Two exciting series-clinchers as the second round nears the end. Not a lot of scoring, but that's just fine!
First, NY Rangers vs. Pittsburgh.
Despite being outshot 36-20, there is one reason that the Rangers won:
Henrik Lundqvist stopped 35 of those 36 shots. His numbers in Game 7 are incredible. It's also the second one he's won this postseason as the Rangers advanced past the Flyers in 7.
The loss sends the Penguins into an uncertain offseason. Though they have great players and are frequently successful in the regular season (they won their division and had over 100 points, no laughing matter by any stretch), they haven't been as successful in the playoffs. A lot of that may fall on Fleury, but there are plenty of blameworthy targets.
Of course, sports being what it is in 2014, the coach is the likely target. And if I were a Penguins fan, I'd probably feel the same way. All I really know about Dan Bylsma is that he coached the US Olympic Hockey Team, and they flopped against Canada and failed to show up in the Bronze Medal game.
Suffice it to say that it's not Bylsma's best year.
But now the Rangers get to face a team coming off their own Game 7 experience. We'll know which one later today.
NY Rangers win the series 4-3. They advance to the next round.
Last, Chicago vs. Minnesota.
The better team moves on, though not by a whole hell of a lot.
I picked the Blackhawks to win in five because I wasn't sold on Bryzgalov after he struggled against Colorado and was pulled for Darcy Kuemper. Well, with Kuemper injured and subsequently absent for this series, Bryzgalov did a bang-up job, if you ignore those first two games in Chicago.
Other than that, it was a close series and Game 6 required OT to reach a conclusion.
Of course, since it went into OT, Patrick Kane found a way to put one in the net. This doesn't surprise me by any means.
Bryzgalov and Corey Crawford had a hell of a goalie standoff going on. Bryz stopped 25 while Crawford stopped 34.
All in all, a hell of a series. Erik Haula had another goal for the Wild; I don't know how I failed to mention him previously, but he's been a heck of a player in this round. So this should not be the last we hear of Minnesota; they have a talented team and with more consistency in net they should be better.
Chicago wins the series 4-2. They advance to the next round.
Later today, Game 7 in Boston and Game 6 in Los Angeles. With a win, Anaheim moves on to face Chicago in the conference finals.
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