Welcome to your Hockey WineUp Weekend Watch! It’s Day 8 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs (Saturday, April 26th, 2025), and the first week has certainly delivered some fireworks on the ice! The question on our minds, though, is how are the official Hockey WineUp wine predictions holding up amidst all the action?
Ready? Let’s Go!
But first, let’s take a look at the weekend schedule!
Your Weekend Playoff Viewing Guide!
Get ready for a massive weekend of playoff hockey – perfect spring weather for settling in with a great bottle! Here’s the lineup (All times EDT):
Saturday, April 26th:
- 1:00 PM: Sunshine State Showdown! Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (Game 3)
- 4:00 PM: Port vs. Port Power Play! Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild (Game 3)
- 7:00 PM: Battle of Ontario! Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators (Game 4)
- 9:30 PM: Pacific Power vs. Central Skill! Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars (Game 3)
Sunday, April 27th:
- 1:00 PM: Central Division Clash! Winnipeg Jets vs. St. Louis Blues (Game 4)
- 3:30 PM: Metropolitan Division Mayhem! Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils (Game 4)
- 6:30 PM: First vs. Worst? Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals (Game 4)
- 9:30 PM: Hollywood vs. High-Octane North! L.A. Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers (Game 4)
It’s spring, the temperature is rising on and off the ice, and with eight fantastic playoff games lined up, this weekend might just be peak hockey and wine enjoyment!
HWU Prediction Watch: How Are We Doing?
Eastern Conference:
Matchup 1: First vs. Worst? – Capitals vs. Canadiens:
- HWU Prediction: Saint-Roch Côtes du Roussillon Corbarol 2022 (Montreal).
- Status: Our Corbarol prediction is currently trailing 2-1 against Washington’s steady Taylor Fladgate 10-Year-Old Tawny Port. After Montreal’s exciting win fueled by the electric Bell Centre crowd Friday night, can they tie the series before it heads back to Washington?
Matchup 2: Battle of Ontario – Maple Leafs vs. Senators:
- HWU Prediction: Bachelder ‘Les Villages’ Pinot Noir (Toronto).
- Status: Seems Bachelder’s delicious and accessible Niagara Pinot has Toronto rolling, leading 3-0 with a chance to close out the series tonight!
Matchup 3: Sunshine State Showdown – Lightning vs. Panthers:
- HWU Prediction: Sicus ‘Cru Marí’ 2011 (Tampa Bay). (Using refined name)
- Status: Florida’s delightful Rivarose Sparkling Rosé holds a 2-0 lead as the series heads to Sunrise. Can Tampa Bay’s complex Sicus Cava channel some defiant Catalan spirit to stay alive?
Matchup 4: Metropolitan Division Mayhem – Hurricanes vs. Devils:
- HWU Prediction: Domaine Pyrène Côtes de Gascogne ‘Cuvée Marine’ (Carolina).
- Status: This prediction is holding up, with the zesty ‘Cuvée Marine’ and the Canes leading the series 2-1.
Western Conference:
Matchup 1: Central Division Clash – Jets vs. Blues:
- HWU Prediction: Churchill’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port (Winnipeg).
- Status: The HWU Champion Churchill’s Tawny has Winnipeg leading 2-1, but St. Louis is pushing back hard at home and looking to tie things up.
Matchup 2: Port vs. Port Power Play – Golden Knights vs. Wild:
- HWU Prediction: Real Companhia Velha Vintage Port 2007 (Minnesota).
- Status: In this intriguing matchup of two fine Vintage Ports, our predicted RCV 2007 currently holds a 2-1 lead for the Wild.
Matchup 3: Pacific Power vs. Central Skill – Stars vs. Avalanche:
- HWU Prediction: Le Mont Sec 2019 Domaine Huet Vouvray (Colorado).
- Status: The brilliant Huet Vouvray, though made for aging, currently finds Colorado down 2-1. Game 3 is tonight – can they tie the series before heading back to Dallas?
Matchup 4: Hollywood vs. High-Octane North – Kings vs. Oilers:
- HWU Prediction: Imperial Rioja Gran Reserva 2012 (L.A. Kings).
- Status: The classy Imperial Rioja has L.A. up 2-1, but a risky coaching challenge has given the Oilers some life.
Weekend Watch Wrap
So there you have it, folks! Eight playoff series are in full swing, and the Hockey WineUp predictions (based purely on the wine pairings, of course!) are currently holding at 5 correct picks out of 8. There’s still a lot of hockey left to play this weekend and beyond.
Enjoy the games, sip responsibly, and cheers to the excitement of playoff hockey!
© 2025 Nicholas Shalagan and Hockey WineUp. All rights reserved. Hockey WineUp is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NHL or its teams.
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