Which Hockey Teams Are In The Playoffs
It's that time of year again! The NHL playoffs are here and fans are gearing up for some high-stakes hockey. But which teams made it to the postseason this year? Let's take a closer look.
Eastern Conference
In the Eastern Conference, eight teams made it to the playoffs: the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Washington Capitals.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are the top seed in the East and are favored to go all the way. They had an incredible regular season, finishing with an impressive record of 62-16-4. However, as we all know, anything can happen in the playoffs. The Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals are also strong contenders for the Eastern Conference championship.
Western Conference
In the Western Conference, eight teams also made the playoffs: the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights, and the Winnipeg Jets.
The Calgary Flames are the top seed in the West and had an incredible regular season, finishing with a record of 50-25-7. The San Jose Sharks and the Vegas Golden Knights, who were both in the Stanley Cup Finals last year, are also strong contenders for the Western Conference championship.
Key Matchups
There are several key matchups to watch in the first round of the playoffs:
The Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders will face off in the first round of the playoffs. The Penguins are trying to become the first team to win three Stanley Cup championships in a row since the New York Islanders did it in the 1980s.
The Columbus Blue Jackets and the Tampa Bay Lightning will also face off in the first round. The Blue Jackets are hoping to pull off a major upset against the best team in the NHL this year.
The Vegas Golden Knights and the San Jose Sharks will meet again in the playoffs for the second year in a row. Both teams are evenly matched and this series could go either way.
Conclusion
The NHL playoffs are always unpredictable and exciting. Anything can happen in a best-of-seven series, and every game is crucial. From the top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning to the underdog Columbus Blue Jackets, all eight teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference have a shot at winning the Stanley Cup. Who will come out on top? Only time will tell.