Quick Glance:

In any series, variables like hot goaltending, penalties, injuries and luck can undo strategy and skill. The Zurich Lions will need all those variables if they hope to upset the hottest team you can imagine in the Munich Red Bulls. They are on a 24-game win streak. Unreal. That hot goaltender variable will be up to the Lions’ Stuart Skinner and if you look at his 3.16 goals against average, you’re thinking just maybe it could happen. Just don’t look at his playoff stats from the last two times the Lions made the playoffs. Not very good.

Goalies:

• Zurich – Stuart Skinner, 3.16 GAA, .891 save pct.
• Munich – Alex Nedeljkovic, 2.32 GAA, .920 save pct.

Top Plus/Minus players:

• Zurich – Mikey Anderson, +7
• Munich – Cale Makar, +41

Expert Panel Predictions:

• Commissioner Chuck: Munich in 5 games. Even if Zurich is able to chip away some of the confidence Munich has built in the last two months, there will still be plenty left over. Earlier this season, the Red Bulls had a strong foursome on defense that seemed to make the goalie and forwards look even better than they are, and then they added Shayne Gostisbehere to make a strong blueline corps even stronger. I think the Lions are going to look confused and lost out there most of the series.
• Rose: Zurich in 7 games. Everyone points to the fact this series involves the top team in the league and the number 15 team and they automatically assume the Red Bulls will win. But Zurich and Munich are much more alike than you’d think. The city names, I mean. The last three letters are identical and the second letter in both is the letter u. That spells a close series. And my advice to Munich is don’t take the line of Mark Stone, Brayden Point and Alexander Polunin lightly. Polunin is a much better shooter than he’s shown this season and if he suddenly clicks, he could turn the series. Remember that all good things must come to an end, especially when Munich is involved, as my father used to say.