Hawks by the Numbers:

Points Leader: Logan Couture (74)
Goals Leader: Jeff Carter (30)
Goalie: Thomas Greiss (38 W, 0.921 PCT, 2.09 GAA) 

Blues by the Numbers:

Points Leader: Erik Karlsson (73)
Goals Leader: Travis Zajac (20)
Goalie: Semyon Varlamov (33 W, 0.902 PCT, 2.64 GAA) 

Head to Head: Chicago (4-1-0-0)

Analysis:

There’s no two ways about it, the Blues are in tough against the President’s Trophy Hawks. Chicago is an offensive juggernaut that had 9 different players score 20 goals or more. Only Travis Zajac was able to breach the 20 goal plateau for St. Louis. And while goaltending can steal a series, Blues goalie Semyon Varlamov will have to find another level as he was a less than stellar 12 wins, 0.900 PCT and 2.69 GAA in the 24 games he started for St. Louis down the stretch.

Prediction: Chicago in 5

Flames by the Numbers:

Points Leader: Aleksander Barkov (75)
Goals Leader: Johnny Gaudreau (34)
Goalie: Craig Anderson (30 W, 0.919 PCT, 2.24 GAA) 

Coyotes by the Numbers:

Points Leader: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (70)
Goals Leader: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (27)
Goalie: Mike Smith (25 W, 0.914 PCT, 2.21 GAA) 

Head to Head: Arizona (3-1-0-1)

Analysis:

This is the goalie controversy series; as in, who does each team start?? Craig Anderson boasted the better overall numbers on the season, but he only had 9 starts with the Flames while head coach Darryl Sutter rode ‘backup’ Calvin Pickard who boasted 11 wins and a stellar 0.924 sv% and 1.84 GAA in 16 starts. The Coyotes seem to be in the enviable position of trying to decide between Mike Smith and Carey Price but both tenders have been less than impressive this season with Price only posting 18 wins in 38 starts with a 0.911 sv% and 2.48 GAA.

Prediction: Arizona actually won the season series by a fair margin, but unless they can get their goaltending house in order, this is Calgary’s series to lose. Flames in 6.
 

Stars by the Numbers:

Points Leader: Ryan O'Reilly (87)
Goals Leader: Ryan O'Reilly (38)
Goalie: James Reimer (33 W, 0.915 PCT, 2.33 GAA) 

Preds by the Numbers:

Points Leader: Patrice Bergeron (66)
Goals Leader: Patrice Bergeron (34)
Goalie: Roberto Luongo (41 W, 0.916 PCT, 2.07 GAA) 

Head to Head: Nashville (3-2-0-0)

Analysis:

This one is going to be a very tight series between two very evenly matched teams despite what the end of season standings say. The Stars like to think of themselves as a “defence first” team, but they are matched up against a Nashville Predators team with even more top end and overall defensive assets than they have! Dallas does boast more firepower with Ryan O’Reilly coming in second in both the Art Ross and Rocket Richard races and another 30 goal scorer in Mark Scheifele, but the Preds easily win the goaltending matchup with Luongo.

Prediction: This series is going to be a coin flip. Nashville narrowly edged Dallas in their season matchup and they’ll do it again in the playoffs. All things being equal, superior goaltending trumps superior firepower. Nashville in 7.

Oilers by the Numbers:

Points Leader: Ryan Johansen (60)
Goals Leader: Nick Bjugstad (26)
Goalie: Jaroslav Halak (35 W, 0.919 PCT, 2.16 GAA) 

Canucks by the Numbers:

Points Leader: Brendan Gallagher (56)
Goals Leader: Brendan Gallagher (22)
Goalie: Ben Bishop (41 W, 0.923 PCT, 2.15 GAA) 

Head to Head: Vancouver (2-2-1-0)

Analysis:

This series will be another coin flip series. Vancouver and Edmonton evenly split their regular season match up with two wins and two losses each with the Canucks gaining the extra point in an OT victory. Neither team has very much firepower to speak of with each team having only one player breech the 20 goal plateau this season. Vancouver has more ‘elite’ scorers in Gallagher, Brassard and Nelson, but Edmonton has a little more secondary scoring.

Prediction: Both teams are fairly evenly matched so this will be another series that will come down to goaltending. And as goo as Halak has been for the Oilers this season, Bishop has been better for the Canucks. Vancouver in 6.