It’s my Parting Shot for Part 1 of two of The Fearless Predictor’s Stanley Cup playoffs opening round picks and forecast for who will be the champion…..

My Cup-winning prediction will come in Part 2 tomorrow. Today, with all four opening round match-ups determined, it’s a look at the Western Conference quarter-finals…

…starting with Winnipeg and St. Louis. Despite what Google says, this will be the third meeting in the first round of the playoffs between the Jets and Blues. Winnipeg has yet to beat St. Louis in a series, losing in six games in 2019 and falling in four games in a best-of-five opening round series back in 1981 when it was the Jets 1.0 franchise that is know in Utah! I’m wary of a team that has been as good as any down the stretch and has a rejuvenated roster in front of a really good goaltender, as proven during the Four Nations Challenge, in Jordan Binnington. Which Connor Hellebuyck shows up in goal for Winnipeg in this series? The sieve from last year against Colorado or the great regular-season, Vezina Trophy puck-stopper from the last number of years?! I’m going with the Jets in six games!!

Next up, Vegas and Minnesota. This is the time of year when the Golden Knights have really shone since coming into existence in 2017. I expect the Wild will start with Filip Gustavsson in goal, but will wind up using Marc-Andre Fleury in his swan song in the league as this series will be done in five games with Vegas prevailing!

The best series will be Dallas against Colorado. This one is a coin flip. The Stars have stumbled down the stretch, the Avalanche have grossly underachieved all season – in my humble opinion. So, which team wakes up and puts it together in this set?! I’m saying Colorado in seven games!!

That leaves, yawn, a fourth straight Edmonton versus L-A Kings series! Enough already!! This match-up tells me the N-H-L needs to change their playoff format – but it won’t happen. As much as I want the Kings to finally win a series over the Oilers, I find it hard to pick against Edmonton with two of the best five players in the world in their line-up in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. I’m going with the Oilers in six games, but I really want it to be L-A in four or five!!

Eastern Conference first round picks go tomorrow, along with my Stanley Cup final and winner predictions!

That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!