NHL Playoffs 2017: Updated Stanley Cup Schedule and Predictions
If the first round was any indication, the second round of the 2017 NHL playoffs will be appointment viewing.
After all, 18 of the 42 first-round games went into overtime, which set a league record. The only thing missing was a Game 7, but there are four second-round series that could all reasonably go the distance.
With that in mind, here is a look at the full second-round schedule, per NHL.com, as well as predicted winners and a closer look at the most intriguing series.
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Schedule
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
| 1 at Ottawa | Thursday, April 27 | 7 p.m. | CNBC, CBC |
| 2 at Ottawa | Saturday, April 29 | 3 p.m. | NBC, CBC |
| 3 at New York | Tuesday, May 2 | 7 p.m. | NBCSN, CBC |
| 4 at New York | Thursday, May 4 | 7:30 p.m. | NBCSN, CBC |
| 5 at Ottawa * | Saturday, May 6 | TBD | TBD |
| 6 at New York * | Tuesday, May 9 | TBD | TBD |
| 7 at Ottawa * | Thursday, May 11 | TBD | TBD |
| 1 at Washington | Thursday, April 27 | 7:30 p.m. | NBCSN, Sportsnet |
| 2 at Washington | Saturday, April 29 | 8 p.m. | NBC, CBC |
| 3 at Pittsburgh | Monday, May 1 | 7:30 p.m. | NBCSN, CBC |
| 4 at Pittsburgh | Wednesday, May 3 | 7:30 p.m. | NBCSN, CBC |
| 5 at Washington * | Saturday, May 6 | TBD | TBD |
| 6 at Pittsburgh * | Monday, May 8 | TBD | TBD |
| 7 at Washington * | Wednesday, May 10 | TBD | TBD |
| 1 at St. Louis | Wednesday, April 26 | 8 p.m. | NBCSN, CBC |
| 2 at St. Louis | Friday, April 28 | 8 p.m. | NBCSN, CBC |
| 3 at Nashville | Sunday, April 30 | 3 p.m. | NBC, Sportsnet |
| 4 at Nashville | Tuesday, May 2 | 9:30 p.m. | NBCSN, Sportsnet |
| 5 at St. Louis * | Friday, May 5 | TBD | TBD |
| 6 at Nashville * | Sunday, May 7 | TBD | TBD |
| 7 at St. Louis * | Tuesday, May 9 | TBD | TBD |
| 1 at Anaheim | Wednesday, April 26 | 10:30 p.m. | NBCSN, Sportsnet |
| 2 at Anaheim | Friday, April 28 | 10:30 p.m. | NBCSN, Sportsnet |
| 3 at Edmonton | Sunday, April 30 | 7 p.m. | NBCSN, Sportsnet |
| 4 at Edmonton | Wednesday, May 3 | 10 p.m. | NBCSN, Sportsnet |
| 5 at Anaheim * | Friday, May 5 | TBD | TBD |
| 6 at Edmonton * | Sunday, May 7 | TBD | TBD |
| 7 at Anaheim * | Wednesday, May 10 | TBD | TBD |
Predicted Winners
| Ottawa Sentors vs. New York Rangers | Ottawa |
| Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins | Pittsburgh |
| St. Louis Blues vs. Nashville Predators | Nashville |
| Edmonton Oilers vs. Anaheim Ducks | Anaheim |
Most Intriguing Series: Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
There are plenty of reasons why this is the most intriguing series in the second round.
For one, these Metropolitan Division rivals were the two best teams in hockey during the regular season. The Washington Capitals finished with an NHL-best 118 points, while the Pittsburgh Penguins finished with a second-best 111 points.
Thanks to the divisional-based setup of the NHL playoffs, hockey fans will get the opportunity to watch these two powerhouses clash in the second round, while basketball fans will have to wait for a potential NBA Finals matchup to possibly see the Golden State Warriors face the Cleveland Cavaliers again.
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The Penguins and Capitals also proved to be closely matched in head-to-head showdowns during the season, with each side winning two games. Pittsburgh's victories came in overtime and a shootout, indicating there could be sudden-death action ahead in this series.
There is also plenty of star power across the board with household names such as Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin for Pittsburgh and Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie for Washington.
Star power will meet history in this series in the 10th postseason matchup between the two franchises. Pittsburgh eliminated Washington in the second round last year with four one-goal victories in a six-game series that included three overtimes.
In fact, the Penguins have won eight of the nine playoff meetings against the Capitals, per Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"You kind of expected that we'd probably see each other at some point," Crosby said, per Molinari.
They will see each other because the Penguins handled a Columbus Blue Jackets squad that finished with 108 points (fourth-best in the NHL) in five games with all but one win coming by multiple goals.
The Capitals struggled to fight off a Toronto Maple Leafs team that posted 95 points during the regular season. Five of the six games went into overtime, and a couple of untimely bounces could have been the difference between a shocking defeat and Washington's eventual series win.
The Penguins are slightly more rested as a result, which pairs nicely with their playoff history against Washington when predicting this matchup.
Pittsburgh's offense is clicking after tallying 21 goals in five games against Columbus with at least four goals in the each of the last three contests. The Stanley Cup champions are battle-tested and understand what it takes to beat the Capitals after last season's matchup.
The standings suggest this will be the Penguins' most difficult step in their quest to repeat, but they will take it in a dramatic seven-game clash.
Prediction: Penguins in seven.
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