Stanley Cup Playoffs: Day 15 Reflections

Let's take a second to catch our collective breath.

Like the players, NHL fans get one day off before the second round starts. After eight grueling series come to an end, we get to see four brand new matchups that could be intriguing to many.

Headlining the second round will be what the NHL has been wishing for: Pittsburgh vs. Washington.

Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Semin—just to name a few of the combatants in this tilt.

There's no shortage of skill in this matchup. The team that works the hardest will win. Simple enough.

Here's a look at the three other series as action continues on Thursday.

WCSF: Anaheim (8) @ Detroit (2)

WCSF: Chicago (4) @ Vancouver (3)

ECSF: Carolina (6) @ Boston (1)

But now we're left to ponder where things went wrong for the teams who are now enjoying an early summer. Here are my thoughts on all the opening round series in the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Western Conference

Anaheim (8) @ San Jose (1)—ANA wins 4-2

The San Jose Sharks had a banner regular season and felt this was the year to beat their postseason demons. It just so happens that they ran into the hottest team in the NHL as the first round began.

Anaheim was the last team in the league to secure a playoff position after going on a torrid run following the trade deadline. They finally caught the league's attention after stealing two wins in San Jose at the beginning of the series.

Jonas Hiller posted a 4-2 record with a .957 save percentage and a 1.64 GAA. He also picked up shutouts in Game One and Game Four.

The Ducks' best players were better than the Sharks'. Their offense was better, their defense was better, and their goaltending was better. Anyone who watched the series should not be surprised at all.

The better team won.

Series MVP: Jonas Hiller

Columbus (7) @ Detroit (2)—DET wins 4-0

Blue Jackets fans got to experience the NHL Playoffs for the first time. After the way their team was manhandled through most of the series, you could tell the Columbus faithful would like another kick at the can.

Detroit disposed of the Jackets in four straight, with their only real challenge coming in Game Four. In the four-game sweep, Detroit outscored Columbus 18-7 and really controlled the play.

It was easy to see the Red Wings' skill and experience took over when the puck dropped in Game One. Since then, they've never looked back.

Series MVP: Henrik Zetterberg

St. Louis (6) @ Vancouver (3)—VAN wins 4-0

Blues coach Andy Murray was right.

Heading into Game Four, the series could have been 2-1 for St. Louis if it weren't for Canucks netminder Roberto Luongo.

As the Canucks improved their play in the final two games, the Blues still had trouble capitalizing on their opportunities. Their power play was running at an anemic 4.2 percent, second-worst behind the Montreal Canadiens (who did not score a power play goal in the playoffs).

Vancouver killed off a vital four-minute penalty in Game Four, and the rest is history.

Series MVP: Roberto Luongo

Calgary (5) @ Chicago (4)—CHI wins 4-2

It was so ugly that it was beautiful.

This series featured all the qualities of old-time hockey. It was fast, it was furious, and there was blood. Bad blood, too.

Both the Flames and Blackhawks won all their games on home ice with the exception of Game Six. For the most part this series could have went either way, although injury problems for key defensemen really took the wind out the Flames' sails.

Rookie Kris Versteeg led the series in points with seven, but it was Chicago forward Martin Havlat who won Game One and carried the team on his back.

With an inexperienced Blackhawks team, Havlat—one of the veterans—really showed the young squad what it takes to overcome adversity to win games.

Although Havlat is my pick for series MVP, I would say that Adam Burish would be the clutch performer. He was a thorn in the side of every Calgary forward and ended up with the series-clinching goal in Game Six.

Series MVP: Martin Havlat

Eastern Conference

Montreal (8) @ Boston (1)—BOS wins 4-0

Game One was a close battle, but as the series went on, the Bruins pulled away from their rivals and proved to be the better team.

All the facts about Montreal having a 24-7 edge in playoff series wins over Boston were tossed out the window in this one. Boston played tight defensively and exploded offensively, scoring 17 goals in four games.

At the end of the day the better team will move on, and the Canadiens as an organization will have a long summer and try to put the right pieces in place for next season.

It's on to Year 101 for the Habs, but on to Round Two for the Bruins.

Series MVP: Michael Ryder

NY Rangers (7) @ Washington (2)—WSH wins 4-3

Talk about a roller coaster of emotions.

New York took a 2-0 lead thanks in large part to goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers held a 3-1 lead after Game Four but let it slip away for the first time in franchise history.

As for the Capitals, they had some strong goaltending of their own. Jose Theodore played poorly in Game One, and that allowed Bruce Boudreau to put rookie goaltender Simeon Varlamov between the pipes.

Varlamov had a 4-2 record with an astonishing 1.17 GAA.

Alex Ovechkin and Mike Green were surprisingly ineffective through most of the series and will definitely need to step it up for the next round.

Series MVP: Henrik Lundqvist

Carolina (6) @ New Jersey (3)—CAR wins 4-3

This has got to be the most exciting finish to a playoff series that I've ever seen.

For a series that was back and forth the entire way, though, Game Seven proved to be a battle of its own. The Devils held a 3-2 lead with less than two minutes remaining and were stunned after dropping the decision 4-3.

In regulation, nonetheless.

Hats off to Cam Ward and Martin Brodeur, as this truly was an exhibition of fine goaltending. Both 'tenders were crucial to any success that their respective teams even hoped of having.

Eric Staal was a monster—sorry Pierre McGuire—in this series. He tallied five goals and two assists throughout the series, but scored three of his goals in the final two games, including the series winner.

Series MVP: Eric Staal

Philadelphia (5) @ Pittsburgh (4)—PIT wins 4-2

In a rematch of last year's Conference Final, the Penguins once again ousted their rival Philadelphia Flyers. This time around it took six games to punch their ticket to round two.

Pittsburgh held a 3-1 lead after Game Four and knew full well that the Flyers weren't going to lay down for them. Philadelphia took Game Five in Pittsburgh and jumped out to a 3-0 lead in Game Six.

Then the tide turned.

Pittsburgh—led by captain Sidney Crosby—stormed back for a decisive 5-3 win and took the series. Evgeni Malkin picked up nine points in the six-game series, but it was really goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury who stood his ground, making saves at key moments to propel the Pens to victory.

Series MVP: Marc-Andre Fleury