Stanley Cup Finals Preview

Stanley Cup Finals Predictions – NHL Playoffs

Photo by Michael Martin, Getty Images

After all the craziness and drama that the playoffs have given us so far, it’s arguably the two strongest teams in the league that have a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup. This is truly the best Finals matchup we’ve had in a long time, at the very least going all the way back to the mid 2010’s ,when we were spoiled with Boston/Chicago and Chicago/Tampa matchups .The amount of starpower in this series is truly insane, so even if you aren’t a fan of either of these teams, this series will be must-watch television from beginning to the end. 

It is not too often that a two-time defending champion that is relatively healthy and still in their prime is considered the underdog, but that is the case for the Bolts this year. Colorado came into the season as cup favourites, and have looked every bit the part since the puck dropped in their first game through to the playoffs. The only knock against them had been their lack of playoff success, but after coasting through the first three rounds and sweeping the Oilers in the conference finals, they have exorcized those demons.

The series should come down to which team can dictate the pace of play. While both teams can (and do) win high and low scoring games, Tampa Bay will hold the advantage in slower games with tighter checking. If Colorado can open the ice enough to allow Makar and Mackinnon to get behind the Tampa defense, it could be the end of one dynasty and the beginning of another. 

Looking Back

The third round was a fairly easy one to predict, and on the whole, we did a great job. All four of us had Tampa Bay advancing to the Finals, and three of us had Colorado advancing. The bold predictions are never as reliable, but there were a few that hit. Edmonton did not get any offensive help from their defense, and Igor and Vas matched each other’s play, allowing 11 goals each. 

Looking Forward – Bold Predictions 

Brayden Point returns in Game 3 of the series, but is little more than a distraction for the defense. He doesn’t score in the series, and only gets 2 assists. Fortunately for the Lightning, Stamkos makes up for Point’s absence by scoring 5 goals, and Vasilevskiy continues to stay hot, leading Tampa Bay to a 4 – 2 series win. – Derek

Colorado puts the icing on the cake that is the 2021-2022 NHL season by beating Tampa Bay in 5 games, after out scoring the Lightning by double digits in the series.  Vasilevsky also gets chased from his net in Game 1 after letting in 5+ goals.  We almost see Pat Maroon win his 16th straight playoff series en route to his 4th straight Stanley Cup, but instead we see Corey Perry lose his 3rd straight Stanley Cup Final (2020 – Dallas, 2021 – Montreal, 2022 – Tampa Bay).  Cale Makar wins his much deserved Conn Smythe trophy after scoring 3 goals and tallying 4 helpers as well.  Leafs fans all over the nation will be reflecting on Tampa’s performance after being eliminated by them in Round 1 and think “Next year is definitely our year”.- Jon

Nazem Kadri returns to action at some point this series, and does not miss a beat. Andrei Vasilevskiy is simply just OK this series, posting a save percentage below .920. Bowen Byram’s coming out party continues, the big guns continue to thrive, while fellow 2019 draftee Alex Newhook emerges as an unsung hero for Colorado. All in all, the Avs continue to roll, and Tampa’s bid for a three-peat comes up short. Avs in 6-  Ryan

Brayden Point and Nazem Kadri return to this series with offensive impact but it’s Mikko Rantanen who has the series of his career winning the Conn Smythe. Colorado dominates through 3 games and ultimately wins in 6. Games 4 and 5 are won on the sticks of Perry and Maroon so that the ‘old time hockey’ club of analysts can have one more hoorah before the offseason. – Ermando