Stanley Cup Playoffs 2015: Complete Guide and Predictions for Round 2

The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is done, and the preliminary intriguing questions have been answered.

For example: Can the St. Louis Blues stop choking in the first round? (No). Can the Nashville Predators overcome the loss of captain Shea Weber early in the series (No, but they battled better than most thought possible). Can Carey Price continue to look like the best player in the league? (Yes). Can the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum live to see a second round? (Sadly, no).

With four new series comes a new set of interesting questions. As the battle for the Cup moves into the Elite Eight, these are some of the most intriguing:

Can the Minnesota Wild shed their little brother image and finally beat Chicago?

Two years ago, the Wild lost in five games to Chicago in Round 1. Last year, Minnesota lost to the Blackhawks in six in Round 2. 

Now that the Wild are fresh off knocking off the Central Division champions for the second year in a row in the round (last year, Colorado was the victim), the question is: Have the Wild learned the process of winning the bigger-round series, no matter the opponent? Against any other adversary, I probably wouldn't hesitate to say yes, as Minnesota is playing great at both ends of the ice and getting dominant goaltending from Devan Dubynk. 

But these are the Blackhawks the Wild will face, and Minnesota figures to be a little antsy playing them again. As good as Minnesota looked in Round 1, Chicago looked pretty strong as well in beating a good Nashville team—Weber or not. The Wild would seem to have the decided edge in goaltending right now, with Dubnyk the unquestioned No. 1 and Chicago using different starters throughout against the Predators.

Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

The Wild do appear more confident than at any point of the last two years, as evidenced by this quote from Zach Parise via Star Tribune writer Chip Scoggins: “We’ve come a long way since then. We like the way we’re playing. We like how our guys have developed. We’re happy to get another chance.”

But none of the Blackhawks' stars are going to be intimidated by any talk from the Minnesota room. Until proven otherwise, they are the established ones and the Wild still unaccomplished pretenders. Yet, Chicago's goaltending is a serious worry. It should be a great series.

So too, thinks Wild center Charlie Coyle, who isn't intimidated by starting the series in Chicago, as he told the Star Tribune's Michael Russo:

"

"It’s just how you look at it, really,'' he said. "You know they’re going to be loud. Chicago’s a great building to play in with their crowd. They’re into it. They love their hockey. So it’s going to be fun. We always look forward to playing in their rink.

"As of late, we’ve been doing pretty good over there. We’re not really worried about what happened in the past. It’s a new year. We’ve got a new team here. We’ve got a different mindset. This group has so much confidence in our team, what we have in here, and what we can accomplish. We have to keep the mindset of going into this building, it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be a good atmosphere. We’ve been a good road team as of late. So we want to keep that going.''

"

 Are the Calgary Flames for real, or is their Cinderella story about up?

There are few sights more impressive than the home crowd of the Flames in the playoffs. It's red—like a combination of a cherry, Santa's suit and a sun-baked chili pepper. But, yeah, this will be the end of the line for the Flames. 

Jonathan Kozub/Getty Images

Calgary has a fast, young team and a nice-looking future. But the word here isn't red, it's green. Just not enough experience for this team to move past a veteran, hungry team like the Ducks. Calgary doesn't have the kind of group that can consistently control a team with Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler, along with an underrated supporting cast.

Calgary reminds everyone of last year's Avalanche: They pulled out a lot of games in the third period in miraculous fashion, overachieving at every turn. But just as time ran out for the Avs in Round 1 against Minnesota, so too will it expire for the Flames in Round 2.

Flames coach Bob Hartley doesn't want to hear about the stats, though, as he told the Orange County Register's Rich Hammond:

"We’re getting so many stats right now," Hartley said. "Pretty soon the manager of the arena is gonna come and tell me how many cases of beer they sold after the first, second and third periods. We’re in the business to win games.’

Can Rick Nash keep up his great season now that the stakes are higher?

Ask most Rangers fans about last year's otherwise great run to the Final and they will soon come to the subject of Rick Nash. Then, the voices get lower. If only Nash could have been at least half as good as his usual self, the Rangers might have easily beaten the Kings and won the Cup.

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

In 25 postseason games in 2014, Nash scored three goals. Three goals, for a Canadian Olympian and the main figure in one of the NHL's biggest blockbuster deals in many years, with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In the Rangers' five-game series victory over Pittsburgh in the first round, Nash scored one goal. But he did post three assists and was a danger with the puck most of the time. So far, so good in the 2015 redemption of Nash.

But what about when the games get bigger? Nash does not have a glorious past when it comes to big-game performances. In the 2013 playoffs with New York, Nash scored one goal in 12 games with four assists. Combined with his one playoff series as a Columbus Blue Jacket, Nash has six goals and 16 assists in 42 playoff games.

It's time for Nash to prove he can be a great player in the bigger games. Not just a guy who can help get you to them.

Are the Canadiens too reliant on Carey Price?

Montreal scored five goals in the final four games of the first round against Ottawa. Obviously, those numbers need to be higher in the next round. Well, maybe Carey Price can shut out the opponent four times, but it's not likely.

Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Of the eight teams that made the Eastern Conference playoffs, Montreal was tied with Pittsburgh's 221 goals for fewest scored. That remains a concern. Montreal needs more than the one goal it got from Tomas Plekanec in the first round, more than one goal from P.K. Subban, more than the zero goals it got from David Desharnais. 

One thing that absolutely must get better: the power play. Montreal converted on exactly 5 percent of its chances against Ottawa. 

Subban, this means you.

Will Steven Stamkos finally wake up?

Steven Stamkos, the second-leading goal scorer of the NHL in the regular season (43) went all seven games of the first round against Detroit with zero. Somehow, the Lightning won the series.

Scott Audette/Getty Images

So, while I said the Lightning couldn't afford another scoreless game against Detroit in Game 7 and expect to win (and was wroooong), I say this with certitude: Stamkos better get going if Tampa Bay wants to make it to the Eastern final.

Stamkos wasn't great in Game 7, even taking a penalty late in the third (a coincidental minor with Riley Sheahan) that put things in a dangerous four-on-four situation for two minutes.

The good news for Tampa Bay is that Stamkos worked hard defensively in the final two games. But he's a premier goal scorer. He needs to score. 

Now.

Second-Round Series Predictions:

Minnesota vs. Chicago

Season series: Chicago 3-2.

Outlook: This time, the Wild do it. Minnesota is ready to beat its big brother after two straight spring pink slips from the Blackhawks. 

Dubnyk is red-hot and the Wild have an esprit de corps that can overcome a Chicago team that, while still excellent, shows signs of burnout at times.

Prediction: Wild in six games.

Calgary vs. Anaheim

Season series: Ducks 3-1-1

Outlook: It was a great ride for the Flames, but it's over now. 

Anaheim has a little more of everything in every area than the Flames, starting with one more game on home ice, if needed. The Red Mile in Calgary is wonderful, but the best hockey team wins. That team, in this series, will be Anaheim.

Anaheim's Big Three Forwards—Perry, Getzlaf and Kesler—all have either played in a Cup final or played in an Olympic gold-medal game. They know what it takes to win a series like this. The young Flames are still learning.

Prediction: Ducks in five games.

New York Rangers vs. Washington

Season series: Rangers 3-1.

Outlook: For the fourth time in the last five years and five of the last seven, the Capitals and Rangers meet in the playoffs. 

And the No. 1 item on each team's to-do list probably hasn't changed much. For the Rangers, it is: Slow down Alex Ovechkin. Take him out of the game and you take out the Caps.

For the Caps, it is: Don't let Henrik Lundqvist get in your head. The guy has never won a Stanley Cup. He's been beaten in every NHL playoff run he's ever had. Let's continue that streak.

Unfortunately for the Caps, they don't have the depth to match the Rangers in a long series. They barely squeaked by an injury-ravaged Islanders team, while the Rangers have been resting comfortably since taking care of Pittsburgh easily.

Prediction: Rangers in five games.

Montreal vs. Tampa Bay

Season series: Lightning 5-0.

Outlook: Tampa Bay pretty well dominated Montreal in the season series, but you can throw that out now. I see this as another seven-game series, and I think Montreal takes it because the Canadiens are more rested and, I say, hungrier. 

Stamkos is struggling. Price is not.

Prediction: Canadiens in seven games.