The slap of a puck and the siren ring herald the most exciting postseason in sports, the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. Sixteen teams enter the quest to hoist Lord Stanley, and eight have departed. We will go in-depth into every series to see the story behind each best-of-seven first-round matchup.
First, some basic playoff rules and terminology for the less initiated in the Hockey world. The series structure is similar to the NBA playoffs, a best-of-seven format in which the first two games are played in the better regular-season team’s stadium and then two in the other. If the series isn’t over by this point, the games alternate until game seven.
The Eastern Conference
The Eastern Conference had quite a first round of playoffs this year. Several games with overtime, rivalries, and adrenaline-filled moments made this conference worth watching.
New York Rangers (M1) versus the Washington Capitals (WC2)
The New York Rangers were the best regular season team in the league and won the dubious award of the President’s Trophy for the best regular season team, commonly thought to be cursed by die-hard hockey fans. However, the curse has seemingly not set in yet, as the Rangers would sweep the Washington Capitals in four games.
The Caps, led by the legendary veteran Alex Ovechkin, won the regular season race for a wildcard slot in the eastern conference. They beat out Pittsburgh and Philadelphia for the right to be swept. The best of seven series was mostly uneventful, with the Rangers holding a dominant lead over the Capitals for their home and away games.
Final Record:Â 4-0 Rangers
Player of Note: Matt Rempe, also known as the “Rempire State Building.” A six-foot-six enforcer of the highest degree who was one of the team leaders in penalty minutes as a rookie and is quickly becoming a legend for the team.
Best Game:Â The Capitals did not put up a particularly great effort in any game, so it’s hard to say the best game in the series.
Carolina Hurricanes (M2) versus the New York Islanders (M3)
The Carolina Hurricanes were another juggernaut in the Eastern Conference, and the Raleigh team was ready to make a deep run to vindicate last year’s loss in the Eastern Conference Final. Like the Capitals, the Islanders were seen as a doomed team, and this prediction was largely accurate, scraping out a single win versus the “Canes”.
Carolina would win their first two at home, the second coming back from a three-goal deficit with a 5-goal rally to win the game 5-3. In the Islander’s home of the Nassau Colosseum, the Hurricanes would win the third game and then drop the fourth to the Islanders off a two-goal showing by Islander Matthew Barzal in double overtime to prevent the sweep. However, the Canes would close out the series in Raleigh with a dominant 6-3 win.
Final Record: 4-1 Carolina Hurricanes
Player of Note:Â Brent Burns. Burns is a veteran defensive presence for Carolina who can play on both sides of the ice. While not the highest point-scorer, his key goal in game three helped prevent a prolonged series for Carolina.
Best Game:Â Game 4. A double-overtime playoff game to prevent the sweep is about as high stakes as a game can get in the first round, and the Islanders successfully fought to keep their pride intact.
The Battle of Florida [Florida Panthers (A1) versus the Tampa Bay Lightning (WC1)]
The Battle of Florida being a relevant playoff rivalry is a new innovation in a hockey world so used to “Battles for Alberta” or New York metro area rivalries. But with the Panthers’ “Cinderella run” to the Stanley Cup last year and the tail end of the Lighting dynasty, the matchup is more high powered than a one-seed versus the second wildcard would suggest.
The Panther’s regular season power would continue into the first round of the postseason, winning both of their first home-ice games. However, game two was an overtime thriller with two-time Maurice Richard Trophy-winning Steven Stamkos for the Lighting tying the game in the second. Despite losing that game and the next, the Lighting would rally in game 4 to prevent the sweep, winning 6-3 over the Panthers. The Panthers would close it out in Sunset, winning in a brutal 6-1 win over the lighting
Final Record: 4-1 Florida Panthers
Player of Note:Â Sergei Bobrovsky. Bobs, as he is nicknamed, had a massive .969 save percentage in the 6-1 victory over the Lighting to continue his dominance from last year’s postseason
Best Game: Game Two, an overtime thriller with big names like Steven Stamkos and Carter Verhaeghe scoring to keep the series interesting
Boston Bruins (A2) versus Toronto Maple Leafs (A3)
The only battle between two of the original six teams in the first round is one with a lot of history. Since Boston has not lost a playoff series to Toronto since 1959, Boston was expected to win. However, with a high-powered roster anchored by league-leading scorer Austin Matthews, the Leafs fought to overcome their playoff woes. After a dominating 5-1 victory at home by Boston, the Leafs would return to win 3-2 in Boston.
Boston would win the two games in Toronto; the Leafs would win overtime game five and push the series to game 7, a hockey classic. After winning at home, Toronto would return to Boston in a game seven matchup that extended into overtime. David Pastrnak would put away the game for the Bruins, who advanced to take on the Florida Panthers.
Final Record: 4-3 Boston
Player of Note: David Pastrnak, aka “Pasta.” The Czech player, an alternate captain for Boston, is known for his offensive prowess, and he would be the key to the Bruins victory, scoring the series-winning goal in overtime of game seven.
Best Game: Game Seven overtime. This is the highest stakes one can have in the first round. Two high powered teams and a defensive battle, with the only points being scored in overtime or late in the third period
The Western Conference
That was all of the Eastern Conference matchups. Now, we will head west to the land of Kings, Knights, Oilers, and Stars.
The Edmonton Oilers (P2) versus the Los Angeles Kings (P3) (The Wayne Gretsky Rivalry)
The Kings and the Oilers are two franchises linked by the Great One, and the trade that brought him out of Edmonton is certainly one of the most (in)famous trades in the league’s history. There is new bad blood between these teams, too, now that they have faced each other in every first round since 2022. The Oilers, with the best player in the league, 5-time Art Ross (most points scored), and 3-time Hart Trophy (MVP) winner Conner McDavid, were expected to have a very successful series against the Kings and largely did not disappoint.
The Kings, as a wildcard team, were largely seen as a roadbump on the Oilers’ quest to win the illusive Stanley Cup. They mostly lived up to this expectation, only winning game two, in overtime. After this, the Oilers would win the rest of their games in dominating fashion, finishing out the series with a 4-3 win in Los Angeles to advance to the second round. The Oilers advance to play their rival across the Rockies, the Vancouver Canucks.
Final Record: 4-1 Edmonton
Player of Note: Connor McDavid. This article mentions him twice because he is just that good. In Game One against the Kings, he tallied five assists, a number that had not been broken since the 1998 season.
Best Game:Â L.A.’s game two overtime win in Edmonton. It was an absolute shootout in which both teams scored goals. The Kings were led by Adrian Kempe and the Oilers were led by Dylan Holloway, both with two goals apiece.
Vancouver Canucks (P1) versus the Nashville Predators (WC1)
The Nashville Predators were one of the hottest teams after the All-Star break, going on a franchise-record 18-point streak during that series. (Regular season points, in Hockey team standings, are two for outright wins and one for overtime losses). The Canucks, however, have been the unexpected team of the year, with low expectations coming into the season. The underdogs, in fact, secured the second-best result in the west.
Nashville, however, gave Vancouver a run for its money, winning game two 4-1 off the back of a solid performance by Filip Forsberg. Vancouver would go on to win the next two, with game four heading to overtime before the Preds won their matchup back in Nashville. With the series at a 3-2 split going into game six, many wondered if the Predators were preparing to pull off the upset. This “Cinderella”, however, was not to be as they were eliminated in a one-goal game by the Canucks, who now advance on, hopefully, to take down the Edmonton Oilers.
Final Record: 4-2 Vancouver
Player of Note:Â Quinn Huges. The former Michigan Wolverine and seventh overall pick, while not necessarily the most elite of goalscoring defensemen, is certainly a source of optimism for Canucks fans. The fact that both of his brothers are also playing at an elite level on a much worse team (The New Jersey Devils) also shows he most likely has the ability to step up at any time
The Winnipeg Jets (C2) versus the Colorado Avalanche (C3)
With a tight race in the central division, the Jets and Avs were seen as one of the most intense playoff matchups between number two and number three, however the Avs managed to shut down the Jets to win the series 4-1.
The Winnipeg Jets, led by the expert goaltender and Vezina Trophy (awarded to the best goaltender in the league) finalist Conner Hellebuyck, were expected to shut down the high-flying Colorado offense, piloted by the multiple award-winning first line, especially Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. All of these men are seen as among the top three for their positions this year, leading to a high-powered matchup in the first round.
The wall between them and the net failed to restrain Colorado’s offense, with all of the games in the series having six or more goals combined. The Jets would take the early series lead in a 7-6 nailbiter, but the Avs would sweep the rest of the series, with the Jets failing to hold Colorado to less than five goals in any game. Colorado would advance to play the Dallas Stars.
Final Record:Â 4-1 Colorado
Player of Note:Â Valeri Nichushkin. The 29-year-old former Dallas Star had a hat trick against the Jets in game four, which has generally proven his worth as a depth piece for a top-heavy Colorado team.
Best Game: Game One. If you have not figured out my criteria for the best game now, it’s usually the closest game. Blowouts usually make for boring hockey unless they are for your favorite team. The 7-6 battle in Winnipeg allowed some of the best players in the league to show their talents. And don’t be fooled by the Avalanche’s 6 goals to sour you on Winnipeg’s goaltending, as the Avalanche shot an insane 46 shots on goal.
The Dallas Stars (C1) versus the Las Vegas Golden Knights (WC2)
Finally, the matchup all Roundup readers have been waiting for and a highly anticipated one in the hockey world as well. As the rematch between the two Western Conference Finals teams, the Stars, now the second-best team in the league, had much to prove in their quest to beat the reigning Stanley Cup Champions.
The Stars would open the series in American Airlines Center with an incredibly shaky 0-2 start at home. Worries of sweeps were quickly abated with an overtime victory in Las Vegas pushing the series to 2-1. Then, another away win would tie the series despite expert performances by Vegas’ goalies Logan Thomson and Adin Hill. After winning their respective home games, the series was tied at 3-3 going into Game Seven in Dallas. Before the game, Stars fourth-line player Radek Faksa promised his son to score a goal, and with the game tied 1-1 at the start of the third, he would do just that to secure the game and series for the Stars. The Dallas Stars advance to play the Colorado Avalanche.
Final Record: 4-3 Dallas
Player of Note:Â Wyatt Johnston. The twenty-year-old enters his second postseason with a bang, scoring a crucial goal to start momentum in game seven and scoring eight points total in the series.
Best Game:Â Game Seven in Dallas. I am not just being a biased home fan, it legitimately was a close game. A pull of the goaltender in the third period led to a fantastic defensive zone stand by a Dallas team not famed for its defense.
With the last first-round matchup reported on, keep reading the Roundup for news on the Dallas Stars and maybe even the rest of the lesser teams left in the playoffs, in future days.
