Breaking down all eight first-round Stanley Cup playoff series, with predictions on who will come out on top
With the NHL playoffs set to begin Wednesday, The Canadian Press takes a look at all eight first-round series.The class of the NHL during the regular season, the Lightning tied a league record with 62 wins. Led by NHL scoring ace Nikita Kucherov, captain Steven Stamkos, star defenceman Victor Hedman and Vezina Trophy candidate Andrei Vasilevskiy in goal, the battle-tested Presidents’ Trophy winners look primed for a long playoff run.
Last season’s Stanley Cup champions, the Capitals’ first step on the road to repeating will be to get past the upstart Hurricanes. Washington is led by captain Alex Ovechkin, who scored 51 goals to top the NHL for an eighth season. Carolina made the playoffs for the first time since 2009 thanks to an incredible second half. From late December onwards, the Hurricanes went 31-12-2 to earn the conference’s first wild-card berth.
Vegas went on one of the most magical runs in NHL history last season, making it all the way to the final as an expansion franchise. The Knights added Max Pacioretty and Paul Stastny before the season, then acquired Mark Stone at the trade deadline in hopes of another long spring. And with Marc-Andre Fleury in goal, Vegas always has a chance.
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