NHL East Round 2 series preview and picks
By Jon Campbell
The Eastern Conference boasts the biggest stars and the team with the best remaining regular season record. Luckily, Covers Editor Jon Campbell took a moment from his not-so-busy schedule to dish out his series picks.
Pittsburgh Penguins (+100) vs. Washington Capitals (-110)
This is the series everyone in the hockey world was hoping for. Especially over bettors.
All four meetings between these two clubs played over the posted total this season, which might have something to do with the talent load on both sides of the ice. The top four scorers on these squads combined for 414 points this year and you likely know that Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin are two of the Hart Trophy finalists for this year’s league MVP.
Maybe it doesn’t need to be said that goaltending and defensive play could probably be the difference here. And if that’s the case, you have to give the nod in experience and form to Marc-Andre Fleury over 21-year-old Simeon Varlamov.
Other than that, this series is anybody’s guess. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Pick: Pittsburgh 4-2
Carolina Hurricanes (+195) vs. Boston Bruins (-215)
The Carolina-New Jersey series was the best of the first round. And all the Canes get for knocking off New Jersey after trailing with less than two minutes to go in Game 7 is a date with the No. 1 seeded Bruins.
What makes the B’s so tough compared to the Devils, Carolina coach Paul Maurice was asked?
"Maybe a little bit more speed, a little more counterattack, a little more size," he said.
Yikes. Maybe that’s why Boston won the season series with Carolina 4-0.
But after the last loss to the Bruins on Feb. 17, Carolina went on a 17-5-2 tear to close out the season as the league’s hottest club. If that doesn’t worry the Bruins at least a little, it should. Eric Staal is on fire with five goals through the first round and Carolina’s forecheck has been relentless.
But the biggest worry for Boston should be Cam Ward. The former Conn Smythe winner is back to top form and isn’t getting the attention he would if his last name was Luongo or Brodeur.
The Bruins aren’t short on goal scorers though with six players scoring at least 21 this year and two others who had at least 17. They fired 17 goals in four games against the Canadiens in Round 1, though the Habs were struggling and injury-ridden.
Boston should look to beat up on Carolina on special teams where the B’s are scoring at a 30 percent rate over their last five games on the PP compared to the Canes’ mark of 4.2 percent during the same span.
The Bruins should also be spotted a one-game lead against a road-weary club coming off a grueling seven-game series.
Pick: Bruins 4-3