Stanley Cup Playoffs: Conference final X factors, predictions

The conference final round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs is upon us, and just as everyone predicted, it’s the Carolina Hurricanes matching up with the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference, with the Vegas Golden Knights squaring off against the Dallas Stars in the West.

There is no shortage of superstar wattage on display — with future Hall of Famers skating in each series — nor an absence of captivating storylines.

To help get you up to speed before the puck drops on Game 1 of the East matchup Thursday night, we’re bringing you a mega-preview, breaking down each team in five different categories and offering our predictions on which clubs will head to the Stanley Cup Final.

Note: Kristen Shilton previewed the Eastern Conference teams, while Ryan S. Clark previewed the two clubs from the West.

Jump to:
CAR | FLA
VGK | DAL

Eastern Conference

How they got here: Defeated New York Islanders, 4-2; defeated New Jersey Devils, 4-1.

Goalie confidence rating: 8/10

Carolina’s goaltending has been (mostly) superb in the postseason. The lone exception was Game 3 against the Devils, when Frederik Andersen was pulled after giving up four goals on 12 shots.

That blemish aside, the Hurricanes’ crease has been well maintained. Andersen is 5-0 (since his Game 3 replacement — rookie Pyotr Kochetkov — was tagged with the Game 3 loss), with a .931 save percentage, while Antti Raanta is 3-2 with a .906 SV%. Carolina boasts a dialed-in defense (more on them later), which helps the team’s goaltending shine, but the Hurricanes should have no concerns in that area heading into the next round.

What we’ve learned about this team so far

It’s easy to preach about the importance of balance and playing as the coveted “five-man unit” attacking the opposition on all…