Thursday, April 16, 2015

NHL playoffs 2015: Bracket, schedule and scores


The Stanley Cup Playoffs are widely considered the best postseason in any North American sport, and this year, which features no clear-cut favorites, should live up to these lofty expectations.


The field is so wide open that many pundits have the No. 1 seeds (Anaheim Ducks, New York Rangers) losing in the opening round. Ask a group of 10 hockey fans who they think will win it all, and you may get 10 different answers.


The Rangers, winners of the 2014-15 President's Trophy, certainly feel pressure to come out on top. New York lost in the Final last spring to the Los Angeles Kings, and have done an admirable job avoiding a major hangover. If the Blueshirts, who feature a lot of depth and a star goaltender in Henrik Lundqvist, can take home the Cup, it'll be their first since 1994.


The Ducks are feeling the heat too, especially head coach Bruce Boudreau. The veteran bench boss has enjoyed a lot of regular seasons success -- both in Washington and in Anaheim -- but this hasn't translated to the playoffs. The Ducks have won the Pacific Division for three straight campaigns under Boudreau's watch, however they've yet to get beyond the second round in that stretch. Boudreau's Capitals squads were famous for their postseason blunders.


The format


The top three teams in each division -- Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central, Pacific -- earned automatic postseason berths, while the final four spots were given to two wild card teams in each conference based on point totals. The top seeds in both conferences play against the lowest wild card teams in the first round, and the other division winners face off against the other wild card qualifiers. Otherwise, the matchups aren't based on conference standings -- rather, the second and third seeds in each division square off. From there, whoever emerges from the series involving division champions take on the winners of the series involving the second and third seeds in what is known as the conference semifinals. The winners advance to the Conference Finals, and then the Stanley Cup Final.


Each series is best-of-seven, played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format.


The teams


Eastern Conference


Atlantic Division

1. Montreal Canadiens - 110 points

2. Tampa Bay Lightning - 108 points

3. Detroit Red Wings - 100 points


Metropolitan Division
1. New York Rangers - 113 points

2. Washington Capitals - 101 points

3. New York Islanders - 101 points


Wild Cards
1. Ottawa Senators - 99 points

2. Pittsburgh Penguins - 98 points


Western Conference


Central Division
1. St. Louis Blues - 109 points

2. Nshville Predators - 104 points

3. Chicago Blackhawks - 102 points


Pacific Division
1. Anaheim Ducks - 109 points

2. Vancouver Canucks - 101 points

3. Calgary Flames - 97 points


Wild Cards
1. Minnesota Wild - 100 points

2. Winnipeg Jets - 99 points


Bracket





Bracket: NHL.com


Schedule and results


All times Eastern

*if necessary


Wednesday, April 15

Eastern Conference quarterfinals
Game 1: Montreal 4, Ottawa 3 (recap)

Game 1: NY Islanders 4, Washington 1 (recap)

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 1: Chicago 4, Nashville 3 (2 OT) (recap)

Game 1: Calgary 2, Vancouver 1 (recap)


Tuesday, April 16

Eastern Conference quarterfinals

Game 1: NY Rangers 2, Pittsburgh 1 (recap)

Game 1: Detroit 3, Tampa Bay 2 (recap)

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 1: Minnesota at St. Louis 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

Game 1: Winnipeg at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m. (CNBC)


Friday, April 17

Eastern Conference quarterfinals
Game 2: Ottawa at Montreal, 7 p.m. (CNBC)

Game 2: NY Islanders at Washington, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 2: Chicago at Nashville, 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

Game 2: Calgary at Vancouver, 10 p.m. (CNBC)


Saturday, April 18

Eastern Conference quarterfinals

Game 2: Detroit at Tampa Bay, 3 p.m. (NBC)

Game 2: Pittsburgh at NY Rangers, 8 p.m. (NBC)

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 2: Minnesota at St. Louis 3 p.m. (NBC)

Game 2: Winnipeg at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m. (NBCSN)


Sunday, April 19

Eastern Conference quarterfinals
Game 3: Washington at NY Islanders, 12 p.m. (NBC)

Game 3: Montreal at Ottawa, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 3: Nashville at Chicago, 3 p.m. (NBC)

Game 3: Vancouver at Calgary, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)


Monday, April 20

Eastern Conference quarterfinals

Game 3: NY Rangers at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 3: St. Louis at Minnesota 8 p.m. (CNBC)

Game 3: Anaheim at Winnipeg, 9 p.m. (NBCSN, NHL Network)


Tuesday, April 21

Eastern Conference quarterfinals
Game 3: Tampa Bay at Detroit, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)

Game 4: Washington at NY Islanders, 7:30 p.m. (USA)

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 4: Nashville at Chicago, 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

Game 4: Vancouver at Calgary, 10 p.m. (USA)


Wednesday, April 22

Eastern Conference quarterfinals

Game 4: Montreal at Ottawa, 7 p.m. (USA)

Game 4: NY Rangers at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 4: St. Louis at Minnesota 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN)

Game 4: Anaheim at Winnipeg, 9:30 p.m. (USA)


Thursday, April 23

Eastern Conference quarterfinals
Game 4: Tampa Bay at Detroit, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)

Game 5: NY Islanders at Washington*

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 5: Chicago at Nashville*

Game 5: Calgary at Vancouver*


Friday, April 24

Eastern Conference quarterfinals

Game 5: Ottawa at Montreal*

Game 5: Pittsburgh at NY Rangers*

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 5: Minnesota at St. Louis*

Game 5: Winnipeg at Anaheim*


Saturday, April 25

Eastern Conference quarterfinals
Game 5: Detroit at Tampa Bay*

Game 6: Washington at NY Islanders*

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 6: Nashville at Chicago*

Game 6: Vancouver at Calgary*


Sunday, April 26

Eastern Conference quarterfinals

Game 6: Montreal at Ottawa*

Game 6: NY Rangers at Pittsburgh*

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 6: St. Louis at Minnesota*

Game 6: Anaheim at Winnipeg*


Monday, April 27

Eastern Conference quarterfinals
Game 6: Tampa Bay at Detroit*

Game 7: NY Islanders at Washington*

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 7: Chicago at Nashville*

Game 7: Calgary at Vancouver*


Tuesday, April 28

Eastern Conference quarterfinals

Game 7: Ottawa at Montreal*

Game 7: Pittsburgh at NY Rangers*

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 7: Winnipeg at Anaheim*


Wednesday, April 29

Eastern Conference quarterfinals

Game 7: Detroit at Tampa Bay*

Western Conference quarterfinals

Game 7: Minnesota at St. Louis*






Source SBNation.com - All Posts http://ift.tt/1ywRqNN

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