NHL Playoffs 2015: Updated 1st-Round Schedule, Dates, Times and Predictions
The 2015 NHL playoffs have already offered just about everything a viewing fan could ask for, and we're less than a week in.
Through three games in the quest for the 2015 Stanley Cup, the 16 teams vying for the trophy have made it apparent that they are not conceding their chances to win it all. It's a wide-open field this year with few true favorites, which means the most prestigious trophy in American sports is up for grabs.
Without further ado, let's take a look at how things stand in each series along with predictions.
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Updated NHL Playoff Schedule
| 4 | Wednesday, April 22 | 7 p.m. | Montreal at Ottawa | CBC, TVA Sports, USA |
| 5* | *Friday, April 24 | TBD | Ottawa at Montreal | CBC |
| 6* | *Sunday, April 26 | TBD | Montreal at Ottawa | CBC |
| 7* | *Tuesday, April 28 | TBD | Ottawa at Montreal | CBC |
| 3 | Tuesday, April 21 | 7 p.m. | Tampa Bay at Detroit | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Thursday, April 23 | 7 p.m. | Tampa Bay at Detroit | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports |
| 5* | Saturday, April 25 | TBD | Detroit at Tampa Bay | TBD |
| 6* | *Monday, April 27 | TBD | Tampa Bay at Detroit | TBD |
| 7* | *Wednesday, April 29 | TBD | Detroit at Tampa Bay | TBD |
| 3 | Monday, April 20 | 7 p.m. | NY Rangers at Pittsburgh | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Wednesday, April 22 | 7 p.m. | NY Rangers at Pittsburgh | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 5* | Friday, April 24 | TBD | Pittsburgh at NY Rangers | TBD |
| 6* | *Sunday, April 26 | TBD | NY Rangers at Pittsburgh | TBD |
| 7* | *Tuesday, April 28 | TBD | Pittsburgh at NY Rangers | TBD |
| 4 | Tuesday, April 21 | 7:30 p.m. | Washington at NY Islanders | USA, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 5* | Thursday, April 23 | TBD | NY Islanders at Washington | TBD |
| 6* | *Saturday, April 25 | TBD | Washington at NY Islanders | TBD |
| 7* | *Monday, April 27 | TBD | NY Islanders at Washington | TBD |
| 3 | Monday, April 20 | 8 p.m. | St. Louis at Minnesota | CNBC, SN1, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Wednesday, April 22 | 9:30 p.m. | St. Louis at Minnesota | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 5 | Friday, April 24 | TBD | Minnesota at St. Louis | TBD |
| 6* | *Sunday, April 26 | TBD | St. Louis at Minnesota | TBD |
| 7* | *Wednesday, April 29 | TBD | Minnesota at St. Louis | TBD |
| 4 | Tuesday, April 21 | 9:30 p.m. | Nashville at Chicago | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 5 | Thursday, April 23 | TBD | Chicago at Nashville | TBD |
| 6* | *Saturday, April 25 | TBD | Nashville at Chicago | TBD |
| 7* | *Monday, April 27 | TBD | Chicago at Nashville | TBD |
| 3 | Monday, April 20 | 9 p.m. | Anaheim at Winnipeg | Sportsnet, TVA Sports, NBCSN |
| 4 | Wednesday, April 22 | 9:30 p.m. | Anaheim at Winnipeg | Sportsnet, TVA Sports, USA |
| 5* | *Friday, April 24 | TBD | Winnipeg at Anaheim | Sportsnet |
| 6* | *Sunday, April 26 | TBD | Anaheim at Winnipeg | Sportsnet |
| 7* | *Tuesday, April 28 | TBD | Winnipeg at Anaheim | Sportsnet |
| 4 | Tuesday, April 21 | 10 p.m. | Vancouver at Calgary | CBC, TVA Sports, USA |
| 5 | Thursday, April 23 | TBD | Calgary at Vancouver | CBC |
| 6* | Saturday, April 25 | TBD | Vancouver at Calgary | CBC |
| 7* | *Monday, April 27 | TBD | Calgary at Vancouver | CBC |
Predictions
| Montreal vs. Ottawa (MTL leads 3-0) | Canadiens in 4 |
| Tampa Bay vs. Detroit (Tied 1-1) | Lightning in 7 |
| New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh (Tied 1-1) | Rangers in 6 |
| Washington vs. New York Islanders (Tied 1-1) | Islanders in 7 |
| Minnesota vs. St. Louis (Tied 1-1) | St. Louis in 6 |
| Chicago vs. Nashville (CHI leads 2-1) | Chicago in 7 |
| Anaheim vs. Winnipeg (ANA leads 2-0) | Anaheim in 5 |
| Calgary vs. Vancouver (CGY leads 2-1) | Calgary in 7 |
Featured Series: New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
For those who thought this was going to be a walk in the park for the Presidents' Trophy winners as they begin their quest for the Stanley Cup—think again.
That's apparently the message Sidney Crosby aimed to send in Game 2 of the first-round series between his Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Rangers after his underdog squad took a Game 1 haymaker lying down. The Rangers took an early lead in Game 2 before Crosby exploded for two goals to push Pittsburgh back into the series.
The Penguins looked dead in the water entering this series, and Crosby's 19-game scoreless span in playoff competition only amplified that. He not only made that a distant memory but also ended a frustrating span against the Rangers, as noted by ESPN Stats & Info, so he could be ready to lead an improbable upset:
The Rangers, who are series and Stanley Cup favorites, opened the series just as they aspired to—at a blistering pace in Game 1, utilizing their speed and attacking mismatches to wear down their foes. It worked initially, but the Rangers' advantages got harder and harder to see as Game 2 wore along, and Crosby and Co. eventually took over the game.
The series now shifts to Pittsburgh for two critical games, which offers the Rangers the opportunity to get their home-ice advantage back in Game 3. But they will have to do so without one of their crucial defensemen, as blueliner Kevin Klein is out, per Andrew Gross of The Record:
But with how Crosby and the Penguins offense seemed to bounce back and considering Pittsburgh will be energized at home, a few Pittsburgh goals may be inevitable. What should really worry the Rangers is an ineffective power play of late.
New York scored just one power-play goal in seven chances in Game 2, producing occasional boos from the Madison Square Garden crowd. Scoring on the man advantage gets tougher in the postseason, but for one of the deadliest offenses in the NHL, that's not good enough.
Don't expect more of the same as the series wears along. The reason the Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy is because performances like the one we saw in Game 2 are typically followed by bounce-back performances, and Pittsburgh won't contain that power play for long.
Crosby's heroics figure to keep Pittsburgh in the series and will allow his Penguins to steal one more, but it's going to take a complete team to take down this Rangers squad, even if they aren't firing on all cylinders yet.
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