It seems like the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs started with some of the biggest teams already getting out! Now that the hockey season is almost to a close,  the conference finals will begin shortly. These are my predictions:

St. Louis Blues Vs. San Jose Sharks:

Ah, the Blues and the Sharks. You know, the last time they played each other in the conference finals, the Sharks moved on to challenge for the Cup. Considering I’m from St. Louis, I obviously want the Blues to clench the western conference, however, the Sharks are no stranger to the Blues. In fact, according to Monty Andrews of covers.com, he believes that the Sharks will take “a big bite out of the Blues in Game One.” Game One is just the beginning for both teams. Game One is in San Jose, so the Sharks do have a pretty good chance of taking a big bite out of the Blues, but on the other hand, the Blues are phenomenal at playing away. I believe that if the Blues are able to take Game One, they will win by one or two goals at most. To those that do not agree with my prediction, keep in mind the famed rookie goalie, Jordan Binnington, has been burning the ice lately alongside being a nomination for the Rookie of the Year award.

‍Boston Bruins Vs. Carolina Hurricanes:

Holy hurricane! The Carolina Canes deserve to be classified as Grade 5 because they have been wiping out the competition like crazy! The last time the Canes made the playoffs was in 2009, where they were defeated in the conference championship. During this playoff season, the Canes have destroyed major teams like the Washington Capitals and the New York Islanders. Because of their strong fight, I believe that the Canes will be able to blow away the Bruins this season. The Bruins may have been hot lately, but the Canes have been a major contender this year, and they’ve played like I’ve never seen them before. Additionally, they also have already beaten last year’s Stanley Cup champions– the Washington Capitals.

I usually don't particularly follow the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but this year has been a year filled with major upsets and major goals. Thanks for reading, and no matter who you pick to win, the playoffs are always really exciting to watch!