NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 04: Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Florida Panthers carries the puck against the New York Rangers during the third period at Madison Square Garden on March 04, 2024 in New York City. The Panthers defeated the Rangers 4-2.
After a pair of six-game series, the matchup for the Eastern Conference Finals is set between the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers.
While both teams won their respective second round series in six games, they took different paths to getting here. Florida played a more competitive than expected series with Boston, but eventually put the Bruins away in six in a series it felt like they would always win.
The Rangers were set for what appeared to be an evenly-matched series against Carolina, but the Rangers won three straight coin-flip type games to take a commanding 3-0 series lead. The Hurricanes battled back, and the Rangers very nearly blew the lead entirely, but Chris Kreider's natural hat trick in the third period of Game 6 stopped Carolina's comeback attempt in its tracks.
RELATED ARTICLE: Vancouver, Edmonton Set the Stage for a Thrilling Game 7
Rangers, Panthers Meet in Eastern Conference Final
Both teams are familiar with this terrain. The Panthers were here last year, beating the Hurricanes before losing to Vegas in the Cup final. New York was here two years ago, suffering a loss to Tampa Bay after blowing a 2-0 series lead.
Neither team has hoisted the Cup in recent memory, as the Rangers haven't won it since 1994 and the Panthers never have.
For both of these groups, this series is an opportunity at a breakthrough their franchises have long awaited. It's a matchup headlined by two star Russians between the pipes, with the steady Igor Shesterkin for the Rangers and the eclectic but often brilliant Sergei Bobrovsky for Florida.
Shesterkin is the better bet to not cost his team this series, but Bobrovsky might be more likely to outright steal it if he's on the top of his game.
The Rangers got by Carolina thanks to their excellent special teams, namely the power play, which is something that could continue to be an advantage in this matchup. Florida is less disciplined than Carolina, and it could be a quick series if the Rangers can goad Florida into penalites and continue to stay effective while a man up.
On the other side, Florida presents an offensive challenge that the Rangers have not seen yet, and New York's defense has proven to be suspect at times in these playoffs.
If Aleksandr Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk get going, New York doesn't have a line of defense before Shesterkin that can stop them, and that's to say nothing of the support they'll get from Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Sam Bennett.
The Rangers were lucky to get through Carolina in six games, and Florida presents a very similar challenge to the Hurricanes but with better goaltending and more physically dominant scorers.
The Pick: Florida in 7
Eastern Conference Final Series Schedule
Game 1: Wednesday, May 22, 8:00 P.M. EST at Madison Square Garden (ESPN)
Game 2: Friday, May 24, 8:00 P.M. EST at Madison Square Garden (ESPN)
Game 3: Sunday, May 26, 3:00 P.M. EST at Amerant Bank Arena (ABC)
Game 4: Tuesday, May 28, 8:00 P.M. EST at Amerant Bank Arena (ESPN)
Game 5*: Thursday, May 30, 8:00 P.M. EST at Madison Square Garden (ESPN)
Game 6*: Saturday, June 1, 8:00 P.M. EST at Amerant Bank Arena (ABC)
Game 7*: Monday, June 3, 8:00 P.M. EST at Madison Square Garden (ESPN)
* if necessary
READ MORE: Toronto Maple Leafs Do the Inevitable, Fire Head Coach Sheldon Keefe
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
