Preview: Western Conference Quarterfinals

Dallas Stars vs Minnesota Wild

The Dallas Stars are back in the NHL Playoffs after a disappointing season last year. The Stars are the number one seed in the Western Conference with 109 points. Coach Lindy Ruff’s squad is sporting the number one offense in the NHL.

 It is uncertain if Tyler Seguin will be available for Game 1, but even without him, their offense is still a juggernaut.  Jamie Benn led the team with 89 points this season. Jason Spezza had 33 goals and 30 assists which totaled for 63 points.

The one main problem for Dallas is their defense. Double that with the fact that their goaltending has been inconsistent, the Wild may be a big challenge for the Stars. Minnesota had to withstand a coaching change midseason, but that lit a fire under them.

They took the final wild card spot from the Colorado Avalanche. Mikko Koivu led the team with 56 points. Zach Parise led the team with 25 goals. The main problem for Minnesota has been their offensive production. What’s kept them in games is their defense and their goaltending.

Devan Dubnyk was 32-26-6 this season with a 2.33 GAA. Both teams have the exact opposite problems. The Stars have a high powered offense, but they don’t have a strong defense and their goaltending has been inconsistent.

The Wild have a great defense, and they’ve had consistent goaltending, but they can’t produce enough offense. I predict the Wild will challenge the Stars, but Dallas will win in six games.

Anaheim Ducks vs Nashville Predators

Both the Ducks and Predators got off to slow starts in the season. The Ducks heated up quickly, and they would end up winning the Atlantic Division. The Predators got hot late, and that allowed them to pull away with the first wild card spot.

Both teams rank in the middle in terms of offense. The Ducks are led by Ryan Getzlaf who led the team with 63 points. Corey Perry leads the team with 34 goals.

John Gibson went 21-13-4 with a stunning 2.07 GAA this season. The Preds are led by Filip Forsberg who had 64 points this season.

Roman Josi had 14 goals and 47 assists which totaled for 61 points. Netminder Pekka Rinne had a 34-21-10 record this season.

The Ducks have always had a talented roster, but they’ve been vulnerable to early round exits. The Predators will rely on a deliberate offense, and they will rely on a sound defense.

The Ducks play offense at a quicker pace. Both goaltenders have been rock solid this year, which makes the series pretty even.

Because the Ducks are susceptible to early round exits, I think the Preds will win this series in seven games, and they’ll pull of the biggest upset of the first round.

Chicago Blackhawks vs St. Louis Blues

This is a rematch of a series in the 2013 Playoffs, and the Blackhawks won that series. This time, the two teams meet again but the scenarios have flipped. The Blues have the home ice advantage and they are coming in playing rock solid hockey.

The Hawks are not playing their best hockey as of late. Chicago will be without Duncan Keith for Game 1, as he finishes his suspension. Leading the Blackhawks is Patrick Kane, who leads the NHL with 106 points. Rookie Artemi Panarin has 77 points this season.

Johnathan Toews had 28 goals and 30 assists this season. Goalie Corey Crawford had a 35-18-5 record with a 2.37 GAA this season. The Blues are coming in with 107 points.

They are led by Vladimir Tarasenko who has 74 points. Alexander Steen had 17 goals and 35 assists this season. What makes the Blues dangerous is their stingy defense. Their resilient group should pose a challenge to the Blackhawks offense.

Also, the Blues have two goalies that have had success this year. Brian Elliott had a 2.07 GAA, and Jake Allen had a 26-15-3 record.

Even though they aren’t playing their best, the Blackhawks have rich playoff experience. Around this time is when they are playing their best hockey. I feel because of their experience, the Blackhawks will win a hard fought series in seven games.

Los Angeles Kings vs San Jose Sharks

We’ve got an all California matchup in this one, as the Sharks return to the playoffs to take on the battle tested Los Angeles Kings. The Sharks didn’t make the playoffs last season, and they lost two seven game series to the Kings the two previous years.

Leading the Kings was Anze Kopitar with 74 points. Jeff Carter had 24 points and 38 assists, and Tyler Toffoli had 58 points. Star netminder Johnathan Quick was 40-23-5 with a 2.22 GAA. For San Jose, Joe Thornton leads the team with 82 points.

Team captain Joe Pavelski leads the team in goals with 38. Goaltender Martin Jones went 37-23-4 this season. Both teams have very strong defenses that have led them to success this year. San Jose has All-Star Brett Burns and Marc Edouard Vlasic.

The Kings defense is led by Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin. What gives the Kings an edge is goaltending. Johnathan Quick has consistently been the league’s best goalie, while Martin Jones is finding his footing in the NHL.

 The atmosphere at the SAP Center in San Jose is something the Sharks can use to their advantage. However, because of goaltending, I feel the Kings will win this series in six games.