Biggest Questions for the Rest of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs

We're halfway to the Stanley Cup, and plenty of questions have been answered so far through the first couple of rounds of the NHL playoffs. 

The Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers are the best in the Eastern Conference, slugging their way into Round 3 for a clash to claim the conference title and head to the Cup Final.

The Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks outlasted the rest of the Western Conference, making short work of their second-round opponents and getting plenty of time to rest before their best-of-seven series begins on Sunday.

Before the action begins, let's take a look at some of the biggest questions remaining in the 2015 NHL playoffs.

Can the Lightning Prove That Regular-Season Record Matters, Again?

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Despite dominating the Montreal Canadiens in the regular season, the Tampa Bay Lightning came into their second-round series against the Habs with questions about whether they'd be able to handle Carey Price in the playoffs.

They had racked up five straight wins over the Canadiens since being swept by them in last spring's playoffs and ran that total to eight straight before the Habs won a couple near the end of the round. Mission accomplished when they terminated Price and the Canadiens in Game 6 in Tampa.

The Bolts played the Rangers three times in the 2014-15 season and won all three. Quite handily, in fact, with scores of 5-1, 4-3 and 6-3. And yes, Henrik Lundqvist was in net for each of those contests.

It seems impossible, given their goals-against totals in these playoffs that the Rangers could be lit up by anyone. Of their 12 games, they've allowed a single goal against in more than half of them—seven in total—and three more allowing just a pair against. Only one game against the Pittsburgh Penguins saw them get shelled for four.

So the challenge is on. We'll find out if the young and talented Lightning offense can continue to get the best of the potent Rangers defense.

Are the Blackhawks or Ducks Mightier?

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Incredibly, the Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks, two of the Western Conference powerhouses the past few seasons, have never met in the playoffs.

The Blackhawks are in the conference final for the fifth time in seven years—beginning the spring after the Ducks won the Stanley Cup in 2007.

We're about to find out what this clash looks like.

On paper, it's as exciting as it gets with two unbelievable talents at the top end of the offensive lineup. The Hawks have Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. The Ducks have Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. There is depth behind them as well, with guys like Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp and Brad Richards helping the Hawks get deep. For the Ducks, the addition of Ryan Kesler and emergence of Matt Beleskey have been key.

Defensively, the Ducks have six guys they roll out regularly. The Blackhawks may have a more impressive top four but don't have the same quality of depth.

The Blackhawks are known as a possession team and the Ducks for their "heavy" style of game. But the Ducks are the best possession team remaining in the playoffs, according to the NHL.com's enhanced SAT numbers from this spring, with the Hawks next on that list.

Who Will Win the Playoff Scoring Title?

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Three of the top four scoring leaders are comprised of Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks, who are set to pound on each other in the Western Conference Final when Round 3 gets going.

Outside of Corey Perry (seven goals, eight assists and 15 points in nine games), Patrick Kane (7-6-13 in 10 games), Ryan Getzlaf (2-10-12 in 10) and Jonathan Toews (4-7-11 in 10), only Tampa Bay Lightning sophomore Tyler Johnson (8-4-12 in 13 games) is wedged in there from the Eastern Conference.

In fact, of the top 10 current leaders who have not been eliminated from competition, there are only three representatives from the East—Johnson and teammates Nikita Kucherov (6-5-11 in 13) and Steven Stamkos (3-7-10 in 13).

If the stingy, defensive brand of hockey continues in the East and the West continues to be wild, it's a safe bet that the winner of the Ducks/Blackhawks series will produce the top point-getter.

Will Steven Stamkos' Hot Streak Continue?

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Somewhat quietly, the Tampa Bay Lightning captain has put together a five-game point streak and has goals in two straight.

He's warming up at the right time, helping the Lightning advance to the Eastern Conference Final on Tuesday with the winning goal.

To beat the stingy New York Rangers, Stamkos will have to play the way he has in recent games as opposed to his early games this spring.

His struggles were so noticeable in the first series that most assumed he was playing hurt. He denied it, but whatever the truth is, the difference is obvious.

The toe drag and shot that beat likely Hart Trophy winner Carey Price to claim Game 6 was incredible.

How Is Corey Perry's Knee, Really?

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There is time for Anaheim Ducks sniper to rest and treat his right knee, which took a heavy hit in a collision with Calgary Flames center Matt Stajan in Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinal series on Sunday night.

Perry left the game—crawling to the bench and hobbling to the dressing room—but did later return to finish the contest and ultimately scored the series-clinching goal in overtime.

Although he didn't want to get much into the specifics of the injury, he admitted he was in some discomfort during his postgame press conference on NHL.com.

"I didn't know what to think," Perry told Los Angeles Times reporter Lisa Dillman. "I just wanted to get back in there and play the next shift. I felt better each shift."

Perry missed time during the regular season with an injury to his left knee. This one doesn't seem nearly as serious, but few injuries get full disclosure during the playoffs.

He hasn't been practicing, but NHL.com reports out of Anaheim suggest he would be playing if the puck dropped today, according to Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau:

"At this time of year, you want to make sure. If we had to play today, he'd be playing. But if you've got the time off to allow these guys to heal properly, then let's let them heal properly."

Does Rick Nash Have a Playoff Curse?

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The New York Rangers' regular-season MVP had 42 goals in 79 games. In the playoffs, things seem to change for Rick Nash. And for the most part, it's only the actual number that go in, which makes the scenario difficult to explain.

He might need to sit on that lucky horseshoe Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop taped in his stall in the last series.

Nash was producing .53 goals per game in the regular season but is connecting at a rate of .13 through a dozen playoff games. In his career spanning a dozen seasons, he averages .44 goals a game in the regular season.

But his career regular-season shooting percentage of 12.5 percent—which was even higher in 2014-15 at 13.8 percent—dips to just 4.4 percent this spring and 3.8 percent in the playoffs during his career. 

The shooting percentage is key because he's still ripping shots off with regularity. He averages 3.45 per game in the playoffs over his career, which is only marginally lower than his 3.49 shots-per-game average in the regular season.

Having scored his second goal of the playoffs in Game 6 against the Washington Capitals (his lone shot that night) he came up empty in six attempts in Game 7 but was rejected by goalie Braden Holtby in spectacular fashion on a shorthanded breakaway that might have resulted in a score nine times out of 10.

His luck has to change, right? If not, at least he got some temporary relief. He told NHL.com's Dan Rosen he was relieved to score in Game 6:

"It's a weight off my shoulders. It was frustrating when you feel like you're letting your guys down and your organization down by not scoring. The more important thing that I focus on is the wins."

Who Will Raise the Stanley Cup?

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With the final four established, the New York Rangers may still have to be considered the favorite based on their style of play and the fact they have the most impressive goaltender remaining in the competition.

But the winner from the Western Conference Final is going to be the most difficult out of all for whichever team emerges from the East.

Both the Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks have played fewer games than their Eastern Conference counterparts over the first couple of rounds, including series of five and four games, respectively, in the most recent wins. But they play a physical brand of hockey that can be grueling, and the conference championship could leave the winner a little banged up.

That leaves the more chess-like teams from the East a chance to enter the final fray with more in the tank in spite of the tougher second-round routes.

The other edge that may belong in the East is the fact they haven't had goaltending question marks. Mark Crawford was pulled in the first round, although he looks to have re-established himself as a top playoff performer in the second. Frederik Andersen was shaky at times in the conference semifinal, and head coach Bruce Boudreau has been known to mix things up in the recent playoff past.

Henrik Lundqvist has been incredible, and big Ben Bishop has established himself as a strong backstop despite his lack of playoff experience.

Who's in Line for the Conn Smythe?

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Every remaining team has a front-runner or two.

For the Tampa Bay Lightning, it's Tyler Johnson—who has been the offensive star when captain Steven Stamkos has struggled—with no one else even close on his squad. Johnson has a playoff-best eight goals, including three game-winners, and 12 points through 13 games.

Corey Perry leads the NHL in playoff points so far and scored the series winner against the Calgary Flames in the second round. He and linemate Ryan Getzlaf have nine goals and 27 points between them. Perry has seven goals and eight assists while Getzlaf has a pair of goals and 10 helpers. Then again, the pesky presence of Ryan Kesler as both a secondary scorer and a shutdown center could cloud the vote for the loaded Ducks team.

Chicago Blackhawks sniper Patrick Kane has scored in five straight games and has the game-winning goal in two of the last three playoff contests. At the moment, not even Jonathan Toews can touch him as their candidate.

For the New York Rangers, goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has been stellar in keeping Alex Ovechkin quiet (at least on the ice). He cemented his front-runner status with another big Game 7 performance to run his streak to six straight wins in those contests to tie Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur.

"Lundqvist has been unbreakable," former NHL assistant coach Dave Farrish told NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "No leak games, no weak spots. It's as good of goaltending as I've seen in my life."