Fansided

Predicting the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs

By Griffin Youngs

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 07: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals and Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Vegas Golden Knights shake hands after Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals defeated the Golden Knights 4-3 to win the Stanley Cup Final Series 4-1. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 07: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals and Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Vegas Golden Knights shake hands after Game Five of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Washington Capitals and the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on June 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Capitals defeated the Golden Knights 4-3 to win the Stanley Cup Final Series 4-1. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 22: Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers scuffles with Conor Sheary #43 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third period in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Wells Fargo Center on April 22, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Penguins went on to defeat the Flyers 8-5, advancing to the Second Round of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 22: Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers scuffles with Conor Sheary #43 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third period in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Wells Fargo Center on April 22, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Penguins went on to defeat the Flyers 8-5, advancing to the Second Round of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) /

M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 Philadelphia Flyers

The most heated rivalry in the league today will be renewed once again this April, when the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers meet for a rematch of their playoff series from the year before. The Penguins bested the Flyers in six games last year, but have the Flyers made enough improvements this offseason to best their hated rivals in a rematch?

Why Pittsburgh is in

The Penguins are still an easy pick to make the playoffs now and for years to come. Their pure star power of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel alone makes them Stanley Cup contenders. But it’s also the players that they support them with that makes the Penguins as dangerous as they are. Guys like Patric Hornqvist, Jake Guentzel, Derick Brassard, even depth guys like Rust, Sprong and Simon could have impact seasons on the bottom six.

It’s no question that Pittsburgh is going back to the postseason, it’s more of a matter of where they’re going to finishing, ranking wise. On paper you can make the argument that they are the best team in the Metropolitan division, but can they stay consistent enough to get ahead of a team like Washington and take the top seed in the Metropolitan, or will they go through those losing skids that cost them the division again?

Why Philadelphia is in

The Flyers have spent the last several seasons being competitive while still building the team for the future, and this is the year that it’s going to start to really pay off. With the addition of James van Riemsdyk this offseason, the Flyers are going to be a top threat on offense this season.

Claude Giroux had a phenomenal bounce-back season with 102 points, Jakub Voracek put up 85 points, and several other players proved their offensive prowess last season. Even without the addition of van Riemsdyk, the offense in all likelihood will be even better this coming season. Nolan Patrick is healthy to start the season and will improve on where he left off last season.  Wayne Simmonds had an injury riddled season but still managed to produce, and he’ll certainly bounce back if he can stay healthy.

The defense of the Flyers has been a weakness, but it should be improved this season. At some point, the coaching staff has to realize that a pairing of Ivan Provorov and Shayne Gostisbehere would be one of the best in the league, and the youth of Robert Hagg and Travis Sanheim coming as support should help hold the leads that the offense gives them.

Who will win

Penguins over Flyers in seven games

The Flyers are going to be a much better team this season with the growth of their young players and free agent additions, but they didn’t address what was their undoing in the playoffs against Pittsburgh last year, and that’s their goaltending. Brian Elliot is way too inconsistent to be a reliable starting goaltender, and has track record of terrible postseason performances. I believe that if Philadelphia got consistent goaltending in last years series, they would’ve beaten the Penguins. Letting in those easy goals took all the wind out of the Flyers’ sails before they could ever get started. but when they got the saves when they needed them, the Flyers put Pittsburgh on the brink.

Alas, they didn’t have consistent goaltending and allowed 28 goals over six games. Without a trade during the season, Brian Elliot will still be starter, and it’s hard to imagine things too much different even with how much better the Flyers have gotten. The Penguins are still just too way good to be beaten by an incomplete team.

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