5 reasons why New Jersey Devils will win Stanley Cup

1. Keith Kinkaid is on fire

Who? Yup, Keith Kinkaid. That’s who.

Kinkaid began the season as the Devils’ No. 2 goaltender, and there were no reasons to believe he would ascend at any point. However, a late-season swoon from Cory Schneider opened the door, and Kinkaid has blown through it like the Koolaid Man.

Since Feb. 13, Kinkaid leads the league with 16 wins, posting an obscene 16-3-1 record over that stretch. In that same time, the 28-year-old has totaled a .933 save percentage. All told, Kinkaid is 26-10-3 with a 2.77 GAA, sparking questions as to whether he’s simply piping hot at the moment, or if this is a true turning of the corner.

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Either way, the Lightning are facing arguably the best goaltender of the last two months, someone who beat them on March 24 with 35 saves in a 2-1 victory. Tampa Bay is the league’s highest-scoring team, so expect Kinkaid to be tested early and often.

Still, if the Long Island native can continue his great play, New Jersey puts itself firmly in the mic for the Stanly Cup. If you don’t believe an eighth seed can make noise, remember that the Nashville Predators were in this spot a year ago. Should the Devils keep up their electric play of late (10-3-1 over the last 14 games), they are a viable threat against anybody.

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