NHL Playoff Bracket 2012: Underdog Teams Ready to Pull off Surprising Upsets

In the NHL playoffs, there are always a couple lower seeds who defy the odds and advance to the second round. Figuring out which teams will pull it off this season is the tough part. After all, every team enters the playoffs with the same Stanley Cup dream.

Let's take a look at three lower seeds that will pull of upsets in the opening round. For a complete look at the playoff bracket, visit the official league site.

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings made a lot of headlines throughout the season for their extended home winning streak, but they struggled on the road and will face the Nashville Predators in Round 1. The two sides split the six-game regular season series.

Jimmy Howard has returned for Detroit to give them a more consistent, talented presence between the pipes, and the team's offense has more firepower than Nashville. Both Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk can carry the offense of their backs at any given time.

Winning one of the first two games on the road will be the key for the Red Wings. Taking control of the home-ice advantage early will give them a big enough boost of confidence to send the Predators home packing earlier than expected.

Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago's series against the Phoenix Coyotes has a lot of intrigue because the two sides play completely different styles. The sixth-seeded Blackhawks rely on their offensive star power, while the third-seeded Coyotes like to slow the game down with their defensive style.

The Blackhawks enter the playoffs after earning at least one point in nine of their last 10 games, and Jonathan Toews is nearing a return to the lineup after dealing with a concussion. That will provide another big boost to their chances.

Playoff hockey usually becomes the story of a hot goaltender, and few have played better over the past month than Corey Crawford. Look for Blackhawks to ride his wave of strong play and some timely offense to a first-round victory.

New Jersey Devils

The Eastern Conference is setting up as mostly chalk winners in the opening round, but the Devils will buck that trend. They are one of the most balanced teams in the NHL and get a good matchup against the third-seeded Florida Panthers.

Martin Brodeur played in just 59 games, which should leave him with a little more gas left in the tank than the years when he was regularly topping 70 starts. That, along with an improved defense, will make life difficult on an inconsistent Panthers offense.

Ilya Kovalchuk, Patrik Elias and Zach Parise are names hockey fans will recognize, but the Devils roster has a lot of lesser-known players that play their individual roles to perfection. That team-first approach will push them into Round 2.