SO I am a few days late but since I was hospitalized, I wasn’t able to update my blog at all. I watched most of the series games via the highlights on the NHL official channel. I was 50% disappointed and 50% happy as I wanted all 4 Canadian teams in the payoffs to proceed to the second round. Only 2 did and they face each other, so only 1 Canadian team will make it to the Conference finals. So let’s look at the teams that did not go through first.
In the Eastern Conference, Toronto battled valiantly and almost made it through but they lost 4-3 to the Boston Bruins. This was the chance for the Maple Leafs but they could not finish it. In something of an upset, the Florida Panthers defeated their more successful Florida rival, Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-1. Has the tie shifted in terms of power down south? New York Rangers, who seem to be everyone’s favourites having won the League in terms of points, blitzed past Washington Capitols in what was a clear indication of their motives. And finally the Hurricanes of Carolina beat the New York Islanders 4-1.
Out in the Western Conference, 3 Canadian teams were competing and 2 went through. The one that didn’t is my second team – the neutral favourite Winnipeg Jets, who were beaten by Cale Makar’s Colorado Avalanche. But the Edmonton Oilers beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 and did it in style. The top team in the West, the Vancouver Canucks also beat out the Nashville Predators 4-2 to become the second Canadian team in round 2 while the Dallas Stars beat out defending champions Las Vegas Golden Knights 4-3.
In the second round the Canucks face the Oilers and the Stars face the Avalanche while Florida will look to beat out the Bruins of Boston as the Ne York Rangers face off against Carolina.