NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Update
Just before the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs began, there were two teams from each conference that were the favorites. Out West it would most likely be the Vancouver Canucks but if not, the St. Louis Blues also looked good for going to the Finals. In the East it would be either Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, even though neither held the number one stats to prove such a theory. Now, early in Round Three, none of those four teams are left. And it’s really anyone’s guess as to who’s to move on next.
No one’s been more surprising in the league than the Los Angeles Kings. They nearly swept the number one team in the league, the Vancouver Canucks, in the first round, defeating them in just five games. Moving on they then faced the other tough team in their conference — St. Louis, and that was a series in which they did in fact, get their sweep. Now facing the Phoenix Coyotes, they’ve already won the first game of Round Three and the two will face off against each other again tomorrow night.
The Phoenix Coyotes have had an easier run at the Cup, only needing to defeat the fourth, fifth, and sixth-seeded teams to get this far. Still, they took the Chicago Blackhawks in six games, and the Nashville Predators in just five. If anyone’s up to the challenge of knocking the Kings out of the running, they’ve definitely proven why they’re the ones.
In the East, things are just as chaotic with the New Jersey Devils, who had a fairly boring regular season and are on the rebound from not making the playoffs last year. Now they’ve made it to the third round and are facing the best team in the East, the New York Rangers. New Jersey’s post-season has been anything but boring. It took them the full seven to beat the Panthers in Roune One, yet they took out Philadelphia (remember, that team that had such a tough time beating the Penguins?) in just five games. Do they have what it takes to beat the Rangers? Hockey fans will find out tonight when the two face off for their first game.
Take out the top four favorite teams going into the playoffs, and you’re left with the Rangers to win. The top-ranked team in their division, and just a couple points shy of the Canucks’ season total. But, the road to Round Three has been anything but easy.
In Round One they faced the Ottawa Senators — a seemingly easy matchup between the first and eight-ranked team in the Eastern conference. But the Sens nearly dealt the Rangers an early blow, taking the series to seven games before the Rangers finally were the ones to emerge and move on to Round Two. There they faced the Washington Capitals, another seemingly easy series win, this time against the seventh-ranked team. Again the Rangers seem unprepared for the challenge, with another Game 7 being played at Madison Square Garden. Will the sixth-ranked team prove to be just as much of a challenge? We’ll see tonight in their game against the Devils.
Are you surprised by the teams in Round Three? Who do you think will go to the Finals?
Categorized in: NHL