Vegas has played outstanding hockey at home and now sees a real opportunity to put a chokehold on this series. Dallas has to find a way to dictate the flow of the game and force Vegas to play its style.
The Hurricanes have been a step or two ahead at every turn, and the one time where the Isles had an edge, they couldn’t step on the throat. It feels like New York had one chance in this series, and it has come and gone.
Colorado is at its best when it can dictate the flow of the game and knows that there will be a lot of shots at both ends. Winnipeg wants a slower, more methodical game that relies on its goaltenders. But if Hellebuyck can’t get above a .900 save percentage, the Jets are in peril.
With a win here, New York can essentially finish this series off and start preparing for Carolina. A defeat gives Washington hope in a series where the Capitals are playing with house money. The last thing the Rangers need or want is for this series to get back to New York with the Capitals still alive.
Not only have the Panthers held Tampa Bay to two goals in each of the first two games, but they’ve only allowed 42 shots total. The Lightning don’t generate a ton of shots, but they’re a high-scoring team, and they’re not getting chances right now.
The Islanders didn’t finish the Hurricanes off in Game 2. They weren’t aggressive when they had the edge, and now they’ve got no choice but to be aggressive with the odds against them, trailing 2-0.
If the Kings can’t stop Edmonton from scoring, this series isn’t going to last very long. The Oilers picked up exactly where they left off in the regular season, lighting the lamp seven times to earn their fourth straight playoff win over Los Angeles.
Suddenly, things look very different as the series shifts to Toronto. No longer are the Leafs riding a five-game losing streak. No longer is Toronto riding an eight-game losing streak to Boston. Most importantly, the Leafs now have home ice in their corner. If they pick up where they left off, Boston’s suddenly in trouble.
You never want to declare a series over after one game, but this one looks pretty bleak from the Capitals’ perspective. Game 1 went exactly as expected, as New York dominated Washington from start to finish.