The Panel weighs in with their picks for the Conference Finals

The Panel once again had a strong showing going 3-1, but just missing on the Boston Montreal series. Amato and Imbeau lead the way with perfect 12-0 records and as a consensus we sit at 10-2.

With just two series left all four teams are pretty beat up at this point, making it challenging to get a read on how each squad will perform. Nevertheless, here's who the experts like in Round 3.

You can look back at our Round 2 picks here and our Round 1 picks here.

Here is some rationale from the experts on their choices

Fragopoulos: I doubted Montreal's speed and tenacity against the Bruins. They're very disciplined as well.

Lancione: This motivated squad will continue to rise after bonding to support their diminuitive superstar, Marty St.Louis. Helping one of their leaders deal with adversity seemingly raised their spirit as a unit, enabling them to overcome another huge obstacle; in a 3-1 series deficit vs the Monster that is Pittsburgh.

Guzzwell: Give me NYR in six because it is Marty St. Louis' and Brad Richards' destiny to win another Cup 10 years after their first one.

Roos: Montreal’s a great squad, but to some extent their victory over Boston was like their own mini Cup win, leaving them vulnerable to experiencing a major let down.  They also have ten players born in 1982 or earlier, compared to just four for the Rangers, one of whom is King Henrik, so fatigue is bound to start setting in.  And the Rangers showed they can win despite not having a single player with double digit points.  It’s just their year.

Regardless of who the Blackhawks face, they’ll be the only team left in the playoffs (and that includes the Eastern Conference) which hasn’t played a game seven, which says a lot given the parity we’ve seen.  They’re the cream of the remaining crop, with the big game pressure experience and combination of explosive offense and smothering defense, so I just don’t see how either LA or Anaheim (I’m writing this before their game 7) can outlast them in a series, especially given that if it’s LA they’ll have already played 14 games and if it’s Anaheim then it’ll be yet another round of question marks in net. 

Miller: Price is lights out right now and Lundqvist is nursing what looks like a shoulder injury.  Montreal has some chemistry in their bottom six forwards and it’s making a difference. All the games should be closely contested, but I see Price as being the difference.

Brouwer: When you look back at previous playoffs there is a trend that when several second round series go deep, six or seven games, the third round usually ends early.  

Wilson: The Habs have looked like a team destined for greatness in these playoffs. When they need a big play someone is there to put on a show.. Carey Price.. PK Subban.. King Henrick can only take the Rangers so far.. Reality may catch up to them in the East Finals.

Much like the Canadiens, the Kings have looked destined. Down to a team in a series is nothing new to these guys. Time after time over the past couple of years the Kings prove to us that they are never out of it. Calm, cool and collected. That mentality will get them past Chicago and into a 1993 Stanley Cup rematch with the Habs.