While we all start off thinking one team is a sure-fire pick to win it all, one bounce or post or bad bounce can alter a team’s destiny. Is this the year the Tampa Bay Lightning finally get over the hump after making deep playoff runs — including a Stanley Cup Final in 2015 — three of the last four years? Or is the Carolina Hurricanes, and their “bunch of jerks” the Cinderella story of this year’s postseason?
How it will all end is still to be determined but Sporting News’ NHL experts predict the Eastern Conference playoffs and who will take a lap with Lord Stanley’s Cup in June.
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NHL playoffs bracket 2019
NHL playoffs 2019: Eastern Conference predictions
Tampa Bay Lightning (A1) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (WC2)
The backstory
The Lightning are poised to make a run at the Stanley Cup, and they definitely have the firepower and defensive core to do that. Standing in their way in the first round is the Columbus Blue Jackets who are led by the last man to lead the Bolts to a Cup way back in 2004 — John Tortorella.
X-factor
Columbus’ entire postseason rides on its netminder, Sergei Bobrovsky . If the two-time Vezina Trophy winner can finally put his postseason demons behind him (5-14, 3.49 GAA and .891 save percentage in 24 appearances) then this series may be a little tighter than everyone is expecting.
The big number
- That’s how many wins the Lightning got in the regular season. Jon Cooper’s squad tied the 1996 Detroit Red Wings for the NHL record; however, Detroit didn’t win the Cup and all eyes will be on Tampa Bay to see if they can get over the hump.
MORE: Lightning vs. Blue Jackets series schedule, TV info, breakdown
Boston Bruins (A2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (A3)
The backstory
Well, here we are again. A little deja vu, would you say? Last season these two Original Six teams met up in the Eastern Conference’ s first round with Boston winning in seven games. However, this is not last season’s Maple Leafs. This team now has pure firepower netting 29 more goals this season than Boston, while averaging 3.49 goals-per-game (fourth-best in the NHL). The likes of John Tavares, Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner will have a tough task facing Tuukka Rask, who already has one Stanley Cup under his belt. Also, obviously, never count out Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak.
X-factor
David Pastrnak picked up right where he left off when he returned following hand surgery in mid-March. After missing 16 games the winger netted 15 points (seven goals, six assists) in 10 games. If he can replicate his numbers (20 points in 12 games) from last season’s playoff run, with 13 points coming in that seven-game series with Toronto, it’ll be hard for the Maple Leafs to counter.
The big number
This series could come down to special teams and the biggest number is 79.9, which is how effective, or not, the Maple Leafs penalty kill was during the regular season. Not a great stat when you’re heading into a match-up with the NHL’s third-best power play (25.9). Toronto will need to clamp down on penalties if they want to keep the Bruins game-changing power-play off the ice.
MORE: Bruins vs. Maple Leafs series schedule, TV info, breakdown
Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (WC1)
The backstory
The Capitals finally broke through last year and clinched the franchise’s first-ever Stanley Cup and Alex Ovechkin and company are hungry to go back-to-back. They face long-time division foe Carolina for the first time in playoffs history.
X-factor
Quick reminder: Braden Holtby was not the Capitals’ starting netminder when they began the postseason in 2018. Holtby stepped in for a struggling Philipp Grubauer and carried the team all the way to the end. This time it’s his show and if he can pull off what he did last year, the Caps may very well win again.
The big number
- That’s how many ‘Storm Surges’ the Canes put together during the regular season. Will we see No. 25 in the postseason? There are no guarantees the Canes will even win a game in this matchup, but we can all hope to see a playoff version real soon.
MORE: Capitals vs. Hurricanes series schedule, TV info, breakdown
New York Islanders (M2) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (M3)
The backstory
No one expected the Islanders in the playoffs this year, especially as the second seed in the Metropolitan Division, but here we are. Reminder to everyone, never doubt a team with Barry Trotz at the helm.
X-factor
Nassau Coliseum. The ‘Old Barn’ hasn’t seen an Islanders team with home-ice advantage since 1988 and it’ll definitely be loud in the Coliseum due to its low roof and strong acoustics. This could very well help push this surprising Isles team past the Sidney Crosby-led Penguins.
The big number
16 — which stands for how ineffective the Islanders were on the power play during the regular season. Not a good number when you’re facing the firepower of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and company.
MORE: Islanders vs. Penguins series schedule, TV info, breakdown
