Travis Devlin: COMMENTARY: NHL Stanley Cup prediction

Jun. 17—I intended to write round-by-round predictions for the NHL playoffs, but higher priorities changed my plan. With the semifinals now underway and the Montreal Canadiens finally being able to cross the U.S.-Canadian border for the first time in a year, things are finally beginning to look a lot more like normal. Playoff games in front of full crowds of rabid hockey fans are a very welcome sight. Those full arenas inspire the players and make watching the games at home a lot more exciting.

One semifinal matchup is between the New York Islanders and the Tampa Bay Lightning, with the series currently tied 1-1. Tampa crowds are often more divided, because many locals come from places to the north...like New York. I believe the Islanders will avenge their conference final loss to the Lightning last year and earn a spot in the Stanley Cup finals.

Right winger Kyle Palmieri, who was acquired at the trade deadline from the New Jersey Devils, leads the Islanders in playoff goals this year with seven.

The Islanders have scored 45 goals and have 70 assists in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. Jean-Gabriel Pageau leads his team in points with 13 and assists with 10.

Mathew Barzal has also been scoring some big goals. Semyon Varlomov and Illya Sorokin have been a two-headed monster in net for the Islanders. Varlomov has a playoff save percentage of .930, and Sorokin's currently sits at .934. Barry Trotz is also a really good coach who most recently won a Stanley Cup back in 2018 with the Washington Capitals.

Tampa's Nikita Kucherov hasn't missed a beat since coming back from injury and returning in the playoffs, leading his team with 19 points and 14 assists. Tampa may have the better players with Kucherov and Steven Stamkos, but I believe the Islanders are more balanced as a team.

In the other series, the Vegas Golden Knights have Marc-Andre Fluery, the Canadiens don't. Vegas will be in the Stanley Cup final. If I'm right, this will be the 10th year in a row that no team from Canada has even been in the Finals. I would personally prefer that a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup, but I don't think it's going to happen this year. Carey Price is as solid as a goaltender can be, even maintaining a better save percentage than Fluery during these playoffs. Both men are likely future hall-of-famers, but I think Fleury is better suited for this time of year.

Jonathan Marchessault leads the Knights with six goals, William Karlsson leads with eight assists and they have better supporting cast with former Canadiens left winger Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone and Alex Pietrangelo.

The Canadiens have been a one-man team with right winger Tyler Toffoli leading in points with 11. He has four goals and seven assists, which leads his team. I find that unsustainable in the playoffs, but I hope I'll be wrong (again).

So, with my prediction of a New York Islanders vs. Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup Final now set in stone, or in this case, a text document that will end up being a story in the newspaper, I'm going with the Knights to win it all. Whatever happens, this is 2021, and after all that we have been through as a country and a world, I'll be happy to see a team holding up the coolest trophy in all of sports at the end of this.

— Devlin can be reached at travis@athensnews-courier.com.