NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

[PatowalongaPirate]

Plenty of intriguing match ups. It all starts tomorrow, Go Penguins.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Tampa Bay vs New Jersey
Neither of these teams reached the playoffs a year ago, but get here in 2018 with much different expectations. While the Devils have exceeded all expectations, the Lightning were a popular pre-season pick to win the Stanley Cup and got out ahead early with a red-hot start. The Lightning hold a 16-point advantage in the standings, but is their defense vulnerable to New Jersey’s attack?

Boston vs Toronto
The Maple Leafs were the seventh-best team in the NHL this season, but draw a huge test in Round 1 with the Boston Bruins, the fourth-best team league-wide and one that dominated the competition in the second half. The Maple Leafs will remember in horror their 2013 series versus Boston, which went seven games and ended with the Leafs blowing a 4-1 lead and falling in OT. Both teams have Stanley Cup hopes in 2018 and this figures to be a great back-and-forth series as a rivalry is reborn.

Washington vs Columbus
The Blue Jackets rested all of their top players in their last game of the season and the ensuing loss locked them into a series with the Metro Division champion Washington Capitals. Both of these teams have playoff demons to exorcise. Washington, which went all in last season and lost all sorts of depth in the summer, still has not gotten past Round 2 in the Alex Ovechkin era. Columbus, meanwhile, has yet to win a playoff round at all in franchise history, but has iced its best squads the past two seasons.

Pittsburgh vs Philadelphia
The back-to-back champs are trying to become the first three-peat winners since the great Islanders dynasty of the 1980s and their first test are their in-state rivals from Philadelphia, a city that has already won a Super Bowl and NCAA basketball championship this season. The last time these two played in the post-season was 2012 and if this series is anything like that one, we’re in for a treat. Goals were going in all over the place in that six-game series and, since both sides have goaltending concerns, the table is set for more excitement.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Nashville vs Colorado
Last year’s Western Conference champion, Nashville returns deeper and more talented than it was a season ago. The NHL’s most complete team from top to bottom and from the net out, the Preds matchup against one of the best stories from this season as Colorado rebounded from a salary cap-era worst 48 points. If an upset were to happen here, it would be the biggest of Round 1, but in Nathan MacKinnon, the Avalanche have the best player in this series.

Winnipeg vs Minnesota
Canada’s other and possibly best Cup hope, the Winnipeg Jets finally came together after years of cautious build up from GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. Still searching for their first post-season win since coming back to Winnipeg, the Jets draw a geographic rival in Minnesota in Round 1, a team that has cooled down the stretch.

Vegas vs Los Angeles
Vegas’ incredible first season has brought it to its first test as a playoff team and Pacific Division champion. In Round 1, the Golden Knights face a stiff test against the Los Angeles Kings who, while they’ve won just a single playoff game in the past three years, won two Stanley Cups between 2012 and 2014. Will Vegas’ Cinderella run end early, or is this the beginning of something even more special?

Anaheim vs San Jose
Two conference powerhouses meet right off the bat, with the Ducks reaching two of the past three West finals and the Sharks getting to the Cup final just two years ago. Both teams have heated up since the trade deadline, though injuries to some key players (Cam Fowler for Anaheim, Joe Thornton for San Jose) means both will lean a little more on their depth. Either of these teams could potentially come out of the West, but will have to survive a tough series right out of the gate.

[Jim05]

My favourite time of the year.
Maybe this year is finally it for my beloved Capitals after years of pain

[PatowalongaPirate]

Pittsburgh go bang.

7-0 in Game 1.

[PatowalongaPirate]

Results after Game 1, Home team named first :

* Winnipeg 3 - 2 Minnesota

* Pittsburgh 7 - 0 Philadelphia

* Vegas 1 - 0 Los Angeles

* Tampa 5 - 2 New Jersey

* Boston 5 - 1 Toronto

* Washington 3 - 4 Columbus (O/T)

* Nashville 5 - 2 Colorado

* Anaheim 0 - 3 San Jose

Pittsburgh, Winnipeg, and Vegas all hosting Game 2 today.

[PatowalongaPirate]

Current series results -

Pittsburgh leads Philadelphia 3-1 heading back to Pittsburgh.

Tampa Bay leads New Jersey 3-1 heading back to Tampa.

Nashville leads Colorado 3-1 heading back to Nashville.

Boston leads Toronto 2-1 with game 4 in Toronto tomorrow.

Columbus leads Washington 2-1 with game 4 in Columbus tomorrow.

Winnipeg leads Minnesota 3-1 heading back to Winnipeg.

San Jose have swept Anaheim 4-0.

Vegas have swept Los Angeles 4-0.

[PatowalongaPirate]

Boston now lead Toronto 3-1 and are heading back to home ice tomorrow.

Washington squared their series 2-2 against Columbus yesterday. The first 3 games in this series went to O/T and all 4 games have been won by the visiting team. This series now heads back to Washington.

The Penguins are looking to close out against Philly this morning, and later today Nashville also get a chance to eliminate the Avalanche.

Winnipeg are currently dispatching Minnesota into the off season.

[Jim05]

Real gritty win by Philly to stay alive. Couturier with the long slapper which took a wicked deflection late on was the GWG. Sid had a decent chance to equalise in the final minute but a fair save from Neuvirth

[PatowalongaPirate]

Gritty and annoying.

[Jim05]

Nicky boy wins it for the Caps in OT to take a 3-2 lead. We were lucky not to lose in regulation as Columbus battered us in the final period and only some stellar work from Holtby kept them out

[Jim05]

Pens rally from 4-2 down to beat the Flyers 8-5 and win the series 4-2. Jake Guentzel with 4 consecutive goals including 2 in 10 seconds

[MatteeG]

Pens rally from 4-2 down to beat the Flyers 8-5 and win the series 4-2. Jake Guentzel with 4 consecutive goals including 2 in 10 seconds

Was a crazy sequence!

[PatowalongaPirate]

Pens rally from 4-2 down to beat the Flyers 8-5 and win the series 4-2. Jake Guentzel with 4 consecutive goals including 2 in 10 seconds

Was a crazy sequence!

The scoring power of Pittsburgh is what makes them so dangerous. People were quick to write us off but the Threepeat is on.

Having Letang in this playoffs side makes us better than last season I reckon.

[Jim05]

Caps beat the Jackets 6-3 to win the series 4-2 after dropping the first 2 games. We have yet another meeting with the Pens now.
Leafs levelled their series 3-3 with the Bruins and head back to Boston for the decider

[PatowalongaPirate]

Pittsburgh go 1-0 up in Washington. Trailing by 2-0 in the third period the Pens reeled off 3 goals in 4:49 to win 3-2.

Vegas pound San Jose 7-0 to take the series lead in Game 1.

Tomorrow sees Winnipeg travel to Nashville for Game 1 of their series.

Sunday morning will see Boston on the road in Tampa for Game 1.

[PatowalongaPirate]

Boston go bang in Tampa and pound the Lightning in Game 1 of their series 6-2.

Yesterday Winnipeg won away in Nashville 4-1 to win the first game of their series.

Vegas are looking to go 2-0 up in their series against San Jose. Currently 2-2 in the second period.

[PatowalongaPirate]

Sharks get it done 4-3 in Double O/T.

Series locked at 1-1 heading to San Jose.

[Jim05]

Caps locked it up at 1-1 heading to Pittsburgh with a controversial 4-1 win. Started strongly and pummelled the Pens in the opening period and only Murray kept it from being more than 2-0 at the break. Second period Caps jumped out to 3-0 but Pittsburgh upped the ante and dominated to claw one back. Final period was all Pittsburgh early and they looked to have pulled another back only to ruled no goal despite looking good IMO. Backstrom fired into the EN with the clock winding down to finish it.

[PatowalongaPirate]

Tampa draw level in their series vs the Bruins. Heading to Boston at 1-1.

[Jim05]

Ovi with the late winner as the Caps defeated the Pens 4-3 in Pittsburgh to take a 2-1 series lead.

Jets came from 3-0 down to defeat the Preds 7-4 and take a 2-1 series lead

[PatowalongaPirate]

Pittsburgh get it done 3-1 against the Capitals today to square the series at 2-2. Good contest this one.

The puck just dropped in Winnipeg for game 4 with the Jets leading Nashville 2 games to 1.

Boston host Tampa tomorrow in game 4, Lightning lead the series 2-1.

San Jose and Vegas are locked at 2 games each heading back to Sin City tomorrow.