cup

St. Louis Blues vs. Dallas Stars

The St. Louis Blues and the Dallas Stars will face off in the Eastern Conference Finals of the NHL playoffs The Blues have been one of the best teams in the NHL all season, while the Stars have been a surprise team that has exceeded expectations.

The Blues have home ice advantage in this series, which could be a big factor. The Blues also have a lot of experience in big games, while the Stars are a young team that is still learning how to win in the playoffs.

The Stars do have some advantages, though. They are a very fast team and they have been playing very well defensively. They also have a great goalie in Ben Bishop.

It is impossible to know who will win this series, but it should be a very close and exciting series.

Los Angeles Kings vs. San Jose Sharks

In the 2014-2015 NHL Playoffs the Los Angeles Kings advanced to the Conference Finals for the second consecutive season. Their opponent, the San Jose Sharks upset the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Anaheim Ducks in seven games in Round 2. The Sharks are looking to return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016.

Both teams have strong defensive cores, with Drew Doughty and Brent Burns leading the way for their respective sides. In net, Jonathan Quick and Martin Jones have been solid for Los Angeles and San Jose respectively.

Offensively, the Kings have been led by forwards Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik. Kopitar has been one of the best two-way forwards in the NHL for years, while Gaborik is a dangerous goal scorer who can take over a game. The Sharks have been led by their top line of Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, and Tomas Hertl. Pavelski is a perennial 30-goal scorer, while Couture and Hertl are young forwards who are dangerous scoring threats.

Prediction: The Sharks win in six games.

Anaheim Ducks vs. Calgary Flames

It’s hard to say who will win the Eastern Conference Finals in the NHL this year. The Anaheim Ducks and the Calgary Flames are both strong teams. The Ducks have more experience, but the Flames are younger and faster. It should be a close series.

Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche

In the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs the Minnesota Wild defeated the Colorado Avalanche in seven games to win the Western Conference Quarterfinals. The series victory marked the first time in franchise history that the Wild had won a playoff series, and it was also just the second time that an eighth-seeded team had beaten a first-seeded team in an NHL postseason series.

The two teams met again in the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs with the Avalanche winning in six games. The Wild then went on to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks in seven games in the Western Conference Semifinals, setting up a rematch with Colorado in the conference finals

This will be the third meeting between these two teams in the playoffs, and their first matchup in the Conference Finals The Avalanche are looking to return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since they won it all in 2001, while the Wild are hoping to make their first trip to the finals in franchise history.

So far this postseason, Colorado has been led by forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, who have combined for 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) through 12 games. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer has been solid between the pipes for Colorado, posting a 9-3 record with a 2.30 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.

Minnesota has been paced offensively by forwards Zach Parise and Ryan Donato, who have tallied 15 points (six goals, nine assists) apiece through 14 games. goaltender Devan Dubnyk has been excellent for Minnesota all season long going 12-2 with a 1.78 GAA and a .941 save percentage.

This is sure to be a close and exciting series between two evenly matched teams. It’s difficult to choose a favorite heading into it, but if I had to pick one team to win it all, I would give a slight edge to Minnesota based on their strong play throughout these playoffs and their experience in big moments.

Winnipeg Jets vs. Edmonton Oilers

The Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers are set to face off in the Eastern Conference Finals of the NHL playoffs Who will come out on top?

The Jets have been one of the best teams in the league all season, winning the Presidents’ Trophy with a regular season record of 52-20-10. They’re led by forwards Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler, who both had over a point per game during the regular season. They also have a deep and talented defense, led by Dustin Byfuglien and Jacob Trouba. In goal, they have Connor Hellebuyck, who was nominated for the Vezina Trophy this season.

The Oilers are no slouches either, winning the Pacific Division with a 47-26-9 record. Their star forward is Connor McDavid, who is widely considered to be the best player in the world. He’s supported by forwards Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, as well as defenseman Darnell Nurse. In goal, they have Mike Smith, who has been excellent in his first season with the Oilers.

Given their records and rosters, it’s not surprising that these two teams are seen as evenly matched heading into their series. But there are a few factors that could give one team an edge over the other.

First, home ice advantage could be huge in this series. The Jets had an incredible 30-6-5 record at home during the regular season while the Oilers were 26-13-2. That means that the Jets will have home ice advantage for this series, which could be crucial given how important home ice advantage has been in these playoffs so far.

Second, momentum could also play a role in this series. The Jets come into this series hot after winning their last eight games of the regular season and sweeping both the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators in Round 1 and 2 of these playoffs respectively. The Oilers are also coming in hot after winning their last five games of the regular season and defeating both the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks in Round 1 and 2 respectively. So both teams will have plenty of momentum heading into this series.

Finally, experience could be a factor here as well. The Jets may not have much playoff experience as a team, but they do have several Key Players who have been through these types of situations before (such as Byfuglien, Wheeler, Trouba). The Oilers also don’t have much playoff experience as a team but do have some key players with postseason experience (such as Smith and Draisaitl). So while neither team has a significant advantage in terms of experience, it’s something that could play a role if things get close late in games or if this series goes to seven games like many are expecting it to.

So who will win this highly anticipated matchup? It’s tough to say for sure but if we had to pick we’d give a slight edge to the Winnipeg Jets due to their home ice advantage and recent hot streak. But regardless of who wins this series should be an excellent one between two great teams.