NHL Playoff Roundup: Ottawa, Toronto OT Thriller, Predators' Fire

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:56 p.m. ET

Fansided, Santagata JJ/FanSided via Puck Prose

NHL Playoffs: The most wonderful time of the year, where literally anything can happen. The most unsuspected of heroes arise, playoff matchups surprise and NHL fans left to cry or cheer as their favorite wins or loses.

Boston @ Ottawa: 4-3 Senators OT

Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

As the two traded shots for much of the entire game registering 101 shots combined between the two. In just his second career playoff game and just his nineteenth career game, 20-year-old Kasperi Kapanen tied the series up 1-1 with his heroic late double overtime goal from Brian Boyle and Matt Martin.

The importance of a fourth line was evident here. Toronto managed to edge the Capitals in faceoff percentage(61%), shots on goal(51), blocks(25) and registered less giveaways than the Capitals(17 compared to Caps 28). With the series tied 1-1 heading into to Toronto for two games, if you are a Capitals fan, the situation is not a comfortable one to be in.

Predators @ Chicago: Predators 5-0

Well, the big question heading into this series was, can Chicago's young guys keep up their regular season production and translate it over to the playoffs? Evidently not so it seems like.

In back to back games, Chicago has gotten shut out, despite outshooting the Predators in both games the Blackhawks can't seem to score. After losing game one 1-0 there's really no panic but after dropping game two 5-0 and now heading into the Bridgestone arena for two games, the Blackhawks can't be too thrilled right now. Now for Nashville with five different guys scoring last night, what seemed to not be there for much of the regular season, Nashville is getting depth scoring at the most important time.

This series can be a major bracket buster. If Nashville takes game three Monday night, the Blackhawks could be looking at first round exits in back to back seasons.

Flames @ Anaheim: Ducks 3-2

I feel as if the feel coming into this series was Calgary can take this series due to Anaheim's recent

playoff history, but Anaheim is more so the better team so this is their series. Well leading 2-0 going into Calgary is exactly where the Ducks want to be. As game one, each team was able to see 5 or more power plays. Anaheim went 2 for 7 in game one and Calgary went 1 for 5.

Again each team capitalized on their powerplay opportunities in game two. Which Anaheim's game-winning goal from captain Ryan Getzlaf came on the powerplay with just 5 minutes 26 seconds to play in the third. Getzlaf's GWG was his second of the playoffs and fourth playoff point.