EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
Metropolitan No. 1 New York Rangers vs. Metropolitan No. 2 Washington Capitals
How they got here: New York defeated Pittsburgh 4-1; Washington defeated the New York Islanders 4-3
Season series: New York won 3-1
Playoff history: This is the fifth playoff meeting between the teams since 2009. No two teams have faced each other more in the playoffs the past seven seasons. The Rangers eliminated the Capitals in the second round in 2012 and the first round in 2013. Each series went seven games. Washington defeated the Rangers in a seven-game series in 2009 and a five-game series in 2011. Overall, the teams have split their eight playoff meetings.
Goalies: Washington goalie Braden Holtby (.943 save percentage in postseason) appeared in all four games against New York this season and didn't fare well. He allowed 12 goals on 116 shots for a 3.06 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage. The only team that fared better against Holtby was Columbus, which scored 16 goals in five games against him. New York's Henrik Lundqvist (.939 postseason save percentage) is 18-8-3 in his career against Washington with a 2.52 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. That is his worst career save percentage against any Eastern Conference team except Toronto.
Key players: Rangers LW Rick Nash scored three of his 42 goals against Washington despite missing one game in the regular-season series. Nash was widely criticized for a poor 2014 postseason (10 points in 25 games), in which the Rangers fell in the Cup Final. New York didn't exactly light the world on fire with its offense in the first round, managing just 11 goals in a five-game series against the Penguins, who were playing without three key defensemen. With Mats Zuccarello out indefinitely, the Rangers will need Nash's offense. Washington left wing Alex Ovechkin has taken plenty of heat over the years for not carrying his team deeper into the playoffs. The tight-checking Rangers will be a major challenge, but Ovechkin scored five goals against New York in the regular season, four on the power play.
Injuries: Rangers RW Zuccarello is out indefinitely with what is likely a concussion suffered in Game 5 against Pittsburgh. Zuccarello normally plays with Derick Brassard and Nash and is a key part of a power play that doesn't strike much fear into teams anyway. Washington C Eric Fehr (upper body), D John Erskine (neck surgery) and D Dmitry Orlov (IR, wrist) are day to day.
Key stats: The Capitals' power play scored four times on 13 chances against the Rangers in the regular season. ... Rangers centers Brassard and Kevin Hayes each had five points against Washington in the regular season. ... The Caps haven't allowed a power-play goal yet in the playoffs in 14 opponents' opportunities. They are the only team that is perfect on the penalty kill.
Breakdown: This series likely will be decided by which team imposes its style. New York is as fast a team as there is in the NHL, but the Capitals are, on average, an inch taller and 10 pounds heavier, per The Globe and Mail. With Ovechkin, Joel Ward and Troy Brouwer, Washington is built to win board battles and create traffic in front of the net. Those elements normally matter in the playoffs. If Washington can negate the Rangers' speed, it has a good chance, particularly if its lethal power play gets opportunities. Washington had only 13 opportunities in seven games against the Islanders. On the flip side, New York has Lundqvist and a water-tight defense that will be bolstered in depth by the return of Kevin Klein from a broken arm. The Caps are constructed for the playoffs, but is it wrong to still not believe this franchise has the right stuff when the postseason arrives?
Prediction: Rangers in 7
Atlantic No. 1 Montreal vs. Atlantic No. 2 Tampa Bay
How they got here: Montreal defeated Ottawa 4-2; Tampa Bay defeated Detroit 4-3
Season series: Tampa won 5-0
Playoff history: The teams split their two playoff meetings. Tampa swept the Canadiens in the 2004 conference semifinals on its way to its only Stanley Cup. Montreal swept the Lightning last season in the first round.
Goalies: Montreal's Carey Price should be adding the Hart Trophy (MVP) and Vezina Trophy (best goalie) to his mantle soon. In the meantime, he's been rock solid for the Canadiens in the playoffs, posting a .939 save percentage (third) and a 1.94 goals-against average (fourth). Price will have to rectify some recent troubles against the Lightning, however. He posted a 3.47 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage against Tampa in the regular season. Tampa's Ben Bishop (1.87 GAA, .922 save percentage) wasn't always at his best in the first round against Detroit, but he came through with a huge, 31-save shutout in Game 7 to push the Lightning into the second round. It was sweet redemption for Bishop, who missed last season's playoffs with an elbow injury.
Key players: Tampa C Steven Stamkos hasn't scored yet in the postseason. The Lightning won't go much further if their best player can't get his offensive game in order. Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov have given Tampa a potent second line, but the competition only gets stiffer from here on out. The Canadiens' second defensive pairing of Alexei Emelin and Jeff Petry is going to face a tough assignment, whether it draws Tampa's first or second line. The Habs are not a great possession team so defensive coverage along with puck battles in the corners, along the half walls and in front of the net will be critical to Montreal's success.
Injuries: Montreal D Nathan Beaulieu will miss at least the first four games of the series with what is believed to be an upper body injury. Tampa has not reported any current injuries.
Key stats: Tampa Bay's power play is operating at a paltry 6.7 percent in the postseason. The two teams that are worse? The eliminated Islanders (0 percent) and the Lightning's opponent, the Canadiens (5 percent) ... Tampa Bay forward Johnson is tied with St. Louis' Vladimir Tarasenko for the postseason goal-scoring lead with six. ... Montreal's 189 goals against were tied for the fewest allowed in the NHL this season.
Breakdown: It's not clear which team will have the greater payback incentive when these Atlantic Division rivals meet: Montreal for being swept in the regular-season series, or Tampa for being swept out of the playoffs last spring. The Lightning are happy to have Bishop back in goal after he missed the last postseason with an injury, but the Habs still have the odds-on favorite to win the Hart Trophy manning its pipes in Price. Tampa's speed and offensive prowess were put to the test against Detroit in the first round, but that series win sure felt like the first-round test a talented team gets before making a deep playoff run. Something will have to give in this series since Tampa is allowing the second-fewest shots per game in the postseason at 24 and Montreal is averaging the second-most shots on goal at 38.7. The Canadiens have received timely scoring all year, but we think Stamkos (five goals, seven points this season) is ready to resume his dominance of the Canadiens. Tampa is a bit more talented and ready to take the next step in its evolution.
Prediction: Tampa Bay in 6
Central No. 3 Chicago vs. Wild card No. 1 Minnesota
How they got here: Chicago defeated Nashville 4-2; Minnesota defeated St. Louis 4-2
Season series: Chicago won 3-2
Playoff history: Chicago is 2-0 against Minnesota in the playoffs, having eliminated the Wild in each of the past two postseasons.
Goalies: Chicago's Corey Crawford didn't get off to a good start in these playoffs (4.19 goals-against average and .850 save percentage) and lost his job temporarily to Scott Darling. But the veteran is back in net and he is 8-3 against the Wild in the playoffs the past two seasons with a 1.66 goals-against average and .937 save percentage. Crawford's .924 save percentage was the sixth best in the league during the regular season. Minnesota went 28-9-3 following the trade for Devan Dubnyk in January, the top winning percentage in the NHL over that period. Dubnyk finished with the NHL's second-best save percentage (.929) and second-best goals-against average (2.07). He hasn't been as sharp in the postseason, (.913, 2.32), but in the Wild's four wins over St. Louis he allowed just four goals.
Key players: Since 2013, Chicago wing Bryan Bickell has 15 goals in 23 regular-season and playoff games vs. Minnesota. Bickell isn't a household name, but his uncanny success against the Wild has beat writers musing about whether Minnesota will shadow him. Minnesota D Ryan Suter averaged 29 minutes and 31 shifts per game during the regular season, but that dropped to an average of 26:05, with 32 shifts, in the first round. Keeping Suter fresh against Chicago's top line of Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Brandon Saad really would help.
Injuries: Minnesota D Keith Ballard is on injured reserve with a concussion and facial fractures. Chicago hasn't reported any current injuries.
Key stats: The Wild are 0-6 against the Blackhawks on the road in the past two postseasons. ... The Wild have allowed 26.5 shots per game in the playoffs, the best mark of the remaining teams in the Western Conference.
Breakdown: The Wild's series against the Blackhawks last season marked the start of a disturbing trend. Chicago always had been predicated on speed and skill, but in the former category, it looked grossly deficient against Minnesota. Playoff experience and savvy — and a crazy bounce on a Patrick Kane goal — helped Chicago oust Minnesota in six games last season, but the Wild have matured and were the NHL's best team over the second half of the season. They have superlative leadership in Suter and forward Zack Parise. They have waves of depth. They have the aforementioned speed and they have one thing they have sorely lacked the past few seasons: goaltending.
Prediction: Minnesota in 6
Pacific No. 1 Anaheim vs. Pacific No. 3 Calgary
How they got here: Anaheim defeated Winnipeg 4-0; Calgary defeated Vancouver 4-2
Season series: Anaheim won 3-1-1
Playoff history: The Flames and Ducks have met just once in the playoffs — a seven-game series win for Anaheim in 2006.
Goalies: The emergence of Frederik Andersen in Anaheim last season made Jonas Hiller expendable. Now Hiller finds himself in Calgary, facing his former team with a score to settle and the starting nod from coach Bob Hartley, after splitting duties with Karri Ramo much of the season. Hiller has the same goals-against average as Andersen after the first round (2.20) but has a better save percentage (.931 to .924). Andersen struggled in the playoffs last season, posting a 3.10 GAA and an .899 save percentage before suffering an injury in Game 3 of the Ducks' second-round loss to Los Angeles.
Key players: Calgary wing Michael Ferland may be the poster child for Calgary's defiance of analytics-predicting outcomes. The fifth-round pick, who was in rehab one year ago, had two goals, two assists and was plus-five against the Canucks, playing alongside David Jones and Matt Stajan. Ferland also had 40 hits — second only to the Islanders' Matt Martin in the playoffs. Anaheim C Ryan Kesler was acquired in the offseason to help the Ducks match the Kings' center and scoring depth. Calgary most assuredly will be focused on stopping Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. If Kesler and Jakob Silfverberg can provide the kind of offense (11 points) they did in a first-round sweep of Winnipeg, Anaheim will be tough to beat.
Injuries: Anaheim C Nate Thompson (upper body) is day to day but has been practicing with the team. G John Gibson (hand) is ready to return to the lineup. Calgary C Paul Byron (lower body), D Raphael Diaz (lower body) and D Lance Bouma (lower body) are day to day.
Key stats: The Flames have lost 20 straight regular-season games at Honda Center (0-15-5), and two of three games in the building when the teams played in the first round of the 2006 playoffs. ... The Ducks had an NHL-high 12 wins when trailing after two periods; the Flames were third with 10. ... Anaheim is 35-1-7 in one-goal games this season.
Breakdown: Anaheim hasn't advanced past the second round since winning the Stanley Cup in 2007, but its odds look awfully good this season. Calgary finished 28th in SAT (the NHL's version of Corsi plus/minus), attempting 839 fewer shots than their opponents in the regular season. In the first round against the Canucks, the Flames' SAT differential of minus-54 was 15th out of 16 teams. Some have wondered if the Flames' grit, toughness and heart are overcoming those analytics but it's also worth noting that Vancouver was a favorable first-round matchup. The Ducks are not, although their possession numbers were not elite either. Anaheim's ability to win close games all season was remarkable; the Ducks set an NHL record with 33 one-goal wins. Both teams have shown a flair for dramatic, late-game rallies. Something's got to give. Expect it to be Calgary's Cinderella story, but this series should be much closer than most anticipate.
Prediction: Anaheim in 7
Follow Craig Morgan on Twitter
