Four years ago, when I wasn't yet writing about hockey, my very first article was the prediction that Tampa Bay, winners of 62 regular season games, would be swept in the first playoff round by Columbus. Ok, I'm blatantly lying. BUT the lesson learned here was that a team that's been desperate to win every night just MIGHT be a dangerous opponent, against a team which hasn't been desperate since Thanksgiving. Boston unquestionably has been the best team in the NHL this season, but what would it take to measure their response to sudden adversity? Would losing Game One cause the ice to crack in TD Garden? The regular season statistics will favor the Bruins in nearly all statistical categories – but every series starts 0-0 and the past won't win anything.  

Yes, you've heard it here first, and in writing:  The big bad Bruins will lose. Not in the Stanley Cup Finals, but in the FIRST ROUND. Ilya Sorokin bests Linus Ullmark. Or maybe it's Matthew Tkachuk willing his team forward.  Game 7 in Boston goes to the visitors.   

Before you send the men in white coats to carry me off, I did win the Dobber writers' playoff pool last year. Just saying. 

Tonight, one contest is set to determine the Bruins' opponent. Florida hosts a Carolina team that's recently been causing doubt to invade into the fan base in Raleigh. Andrei Svechnikov's injury has downgraded the Hurricanes to just the milder Tropical Breezes. I'll say that the Panthers get the win needed to take the first wild card position – making this game to be the NY Islanders' invitation to that best-of-seven starting in Boston. I'll play the "over" here and avoid both goalies in DFS. Forty-goal scorer Carter Verhaeghe ($7300) and speedy Anthony Duclair ($4000) will have opportunities off the rush, and I'd have confidence to play these guys tonight.  

Next, after the Dallas Stars win on Wednesday, the Colorado Avalanche find themselves needing a victory over Winnipeg. No Cale Makar (although he's expected back next week) means a defenseman play for either Devon Toews (no, but $5500) or my choice of Bowen Byram ($4600), along with goalkeeper Alexandar Georgiev ($7800).  The Jets clinched the West's second wild-card position, beating Marc-Andre Fleury and the Wild 3-1, but despite having big names in their top-six, they've barely averaged two scores per game in their past 10 outings. Colorado is clearly a Cup contender, just as much as Winnipeg isn't. 

But my biggest play will be the Los Angeles Kings, taking on cross-town Anaheim. The Ducks will be a better team next year (or maybe '24-'25), but they're currently awful. My DFS roster includes Anze Kopitar ($6300) and Phillip Danault ($4400) at center, Adrian Kempe ($6400) and "utility" Alex Iafallo ($4500) at wings, and Drew Doughty ($4600), making this a five-man stack.  All in. The Kings need this game, or a Seattle Kraken loss, to keep third place in the Pacific Division…. although they may not know their first-round opponent until tonight's last game, Vegas at Seattle, finishes its overtime period (appropriate!).  

Lastly, I'm a Penguins fan. My season ticket package began back in 2007-08. Three championships. But beating the Chicago Blackhawks has never been this team's strength – since their Stanley Cup win in '09, Pittsburgh's record vs. the Hawks is by far worse than any other opponent, just five victories in twenty games. The two Cup years in 2016 and 2017, yeah 0-4 combined. Kryptonite. Just beating the last-place teams, and you're in?  There are no easy games. And now they get a ping-pong ball to wish upon.  

Well-wishes for my mental health, after my first couple of paragraphs, are greatly appreciated.  Good luck to all!