Puck Prose
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Puck Prose round table: Picking the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

By Matt McGinnis

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 26: J.T. Compher #37 of the Colorado Avalanche and Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning shake hands after the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JUNE 26: J.T. Compher #37 of the Colorado Avalanche and Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning shake hands after the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders
Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Islanders

Jim Lynch

The Hurricanes are a great team, but the Islanders have a hot goalie who has pushed his team into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This series has potential, and I am going to say the Islanders upset the Hurricanes in seven games thanks to the great play from Ilya Sorokin.

Matt McGinnis

I had high hopes for the Carolina Hurricanes this season, but they just aren’t playing that well right now. Meanwhile, the Islanders are a team built for the postseason. As a result, the Isles take this series in seven games.

Ilya Sorokin steals the series as the MVP, and we see fewer than 30 total goals scored in this series.

Vinnie Parise

The New York Islanders will pull off the stunning upset of the first round by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in six games. It comes down to Ilya Sorokin stealing a series with veterans like Zach Parise and Kyle Palmieri scoring big goals.

Richard Jelinek

The Carolina Hurricanes look to make a quick series against the defense-first Islanders. Carolina makes short work of New York, taking the series in five games. Series MVP will be Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The Hurricanes do not score a power play goal in the series.

Alex Neier

I am going with the Islanders to win in seven games. Ilya Sorokin is one of the best goalies in the league, along with the Islanders being one of, if not the most, defensively sound team in the league.

Svechnikov and Aho are going to be tough to shut down, and while I believe Carolina will make this a long series, Sorokin will be a brick wall the entire way and ultimately win series MVP.

For my out-of-the-box prediction, I’m going to say that Game 7 of this series will be won 1-0 by New York, and it will take overtime.

Jaroslav Husvar

The second-best defense in the league against the second-best tandem. I am doubtful about this, but Isles in six.

Bo Horvat will be the MVP. This would be the most boring, goalless series in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. Whoever advances will be out in the second round.

Brad Wiszowaty

I’m choosing the Islanders to beat the Hurricanes in seven games. The Canes finished the season 10-8-1 after Svechnikov was injured. Regardless, this will be a tough series for both teams.

The series MVP will be Bo Horvat. My out-of-the-box prediction is that Horvat finishes the series with the most goals and points on either team.

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