Stanley Cup Playoffs: 5 Great Potential 1st Round Match-Ups
By Ryan Ritchie
Stanley Cup Playoffs: 5 Great Potential 1st Round Match-Ups
With only a couple of weeks left in the regular season, Stanley Cup Playoffs are finally on the horizon. The playoff picture has been painting itself for some time now, with a bit of uncertainty still surrounding the Wild-Card spots.
In the Eastern Conference, it seems Detroit and Philadelphia will battle it out for that final spot, while in the Western Conference, Colorado will be hard pressed to knock off the Minnesota Wild.
We likely won’t have a clear picture match-up wise until the final day(s) of the regular season. But for now, we can speculate on the possibilities of what could be. Below is a list of five potential first round match-ups fans wouldn’t want to miss:
Anaheim Ducks vs San Jose Sharks
These California rivals are currently in-line to face one another. In 127 franchise match-ups, Anaheim is 58-59-4-6 (wins-losses-ties-ot loss).
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Playoff History since 2003-04 Lockout:
2008-09 – Anaheim wins 4-2 in Conference Quarter-Finals
The Ducks had an amazing turn-around in 2015-16, but they still don’t score enough goals. This might play into San Jose’s hand with their weak overall defensive group. Stick John Gibson/Frederik Andersen versus Martin Jones in goal, and we have a recipe for a hard-fought seven-game series.
If the pair manage to meet up in the first round, the winner should come out battered and bruised for their second round opponent.
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St.Louis Blues vs Chicago Blackhawks
Playoff History since 2003-04 Lockout:
2013-14 – Chicago wins 4-2 in First Round
Chicago is seeking back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 2015-16, and it seems GM Stan Bowman did everything he could to give them the best chance possible. After dominating for much of the season, the Blackhawks hit a recent rut, forcing some in the hockey world to question their quest for another Cup.
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On the other side, we have the surging Blues. After spending most of the season battling injuries to key players, St.Louis is on fire in their sprint over the final stretch. After all, few teams have two rock-solid netminders who both look capable of carrying this team through the playoffs.
Just imagining the potential head-to-head match-ups in this type of series is tantalizing. Can Duncan Keith contain Vladimir Tarasenko? Which Blues defensive pairings match-up with Chicago top two lines? If Corey Crawford is healthy, it promises to be a goaltending duel regardless of whether Brian Elliott or Jake Allen man the crease. We’re talking about another potential seven-game series.
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Los Angeles Kings vs Nashville Predators
Another pair of teams currently in-line to play one another. Since the Preds came into the league, they are 30-25-3-6 (wins-losses-ties-ot loss) versus Los Angeles.
Would you believe these two teams are yet to lock horns in the postseason? Two of the NHL’s deepest 23-man rosters promises to be an exhilarating series. It would feature two of the game’s elite goaltenders in Jonathan Quick and Pekka Rinne, not to mention two elite blueliners in Drew Doughty and Shea Weber.
Nashville gets the advantage overall for defense, but Los Angeles is 12-men deep up front. Much like the possibilities above, a prospective LA/Nashville series has just as good a chance of stretching the full seven games.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Tampa Bay Lightning
Playoff History since 2003-04 Lockout:
2010-11: Tampa Bay wins 4-3 in Conference Quarter-Finals
While both Marc-Andre Fleury and Ben Bishop are two of the NHL’s best netminders, a potential match-up between these two teams feels like a high-scoring affair – similar to the Flyers-Penguins 1st round match-up of 2011-12 (when Fleury and Bryzgalov stunk up the joint).
Both teams are thin on the back-end, but possess powerhouse offensive groups that can score goals. Strictly from an entertainment value point of view, this might be one of the most tempting of all listed.
New York Rangers vs New York Islanders
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The Islanders only have three brief playoff appearances since the 2003-04 lockout, none of which featured hockey’s version of the subway series (New York vs New York).
Both franchises are among the top in the Eastern Conference, but at very different stages with team goals.
The New York Rangers have been a powerhouse in the East for many years now, with Stanley Cup potential and aspirations for the last half-decade to decade.
New York Islanders are still in a developmental stage just beginning to establish themselves as year-after-year playoff contenders. While a loss in the first round would be devastating, advancement to the second round is considered progress.
Rangers fans would not be satisfied with that type of result.
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Conventional wisdom suggests the Rangers would win this series, possibly in five or six games. But just imagine the buzz around the city (New York) if these two met up in the first round.
There’s usually one first round series that gets out of hand discipline-wise, where scrum’s eventually ensue after each and every whistle. A passionate hate grows into an epic rivalry moving forward. It might be unavoidable with Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck on one side, and Tanner Glass on the other.