NHL Playoff Schedule 2017: Matchups, Predictions and Saturday's Round 1 Guide

The NHL's postseason is known for nail-biting excitement, and the opening matchups of the 2017 playoffs certainly lived up that billing. 

All four Game 2s on Saturday come on the heels of one-goal finishes, including one overtime matchup. Whether it is young players for the Boston Bruins impressing or a maligned goaltender shining, the playoffs seem to bring unexpected moments each night.

Let us take a look at Saturday's schedule, along with predictions for each contest. Continue for a preview of two of the day's top storylines.

Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Matchup	Start Time (ET)	Network	Live Stream	Game 2 Prediction
Boston Bruins at Ottawa Senators	3 p.m.	NBC	NBC Sports Live	Bruins
Toronto Maple Leafs at Washington Capitals	7 p.m.	NBCSN	NBC Sports Live	Capitals
Matchup	Start Time (ET)	Network	Live Stream
Nashville Predators at Chicago Blackhawks	8 p.m.	NBC	NBC Sports Live	Blackhawks
Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks	10:30 p.m.	NBCSN	NBC Sports Live	Ducks

Boston Leaning New Addition

The play of the 20-year-old David Pastrnak, 70 points in 75 games, was arguably the biggest surprise of the Bruins' season along with Brad Marchand's scoring outburst. Pastrnak continued to excel in Game 1, with an assist on Marchand's game-winner, but a new fresh face became the story of Boston's win.

Charlie McAvoy stepped right from Boston University, where he put up 26 points as a freshman, into a top-pairing role on Thursday night. In his NHL debut, McAvoy looked fluid in his decision-making while displaying a rare comfort level in his own zone.

The 19-year-old also manned the point on the power play, and he ended up playing absurd minutes for a player getting his first taste of pro action, per WEEI's Scott McLaughlin:

McAvoy's pinch also led to Marchand's third-period tally, and Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy praised his and Pastrnak's play, per Comcast SportsNet New England's Joe Haggerty: "Those are the guys you want in the lineup, the ones who want the puck on their stick with the game on the line in big moments. The more guys like that we can grow, develop and integrate into the lineup, the better off we're going to be. It rubs off on the older guys."

With Torey Krug out, McAvoy already becomes arguably Boston's best puck mover. This is essential against an Ottawa Senators team that relies on forcing turnovers with a hard forecheck to make up for a lack of offensive firepower.

With a world-class goaltender in Tuukka Rask backing them, the Bruins and their defensive unit should feel comfortable using its speed to attack the Senators. The discrepancy in skill was apparent in Game 1, and Boston should continue to exploit that on Saturday.

Can Nashville Rely on Pekka Rinne?

With at least 30 wins in all six of his past full, injury-free seasons, the Nashville Predators' Pekka Rinne has undoubtedly been one of the league's best netminders in the regular season.

Yet the postseason has been a demon for the 34-year-old. Prior to Thursday's 29-save shutout against the Chicago Blackhawks, Rinne had a mediocre 22-26 playoff record to go with a 2.52 GAA and .912 save percentage. He was able to record his second career playoff shutout, which could be a sign that he may have an extended run of brilliance in him.

The Blackhawks have owned the Predators of late in the playoffs, with Chicago having knocked out its Central Division rival twice since the 2009-10 season. The presence of the Hawks' sustained excellence has hurt Nashville's effort to take the next step as a contender.

Rinne recognized how important this series could be in changing that, per team communications coordinator Brooks Bratten:

Nashville did some good things defensively on Thursday to move toward that goal. Rinne was able to see most of Chicago's shots, and the Predators defense was strong in front to limit rebound chances.

Blackhawks forward Ryan Hartman highlighted net traffic as a top factor for Rinne's Game 1 success, per CSN Chicago's Tracey Myers: "I can't stress enough: get in front of his eyes, make it harder for him to see pucks. Hopefully we put one in the net tomorrow."

Unfortunately for Nashville, other factors indicate that Game 1 will not become a trend.

Chicago owned the shot advantage 29-20 despite playing a sloppy game by its standards. The Blackhawks also won in the faceoff dot with a 31-24 advantage, giving the ultra-skilled team plenty of puck possession and defensive security. 

Nashville struggled to create consistent offense, and Rinne has not done enough in his postseason career to earn the belief that he can carry the Predators. An experienced, championship-caliber team like Chicago will surely find a way to bury some opportunities on Saturday, especially in its home building. Expect the Blackhawks to even this series up.

Statistics are courtesy of Hockey Reference.