The NHL made it hard for us to have a clean prediction post. The second-round series between Philadelphia and Carolina began Saturday before the first-round series between Montreal and Tampa completes.
That makes predictions complicated. We have to spot Carolina one win from the start. That bums me out, but I won’t let it spoil the sense of adventure of battling a quarter for absolute dominion over fate itself. Ian’s making predictions too.
Meet Keith, a Coin
Keith, a Coin, is worth two bits if you ask Uncle Sam. But if you ask Unc Pete, he’s one bit whose value cannot be enumerated. He’s wrong half the time. He called Montreal in 7 though. Sick, demented quarter.
The results so far
Using the universally understood 
/
score-keeping system.
| First Round | Peter | Ian | Keith |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL vs LAK | |
🚽 | 🚽 |
| DAL vs MIN | |
|
|
| VGK vs UTA | 🚽 | 🚽 | 🚽 |
| EDM vs ANA | 🚽 | 🚽 | 🚽 |
| BUF vs BOS | 🚽 | |
|
| TBL vs MTL | 🚽 | |
|
| CAR vs OTT | |
🚽 | 🚽 |
| PIT vs PHI | 🚽 | 🚽 | |
| Second Round | Peter | Ian | Keith |
| TBD | |||
| TBD | |||
| TBD | |||
| TBD | |||
| Third Round | Peter | Ian | Keith |
| TBD | |||
| TBD | |||
| Finals | Peter | Ian | Keith |
| TBD |
Note: We also have a bracket league for Patreon subscribers. It’s too late to sign up, which is a shame because the winner this year gets a Filip Forsberg Washington Capitals draft card.
Colorado ❄️ vs Minnesota 
Peter: I’m really looking forward to this series, which might be the best of the postseason. My heart says Minny, but I wonder if they won their first-round series by default against a terminally banged-up Dallas team. The Avs, meanwhile, were a steamroller, led from the goal line, where Wedgewood was without weakness. I hope this goes seven games. Colorado in 6.
Ian: Sometimes when you acquire a superstar during the season (I’m thinking the Adam Oates trade in 1997-98), it can push your team to levels you didn’t think it could reach. There’s some kind of magic with the Wild right now that I don’t really understand. Combine that with the fact that I think Nathan MacKinnon might actually be cursed this season. Minnesota in 7.
Keith: Colorado in 7.
Knights ♞ vs Anaheim 🦆
Peter: John Carlson and Jackson LaCombe are a fun dyad for the Ducks. A sort of Zoolander/Hansel situation. The teams are evenly matched in a lot of ways. When that happens, I usually go, “so it’ll come down to special teams,” where the Ducks really sucked this season. But it feels like I’m always wrong when I say that, so I’m counter-picking myself. Galaxy brain. Ducks in 6.
Ian: John Tortorella and his calm Torts energy (that peace will end soon) might have Vegas firing on all cylinders currently, but the Ducks are such a young, fast team with good veteran leadership, finding their stride at the right time. Yes, that’s a bird pun. Ducks in 7.
Keith: Golden Knights in 4.
Buffalo ⚔️ vs Montreal 🥐
Peter: Once again I am incensed by Montreal game seven shenanigans. Nine shots. Get out of town. I believe in neither of these teams. They are both frauds. I’m cheering for Buffalo because I have a Buffalo friend who I want to be happy. They’re the least worst team, so I choose them. Buffalo in 6.
Ian: The logical part of my brain thinks Buffalo is going to steamroll the Canadiens with their high-octane offense, but then I remember nothing about the playoffs is logical. I think the Habs are a better team here – whatever that means – and they’re going to pull another rabbit out of their hat. Montreal in 6.
Keith: Buffalo in 5.
Carolina 🌀 vs Philadelphia 🐥
Peter: I hate this series. I hate the way Carolina plays. I hate that the Flyers beat the hell out of the Penguins. But I kind of love that the high-possession/low-finishing Canes have to go against Dan Vladar here. Meanwhile, the Flyers younglings of Michkov and Martone have been spotty in different ways. I wouldn’t depend on them. Carolina in 5. (Disclosure: I had Carolina in 6 until G1 happened. I reserve the right to change my guess.)
Ian: The Flyers shouldn’t even be in the playoffs if we’re being honest with ourselves. They might put up a little bit of a fight for a game or two — that Porter Martone guy is good — but Carolina is just the much better team, and they are experts at getting to the Eastern Conference Final and then losing spectacularly. So I pick that again. Carolina in 6.
Keith: Carolina in 5.
Your Turn
Do it like (TEAM CITY) in (# of GAMES)
