NHL Playoffs: Top Eastern Conference Storylines
Comments (4)
Alexander Semin leads the top-seed Capitals against the Rangers (Bridget Samuels, Creative Commons)
Here are the shorelines to look out for in a first round where each team has a good chance to advance:
(1) Washington vs. (8) New York Rangers
Regular Season Winner: 3-1 Rangers
Top Scorers
- Washington - LW Alex Ovechkin (32 G, 53 A), LW Alexander Semin (28 G, 25 A), C Nicklas Backstrom (18 G, 47 A)
- NY Rangers - C Brandon Dubinsky (24 G, 30 A), RW Marian Gaborik (22 G, 26 A)
Storyline: The Capitals claimed the Southeast Division title and a top three seed for the fourth consecutive season, but the team has not reached the Eastern Conference Finals since 1998. Ovechkin, who has 23 points in his last 17 games after struggling earlier in the season, and his squad will try to change that this postseason. They will first have to defeat a Rangers team that has had its number in the four regular season matchups.
New York defeated the Caps 6-0 in Washington on February 25, but now the Rangers are without 23-goal scorer Ryan Callahan, who is out with a fractured leg. Washington turned around from that embarrassing effort in February to finish its season with a record of 17-3-1. The question is, which Capitals team will show up this series? The one that has dominated the months of April and March and has a chance to overwhelm New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist, or the one that was looked downtrodden and humiliated by the Rangers in 7-0 and 6-0 shutout losses earlier this year?
(2) Philadelphia vs. (7) Buffalo
Regular Season: 2-2
Top Scorers
- Philadelphia - C Jeff Carter (36 G, 30 A), C Danny Briere (34 G, 34 A), RW Claude Giroux (25 G, 51 A)
- Buffalo - LW Thomas Vanek (32 G, 41 A), RW Drew Stafford (31 G, 21 A)
Storyline: The Sabres are right along with the Capitals as a hot late season team, finishing with a record of 13-4-2. They'll go up against a Flyers team on the opposite end of the momentum spectrum, as Philly went 7-8-6 in their last 21 games.
The matchup to watch will be to see if Ryan Miller can shut down a deep Philadelphia offense. The Flyers boast eight players with 15 goals or more, the most of any team in the Eastern Conference. But the veteran Miller has led the team on its hot streak, with a 2.18 goals-against average and .931 save percentage in his last 21 appearances.
(3) Boston vs. (6) Montreal
Regular Season Winner: 4-2 Montreal
Top Scorers
- Boston - LW Milan Lucic (30 G, 32 A), RW Nathan Horton (26, 27 assists)
- Montreal - RW Brian Gionta (29 G, 17 A), C Tomas Plekanec (22 goals, 35 assists)
Storyline: The two teams meet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 33rd time in their venerable rivalry. There is no shortage of animosity between these two teams after the Zdeno Chara incident, which could make for a very physical series between the two Northeast Division teams.
But when the fisticuffs end, the focus will turn to the battle between the opposing goaltenders. Boston's Tim Thomas (.938) and Montreal's Carey Price (.923) had the two best save percentages among Eastern goaltenders with more than 25 starts. Thomas is surrounded by a strong defense that features Zdeno Chara and Andrew Ference, while Price is defended well by Roman Hamrlik, P.K. Subban, Jaroslav Spacek and Hal Gill. Expect a low-scoring series, where every goal counts even more.
(4) Pittsburgh vs. (5) Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Center Steven Stamkos (Resolute, Creative Commons)
Regular Season: 2-2
Top Scorers
- Pittsburgh - C Sidney Crosby (32 G, 34 A), LW Chris Kunitz (23 G, 25 A), RW Tyler Kennedy (21 G, 24 A)
- Tampa Bay - C Steven Stamkos (45 G, 46 A), RW Martin St. Louis (31 G, 68 A)
Storyline: While the Penguins are focused on this first-round series, they're also keeping an eye on a possible return for Sidney Crosby, by far the league leader is goals per game (0.78) and points per game (1.61). "Sid" has been out with a concussion since January 5, coincidentally a game against Tampa Bay. If Crosby returns this series, it greatly improves Pittsburgh's chances.
With Crosby and Evgeni Malkin out, the offensive firepower belongs to Tampa Bay, which features the East's leading goal scorer in Stamkos and the conference's top assist man in St. Louis, each on separate lines. The pressure will be on Pittsburgh's top four defenders: Kris Letang, Paul Martin, Brooks Orpik and Zbynek Michalek to shut down the Lightning's top two lines in front of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.
Comments
NKbmSRGa
NKbmSRGa http://www.41l6aJg184H65p9hYKUDSP.com/
[url=http://www.41l6aJg184H65p9hYKUDSP.com/]NKbmSRGa[/url]
I suppose he thinks I'm a hypochondriac. It truly is actually challenging to be taken severely.. A lot worse, the filaments can generate thick and enormous mats that show up the same as wool. Filamentous algae Nike Free Operate Tilbud are silent and fast killers that attack the Nike Blazer bottom Nike Blazer of the water and attach to rocks, aquatic vegetation, and pond's surface area. One model that has recieved the attention of Nike Free Run Golf Nike Blazer prezzo Digest is Paragon Rising Star junior golf golf equipment. Every single 12 months, Golfing Digest selects the top gear in Nike Shoes cheap Nike Free Run adult and Nike Air Max junior golf clubs, bequeathing their Nike Blazer vintage gold medal called the Editor's Decision Nike Blazer mid classic Award to the ideal clubs. This Nike store Ireland may be the spiritual goal of franchising: A symbiotic pairing of entities the place equally reward similarly. Regrettably, human nature Nike Blazer low being what it Nike Blazer is, Nike Blazer vintage Nike Free of charge Nike Ireland on the web Tilbud this really is a objective that is certainly hardly ever achieved entirely. Steer clear of positioning a lot of things together as Nike Blazer classic this will likely make your exhibit appear overcrowded. Often one Nike Totally free Nike Free run object seems great when on show all by itself. Premature infants also have high-energy needs because of their greater expansion price. Warmth reduction
classification around natural-tech items. Should you be new on the recreation, try differing types of two piece Nike Nike Blazer mid vintage Eire on the web balls. This will likely enable you to uncover Nike Shoes cheap the a single which is best for your needs. This is the most standard way to the generation on the Embroidery Styles. In this Nike Free run variety Nike Blazer vintage of Embroidery Nike Blazer pas cher Creating the artwork perform over the cloth is created with the hand work. Right after two Nike Blazer prezzo a long time passed, the owners of Starbucks chose to concentrate on to Peet's Espresso Tea and marketed its Starbucks retail Nike Espa?a unit more than Nike store Ireland to Shultz Nike Free Operate Tilbud for $3.eight million. In buying Starbucks he turned Giornale into Starbucks and decided to Nike Free Run Tilbud grow all Nike Blazer femme in excess of Nike Totally free Tilbud the Nike Free Run dame Usa.. The thrilling Nike Nike Free Run pas cher Blazer vintage real truth would be that the Chivas Regal twenty five was the initial solution line from the business in 1909, but Nike Air Max 2013 the marketplaces selling liquor had been shut down by Nike Nike Blazer vintage Blazer the twenties prohibition of alcoholic drinks, as well as the actual answer was not presented until 2007, even though chivas regal eighteen was unveiled in 1997 that makes the Chivas Regal twelve the oldest in the Chivas Regal brands and which is also obtainable at most fairly priced
You will have to appear into a lot more variables than a single. The sealcoating equipment you choose will depend upon aspects like the Nike Blazer Nike Blazer mid vintage availability of uncooked Nike Free of charge Tilbud components, Nike Free Run Tilbud their good quality, as well as the workmanship which is accessible to you. The outrage that Jones impressed was disproportionate to his actual mischief. He did absolutely nothing, really, that another proprietor was not also Nike Free Run doing. "That's the evaluate. Is Nike Cost-free run he planning to get the direct in Ohio?" Obama senior Nike Blazer classic adviser David Plouffe instructed reporters Thursday Nike Free run aboard Air Drive One. three. They Nike Free Run Tilbud Nike Blazer don TMt make use of the right keywords. 24 even though training in Stellenbosch, Nike Ireland online South Africa. The federation mentioned which the three ladies experienced provided drug-free urine in the very same person or Nike Free Run pas cher from the exact same "pot" of Nike Ireland online Nike Blazer urine combination. Jubei in her other kind is Nike Air Max 2012 a good deal Nike Blazer low of enjoyable to observe and the other females are all pretty robust of their personal correct, Nike Blazer vintage even Nike Blazer prezzo if just in individuality, without having it becoming horribly excessive. And Nike Blazer however, Muneakira receives shackled for awhile so he is forced to look at the ladies combat right up until their outfits get torn