BUFFALO, NY -- Will this be the Sabres' year? Can the Sabres defy the odds that have plagued most President's Trophy winning teams in previous years? The Red Wings won the SimNet 1 President's Trophy last season, but lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Nashville Predators. In 2016-2017, the Islanders won the league's President's Trophy, but lost in the semifinals to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion, Washington Capitals.

 

My Series Prediction: Sabres over Oilers 4-3

 

That's right, the Sabres defy the odds and win both the President's trophy as the league's top team at season's end and the Cup in the same year, but it won't be a walk in the park. With game one already in the books and going to the Oilers, it doesn't look like it'll be easy for the Sabres, but I also don't see them giving up any ground without a fight. My MVP in the playoffs for the Sabres to this point is John Gibson. He's been playing a lot of lights out hockey between the pipes with a GAA under two and a .935 save percentage. It's hard to believe that he's putting up those numbers and both the Sabres' first and second round series went to a Game seven. However, on the other side of the puck, you have Mike Smith for the Oilers. "Smitty" has been playing lights out himself with a GAA of 1.69 and a save percentage of .946 following a Game one victory over the Sabres. 

 

The storyline in the SimNet 1 Stanley Cup Finals will center around the goalies. It'll be both interesting and fun to see what happens in the Finals. The Sabres and Oilers are both solid teams top to bottom. I like the two goalie approach the Oilers have used to this point in the playoffs. The goaltending tandem of Mike Smith and Reto Berra has helped propel the Oilers to the Finals. Smith was stellar in Game one of the Finals stopping 33 of 34 shots for a .971 save percentage and stealing a game from the Sabres. Can Smith and the Oilers succeed in their run for Lord Stanley and overcome the Buffalo Sabres or can the Sabres break the curse? We shall see as the Finals move from Buffalo to Edmonton following Game two.