The Toronto Maple Leafs are now the favourites to win the team’s first championship since 1967, according to FanDuel Sportsbook
, fresh off winning their first playoff series in nearly two decades. Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers are also favoured to come out of the West in another bid to end Canada’s 30-year Cup drought.
“I think the second round in some ways is almost the prime time, because you still have the interest of the entire hockey world,” said veteran coach Paul Maurice, whose Florida Panthers knocked off the Bruins in seven games and next face the Maple Leafs. “Sometimes two months later, people fall off when it comes down to two cities, right? But now, everybody’s still watching.”Fans in Toronto chanted, “We want Florida!” after the Leafs beat the Lightning in Game 6.
Carolina will face the winner of the first-round finale: Game 7 between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils late Monday.Like the Maple Leafs, Dallas gets home ice thanks to a first-round upset after defeating Minnesota to move on to the second round. The Stars have one of the best goaltenders left in the field: Jake Oettinger, who had a .929 save percentage against the Wild.
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