The battle has begun in the East and West.
The NHL conference finals begin this weekend and some local hockey enthusiast have made their predictions.
The eastern conference final will include the New York Rangers, who took a 2-1 game seven win, in overtime, Wednesday night eliminating the Washington Capitals, and the Tampa Bay Lightning, who took a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday night, eliminating the last Canadian team in the playoffs.
In the west, the Anaheim Ducks crushed the Calgary Flames’ dreams of making the conference finals with a 3-2 overtime win Sunday night.
The Chicago Blackhawks have been resting for a few days after eliminating the Minnesota Wild in a four game sweep on Thursday, May 7.
Jason Blanke, Chinook Financial Service Representative, said the decision is tough because he is a die-hard Flames fan.
Blanke predicts that the New York Rangers will come out of the eastern conference and head to the final series. As for the west, he said, “I still like Chicago... The biggest question for Chicago, will be goaltending. If they have solid goaltending, between the two goalies that they are using, they will be fine. I think they are better than Anaheim because they’ve got better goaltending, but if (Ryan) Getzlaf plays like he did against the Flames, it is going to be a very, very good series.”
Drumheller Dragons assistant coach, Gavin Holcomb, predicts that the New York Rangers will go all the way, and win the cup.
He said, “they made it to the final last year... they were saying on TV that this was their best regular season record ever. They finished top in the league all year, so I will have to go with them.”
Holcomb said he thinks it will be an Anaheim Ducks and New York Rangers final.
Jim Fisher, former Drumheller Miners general manager, predicts the “Stanley Cup champion is coming from the west.”
“The east has a chance, but I think the west is too rugged...If I had to go right out on a limb,” Fisher said, “I’d have to say Anaheim. Chicago should give them quite a run.”
Fisher said if the western conference teams beat each other up, the east might have a chance.
He continued by saying the eastern teams don’t have the tough guys, like Anaheim especially.
The first game in the eastern final between the New York Rangers and the Tampa Bay Lightning is Saturday at 11 a.m. MST in New York. The western final game one will take place on Sunday at 1 p.m. MST between the Anaheim Ducks and the Chicago Blackhawks in Anaheim.