NHL Playoff Schedule 2012: Predicting Outcomes of Conference Finals

No one expected to see a No. 8 seed in the Western Conference Finals, and there definitely isn't anyone who expected that team to be the most dominant one still standing in the NHL playoffs.

With just one series left undecided, the landscape for the third round is quickly taking shape. The conference finals schedule will be determined once the second round officially ends, so in the meantime, you can check out the rest of the semifinals lineup here. The Rangers will visit the Capitals on Wednesday for Game 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET, and Game 7, if necessary, will be played on Saturday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. ET. 

Here's a look at how things could shake down for the next round.

Western Conference Finals
No. 8 Los Angeles Kings vs. No. 3 Phoenix Coyotes

The Kings have somehow been the best team this postseason, but it really should be no surprise. They have one of the best goaltenders in the NHL in Jonathan Quick, and captain Dustin Brown has stepped up offensively in the playoffs to establish his team as the one to beat.

After knocking out Vancouver in five games in the first round, the Kings surged into the second round and swept away the second-seeded Blues. They haven't lost since April 18, in Game 4 of their first-round series. Quick hasn't allowed more than two goals since that loss (in which he allowed three), and he currently boasts a 1.55 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage.

Meanwhile, the Coyotes' second-round series has been substantially less dramatic than their win over Chicago in Round 1, when Raffi Torres made waves for his rather disgusting hit on Marian Hossa. They've lost just three games this postseason, and just like the Kings, it's mostly due to the play of goaltender Mike Smith, who has a 1.77 GAA and a .948 save percentage. He's posted two shutouts in the playoffs, and in Phoenix's last two wins over Nashville, he allowed just a single goal.

This series is going to be the defensive battle of the year. We're going to see arguably the two best goaltenders left standing, both of them riding tons of momentum. With the regular season series between the two split evenly at 3-3, this one is going to come down to which offenses can take advantage of any opportunities they get, because scoring will not come easy.

One thing Phoenix could have in its favor: In its first-round series win over Chicago, five of the six games went to overtime, so finding the net in the extra period is something the Coyotes have proven they can do.

Eastern Conference Finals
No. 1 New York Rangers vs. No. 6 New Jersey Devils

The Rangers and the Capitals are the only teams still playing, but New York holds a 3-2 lead and has an opportunity to close out the series on Wednesday night at Washington. Look for Henrik Lundqvist—who boasts a third-best 1.70 GAA and a fourth-best .937 save percentage—to hold strong and get his team the one additional win it needs.

Waiting for the Rangers in the Eastern Conference finals will be another terrific goaltender, Martin Brodeur, and the Devils. New Jersey's second-round test against the offensively dangerous Flyers was substantially easier than their first-round battle against the Panthers, in which they staved off elimination with two overtime wins in Games 6 and 7.

After winning Game 1, the Flyers were utterly ineffective against Brodeur and New Jersey, dropping the next four in succession. The Devils scored four goals in each of their second-round wins, and given the way their offensive momentum and their goaltending are flowing in tandem at this point, they're going to be a tough team to beat.

Especially for a Rangers team that has had to battle to the death with a seventh-seeded Capitals squad that just won't go away. Whenever their series ends, a well-rested New Jersey team will be waiting patiently to take them on. Each team won three games against the other during the regular season, so just like in the Western Conference, this promises to be an evenly-matched war of attrition.