Sunday offers a trio of NHL playoff games including two teams who could really use a win — looking at you, Toronto and New Jersey. While the Florida Panthers have drawn a lot of attention because of Matthew Tkachuk and their first-round upset win over the Boston Bruins, is it time we hype up the Carolina Hurricanes more?
Advertisement
In the West, meanwhile, Dallas and Seattle are playing through a tied, tight series through two games. We also still can’t get over Joe Pavelski scoring four goals in a game at the age of 38.
Pick time!
During the Stanley Cup playoffs, The Athletic’s writers will make their straight-up picks. You’ll find picks, coverage and the latest odds here. Our in-depth NHL coverage is linked below the picks.
All odds from BetMGM and update live.
Game 3 – Hurricanes at Devils
Carolina leads 2-0
3:30 p.m. on TBS, SN1
This worked last time, so…I need you, the New Jersey Devils, to get so close right now. You’re down 2-0 against the best defensive team remaining in these Stanley Cup playoffs. Akira Schmid is looking shaky right now. You pulled him the other night in favour of Vitek Vanecek. You have two goals through two games. You need to return to the speed game that brought you to the second round while continuing to hack away at chances in high-danger areas. They’ve come back from a series deficit while being completely outplayed so they can do it against Carolina, but they’ll need to bypass a Canes team that can skate and defend as well.
The Hurricanes are playing their game plan to perfection through two games. If they make quick work of the Devils, they’ll cement themselves as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, and it might not matter how well the Maple Leafs or Panthers play to advance to the third round. They have to expect some pushback against the Devils in Game 3, but the Devils would need to change things in order to topple the favorite drastically.
Game 3 – Maple Leafs at Panthers
Florida leads 2-0
6:30 p.m. on TBS, SN, CBC
The Leafs have played like the better team throughout the series, but it doesn’t matter. They should ask the Tampa Bay Lightning about that. They have not been as advantageous as the Panthers have and need more from their defending and goaltending. The Leafs, however, have yet to lose on the road in these playoffs, with all three of their wins coming in overtime. The Leafs weren’t the best team in all three of those wins, but here they are. They are in the second round, but if they win on Sunday, it will be the first time in 6,946 days that they’ll have won a second-round game. They’re favoured to end that drought on Sunday.
Advertisement
Florida has only won once on the road this postseason, but it was an all-important Game 6 against the Bruins in the first round. You know the cast and characters that have brought the Panthers to this point. But let’s focus on Brandon Montour, who has put in an all-world performance through a round and two games for Florida. Six of his nine points have been goals and they’ve come in huge moments for the Panthers. He’s tied for third in points among defencemen this postseason, trailing only Evan Bouchard and Morgan Rielly. There are other key players for the Panthers, but Montour’s success is essential for his team.
Game 3 – Stars at Kraken
Series tied 1-1
9:30 p.m. on TBS, SN
The Kraken’s balanced approach and resiliency have kept them in the series, specifically in Game 1. They aren’t as talented on paper as the Dallas Stars, but they had to overcome that against Colorado too. The thing is, the Stars aren’t as injured as the Avs are/were. More importantly, they need Philipp Grubauer to be as solid as he was in the first round. He has allowed four goals in each of his last two games which won’t do it when you compare it to the four goals he allowed in the final two games of the Kraken-Avs series. He’ll be a huge key for Seattle if they want a chance to win Game 3 and beyond.
Dallas’s firepower has been apparent through two games even if the series is split, and they still have more to spare. Joe Pavelski got his four goals and it didn’t stop him from getting a fifth goal in the series in Game 2. Wyatt Johnston, who some feel should’ve been a Calder Trophy nominee, has also made his presence felt. Even Tyler Seguin and Evgenii Dadonov have scored goals. But just like Michael Irvin in a Dallas Cowboys hype video, the Stars need more. Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen all come to mind.
(Photo of Sergei Bobrovsky and John Tavares: Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57k21wbW5la3xzfJFsZmltX2WEcLrHpWSppJGuvKey0mamnZyjYr2qr8qsZKmqlZm2pMDIqKWsZZakv265wKmjnmWcmq6nv4yvqmaokaPBqbHRrGShraKntqStzZ6qZq6jYrGmwsilqmaZnpl6rL7ApJynZaaoerTAwKuqaA%3D%3D