1ST-ROUND MATCHUPS
If what happened to the Bruins in Sunday’s final game of the regular season is any indication, this is going to be an unpredictable journey to the Stanley Cup.
All Boston had to do to win the Atlantic Division and finish as top seed in the East was beat a visiting Florida team that was bitterly disappointed with postseason elimination 24 hours earlier. However, the Panthers won 4-2 to allow Tampa Bay to rule the roost in the division and conference.
Thus, here’s how the first-round series shape up:
Eastern Conference NEW JERSEY (44-29-9) VS. TAMPA BAY (54-23-5)
The Kucherov Lightning forwards, led by Nikita Steven (100 points) and captain Stamkos (86 points), figure to pressure New Jersey’s defense, which allowed the second-most goals (244) of any playoff team. New Jersey, which snapped a five-year playoff drought and swept a three-game season series with Tampa Bay, is sparked by Hart Trophy candidate Taylor Hall. The Lightning have one of the best in goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, whereas the Devils will turn to Keith Kinkaid, who replaced struggling Cory Schneider (who is winless in his past 12 games dating to Dec. 27).
TORONTO (49-26-7) VS. BOSTON (50-20-12)
One of these up-tempo 100-plus-point teams is going to bow out in the first round. Shame. The Bruins have talent everywhere, and based on their 28-5-3 record from Dec. 18 through March 10 are among the Cup favorites. The Leafs, excellent at home (29-10-2), counter with skill up front in Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and James van Riemsdyk. Either goalie — Boston’s Tuukka Rask or Toronto’s Frederik Andersen — is quite capable of stealing games.
COLUMBUS (45-30-7) VS. WASHINGTON (49-26-7)
The Blue Jackets are one of the NHL’s youngest teams and have the task of trying to slay the postseason underachieving Capitals, who probably need a deep run to save coach Barry Trotz’s job. Alexander Ovechkin fell a goal short of reaching 50 for the eighth time in his career, but word is he’s still stinging from a second-round loss to Pittsburgh last spring. Braden Holtby has been replaced as Washington’s Game 1 starter by Philipp Grubauer , who went 7-3-0 while starting 10 of the final 16 games. Forward Artemi Panarin, who — with 82 points — scored 25 more than the next nearest Blue Jacket, and defenseman Seth Jones are youngsters to watch.
PHILADELPHIA (42-26-14) VS. PITTSBURGH (47-29-6)
This is the best rivalry matchup of the first round. The Flyers finished two points behind their cross-state foes. The twotime defending-champion Penguins swept the four-game regular-season series by a combined score of 20-11. Both teams possess impressive top-line firepower, but Pittsburgh appears to have more depth. There’s no Marc-Andre Fleury (he’s with Vegas this season) to bail out Pittsburgh starting goalie Matt Murray (27-16-3), so Philly hopes Brian Elliott (23-11-7) is healthy enough to be the best goalie in the series.
Western Conference COLORADO (43-30-9) VS. NASHVILLE (53-18-11)
Kudos to the Avalanche for ending a four-year playoff drought, but they’re facing the Presidents’ Trophy winners, who were two wins shy of taking the Cup last season. The Colorado attack, led by Nathan MacKinnon (39 goals, 58 assists), will have to crack a stout Nashville defense led by P.K. Subban and Roman Josi before trying to solve Vezina Trophy candidate Pekka Rinne in goal. The deep and quick Predators boast 13 skaters with double-figure goal totals.
MINNESOTA (45-26-11) VS. WINNIPEG (52-20-10)
These frigid-weather teams appear to be opposites, as the defensiveminded Wild — without injured defenseman Ryan Suter (broken fibula) — look to shut down the offensively gifted and high-flying Jets, who have the most ravenous support in the league come playoff time. Winnipeg is in the postseason for only the second time in eight seasons since relocating from Atlanta. The Jets were swept in 2015, so Blake Wheeler & Co. are hoping to reward their loyal fans’ patience to set up a possible second-round series against Nashville.
LOS ANGELES (45-29-8) VS. VEGAS (51-24-7)
The the brand Golden curiosity of hockey Knights, factor from again who lines play surrounds 1 a fast through 4 and could give the slower-footed Kings fits. Los Angeles figures to test Vegas from a physical standpoint, and the Kings will rely on the league’s No. 1 penalty kill (85 percent) if they end up spending time in the box. Vegas should feel no pressure, yet can view this as an opportunity to continue its off-the-charts debut season with home ice until at least the third round.
SHARKS (45-27-10) VS. ANAHEIM (44-25-13)
A more in-depth look at the Sharks and Ducks is coming Thursday, but just know that this is only the second time the California rivals have met in the postseason. Anaheim won in six games during the first round in 2009 after the Sharks posted a NHL-best 117-point regular season. San Jose won this year’s regular-season series 3-0-1, three of the games decided in a shootout.