By the time the Eastern Conference Final Will Be Over, The Rangers Will Be Singing "That's What I Like About The South."
The Maven predicts that this titillating Blueshirts-Panthers tournament will terminate in Game 6 in Beautiful Downtown Sunrise, down among the sheltering palms.
Although the four-games-to-two Rangers edge will approximate the recently completed six-gamer over Carolina, its complexion will be vastly different. Here's why:
1. GOALTENDING: Florida's Sergei Bobrovsky is better than the two stiffs who cost Carolina the Metropolitan Division Final.
2. DEFENSE: Because he plays next to a coconut grove, defenseman Aaron Ekblad never gets anything near the attention heaped on Adam Fox, but Blady is just as good; maybe better.
3. OFFENSE: Granted that Florida lacks anything resembling the Blueshirts Breadman Panarin and his Maestro Of Murderer's Row, Chris Kreider, still I wouldn't sneeze at Matthew Tkachuk nor Sam Reinhart, for that matter.
4. LEADERSHIP: Aleksander Barkov has done a heckuva lot of heavy lifting for his team and his ability to do so is why he wears the "C." But firebrand Matthew Tkachuk is right up there to push his mates and has given the Cats a new identity. The New Yorkers get their inspiration from many, starting with captain Jake Trouba and hotshot Breadman Panarin.
5. COACHING: Paul Maurice is better than Rod Brind'Amour on the best day Brindy ever had. As a matter of fact – style-wise and personality-wise, you'd think that Mo and Peter Laviolette were first cousins. They're top-tier on every level.
6. THE HIGH COMMAND: Florida's Bill Zito was a finalist for GM of the year for two out of the last three previous years. Both BZ and Chris Drury have built potential Cup-winners; only the Cats won't cop it this June.
Yet, despite all my Panther-raving right this minute it's hard to believe that last October The Hockey News Yearbook picked the Cats to finish a dismal, non-playoff sixth behind Toronto (Ugh!), Tampa Bay, Boston, Buffalo and Ottawa.
THE TIE-BREAKER: I love the possibilities this series presents but I know the Rangers will win for one primary reason: Depth. Hence, Rangers in six!