Official 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread (LA KINGS WIN THE CUP 3-2 F/2OT)

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS
SERIES A - A1 vs. W2
TIME (ET) vs. NETWORKS
Friday, April 18 7:30 p.m. Detroit at Boston NBCSN, TSN
Sunday, April 20 3 p.m. Detroit at Boston NBC, TSN
Tuesday, April 22 7:30 p.m. Boston at Detroit NBCSN, TSN
Thursday, April 24 8 p.m. Boston at Detroit NBCSN, TSN
*Saturday, April 26 3 p.m. Detroit at Boston NBC, TSN
*Monday, April 28 TBD Boston at Detroit TSN
*Wednesday, April 30 TBD Detroit at Boston TSN

SERIES B - A2 vs. A3
TIME (ET) vs.
NETWORKS
Wednesday, April 16 7 p.m. Montreal at Tampa Bay CBC, RDS, CNBC
Friday, April 18 7 p.m. Montreal at Tampa Bay CBC, RDS, CNBC
Sunday, April 20 7 p.m. Tampa Bay at Montreal CBC, RDS, NBCSN
Tuesday, April 22 7 p.m. Tampa Bay at Montreal CBC, RDS, NHLN U.S.
*Thursday, April 24 7 p.m. Montreal at Tampa Bay CBC, RDS, CNBC
*Sunday, April 27 TBD Tampa Bay at Montreal CBC, RDS, NBCSN
Tuesday, April 29 TBD Montreal at Tampa Bay CBC, RDS

SERIES C - M1 vs. W1
TIME (ET) vs.
NETWORKS
Wednesday, April 16 7:30 p.m. Columbus at Pittsburgh NBCSN, CBC
Saturday, April 19 7 p.m. Columbus at Pittsburgh NBCSN, CBC
Monday, April 21 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at Columbus NBCSN, CBC
Wednesday, April 23 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at Columbus NBCSN, CBC
*Saturday, April 26 TBD Columbus at Pittsburgh CBC
*Monday, April 28 TBD Pittsburgh at Columbus CBC
*Wednesday, April 30 TBD Columbus at Pittsburgh CBC

SERIES D - M2 vs. M3
TIME (ET) vs.
NETWORKS
Thursday, April 17 7 p.m. Philadelphia at NY Rangers CNBC, TSN
Sunday, April 20 Noon Philadelphia at NY Rangers NBC, TSN
Tuesday, April 22 8 p.m. NY Rangers at Philadelphia CNBC, TSN
Friday, April 25 7 p.m. NY Rangers at Philadelphia CNBC, TSN
*Sunday, April 27 Noon Philadelphia at NY Rangers NBC, TSN
*Tuesday, April 29 TBD NY Rangers at Philadelphia TSN
*Wednesday, April 30 TBD Philadelphia at NY Rangers TSN

WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS
SERIES E - C1 vs. W1
TIME (ET) vs. NETWORKS
Thursday, April 17 9:30 p.m. Minnesota at Colorado CNBC, TSN
Saturday, April 19 9:30 p.m. Minnesota at Colorado NBCSN, TSN
Monday, April 21 7 p.m. Colorado at Minnesota NHLN U.S., TSN
Thursday, April 24 9:30 p.m. Colorado at Minnesota CNBC, TSN2
*Saturday, April 26 TBD Minnesota at Colorado TSN
*Monday, April 28 TBD Colorado at Minnesota TSN
*Wednesday, April 30 TBD Minnesota at Colorado TSN

SERIES F - C2 vs. C3
TIME (ET) vs. NETWORKS
Thursday, April 17 8 p.m. Chicago at St. Louis NBCSN, CBC
Saturday, April 19 3 p.m. Chicago at St. Louis NBC, CBC
Monday, April 21 8:30 p.m. St. Louis at Chicago CNBC, CBC
Wednesday, April 23 9:30 p.m. St. Louis at Chicago NBCSN, CBC
*Friday, April 25 8 p.m. Chicago at St. Louis NBCSN, CBC
*Sunday, April 27 3 p.m. St. Louis at Chicago NBC, CBC
*Tuesday, April 29 TBD Chicago at St. Louis CBC

SERIES G - P1 vs. W2
TIME (ET) vs.
NETWORKS
Wednesday, April 16 10 p.m. Dallas at Anaheim NBCSN, TSN
Friday, April 18 10 p.m. Dallas at Anaheim NBCSN, TSN
Monday, April 21 9:30 p.m. Anaheim at Dallas NBCSN, TSN
Wednesday, April 23 8 p.m. Anaheim at Dallas CNBC, TSN
*Friday, April 25 10:30 p.m. Dallas at Anaheim NBCSN, TSN
*Sunday, April 27 TBD Anaheim at Dallas TSN
*Tuesday, April 29 TBD Dallas at Anaheim TSN

SERIES H - P2 vs. P3
TIME (ET) vs. NETWORKS
Thursday, April 17 10:30 p.m. Los Angeles at San Jose NBCSN, CBC
Sunday, April 20 10 p.m. Los Angeles at San Jose NBCSN, CBC
Tuesday, April 22 10 p.m. San Jose at Los Angeles NBCSN, CBC
Thursday, April 24 10:30 p.m. San Jose at Los Angeles NBCSN, CBC
*Saturday, April 26 TBD Los Angeles at San Jose NBCSN, CBC
*Monday, April 28 TBD San Jose at Los Angeles CBC
*Wednesday, April 30 TBD Los Angeles at San Jose CBC

frick this thread too

23rd consecutive playoff appearance for my wings

Yes.

The Philly vs Rags series is going to be a blood bath.

Damn how the hell did the hawks suck enough to get the fricking Blues in the first damn round

Might get swept

Because matchups are now divisional instead of conference. Colorado playing out of their collective gourds mean the 2nd and 3rd place divisional teams play each other.

quote:

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Am I reading this correctly? Why is this so close?

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Because Pitt isn't a very good possession team. Here's the team profile from extra skater:

LINK

The charts won't copy, so here's the long and short of it: the Penguins insist on giving huge minutes to some of their worst possession players. Orpik, Scuderi, Bortuzzo, Sutter, and Engelland are all getting over 15 min/game (except Engelland at 12.9) and all are well under 50% Corsi. Crosby and Malkin giveth, the third line taketh away. The Pens are an incredibly top heavy team. Their top lines are among the very best in hockey, and their bottom lines are among the worst.

Some of that is necessity. The only way to afford some of those contracts is to save elsewhere. So when Crosby or Malkin isn't on the ice, this is a bad team. Also, Niskanen and Despres have been by far their best blueliners in possession, and they don't get corresponding minutes.

Columbus is sort of the polar opposite. Their top line is pretty pedestrian, and might be one of the worst top lines in hockey, but they are extremely deep. There's no drop off even down to the fourth line. Everyone contributes and almost every player is close to a 50% Corsi (with some exceptions, but no one is more than 5% in any direction with more than 500 min played). The Jackets might be the deepest team in the NHL. There is almost no statistical difference between their bottom and top lines.