Brouwer

Stamkos fills the net multiple times and carries the Lightning to the Finals.

Like last year Hawks and Kings series was one of the best series of all-time but unlike last year the Hawks win this year.

Campkin

The Rangers D is certainly their strength but don’t discount Tampa’s back end. For my money, Hedman is the best rearguard in this series and other guys like Anton Stralman are really getting the job done for Tampa. The difference for me, is up top where the Lightning can get contributions from a number of key forwards while the Rangers are hurting with the Zuccarelo injury and Nash’s continued cold streak.

The Ducks Hawks series could be one for the ages. There is plenty of star power here with the likes of Getzlaf-Perry and Toews-Kane. Both teams seem to be firing on all cylinders but the Ducks are more well rested and have home ice so I give them a slight edge.

Clifford

The Rangers have really struggled to score goals these playoffs, and that puts a lot of pressure on Henrik Lundqvist in net. He’s obviously one of the best in the world, but last round showed what Tampa Bay can do to a team that can’t put the puck in the back of the net. Lundqvist could steal the series, but relying on a goalie to do that is a dangerous game. It won’t matter if Ben Bishop falters, but for all the “shakiness” stuff that was thrown out about Bishop these playoffs, his .931 overall save percentage tells another story.

I think Chicago is deeper than Anaheim, and relying heavily on a top line can be a dangerous proposition. It will be important to get the Getzlaf line away from the Toews line as often as possible, and with Anaheim having home ice advantage, they should be able to do that often. It’ll be important to capitalize on those opportunities when they do. Whichever goalie can keep their team in games the longest will probably be the goalie in the Stanley Cup Final. I have more confidence in Corey Crawford than I do Frederik Andersen.

Coretti

Henrik Lundqvist shows why he’s regarded as the KING in this series.

Blackhawks are playing possessed at the moment… hard to think they lose this series.

Gooding

The Lightning have better scoring, but Lundqvist is the best goalie left in the playoffs. Defense wins championships, and the Rangers will have an easier time with Bishop than they did with Holtby.

Kane’s return has given the Hawks the spark they need for one last cup run before the Toews/Kane contracts kick in and other important pieces get purged. The Toews/Kesler matchup will be fun to watch.

Hopkins

Lundqvist with 2 shutouts in series…including the clincher to cement New York’s return to the Final.

Ducks take a 3-2 series lead before resilient Hawks win final two games to reach the Final.

Laidlaw

The Lightning will have their turn soon enough but the Rangers have the most complete team in the league, which should push them to their second straight cup final.

The Blackhawks probably would have been the consensus to come out of the tough west had we all known Patrick kane had wolverine-like healing abilities. He gives the stingy Hawks (second fewest goals allowed in the regular season) another gear offensively that makes them elite.

Libin

Sticking with my original prediction in the East. Bishop is by far the worst goalie the Rangers will have faced, which says more about Fleury and Holtby than it does about Bishop.The Rangers offence should get a bit of boost.

The Hawks and Ducks are very evenly matched. Both teams are extremely deep with Anaheim having a definite edge on the back end. In the end though the stars on Chicago have been coming through when necessary for too long. Toews and Hossa will shut down Getzlaf and Perry while Kane out plays Kesler.

Pudsey

Chicago has been proving me wrong all playoffs but this time I think they have met their match. This is going to be an excellent series.

The Rangers will grind down the Lightning similar to what Montreal did. The difference is the Rangers have the scoring depth that Montreal didn’t.

Roos

I think the scares for the Rangers are over, at least until the Cup Finals. Tampa’s story is a great one, and their play thus far has shown they’ve rightfully made it this far. But I worry about the Bishop bad game factor, plus the Rangers being able to stifle Tampa’s offense. Meanwhile, King Henrik is a man on a mission, and it wouldn’t shock me if he gives up fewer than five total goals in the entire series.

Much like the Kings last season, every passing round seems like one step closer to what’s increasingly looking like the inevitable hoisting of the Cup for the Blackhawks. On the flip side, Anaheim has been here before, so they won’t figure to be shrinking violets. But in the end, Chicago seems to hold an edge in nearly every area, so to me it seems like they have to be the clear choice.

Wassel

Rick Nash scores a few goals in the series then Henrik Lundqvist lays an egg in Games 5 and 6.

Blackhawks just have that mojo at Honda Center….that means something in series like these.