2012 NHL Playoffs: Why This Year's Playoffs Is the Start of a New Era in Hockey

Usually, we see Canadian teams, Pittsburgh, Boston, Chicago and other hockey powerhouses in the second round of the playoffs.

This year, it's totally different.

St Louis, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Nashville, Washington, New York (Rangers), Philadelphia and New Jersey are the eight remaining teams in the NHL playoffs. Recently, Philadelphia, Nashville and Washington have been the only teams of the remaining eight usually seen around this time.

In the West, it's been crazy all season. 

Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak have been great this year in front of the net for the St. Louis Blues, and both (mostly Elliott) shut down the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the playoffs.

Teams always get those chances when you think they've scored a certain goal, and then the goalie makes a great play. Those always happen in Blues games.

Elliott, who played in most games, stopped 94 percent of shots that went his way, and he allowed an average of 1.56 goals per game. Halak started most games, and he stopped 92.6 percent of the shots, allowing an average of 1.97 goals per game.

St. Louis doesn't have a great offense, but they grind out tough wins in low-scoring games. Their leading scorer, David Backes, only has 24 goals, but the Blues have 11 players with nine or more goals. Having a well-rounded team has helped the Blues, and they look to continue their success against the Los Angeles Kings.

Just like St. Louis and every team remaining in the West, the Kings haven't won a Stanley Cup title. Just like the Blues, they switched coaches midseason. Just like the Blues, they don't score many goals.

And just like the Blues, they're in the second round.

Los Angeles is second-to-last in goals scored this year, with just five players scoring nine or more goals. However, Jonathan Quick's 92.9 percent save percentage and his 1.95 GAA has helped Los Angeles get here. In 15-plus periods against Vancouver, Quick gave up just eight goals, dominating the fifth-best scoring team in the NHL (and the best in the West).

Mike Smith anchored another great goaltending team, Phoenix, by giving up just 12 goals (two in overtime) against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Phoenix Coyotes' series win. Smith stopped 93 percent of the shots directed at him.

Pekka Rinne is another great goalie, and he played great in the 2011 playoffs. He had a 2.39 GAA and he stopped 92.3 percent of shots. Both of those statistics are great, but the worst out of the goalies left in the West.

In the Coyotes vs. Predators series, I'd expect a great goalie duel. The first game was 4-3 (in OT), with the Coyotes winning. However, I expect 2-1 and 1-0 games to follow-up Game 1.

Philadelphia is a high-scoring team that consistently scores three-to-five goals per game, and the New York Rangers, Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils all score fairly well. However, Braden Holtby and Henrik Lundqvist have played very well, and Martin Brodeur has always been a great goalie.

In the East, goals are still scored often, but four of the top five goalscoring teams (Pittsburgh, Boston, Vancouver and Ottawa) lost in the first round. Holtby stopped a great offense in Boston, and because of that, his Capitals are in the second round (but down 1-0).

Hockey is changing, and the guys in front of the net are stronger than ever. Scoring goals are more important now because a missed chance can easily cost a team a game, and no one can afford that now. 

Defense wins championships in the NHL. If you can stop shots, you can and will win. Expect shutouts, low-scoring games and physical games to take over the rest of the NHL playoffs.

The bottom line is this: Whoever gets the best goalie play has the best chance at winning the Stanley Cup. I can't recall a time where the Stanley Cup has been as wide open as it is now.

And soon, we won't be able to recall a time where teams without great goalies have won the Stanley Cup.