Quick Glance:
Mathew Barzal and Lisbon will be the first to find out if Calvin Pickard still has what it takes to push the Smurfs through the playoffs. He is penciled in as the starter for Game 1. After being the main man in Berlin for a decade and getting the team into 7 Cup finals – and winning 3 of them – Pickard spent this season watching more than playing. But the 33-year-old goalie understood Coach Adam Oates’ long-term plan. With young Ilya Samsonov getting 60 games worth of experience, Berlin had a sub-par season. But if Berlin doesn’t improve quickly, they could be in trouble. Barzal will be a handful for the Smurfs. The shifty forward was spectacular with 40 goals and 107 points. Only Connor McDavid scored more.
Goalies:
- Lisbon – Robin Lehner, 3.52 GAA, .887 save pct.
- Berlin – Calvin Pickard, 3.16 GAA, .887 save pct.
Top Plus/Minus players:
- Lisbon – Josh Morrissey +34
- Berlin – Jan Kovac +30
Expert Panel Predictions:
- Commissioner Chuck: Berlin in 4 games. I don’t see how you can bet against the Smurfs. I get the feeling they weren’t even trying in the regular season. They only had two players in the Top 50 in plus/minus, but look for them to have 7 or more on that list for the playoffs.
- Rose: Lisbon in 6 games. Berlin’s training stunts are catching up to them. I can already hear them breathing heavily while trying to catch the likes of Trevor Zegras and John Marino; and I can smell the alcohol on their breath. I have full faith in Lisbon Coach Kris Knoblauch and his staff to find and exploit the holes in Berlin’s game.
