The 2024 NHL Stanley Cup playoff second round has officially concluded with an immaculate game 7 between two of Canada’s best, the Edmonton Oilers and the Vancouver Canucks.
We witnessed an old rivalry between the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins, leading to the Panthers moving ahead. We saw two juggernauts, the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes, face-off, which led to the Rangers prevailing in game six.
The battle between Central Division rivals the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche ended up with the Stars winning in Game 6. And who could forget the Battle of Canada between the Edmonton Oilers and the Vancouver Canucks?
We are now officially on to the conference finals of these NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, and, may I say, these matchups are going to be electric. The final four. The Eastern Conference final, and the Western Conference final. The best of the best. The winner goes to play for the Cup. Who will it be?
Let’s preview and predict round three of the NHL 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Eastern Conference
M1 New York Rangers vs A1 Florida Panthers
Prediction: Rangers in 7
The New York Rangers have what’s called aura. The atmosphere in Madison Square Garden is unmatched compared to any other NHL arena.
The New York Rangers were the best team in the regular season, winning the President’s Trophy. They come into these playoffs against the Washington Capitals, get the brooms out, and sweep them, winning in four games.
Being the underdogs in this series and after going up 3-0 in the series, the Rangers seemed to take their foot off the gas as the Hurricanes brought the series to six games. But in the end, the Rangers shut them down, with Chris Kreider having a third-period hat trick in game 6.
The Rangers have a tough task playing a tough, mean, aggressive team in the Florida Panthers. With this postseason feeling like 1994 all over again when they won it all, the Rangers have been the team to ride with them in these playoffs.
It will be a very tough series physically mentally and emotionally, but in the end, the Rangers will defeat the Panthers in seven games.
Western Conference Final
C1 Dallas Stars vs P2 Edmonton Oilers
Prediction: Oilers in 7
After a grueling battle against the Canucks, the Edmonton Oilers, for the second time in three postseason appearances, have made it to the Western Conference final.
The Dallas Stars are coming off a game-six double overtime winner against the Avalanche to put themselves back into the Western Conference Final for the second straight season in a row.
It has been 30 years since a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup,
and with the Oilers’ two superstars, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisital, there’s no doubt that this team can beat the Dallas Stars.
Dallas has a much better team on paper, with goaltending and defense being the two spots with the bigger advantage, but with the power play and death scoring the Oilers have gotten, there is no doubt that they have a great chance of beating the Dallas Stars in a seven-game series.
With that being said, being Canada’s best team, and not having won a cup in 1993, the Oilers will have the best chance at winning this year’s Stanley Cup and will move on and defeat the Dallas Stars in seven games.
