Stanley Cup Conference Finals Preview

And then there were four. We started this playoff rush with sixteen teams, we've now hit the final four. over the next two weeks we will see who earns the right to play for hockey's ultimate prize. And its from unexpected hockey places. One team out West and three from Southern States, who would have figured that back in October. Here we are with Vegas, Dallas, Carolina and Florida as the last four teams left standing. So lets not waste anymore time and lets get into it. Here's how we see the conference finals going down.

M1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2) Florida Panthers
This is the first ever meeting between these two clubs in the playoffs. Carolina comes in after beating the Islanders in six games and then the Devils in five. Carolina is now here for the 5th time in team history, since moving to Carolina. Last trip here was a 2019 loss to Boston. Florida reached here upsetting the Bruins in seven games, then beating the Maple Leafs in five games. This marks the second ever conference finals appearance for the Panthers, last time getting here in 1996 when they beat Pittsburgh.

Both teams have had to go at least five games in every series, Florida had to go the distance with Boston, but then had an easier series against Toronto. Florida seemed to really find their footing halfway through that Boston series. When they went to Sergei Bobrovsky. Now nothing against either Boston or Toronto, both very good teams, but both teams had one thing in common going against Florida. They were both top six heavy and didn't have much overall depth to them. Florida was able to use four lines and use speed to wear teams down.

They basically going to be looking in a mirror of sorts playing the Hurricanes. Carolina is built on speed and rolling four lines. They used that to great success against both the Islanders and Devils. Carolina maybe the fastest team left standing in this playoffs. Nothing against the other teams, but that's the way it looks to the naked eye. And Freddy Andersen, who's had injury issues this year, has come back into the nets and looked like he's a man possessed in the playoffs.

Pick: Hurricanes in 6!

P1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. C2) Dallas Stars
This marks the 2nd meeting between the two teams, the last one being won by Dallas in the 2020 bubble. Dallas got here by beating the Wild in six games and then the upstart Kraken in seven games. This is the tenth conference finals appearance for Dallas, the last one being against this same Vegas team just three years ago. Vegas got here by beating the Jets in five games and the Oilers in Six games. This is the fourth appearance in the conference finals for Vegas, the last one coming in the 2021 loss to Montreal.

This is the more even matchup of the two series, because both teams play a loser style to the other. Roope Hintz has gone off in the playoffs with 19 points and has really been a driving force for the Stars. Benn and Seguin have been there too, as has surprising numbers from Max Domi. Ottonger has been outstanding in the Stars nets in the playoffs, allowing under three goals a game.

They going up against a Vegas team who's been here four times in their six seasons in the league. Jack Eichel has seemed to really find his game and has been playing fantastic hockey here in the playoffs. Aiden Hill has been good in net for the Golden Knights.

Only thing that worries me here is the top six scoring in Vegas. They aren't as deep and well rounded as Dallas.

Pick: Stars in 6!