Then There Were Two — 2022 Stanley Cup Final Predictions, Conference Final Recap
Coming into the Conference Finals, I felt like my predictions were on fire. I had the Rangers and Avalanche in the finals right from the start — and a few games into these two series, it was looking like I was a genius. I would now like to retract that. Let’s see how things went, and my predictions in the very last series of this NHL season.
Conference Final Recap
Colorado/Edmonton: Colorado in 4 (Prediction: COL in 6)
My apologies to the Edmonton Oilers, for whom I had some semblance of confidence coming into their first Conference Finals appearance since they made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2006. I think we all knew Colorado was likely to take this series — even with no Darcy Kuemper in net. And indeed, the Avalanche came out and attacked the Oilers in every way possible, sweeping their way into the finals.
I said the Avalanche were nearly too good not to make the finals this year in my original bracket, and clearly that wasn’t far from accurate after all. For the Oilers, the question is now in net. Is Mike Smith coming back to handle the crease next season? If no, what happens for Edmonton. Don’t be shocked if Connor McDavid scores two hundred goals next season out of rage, by the way. That is a man on a mission.
Tampa Bay/New York: Tampa Bay in 6 (Prediction: NYR in 7)
Vasilevskiy/Shesterkin was a matchup for the ages, and though I had the Rangers taking this — and to be fair, two games in, it appeared I was on the right track, it shouldn’t shock anyone that the Lightning are off to their third-straight Stanley Cup Final.
Tampa Bay, however, faces a much different opponent this round coming than last year, when the Bolts faces Montreal. Colorado is an extremely formidable foe. They will need to keep their foot on the gas if they want the elusive three-peat.
Rangers fans may be sad about the result of this series (specifically, a blown 2–0 series lead), the future is more than bright for New York. The rebuild is complete. The net is filled with the likely runaway Vezina trophy winner in Igor Shesterkin. Chris Kreider had a fifty-goal season. Adam Fox is one of hockey’s best defenseman. Don’t fear, blueshirt faithful. New York will be back — and likely better. Tampa can’t be the best in the east forever.
Stanley Cup Final Prediction
This might be the best Stanley Cup Final in the past few years. The Tampa Bay Lightning are on a mission to cement their legacy as a true dynasty. No team has won three rings in a row since the Islanders in the ’80s. Colorado has been a favourite for a few years. While Montreal made a series win fairly easy last season, the Avalanche are likely to be a true challenge for Tampa.
Tampa Bay/Colorado: COLORADO in 7
Yes, I’m taking who I would consider the “underdog” against Tampa for the second series in a row. It didn’t work when I picked the Rangers, but this may be different. It also helps that as a proud Haligonian, I’d really enjoy a Nathan MacKinnon parade. There’s a handful of Avalanche players besides MacKinnon who have been waiting for their chance at a ring — Landeskog, Kadri and the gang had an incredible regular season and flew threw the first three rounds of the playoffs to get here.
Okay, enough Avs talk. Tampa isn’t going to be run over here. Heck, I took the Avalanche in seven here mainly because I won’t be shocked to be back here congratulating the Lightning instead. The Bolts were in multiple tough spots this playoffs. Down against Toronto, down against the Rangers — not so much against Florida, but let’s ignore that. The Lightning will not make this easy. This should be fun. But, yes, Avalanche in seven.
As a Jets fan, I said one thing at the start of these playoffs that I stand by:
(…) this bracket was, for once, a blank slate to play with. No bias anywhere here, folks.
And honestly, this was something hockey fans should be dreaming of. The best of the best, back-to-back champions, versus the team that’s been bound for the finals for years now. Both teams want it. It’s the Stanley Cup Finals, baby. Let’s have fun.
