NHL Play-offs

Tuuka Rask gags in the playoffs and the bruins don't win. Tim Thomas where the fuck are you?

I'm headed to Vegas next week and am going to try ( if their schedule matches up with mine) to see a Golden Knights game.

I'm a diehard Penguins Fan.

As am I, Warrenboy!

Not sure they'll be able to take out the Predators this year, though.

Go CAPS!!!!

Pun intended (if that counts as a pun)

Tampa Bay Lightning win it all

#GoBolts

I haven’t followed hockey since Phil Esposito got traded to the Rangers and score was by number 4 Bobby Orr

Hope Tuuk proves Skibum(and everyone else including me wrong). Playoff hockey is unmatched in my opinion.

In the official NHL Bracket Challenge, I got Nashville winning the Cup, although I personally hope the Wild win it. Must suck for all the Red Wing fans here.

I would like to see a Lightning vs Predators Cup Final. But, you can’t count out the Penguins. They looked really good in their opener against the Flyers.

Nothing as intense as playoff hockey.Every shift of every game is life/death. It's a great time of year.

if you like loys of offense root for a jets-lightning stanley cup finals.

Not a bold predication but probably the Predators win the Stanley Cup. My beloved Wild seem to be stuck in the mode of being just barely a playoff team.

Predators and Lighting are looking good so far.

The Jets are looking pretty impressive too.

The Knights looked very impressive in their series. Being they are an expansion team in their first season, no one knew they would be this good. I wouldn’t mind at all if they end up winning the Cup. I know, wishful thinking. The league will find a way to make the Penguins Cup Champs again.

I've heard Syd Crosby referred to as many different things before but never as "the league"

The 'peg all the way.

1st round was a bit boring or quick ending in the Western Conf. Cap/Jackets and Bruins/Leafs are pretty exciting.

Looking forward to Vegas-SJ.

I was hoping Vegas would have dropped one to the Kings so I could catch the 5th game last week when I was in Vegas. Wanted to see them live and at home.

OK, NHL experts. Can someone explain to me why the two teams with the best records in all of hockey face each other in the 2nd round of the playoffs ? Predators play Winnipeg. Why is that ?

^ First round pairings are determined based on the final regular season standings, which currently is 2 conferences, and 2 divisions in each conference. The top 3 teams in the standings for each division automatically for the playoffs. The final 2 playoff spots in each conference are given to the teams with the best record that did not finish in the top 3 in their division, and these final 2 spots are known as wildcards.

For purposes of pairing in each conference, the division champ with the best record plays the second wildcard. The other division champ plays the first wildcard. The other 2 pairings for each conference are as simple as the 2nd place team in a division plays the 3rd place team from the same division.

The playoff format is done bracket style, and the emphasis is to have teams from the same division play each other in the first 2 rounds of the Playoffs, with the only exception being during the first round when the 2 wildcards in a conference come from the same division, in which case one of the wildcards has to cross over to the other division’s side of the bracket.

I know this may seem complicated. I hope this explanation makes sense. For clarity, you will understand my explanation if you look at the final regular season standings, and then look at the first round playoff pairings.

Vegas just advanced to the final round. And to think, they are an expansion franchise in its first season. They began the season as 500:1 odds and now they could very well end up being Stanley Cup Champs.

Now, we just need to wait and see if it is Tampa Bay or Washington that will be advancing to the Cup Final. Game 6 of that series is tomorrow night. Tampa advances if they win tomorrow.