Playoffs Are Coming

It’s a hockey fan’s favorite time of year….play off season. Here is all the info you need
to know. I am cheering for Pittsburg, Ottawa, Washington, and Boston. In the West:
Chicago, Detroit, San Jose, and LA. Here is the playoff bracket. After the jump is all the
info.

The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the playoffs as the Eastern Conference regular season
champions, earning 72 points. The New York Islanders earned 55 points during the
regular season to finish eighth overall in the Eastern Conference. This is the fourth
playoff meeting for these two teams, with the Islanders having won all three of the
previous playoff series. Their most recent meeting was in the 1993 Patrick Division
Final, where the Islanders defeated the Penguins in seven games. Pittsburgh won four of
the five games in this year's regular season series.



The Montreal Canadiens entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern
Conference by winning the Northeast Division with 63 points. The Ottawa Senators
earned 56 points during the regular season to finish seventh overall in the Eastern
Conference. This is the first playoff series between these two teams. Each team won two
of the four games in this year's regular season series.



The Washington Capitals entered the playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference
by winning the Southeast Division with 57 points. The New York Rangers earned 56
points during the regular season to finish sixth overall in the Eastern Conference. This
is the eighth playoff meeting for these two teams, and the fourth in the last five years,
with the Capitals having won four of the seven previous series. This is a rematch of the
previous year's Eastern Conference Semifinal, which New York won in seven games.
New York won two of the three games in this year's regular season series.



The Boston Bruins entered the playoffs as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference with
62 points. The Toronto Maple Leafs earned 57 points during the regular season to finish
fifth overall in the Eastern Conference. This is the fourteenth playoff series between these
two teams, with the Maple Leafs having won eight of the previous thirteen series. Their
most recent meeting was the 1974 Stanley Cup Quarterfinal, where the Bruins defeated
the Maple Leafs in four games. Boston won three of the four games in this year's regular
season series.



The Chicago Blackhawks entered the playoffs as the Western Conference regular
season champions and Presidents' Trophy winners, earning 77 points. The Minnesota
Wild earned 55 points during the regular season to finish eighth overall in the Western
Conference. This is the first playoff meeting for these two teams. Chicago won two of the
three games in this year's regular season series.



The Anaheim Ducks entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Western Conference
by winning the Pacific Division with 66 points. The Detroit Red Wings earned 56 points
during the regular season to finish seventh overall in the Western Conference. This is the
sixth playoff meeting for these two teams, with the Red Wings having won three of the
five previous series. The most recent meeting of these teams was in the 2009 Western
Conference Semifinals, which Detroit won in seven games. Detroit won two of the three
games in this year's regular season series.



The Vancouver Canucks entered the playoffs as the third seed in the Western Conference
by winning the Northwest Division with 59 points. The San Jose Sharks earned 57 points
during the regular season to finish sixth overall in the Western Conference. This is the
second playoff series between these two teams, with the only previous meeting being the
2011 Western Conference Final, where Vancouver defeated San Jose in five games. San
Jose won all three games in this year's regular season series.


The St. Louis Blues entered the playoffs as the fourth seed in the Western Conference
with 60 points. The Los Angeles Kings, entering as the defending Stanley Cup

champions, earned 59 points during the regular season to finish fifth overall in the
Western Conference. This is the fourth playoff series between these two teams, with
St. Louis having won two of the three previous series. The most recent meeting was the
previous year's Western Conference Semifinal, in which the Kings swept the Blues out of
the playoffs. Los Angeles won all three games in this year's regular season series.