NHL 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs

[El Canuck]

And as the last buzzer sounded last night, the 2014-2015 NHL season has drawn to a close. It's now time for the 2015 NHL PLAYOFFS BABY! Let's see who's in the lineup this year:

Eastern Conference:

Atlantic Division:

A1: Montreal Canadiens
vs.
W1: Ottawa Senators

A2: Tampa Bay Lightning
vs.
A3: Detroit Red Wings

Metropolitan Division Division:

M1: New York Rangers
vs.
W2: Pittsburgh Penguins

M2: Washington Capitals
vs.
M3: New York Islanders


Western Conference:

Central Division:

C1: St. Louis Blues
vs.
W1: Minnesota Wild

C2: Nashville Predators
vs.
C3: Chicago Blackhawks

Pacific Division:

P1: Anaheim Ducks
vs.
W2: Winnipeg Jets

P2: Vancouver Canucks
vs.
P3: Calgary Flames

The games start on Wednesday, April 15th. Make your predictions, get hyped and enjoy the excitement of the NHL Playoffs.

Interesting trivia:

- This will be the first time Detroit and Tampa have met in the playoffs. Ever.

- Two original six teams missed the playoffs this year. (Toronto and Boston)

- Of the Canadian teams, only two were left out this year (Edmonton and Toronto), compared to last year when only Montreal made it to the playoffs.

- The last time the city of Winnipeg had a team in the playoffs it was the original Jets and the year was 1996. Nineteen years ago.

- The current Winnipeg Jets franchise has only made the post season once and it was as the Atlanta Thrashers. They were swept and as a result, have yet to win a single playoff game. The only team with such a dismal record are the Columbus Blue Jackets, who got their first playoff win last year against Pittsburgh.

- The last time that Calgary made the playoffs was 2009. The last time they met the Canucks in the playoffs was 2004, a first round series which Calgary won at 4-3. (They went on to the finals, losing to Tampa)

- With yet another season in the books, the Edmonton Oilers continue to hold the league record amongst current franchises for the longest playoff drought at nine seasons.

- The last time the New York Islanders won a playoff series was 1993, when they beat: The Washington Capitals. This was also their first series win in the playoffs since 1987, when they beat: The Washington Capitals.

- The Isles and Caps have met in the playoffs five times, all between 1983 and 1993, in all five instances the Islanders won. (Let's hope that streak continues.)

- This is the first time either Winnipeg franchise has played the Ducks (Mighty or otherwise) in the playoffs.

- The last time the St. Louis Blues were in Minnesota for a playoff series was in 1990, when they lost to the Minnesota North Stars (Now Dallas) in six games.

- Nashville have played Chicago in the playoffs only one other time in the franchises history, in a 4-2 Quarterfinals loss in 2010.

[El Canuck]

My playoff predictions:

Eastern Conference:

Atlantic Division:

A1: Montreal Canadiens
4-2
W1: Ottawa Senators
The Sens fought quite valiantly for their playoff berth, but I have to wonder if they've expended all their energy just getting there. The Habs have a very strong team this year and I have a hard time betting on the Sens to beat them.

A2: Tampa Bay Lightning
4-1
A3: Detroit Red Wings
The Wings, while doing well enough to make the playoffs, have been felt...Meh. This is a city (or cities, really, as the Red Wing fanbase seems to be half Detroit, half Windsor, Ontario) that's spoiled by the Red Wings ability to seemingly always make the playoffs. I don't think either one will be energised enough to carry on very far.

Metropolitan Division Division:

M1: New York Rangers
4-1
W2: Pittsburgh Penguins
LC might declare blasphemy for this prediction, but the Pens are a very sore, tired, beat-up, injury addled team right now. Their limp to the playoffs only goes to further that point. Unless they can muster something special, this power-surging Rangers team are just going to mow over them.

M2: Washington Capitals
4-3
M3: New York Islanders
Erring with cautious optimism here. I'd love to see the Isles beat the Caps, but as has been pointed out elsewhere, the Isles haven't had the best time of things coming in to the last half of the season. They went from owning the Metro division to barely staying above the wildcard spots. Now some think that they may be just taking it easy until the big dance with the Caps and I hope that's the case. They need to be healthy and hungry coming into this series on Wednesday.


Western Conference:

Central Division:

C1: St. Louis Blues
4-3
W1: Minnesota Wild
The Wild were the miracle team last year and dammit, I think they're going to do it again this year. They've got spunk and I'm going to make them my boldest prediction.

C2: Nashville Predators
4-2
C3: Chicago Blackhawks
The Preds don't exactly have a hopeful history in the playoffs and starting off against the Blackhawks isn't going to help their cause. I'm calling the Hawks in this one.

Pacific Division:

P1: Anaheim Ducks
4-2
W2: Winnipeg Jets
I'm feeling certain that the Jets are going to do alright in their first playoff appearance in this franchise's incarnation. Alright in that they're going to give the Ducks a bit of a fight and inspire hope for seasons to come. Not predicting any surprise win here.

P2: Vancouver Canucks
4-3
P3: Calgary Flames
Calling Calgary in this one, they've been playing harder than the Canucks, who seem to be coasting along. But I'm calling it a drawn out series, at that.

[LondonChick62]

Then again, I may not stab you for choosing the Rangers. It's been a rough ass time for us in the Burgh this year. Then again, anything can happen. Long as #71, #87 and #29 are out there and healthy, we may have a chance. Maybe.

[LondonChick62]

Penguins against Rangers this Thursday at 7:00 pm, next Saturday at 8:00 pm; April 20 at 7:00 pm and April 22 at 7:00 pm. Where we go from there is yet to be determined.

[LondonChick62]

HERE WE GO!

Playoffs officially kick off tonight!

4/15 Games

Ottawa at Montreal 7:00 PM
NY Islanders at Washington 7:00 PM
Chicago at Nashville 8:30 PM
Calgary at Vancouver 10:00 PM

[El Canuck]

Isles and Caps I shall be watching.

[LondonChick62]

Isles and Caps I shall be watching.

Please, for the love of all things holy, let tonight be the first Isles beat the Craps.

(I can't stand them either.)

[El Canuck]

It shall be a roaring good time either way I figure. The Isles are happy to see the post season again for the first time in several years.

[El Canuck]

It's time! Isles and Caps in Washington, let's get it started!

[El Canuck]

Brock Nelson starts off with a goal for the Isles! Only six minutes into the first.

[El Canuck]

A quick check on things in Montreal reveals that the Sens are off to an early lead at 1-0, five minutes left in the first there. No change in Isles/Caps, just four minutes to go in the first there.

[El Canuck]

Shit, Caps scored near the end of the first to tie it up going into the first intermission.

[El Canuck]

Isles are up 3-1 at the halfway point of the 2nd!

[El Canuck]

Habs and Sens are tied at about the same point in their game. They are both fighting hard out there.

[El Canuck]

And just like that Montreal get the go-ahead goal. 3-2 over there.

[El Canuck]

Sens tie it again with time to go in the 2nd.

[El Canuck]

Montreal get up a goal yet again at the top of the 3rd. Isles are holding their 3-1 lead, currently killing a penalty. And in the big blowout of the night, Nashville are up 3-0 on Chicago after just ONE period.

[El Canuck]

Isles with an empty netter with just north of a minute to go in the 3rd. It's now 4-1.

[El Canuck]

ISLES WIN GAME 1!!!~

Chicago is fighting back, 3-2 over there. Meanwhile, Sens are unable to even the score with time ticking down, they're only a goal off, but they're running out of chances.

[LondonChick62]

4/16 Round 1 Games

Pittsburgh at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Detroit at Tampa Bay 7:30 PM
Minnesota at St. Louis 9:30 PM
Winnipeg at Anaheim 10:30 PM