NHL Playoff Schedule 2015: Bracket Picks, Game Times, Live Stream for Wednesday

The 2015 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs are getting more and more exclusive with every arena-shaking goal and bone-crunching hit. 

The 16 teams that have made it this far don't look intent on giving up their chances of hoisting the Stanley Cup, as even the series currently at 3-0 have included dramatic comebacks and bad-blooded feuds. Two teams could end up being eliminated by the end of Wednesday's action, but each will have a chance to stay alive on their home ice.

That's just the start of what Wednesday's four-game slate has to offer, so let's take a closer look into the quartet of games and make some predictions.

Wednesday, April 22 NHL Playoff Schedule/Picks

Time (ET)	Matchup	TV	Series	Prediction
7 p.m.	Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators	USA	MON leads 3-0	Canadiens 3-2
7 p.m.	New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins	NBCSN	NYR leads 2-1	Rangers 3-1
9:30 p.m.	St. Louis Blues at Minnesota Wild	NBCSN	MIN leads 2-1	Blues 2-1
9:30 p.m.	Anaheim Ducks at Winnipeg Jets	USA	ANA leads 3-0	Jets 4-2

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra

Game to Watch: St. Louis Blues at Minnesota Wild (Game 4)

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

This year was supposed to be different for the St. Louis Blues in the postseason, but the Minnesota Wild apparently didn't get that memo.

In each of the last two seasons, St. Louis has marched into the playoffs only to win its opening two games in both campaigns before losing four straight and being eliminated. That's not exactly how this year has shaken out, but it doesn't make it any less worrisome.

As it stands, the Blues face a 2-1 deficit heading into Wednesday night's game in Minnesota—where the Wild just recently shut out their foes en route to a dominant 3-0 victory to retake the series lead. Goaltender Devan Dubnyk carded the first shutout by anyone in these 2015 NHL playoffs. 

The Wild have been on fire in the second half of the season led by Dubnyk, and as 247Sports' Robby Stanley noted, it may be time to stop waiting for them to fall off:

While there's no doubting Dubnyk has been spectacular in net, the Wild can most thank their picture-perfect game plan that has frustrated the Blues so far. Minnesota has been swarming St. Louis' physical forwards in the middle of the ice to prevent them from getting in on the forecheck—where the Blues typically assert themselves best.

Save for a Game 2, in which the Wild got away from that and lost 5-1, Minnesota has done exactly that and, it's been effective. Need proof? The Blues' potent offense only had 17 shots on goal in Game 3.

From the naked eye, it looks like the Wild's stifling defense has been responsible for shutting the Blues down, but struggling goaltender Jake Allen thinks the two losses can be attributed to their own play, per NHL.com's Louie Korac:

"I just think we have to play for 60 minutes," Allen said. "We did that the second game and came out on top; we didn't in the first game and we didn't come out on top. Their team game is going to be there from the start to the finish. They battle, every single line. We realize that now. Can't let the ball slip anymore."

The Blues should feel like these results are of their doing; otherwise, there would be no hope in coming back from the 2-1 deficit. But there's something to be said of them failing to match the Wild's fight and hunger in this series, especially after the Blues' last two playoff experiences.

If they are going to change that now, the Blues will have to have to buck two trends that don't point in St. Louis fans' favor, as ESPN's John Buccigross observed (note: Buccigross posted this tweet before Game 3, so the numbers are even worse):

So the Wild might be the big surprise story so far of the postseason, but it's not something that has come about overnight. Dubnyk's consistent play in net has revitalized a team that looked dead in the water during the season's opening half and has a big-money roster with high aspirations finally playing up to it.

That has been at the expense of the St. Louis Blues so far. But trailing 2-1, all it takes is one game to significantly shift the mood of this series. Like in Game 2, the Blues will feel the pressure of their backs being against the wall and deliver to knot up this series.

Prediction: Blues 2, Wild 1