NHL Playoff Predictions: 5 Dark Horse Teams for Stanley Cup

The New York Rangers are the favorite to win the 2012 Stanley Cup—and rightfully so. But, there are also five other teams—dark horses—with a legitimate chance to hoist Lord Stanley in June. 

The Rangers have been the front-runner for the Presidents' Trophy for most of the season. However, the Vancouver Canucks have made a late run and are now tied for league's top record. Both teams have three games remaining. 

The Rangers don't only have the ability to score (2.7 goals per game), but Henrik Lundqvist is also one of the top goalies in the game.

Further cementing their strong case as being the Stanley Cup favorite, the Rangers play great hockey on the road. They currently have the second best road record in the league at 23-11-5. Only the Canucks are better—barely—at 24-11-5. 

But, the NHL has a lot of very good teams and rarely does the favorite win.

There are five teams in the Eastern Conference—Rangers, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, New Jersey—separated by just 11 points. 

The Western Conference is even tighter, with five teams—Canucks, St. Louis, Detroit, Nashville, Chicago—separated by just nine points. 

Here are the five dark horses to challenge the Rangers for the 2012 Stanley Cup.

5. Boston Bruins

It's rare that the defending Stanley Cup champions are forgotten about, but that has been the case with the Boston Bruins this season.

The Bruins are locked in as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, but are fourth in total points (98).

One thing that will help the Bruins in their playoff run is home-ice advantage. As the second seed, they would only be the road team in a series against the Rangers—or in the Stanley Cup Finals. 

The Bruins are 23-13-3 at home this season.

Another thing that makes the Bruins a dangerous playoff team is their goal differential of plus-66. That is twelve goals better than the next best team, Pittsburgh Penguins. 

The 193 goals allowed by the Bruins is also second best in the Eastern Conference, behind the Rangers. 

Tim Thomas has not enjoyed the same success he did last season when he won the NHL's Vezina Trophy. But, the goaltender has the experience and a Stanley Cup ring.

Martin Brodeur (New Jersey Devils) and Marc-Andre Fleury (Penguins) are the only other starting goaltenders on teams that have already clinched a playoff berth who have won a Stanley Cup.

The Bruins are not the same team they were when they won the 2011 Stanley Cup, but definitely have a strong chance of repeating.

If Tim Thomas gets hot in net, look out.

4. St. Louis Blues

Where did the St. Louis Blues come from?

Like many, Bleacher Report's Daniel Friedman didn't expect the Blues to make the playoffs, let alone be in contention for the top seed in the Western Conference. 

So what has been the biggest reason for the Blues resurgence in 2011-12? The answer is two-fold—Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak.

Relatively unknown, Elliott began the season as Halak's backup, but has played his way into a goalie rotation. 

The two goaltenders have combined to go 48-21-10 and have a goals against average of 1.77—the best of any team in the league. 

The biggest postseason concern for the Blues will be offensively. Only one other playoff team in the Western Conference—Los Angeles—has scored fewer goals than the Blues, who have 204.

The Blues could easily continue doing what they've done all season—use strong defense and goaltending—to reach the Stanley Cup. But, both Halak and Elliott's postseason numbers show that is unlikely. 

David Backes has had a stellar season offensively, but will need a partner in crime for the postseason. T.J. Oshie is a special talent, but needs to become more consistent. If he goes through a scoring drought in the postseason, something that has plagued him at times during the regular season, the Blues could meet an early exit.

But if the offense finds a rhythm, the Blues could win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

3. Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks have been one of the most consistent regular season teams in the NHL over the last few seasons. 

For some reason, that success has not equated to postseason success. 

Despite a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011, the Canucks didn't make life easy on themselves. It took seven games to beat Chicago in the first round, and then six games to dismiss Nashville in the second round. 

After rolling through San Jose in the Western Conference Finals and jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the Finals against the Bruins, it looked like the Canucks would win the franchise's first title.

It was not meant to be. The Bruins won the championship in seven games, the city of Vancouver rioted, and the rest is history.

One player will make the difference between a Stanley Cup and another year of misery for Canucks fans: Roberto Luongo. 

Luongo's postseason record is 32-27, with a 2.50 goals against average. His goals against average is almost equal to his career goals against average (2.52), but in the playoffs, he has to be better.  

Is 2012 the year Luongo and the Canucks take the next step? 

The Canucks are as good as anybody in the league, but we've seen this story play out before. I'll see it when I believe it. But, there is no doubt they are a dark horse.

2. Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings are healthy—and very dangerous.

Prior to injuries that shelved some of their best players—Nicklas Lidstrom, Jakub Kindl, Jonathan Ericsson, Todd Bertuzzi, Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen, Jimmy Howard—the Red Wings were right in the thick of the Presidents' Trophy chase.

The Red Wings were 41-17-2 on February 19 and at the top of the Western Conference. But they're only 6-10-3 since and have fallen into a battle for fourth place with Nashville and Chicago. 

Despite great success at Joe Louis Arena this season (31-6-2), the Red Wings have struggled on the road (16-21-3). 

The struggles have been a result of the Red Wings allowing nearly a goal per game more, and scoring a goal per game less, on the road. 

Jimmy Howard has been a scapegoat for many Red Wings fans the last two seasons, but the numbers show a different story.

Last postseason, Tim Thomas was the only goaltender to play in as many or more games than Howard and have a better goals against average. 

If Howard can continue to improve on his postseason numbers—which he did last season—than the Red Wings will be in great shape to win the Western Conference.

There is no team in the league with as much postseason experience and success as the Red Wings. If they can stay healthy, they may be the best team in the NHL. 

1. Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby is finally healthy—at least for now—and the Pittsburgh Penguins offense is clicking on all cylinders. 

But, the wins and losses have yet to follow suit. 

Since Crosby's return on March 15, the Penguins are 6-4-1. The 24-year-old Crosby has 19 points in those 11 games, including six over the last two games. 

Crosby's teammate, Evgeni Malkin, has had a phenomenal year. He currently leads the league in points (104) and is second in goals (48) behind Steven Stamkos (58). 

Offensive production has never been a question mark for the Penguins, who lead the league in goals scored (268). 

However, goaltending is a different story.

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is second among goaltenders in wins (41), but ranks 13th in goals against (2.37) and is tied for 26th in save percentage (.913).

Fleury will need to improve in both areas if the Penguins are going to make a run at their second Stanley Cup in four years.

Defenses tend to have the advantage in the playoffs, which may result in the Penguins scoring slowing down. If that's the case, then Fleury could be the biggest factor in the 2012 playoffs.