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The Eastern Conference Final gets underway on Tuesday as Carolina takes on Florida.  Our writers make their predictions on who will win the series.

Eastern Conference

Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers

David Woodward predicts: Panthers in 6 games
Kevin Leveille predicts: Hurricanes in 6 games
Norm Szcyrek predicts: Panthers in 5 games
William Shoukri predicts: Hurricanes in 6 games
Allan Katz predicts: Panthers in 7 games
James Turner predicts: Panthers in 6 games
Brian La Rose predicts: Panthers in 6 games

(David) It’s difficult to bet against a complete, deep, and physical team like the defending champion Florida Panthers. When they play that physical game, they are one of the toughest teams to beat in the last decade or more. In goal, they have a clear advantage. While Carolina is by no means undersized, Florida is more physical. Carolina is a deep team, and they should handle the physical play a little better than Tampa or Toronto. However, if the Panthers play their game from the outset of the series, Florida should advance to its third consecutive appearance in the Final.

(Kevin) I find this series difficult to handicap as both teams represent an entirely different challenge for their opponent. The Hurricanes have faced the injury-depleted Devils and then a Capitals team that wasn’t nearly deep enough to challenge them. Now, they face the Panthers who are deep, talented, relatively healthy, and a team that won’t be afraid to challenge the cool and calm nature of the Hurricanes. For the Panthers, they’ve faced two teams in the Lightning and Leafs, who have attempted to out-skill the Panthers. The Cats don’t play that game. They’ll grind it up and grease it up to get around their opponents, but the one time they looked vulnerable was when the Leafs were willing to win battles against them, and that’s all the Hurricanes know how to do. It seems like a bad stylistic matchup for both teams.

On paper, the Panthers definitely have the edge in goal, but everything else is hard to handicap as both teams have considerable skill at the top of their lineup supported by good depth. If Florida can keep it short and get through Andersen, they can take it. But I think Florida has played a ton of hockey over the last three seasons and the Hurricanes’ style wears them out as the series moves along.

(Norm) Carolina plays a highpressure forechecking game that is largely successful. Forwards Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis lead their team with 10 points in this year’s playoffs. Andrei Svechnikov has nine points, including eight goals to trail only Mikko Rantanen in league goal scoring. Veteran netminder Frederik Andersen leads the league with a .937 save percentage and a 1.36 goals against average.

Similar to the Hurricanes, Florida also plays a suffocating style of defence. Head coach Paul Maurice has been hugely successful since joining Florida, guiding the Panthers to win nine of their last 10 playoff series. Forwards Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen lead their squad with 12 points each, followed by Sam Reinhart with 11 points. Marchand was particularly clutch in the Leafs’ Game Seven match, producing three points. When it comes to this third round, I feel the Panthers’ big win in against Toronto will carry forward into the next round to help them get past Carolina to reach the Cup Final.

(William) I think this could finally be the year the Canes exorcise their conference-final demons. I’ve been low on the Panthers all season long, and I’m going to continue to be low, although they haven’t given me too much reason to stick to my guns. That being said, I think Carolina looks sound. Boring hockey is often successful hockey. Andersen has looked unreal, and Carolina has only allowed more than 25 shots once this postseason. Defence wins championships.

(Allan) This should be an incredible series. Neither team has an obvious advantage. Both teams leave bad memories for Hab fans. Which players make your skin crawl more? Florida’s Marchand and Tkachuk or Carolina’s Kotkaniemi and Aho? Personally, I dislike all four players, I despise Marchand and want Tkachuk to get beaten up when he plays the Habs, but I would take either player to play for the Habs in a heartbeat. Kotkaniemi and Aho do not generate the same disdain, but I’d want the other two over these. Panthers beat the Hurricanes 4 to 3.

(James) I refuse to doubt Florida. Outside the losses last round, the Panthers put on some absolute clinics against the Leafs. It was so bad in Games 5 and 7 that the home fans threw Toronto jerseys on the ice. The last time these two teams met in the playoffs, it was a Florida sweep. Carolina has the benefit of rest going in, but the Panthers continue to show that they get the job done when they need to win a game. I think Florida is making their third straight Cup Finals.

(Brian) This pick comes down to recent history.  Carolina wins a round or two and then their lack of offence catches up to them.  They have a solid, feisty team but they’re still lacking in firepower.  Bobrovsky hasn’t been at his best these playoffs but at the same time, I don’t think Andersen can sustain his current level much more, especially against as deep a team as Florida is.  After needing seven to get past Toronto, they’ll only need six this time to get back to the Cup Final.