Oh yes!  Welcome to one of the best times of the year!  The weather is getting warmer, a new BTSH season is underway and the NHL Playoffs kick-off today.  In honor of this magnificent occasion the league brass and a couple misfits decided to huddle up to make predictions on how the first round will play out and who will win Lord Stanley’s Cup.  Here are our predictions.

Who will win the first round match-ups in the Eastern Conference? 

Hogg: My pick in this round is metaphorical to my Foligno Sens Jersey being replaced by a great 8 t-shirt by season’s end. Ovi didn’t get 50, but he won’t get passed the third round either.

Lauren J: Let me start this off by saying, this is the year of the underdog. THE HUNGRY DOG. We’ve already seen it multiple times in 2018. And let me remind you BTSH, hungry dogs run faster!!  PHILLY!!!! E-A-G-…… oh, Flyers!

Clavvicle: Devils are my dark horse pick, defying all logic and sanity.

Who will win the first round match-ups in the Western Conference? 

Hogg: The flower shows everyone why it blooms midseason then wilts away at season’s end. Unfortunately there is no Vokoun or Murray in Vegas to pick up the slack. A dealers bust on the crease gamble by McPhee.

Who will represent each Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals? 

Hogg: The Clarence S Campbell bowl will be captured but never touched by Blake Wheeler and the Jets after dismantling the Quickie monster in the conference final against LA.

Lauren J: Predators and THE UNDERDOG FLYERS. Sigh, no the flyers will blow it. Caps are probably pretty hungry… I’ll go with them.

Who will hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup?  

Hogg: Hellebuyck will play very well, deep into the playoffs but Pittsburgh goes 5 for 5 when touching the Prince of Wales trophy and completes the threepeat, with Sid taking vengeance on Bettman for not being allowed to win a gold medal for Canada at the 2018 Olympics. Which then, the country will never forgive him for. Montreal finds a way to riot and protest, and strike at still being the most recent Canadian stanley cup winner.

Arya: The Tampa Bay Rangers (ugh) will win it all.