EASTERN CONFERENCE
Tampa Bay Lightning (1st in Atlantic Division) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (2nd Eastern Conference wild card)
The Tampa Bay Lightning were the top team in the NHL during the regular season, and tied an NHL record with 62 wins. They are considered by most to be the main favorite to hoist the Stanley Cup. Tampa Bay have only one once so far in franchise history (in 2004, when they defeated the Calgary Flames in seven games), and most recently qualified for the Stanley Cup Finals in 2015, when they fell to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. Their opponent, the Columbus Blue Jackets, are the only NHL franchise who have yet to advance beyond the first round of the playoffs. Tampa Bay defeated Columbus in all three regular season meetings. This marks the first time Tampa Bay and Columbus have met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Prediction: Tampa Bay in five games.
Washington Capitals (1st in Metropolitan Division) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (1st Eastern Conference wild card)
The Washington Capitals finally won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history in 2018, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights four games to one in the Stanley Cup Finals. They open up the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs hungry for a repeat. They will face the Carolina Hurricanes first. Carolina is making their first Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance since 2009, ending the longest active drought between playoff appearances (the Buffalo Sabres, who have not qualified since 2011, now have the longest active drought). Under the very solid coaching of first year coach Rod BrindAmour (who was the team captain when the Hurricanes won their only Stanley Cup ever in 2006), the Hurricanes sure hope to make up for the years of pain they endured earlier in the decade. This marks the first time the Capitals and the Hurricanes face each other in the playoffs. Washington won all four regular season meetings between the two teams.
Prediction: Washington in six games.
Boston Bruins (2nd in Atlantic Division) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (3rd in Atlantic Division)
The 2019 playoffs see Boston and Toronto facing against each other in the first round for the second consecutive season. Boston had the second best record in the NHL, as their 107 points were only bettered by their division rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who had 128. Toronto stumbled down the stretch, having gong 4-7-3 towards the end of the season. During the regular season, the Bruins and Leafs met four times, with Boston winning three of the four games. The Leafs have the longest Stanley Cup drought, not having hoisted the Stanley Cup since 1967; they have not made the Stanley Cup Finals even once since then. Boston last won the Stanley Cup in 2011; their most recent Stanley Cup Finals appearance was in 2013, when they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.
Prediction: Boston in four games.
New York Islanders (2nd in Metropolitan Division) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (3rd in Metropolitan Division)
The New York Islanders may have been the most surprising team in the NHL in the 2018-19 season. Predicted by many to finish in last place in the Metropolitan Division, they not only surprised the critics and fans by making the playoffs, but they even open the playoffs with home ice advantage for the first time since 1988. They face the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have won two Stanley Cups so far this decade (2016 and 2017). The Penguins and Islanders have met four times so far in the playoffs; the Islanders won the first three, whereas the Penguins won the most recent series against the Islanders (2013). In the regular season, the Islanders and Penguins met four times, with both teams going 2-1-1 against each other.
Prediction: Pittsburgh in seven games.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Calgary Flames (1st in Pacific Division) vs. Colorado Avalance (2nd Western Conference wild card)
The Calgary Flames had their best regular season since 1988-89, which is also the only time in franchise history they hoisted the Stanley Cup. They open up the playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche, who were the second wild card team in the Western Conference for the second straight season. Calgary won all three regular season matchups against the Avalanche during the regular season. However, Colorado went 8-1-2 in their last 11 games, and hope to continue playing the type of game they've played in the past month if they are to pull off an upset. This marks the first playoff matchup between the Flames and Avalanche.
Prediction: Calgary in six games.
Nashville Predators (1st in Central Division) vs. Dallas Stars (1st Western Conference wild card)
The Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars meet each other in the playoffs for the first time. Dallas has qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2016; Nashville qualified for the fifth consecutive season. The only time Dallas won the Stanley Cup was in 1999, when they defeated the Buffalo Sabres in six games; they have made three other Stanley Cup Finals appearances, with the most recent being in 2000, when they lost to the New Jersey Devils. Nashville's only Stanley Cup Finals appearance thus far was in 2017, when they were defeated by the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. The Predators and Stars went 2-1-2 against each other in the regular season series.
Prediction: Nashville in seven games.
Winnipeg Jets (2nd in Central Division) vs. St. Louis Blues (3rd in Central Division)
The St. Louis Blues were well out of the playoffs at Christmastime, but once January came, the Blues caught fire, and after February 1, had a record of 23-6-4 (only the Tampa Bay Lightning, who went 25-5-2, had a better record from February 1 onward). This is the second consecutive year the Jets have made the playoffs, and last year's playoff run saw the team advance beyond the opening round of the playoffs for the first time ever, where they fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in the third round. They hope to build upon that and get to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time ever. This is the first playoff series between the two franchises; in the regular season, Winnipeg won three of the four matchups.
Prediction: Winnipeg in six games.
San Jose Sharks (2nd in Pacific Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (3rd in Pacific Division)
In their first NHL season, the Vegas Golden Knights had by far the greatest debut season by an expansion team, by not only making the playoffs, but going all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they fell to the Washington Capitals in five games. The phenomenal debut season would not be considered a fluke as long as they returned to the playoffs the following season, and Vegas have done that. Now they hope to make another Stanley Cup Finals appearance. Their first opponent is the San Jose Sharks, whom the Golden Knights defeated in six games in the second round last year. In the regular season, the Golden Knights and the Sharks met four times; San Jose won two and Vegas won the other two.
Prediction: Vegas in seven games.
Subject: The 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: First round predictions 
Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:57 pm
