Hall is a threat every time on the ice. He's established NHL career highs in goals, assists, points and power-play points. The idea of having an opportunity to participate in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in his eight NHL seasons is just the motivation he needs to elevate his game one more notch on the biggest stage of his career.

The New Jersey Devils will win the Stanley Cup because they have balanced scoring led by Taylor Hall and a goaltender in Keith Kinkaid who's playing the best hockey of his career.

Kinkaid has been a tower of strength at a time when he was needed most, becoming the first Devils backup goalie to win at least 20 games since Scott Clemmensen (25) in 2008-09. Kinkaid has made the big saves in the key moments down the stretch.

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Kyle Palmieri, Miles Wood, Brian Boyle, Stefan Noesen, Brian Gibbons and Travis Zajac, and rookies Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Blake Coleman give New Jersey one of the best-balanced offenses in the playoffs. Zajac has centered a solid checking unit with Coleman and Noesen that has been able to shut down many of the NHL's top offensive lines.

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Defensively, captain Andy Greene and Sami Vatanen have formed a solid shutdown pair. Rookie Will Butcher, 23, who quarterbacks the power play, set team records for most assists and points in a season by a rookie defenseman and is primed for his first NHL postseason.

Coach John Hynes has pushed all the right buttons, knowing when to bench players, how to manage ice time and what to do in the absence of forward Marcus Johansson (concussion) for all but 29 games this season.