NHL Playoffs 2011: Top 5 Momentum Shifts in Round 1

Bad bounces, choke jobs and comebacks define the very sport we have come to love. The uncertainty of the NHL playoffs is the only thing we know for certain. However, after a few games in Round 1 are played, everyone thinks they have the teams figured out. Then it happens. A twist, a turn and we have a new series. 

For whatever reason, it's a lesson we need to relearn every season. This year there have been five clear-cut momentum shifts that have completely changed the complexion of their respective series in a different direction. 

Let's get on with it and count down the top five..

5: Anaheim Ducks

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LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 09: Teemu Selanne #8 of the Anaheim Ducks is pursued by Drew Doughty #8 of the Los Angeles Kings for the puck in the third period at Staples Center on April 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. The Ducks defeated the Kings 3-1. (Ph

After Game 1, many people thought the Nashville Predators were finally poised to win a playoff round.  Pekka Rinne looked great, the offense was opportunistic and the Ducks looked lost.

After the split, the Predators took the series home and absolutely dominated Game 3 through most of two periods. Anaheim fought back, but the country boys still came out on top. 

However, the team lost its focus in Game 4 and handed home-ice advantage back to Anaheim.  It was a glorious chance to take a stranglehold on the series, but now the momentum has shifted back to the favorite. 

It's now a best-two-out-of-three. Will the pendulum shift again?

4: Washington Capitals

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SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 9: Head coach Bruce Boudreau of the Washington Capitals talks to the team during a time out in the last minute of the game against the Florida Panthers on April 9, 2011 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers defea

The Washington Capitals were my choice to come out of the East, but it wasn't an easy decision. Yes they had the top seed and most of the hockey world also picked the Caps, but they have serious questions looming over them.

Do they have enough leadership? Will Michal Neuvirth be the go-to guy? Can Ovechkin come through in the clutch? Will they choke another series lead? And on and on it goes.

Things looked like sweet roses heading into New York with a 2-0 lead.  Yet, in Game 4, amidst the "Can you hear us!" chants, the Capitals were reeling. All signs pointed to a stalemate heading back to Washington.

That is until the comeback kids did their thing in the third period.

That must have been a fun plane ride home and one can only wonder what Bruce Boudreau was going to say next.

Game, set, match?

3: Boston Bruins

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MONTREAL, CANADA - APRIL 18: Tim Thomas #30 of the Boston Bruins slides from post to post after a save while Scott Gomez #11 of the Montreal Canadiens skates after the rebound in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stan

This is where the list got difficult. I put the Boston Bruins third because their two wins in Montreal shouldn't come as a complete shock. Carey Price has lost an embarrassing amount of consecutive playoff games at home.

Yet, this still qualifies as a phenomenal comeback story given all the adversity Boston has overcome.  It was bad enough to lose both home games to start the playoffs after their historic choke job last year, but they went down 3-1 and 4-3 in Game 4, too.

The big, bad Bruins dug deep though. Unlikely heroes like Thomas Kaberle and Michael Ryder finally produced offensively to notch this series at two games a piece.

Now that the Bruins have their confidence back and regained home-ice advantage, can they close the deal?

I'm sure the best is yet to come in this series—and that's saying something!

2: San Jose Sharks

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LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 19: Antero Niittymaki #30 and Ryane Clowe #29 of the San Jose Sharks celebrate their 6-5 win over the Los Angeles Kings in overtime of game three of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at

Has there ever been a more maddening team in NHL history than the San Jose Sharks? It seems every year a so-called pundit will come and say, "I think this is their year."

Really?

Based on what people saw in the first two-and-a-half games, no one would think so. They looked flat, lost and frazzled.

That was until they said, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!"

In one of the biggest in-game comebacks of recent memory, the Sharks battled back to take Game 3 6-5 in overtime.

They followed it up with a convincing win in Game 4 to take this badboy series back to San Jose up 3-1.

With disaster staring them straight in the face, the Sharks called upon the momentum gods and called in a favor.

Wow. Most of us are still in shock over that.

1: Chicago Blackhawks

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CHICAGO - MAY 24: (L-R) Duncan Keith #2, Martin Havlat #24, Andrew Ladd #16, Dave Bolland #36 and Brent Seabrook #7 of the Chicago Blackhawks stand on the ice for the performing of the UNited STates National Anthem against the Detroit Red Wings during Ga

Just yesterday, I included the Vancouver Canucks in my top 10 storylines from Round 1 article. In it, I described the sweet taste of revenge.

Beep, beep, beep.

That's the sound of me backing up.

Please put up your hand if you saw this coming. The top story from this series was that the Canucks were indeed the dominating force that we witnessed during the regular season, and that the Blackhawks were an overwhelmed and depleted roster.

Suddenly, every Canucks fan is calling upon whatever deity they subscribe to so they can at last put away the pesky Blackhawks.

Dave Bolland was the spark plug that turned this all around, but something tells me the last momentum shift will go to the Canucks.

It's not the first time we've seen a team take their foot off the pedal after taking a commanding lead in a series, but they will need a championship effort to close this out.

However, if Chicago score first in Game 6...