Rangers open playoffs at Pens; Ducks vault Kings in Pacific
The New York Islanders will open the playoffs at the Florida Panthers, and that means Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers will face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins for the third consecutive postseason.
The Eastern Conference playoffs were settled Sunday following the Islanders' 5-2 loss to Philadelphia. The Islanders are seeded seventh and will take on the Atlantic Division champion Panthers in the first round. The Rangers stayed in third in the Metropolitan Division, and will face the second-place Penguins.
In the Western Conference, the Anaheim Ducks vaulted ahead of Los Angeles to clinch their fourth consecutive Pacific Division title with a 2-0 win at Washington on Sunday. The Ducks open the postseason against seventh-seeded Nashville. The Kings dropped to second in the Pacific and will face the third-place Sharks.
