The second round of playoff action began this Wednesday, April 26. Let’s get you up to speed.
**Note: This update is current as of April 29 at 8 AM.
- The Penguins lead the Washington Capitals 1-0 in the Metropolitan Division Finals.
The Pens and Caps began round 2 on Thursday, April 27. This is a hotly anticipated match up for many reasons. The two teams have been building a large rivalry since the Pens and Caps drafted Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin respectively in the early 2000s. Also, this is the third time the two teams have met in the second round of the playoffs since 2009. On Thursday the Pens scored two quick goals in the second period, and Washington tied it up in the third. Late in the third, Nick Bonino of the Penguins scored a goal to make it 3-2, with the Penguins later winning the game. Game 2 is Saturday, April 29, at 8pm.
- The Ottawa Senators lead the New York Rangers 1-0 in the Atlantic Division Finals.
The Rangers and Senators also began second round action on Thursday, April 27. After both teams scored a goal in the second period, Ottawa’s superstar defenseman, Erik Karlsson broke the tie in the third. The Sens later went on the win the game 2-1. Game 2 is in Ottawa, Saturday, April 29, at 3pm.
- The Nashville Predators lose for the first time after winning five games straight!
After sweeping the Chicago Blackhawks in round one, the Preds looked as though they were off to a great start winning Wednesday night’s game, and taking a 1-0 lead in the series against the St. Louis Blues. However, the Blues rebounded in game two, to win the game 3-2. The series is now tied 1-1. Making matters worse for Nashville, they suffered a loss when forward Kevin Fiala crashed into the boards on Wednesday night and broke his leg. He will miss the remainder of the postseason. It will be interesting to see how Nashville handles this loss. Nashville and St. Louis meet for Game 3 on Sunday, April 30, at 3pm.
- The Anaheim Ducks lose their first game this postseason.
After sweeping the Calgary Flames, and securing the first spot in the second round, the Anaheim Ducks have stalled a bit. They lost their first postseason game on Wednesday night against the Edmonton Oilers. After losing Game 1 5-3, the Ducks were looking for an opportunity to come out strong in Game 2. After Edmonton took a 2-0 lead, the Ducks attempted to rally when Jakob Silfverberg scored in the second. Unfortunately, the Ducks were not able to tie the game and lost 2-1. The Edmonton Oilers now lead the series 2-0, as they shift to home ice for the next two games. The next game is Sunday, April 30, at 7pm.
- What to look for in the coming week:
- It’s simple this week: more round two action!!!