NHL Playoffs 2015: Latest Stanley Cup Predictions and Schedule Info

What an end to Tuesday night's matchups. Just as the Western Conference series looked to be over and done with—the Chicago Blackhawks built their lead to 3-0 on the Minnesota Wild, and the Anaheim Ducks were about to do the same with a 3-2 lead in Game 3 against the Calgary Flames—everything changed.

A goal in the final minute for the Flames sent the game into overtime, where the unbelievable run continued for Calgary, who claimed a 4-3 win to push the series to 2-1 in favor of the Ducks. They will look to even the series Friday night at home.

Things in the East are a little more up in the air than in the West, with the Washington Capitals holding a 2-1 series lead on the New York Rangers and the Tampa Bay Lightning up 2-0 on the Montreal Canadiens, it isn’t tough to look ahead and see what the future holds for the rest of the playoffs.

Here’s the remaining schedule for the second round and a few predictions regarding the teams battling it out for Lord Stanley’s Cup:

Date	Matchup	TIme	TV
Wed., May 6	Montreal at Tampa Bay	7 p.m.	USA/CBC
Thurs., May 7	Montreal at Tampa Bay	7 p.m.	NBCSN/CBC
Sat., May 9*	Tampa Bay at Montreal	TBA	CBC
Tue., May 12*	Montreal at Tampa Bay	TBA	CBC
Thurs., May 14*	Tampa Bay at Montreal	TBA	CBC
Wed., May 6	New York Rangers at Washington	7:30 p.m.	NBCSN, CBC
Fri., May 8	Washington at New York Rangers	7 p.m.	NBCSN
Sun., May 10*	New York Rangers at Washington	TBA	TBA
Wed., May 13*	Washington at New York Rangers	TBA	TBA
Fri., May 8	Anaheim at Calgary	9:30 p.m.	NBCSN
Sun., May 10	Calgary at Anaheim	TBA	TSN
Tue., May 12*	Anaheim at Calgary	TBA	TBA
Thurs., May 14*	Calgary at Anaheim	TBA	TBA
Thurs., May 7	Chicago at Minnesota	9:30 p.m.	NBCSN
Sat., May 9*	Minnesota at Chicago	TBA	TBA
Mon., May 11*	Chicago at Minnesota	TBA	TBA
Wed., May 13*	Minnesota at Chicago	TBA	TBA

Matchup	Prediction
Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning	Lightning in six
New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals	Rangers in seven
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild	Blackhawks in four
Anaheim Ducks vs. Calgary Flames	Ducks in five

Matchup	Prediction
New York Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning	Rangers in six
Anaheim Ducks vs. Chicago Blackhawks	Blackhawks in five

Matchup	Prediction
New York Rangers vs. Chicago Blackhawks	Rangers in seven

Both the Blackhawks and the Ducks close out their series with ease

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

Although Calgary kept the Western Conference second round from lacking any semblance of drama just three games in, there doesn't seem to be all that great a chance for the underdogs to take down Chicago or Anaheim.

With their comeback win in Game 3, the Flames continue to live dangerously, which makes for a fun series, but it isn't a place you want to be against a team as good as the Ducks.

We all want to believe in magic, and it is hard not to cheer for this Calgary team to pull off the impossible in the series, but there just isn't enough talent on the roster for the Flames to pull off the upset against a much better Anaheim squad.

The more surprising series of the two has been the one that pitted the most experienced playoff team against the dark-horse pick to claim the cup. Since acquiring goaltender Devan Dubnyk in January from the Arizona Coyotes, the Wild have been on a tear and were pegged by many to advance beyond what their meager seeding would have suggested.

Unfortunately, the playoff experience of the Blackhawks has proved too much, as Chicago has eked out two one-goal victories sandwiched around a Game 2 rout to open up a nearly insurmountable lead.

Prediction: Chicago Blackhawks in four, Anaheim Ducks in five

Lightning don’t get the sweep but outlast the Canadiens

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

One of the more surprising first-round developments was the survival of the Tampa Bay Lightning without their top stars performing well.

It took Steven Stamkos until Game 2 against the Canadiens to score his first goal of the playoffs, but it looks like things have turned around for the young superstar.

With two assists on top of the goal, Stamkos leads the Lightning back to Tampa Bay with a 2-0 lead to protect, which could set the stage for another potential second-round sweep.

But as good as Stamkos is, and has been this year, it is tough to score on goaltender Carey Price.

The likely Hart Trophy winner has had an incredible season, and he will do everything in his power to keep the Canadiens in the series for as long as possible. He is more than capable of pulling off the Herculean task.

In the Stanley Cup playoffs, it isn’t uncommon to see a goaltender stand on his head and turn around a game, series or even the entire playoffs. Of all of the candidates in this postseason, Price is the most likely to pull it off.

There is the fact that the Canadiens have yet to beat the Lightning in seven tries this year—five in the regular season and two so far in this series—but Price is just too good for this series to end in four games.

Prediction: Tampa Bay Lightning in six

Washington goes to another Game 7 against a team from New York but loses

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Aren’t we all tired of this playoff matchup yet?

Since 2008-09, the Capitals and the Rangers have faced each other four times in the Stanley Cup playoffs, with three of those series going to seven games—a path this series seems destined for as well.

Coming off of their hard-fought victory against the New York Islanders in a seven-game, first-round series, the Capitals find themselves in another dogfight with a team from the Big Apple.

In the three games so far in the series, each has been decided by a single goal, with the Capitals taking two behind strong performances from goaltender Braden Holtby.

Things are setting up well for the Caps, who host Game 4 and look to take a commanding 3-1 series lead Wednesday night.

But unlike against the Islanders, things aren’t going to end so well for Washington. The Rangers are a much better team than the Islanders, and unless Holtby turns into a brick wall, the odds aren’t good that the Capitals survive and advance to the conference final.

It wouldn’t be the Capitals against the Rangers if the series didn’t go to seven games, and if it does, New York should walk out the victor.

Prediction: New York Rangers in seven