We are now into the second round of the NHL playoffs. Hope all the teams got their first round jitters out and are ready for the challenge ahead. My wife let me watch more hockey than I expected so I got to see a couple games from each series...she dreads the playoffs because it means the kids and I will be watching a game almost every night. On to the match-ups:
Penguins vs. Capitals - The Capitals struggled with the Blue Jackets in the first round with 4 of the 6 games going it OT. The Penguins flexed their playoff muscle when necessary and eventually choked out the Flyers in 6 games. This is a rematch from the 2017 playoffs where both teams battled to 7 games. There's bad blood between them. I think the Pens will flex that muscle again.
Jets vs. Predators - The Predators are attempting another run at the cup after last years loss to the Penguins. The Preds battled a pesky Avalanche in the first round winning in 6 games. The Jets won their first playoff games ever versus the Wild in the first round and they did it in a dominant fashion. This should be a great battle.
Sharks vs. Golden Knights - The Sharks are hungry. They feasted on the Ducks in the first round defeating them in 4 games. The Golden Knights, in their first season ever, stomped the LA Kings in 4 games of the first round. I'm looking forward to this series...I have a soft spot in my heart for Marc-Andre Fleury.
Bruins vs. Lightning - The Bruins had a struggled at times against the Maple Leafs in the first round. But they eventually prevailed in 7 games. We'll see if the Bruins are awake and ready for the speedy Lightning. The Lightning had a fairly easy time with the NJ Devils in the first round defeating them in 5 games. This will be a grinding turbo charged series.