The Top 10 Highlights of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs So Far

There have been quite a few moments that have stood out during the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs, and since 10 is a psychologically satisfying number, we have compiled the 10 best moments from the first few weeks.

Ten is also just about the right number, as No. 11 would've been this Patrick Kane goal, and that felt like pushing it. It was still a great shot, though.

So what are those 10 moments? Do any of them involve Alex Ovechkin, since we see him in the above photo? There's not just one Ovechkin moment; there's two. There's also some saves and goals by other people. It's a fun list so click through it and enjoy it.

10. Petr Mrazek's Save on Brian Boyle

Yeah, it was already 2-0 Lightning, and the Red Wings would lose this game and eventually the series, but sweet fancy pants what a save by Petr Mrazek. 

So many "great" saves involve a shooter failing to lift a puck or shooting back into the body of a goaltender who's completely out of position. The save is more about the failure of the shooter and less about the acrobatics or brilliance of the goaltender.

In this case, Boyle doesn't just mash the puck once he receives the pass; he makes a move, gets Mrazek out of position, lifts the puck, and yet Mrazek gets the paddle on it. There probably won't be a save that tops this one, at least not its beauty.

9. Jakob Silfverberg Beats Ondrej Pavelec to Win Game 2 in the Final Minute

In one of the tighter four-game sweeps you'll ever see, the Ducks rallied to win all four games against the Jets in the third period. But it was Jakob Silfverberg's dagger in the waning moments of Game 2 that changed the face of the series permanently.

Bryan Little had Silfverberg measured for a hit behind the net, but Silfverberg avoided it and wheeled to the front of the net. Ondrej Pavelec then did an Ondrej Pavelec thing by leaving the short-side post and allowing Silfverberg to score the winner.

The Ducks took a 2-0 series lead and closed it out on the road. Oh, speaking of that...

8. Winnipeg Whiteout for Jets' First Home Playoff Games Since 1996

Jonathan Kozub/Getty Images

Yeah, the Jets lost both games at MTS Centre in soul-crushing fashion, but it was certainly a historical moment. After the Jets left to become the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes, the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg and had not reached the postseason until 2015.

It's like keeping track of Game of Thrones characters, but it was the first playoff game in Winnipeg in nearly 20 years.

And the fans also did a whiteout, while the team wore dark jerseys, but that's another issue.

Still, even if NHL Network failed to show the pregame raucousness before Game 3, it must've been great to see.

7. Alex Ovechkin's Defense-Splitting, Diving Goal Against the Rangers

This is Alex Ovechkin's first appearance on this list, as he has had a couple of memorable things in the second round alone.

There's really nothing not spectacular about this goal. Ovechkin splits Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi, two defensemen who have made his life miserable in the past, and pushes the puck to the open area. The only way he can get anything on the shot is by lunging into it, and he's able to squeeze the puck through Henrik Lundqvist, off his hip and into the top corner of the net.

The Rangers would win this game 3-2 to even the series, but Ovechkin had the play of the game.

6. Carey Price Gets the Silent Treatment After Eliminating Ottawa

Carey Price made 43 saves in the Canadiens' 2-0 win against the Senators in Game 6 of their first-round series. Montreal advanced and, not surprisingly, it had everything to do with the game's best goaltender.

Maybe this is childish or cliche, but his teammates decided to give him the silent treatment once he got to the visiting locker room. Price was the last one in there because he was doing interviews after the game, so his teammates set him up for a little joke.

And Price's reaction is pretty funny too. If you don't enjoy this video, you are probably a Senators fan, and that's OK.

5. Braydon Coburn's Game-Winning Goal in Game 7 Against the Red Wings

If you drew names out of a hat for a game-winning goal pool and got Braydon Coburn, you probably immediately assumed you were throwing your money away. He had two goals in 78 career playoff games entering Tampa's Game 7, so your sadness was warranted.

Your joy was also exponentially greater when Coburn buried a one-timer into the top corner of the net early in the third period to send Tampa to a series victory. Could Coburn hit that spot again if he had 10 more cracks at it? Doubtful, but who cares? The Lightning won, and you won your game-winning goal pool.

Anton Stralman's game-sealing empty-netter was also fun, as are all empty-netters that are shot from the other end of the ice.

4. John Tavares' OT Winner Against the Capitals in Game 3

It's hard to describe the experience of watching a playoff game at Nassau Coliseum. People will tell you it's the loudest building, which is silly, as all buildings are loud during the postseason at different times, and it's a matter of a few decibels separating them all.

What made Nassau Coliseum great in Games 3, 4 and 6 against the Capitals was it was loud all the time. The chanting just never stopped. There was no scoreboard prompting. Some arenas have a stale, corporate environment, but Nassau Coliseum was a two-hour party.

That's what made John Tavares scoring 15 seconds into overtime of Game 3 so memorable. The building exploded. All the nervous energy during the intermission was released right away, and the Islanders had a 2-1 win and 2-1 series lead all at once.

3. Carl Hagelin's Series-Ending Overtime Goal Against the Penguins

Overtime goals in the playoffs, especially when they are scored at home, are always fun. But when they end a series, they are even more fun.

Carl Hagelin was able to send the Penguins home in Game 5 when he found himself alone at the bottom of the right face-off circle for a shot that beat Marc-Andre Fleury to the glove side. For the first time since 2008, the Rangers won a series in fewer than six games.

Sure, it helps when Ben Lovejoy says, "Here you go, enjoy this space near the net while I back off," but hey, the goal is still great all the same.

2. Scott Darling's Leg Save in His 42-Save Relief Effort vs. Nashville

Remember that Mrazek save on Boyle? Mrazek holds his stick in a spot and Boyle sort of hits it? Scott Darling didn't catch any breaks when he made this game-saving and perhaps series-saving stop against the Predators' Ryan Ellis.

With the score tied at three midway through the third period, the Predators had a chance to reclaim the lead on a power play after squandering a 3-0 advantage. Chicago's Corey Crawford was chased after allowing three goals in the first period, but the Blackhawks stormed back to tie with a goaltender in net who actually makes saves. But Darling had to preserve that tie with an alert, reflexive right-leg save on Ellis.

The Blackhawks would go on to win in overtime and eventually claim the series in six games.

Crawford was horrendous in a Game 2 loss, so who knows what would've happened if Darling had allowed the Blackhawks to drop Game 1.

1. Alex Ovechkin Snipes Henrik Lundqvist, Has a Few Words After the Goal

There is probably only one player on the planet capable of scoring this goal. A wrist shot from the top of the face-off circle, through a partial screen, just under the crossbar on the stick side against one of the game's best goaltenders.

The puck got in and out of the net so quickly that only Alex Ovechkin and Henrik Lundqvist knew it was in immediately.

To make it even more memorable, later in the period when Ovechkin got near Lundqvist after a whistle, he said, "All series, baby. All series." Maybe he was commenting on how all series it would be a close and fun battle between two closely matched teams.

Or he was chirping about the goal. It's probably that.