When Is Round 2 Of The NHL Playoffs?
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The second round of the NHL playoffs is upon us.
Here’s a look at the schedule and what to expect.
NHL Playoffs – Round 2
The National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs are a best-of-seven elimination tournament among 16 teams that have qualified for the playoffs. The Stanley Cup Finals are the last stage of the playoffs. The winners of the Eastern Conference and Western Conference finals receive a berth in the Finals.
The format of the NHL playoffs has changed several times throughout its history, with the number of teams and rounds varying. Currently, 16 teams qualify for the playoffs: 8 from each conference (the winner of each division and 2 Wild Card teams). These teams are seeded 1-8 in their conference, with divisional winners receiving seeds 1-3 and Wild Card seeds 4-8 regardless of regular season record.
The first two rounds are played within each conference, following a 2-2-1-1-1 format. In the first round (or Conference Quarterfinals), the lower seed is matched up against the top seed while the 2nd and 3rd seeds face each other and the 4th seed is matched up against 5th.
In Round 2 (or Conference Semifinals),Matchups are reseeded so that the highest remaining seed is matched up against lowest remaining seed and remaining two teams face each other .
What to Expect in Round 2
The Florida Panthers entered the NHL Playoffs as the Atlantic Division’s No. 1 seed and will face-off against the New York Islanders in Round 2. The Islanders, who are coached by former Panthers’ bench boss Barry Trotz, finished the regular season as the No. 5 seed in the East and upset the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games during Round 1.
Key Matchups in Round 2
With Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the books, we now know the eight teams that will be competing in Round 2. Here are the key matchups to watch out for:
Boston Bruins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Bruins are coming off a dominant performance against the Detroit Red Wings while the Blue Jackets needed seven games to get past the Tampa Bay Lightning This should be a close series, but the Bruins have the edge thanks to their experience and depth.
New York Islanders vs. Carolina Hurricanes
The Islanders are another team that had little trouble dispatching their first round opponent, sweeping the Pittsburgh Penguins The Hurricanes, on the other hand, had to go toe-to-toe with the defending Stanley Cup champions, eventually prevailng in seven games. The Hurricanes have home ice advantage in this series, but the Islanders are certainly not to be underestimated.
St. Louis Blues vs. Dallas Stars
The Blues and Stars both had tough first round matchups, with St. Louis taking down the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas coming out on top against the Nashville Predators This series is tough to call, but with home ice advantage, we give a slight edge to the Blues.
San Jose Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche
The Sharks are coming off a thrilling seven-game series against the Vegas Golden Knights while the Avalanche needed just five games to dispatch of the Calgary Flames Colorado is a young and talented team, but San Jose has plenty of playoff experience and should be able to take this series.
Players to Watch in Round 2
As we move into round 2 of the NHL playoffs there are a few players who are really starting to heat up and could lead their teams to victory. Here are some players to keep an eye on:
Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin is always a force to be reckoned with, and he’s especially dangerous in the playoffs. He’s already scored 6 goals in the playoffs so far, and he’s just getting started.
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby is another player who is always a threat in the playoffs. He has 8 points so far in the playoffs, and he’s just getting warmed up.
Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug is off to a great start in the playoffs with 3 goals and 5 assists. He’s a key player on the Bruins’ blue line and he could be a difference maker in round 2.
San Jose Sharks forward Logan Couture is leading the way for the Sharks with 7 goals and 3 assists so far in the playoffs. He’s a skilled goalscorer who can also set up his teammates, and he’ll be a key player for the Sharks in round 2.
Round 2 Schedule
The second round of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs is set to begin on Thursday, April 25. Here’s a look at the schedule:
(1) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (2) Boston Bruins
– Game 1: Thursday, April 25 at 8 p.m. ET in Tampa Bay
– Game 2: Saturday, April 27 at 3 p.m. ET in Tampa Bay
– Game 3: Monday, April 29 at 7 p.m. ET in Boston
– Game 4: Wednesday, May 1 at 8 p.m. ET in Boston
– *Game 5: Friday, May 3 at 8 p.m. ET in Tampa Bay
– *Game 6: Sunday, May 5 at 3 p.m. ET in Boston
– *Game 7: Tuesday, May 7 at 8 p.m. ET in Tampa Bay
(1) San Jose Sharks vs (2) Colorado Avalanche
– Game 1: Friday, April 26 at 10 p.m. ET in San Jose
– Game 2: Sunday, April 28 at 3 p.m. ET in San Jose
– Game 3: Tuesday, April 30 at 9 p..m ET in Colorado
– Game 4: Thursday, May 2 at 10 p..m ET in Colorado
– *Game 5: Saturday, May 4 TBD in San Jose
– *Game 6: Monday, May 6 TBD in Colorado
– *Game 7: Wednesday, May 8 TBD TBD
How Round 2 Works
The NHL playoffs are a best-of-seven tournament held after the Regular Season to determine the Stanley Cup champion. The playoffs began on April 11 and will run through June, with the Stanley Cup Finals scheduled to start on May 27.
Round 1 of the playoffs is a best-of-seven series between the top three teams in each division. The division winner with the best record in the conference receives a bye to Round 2 and will automatically advance to face the winner of the first-round series between the second and third seed in their division.
The second and third seed in each division will play each other in Round 1, with the winner advancing to Round 2 to face the division winner. The format for Round 2 is also a best-of-seven series.
The team that wins Round 2 will advance to the Conference Finals where they will play either the second or third seed from the other division. The conference finals are also a best-of-seven series, with the winner advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Round 2 Predictions
The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is just around the corner. After an exciting first round that saw plenty of upsets, it’s time to take a look at what’s in store for the second round.
The Tampa Bay Lightning who won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s regular-season champions, were upset by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round. The Blue Jackets will now face off against the Boston Bruins who dispatched the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games.
On the other side of the bracket, the San Jose Sharks will take on the Colorado Avalanche The Sharks are coming off a seven-game series victory over the Vegas Golden Knights while the Avalanche swept away the Calgary Flames in Round 1.
Here are my predictions for Round 2 of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs:
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Columbus Blue Jackets I’m going with Tampa Bay in six games. The Lightning are simply too talented and they will eventually figure out a way to solve Sergei Bobrovsky.
Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs I’m also taking Boston in six games here. The Bruins have been one of the best teams in hockey all season long and I think they have too much for Toronto.
San Jose Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche: This is a tough one to call, but I think Colorado will find a way to win in seven games. The Sharks have experience on their side, but I think Colorado’s Young Guns will be too much for them in the end.
Round 2 Previews
With the first round of the playoffs complete, we now know the four teams that will be playing in the conference semifinals.
In the East, it will be the Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the Boston Bruins The Lightning were one of the best teams in the regular season while the Bruins needed a Game 7 victory over the Maple Leafs to advance.
In the West, it will be the Nashville Predators taking on the Winnipeg Jets The Predators dispatched the Avalanche in six games, while the Jets needed seven games to get past the Wild.
Both second-round series are sure to be tightly contested, and it should make for some Great Hockey So when do they start?
Here is a look at the schedule for Round 2 of the NHL playoffs
Round 2 Highlights
The second round of the NHL playoffs is underway and there are some great match-ups to watch. In the Western Conference the top-seeded Anaheim Ducks are taking on the Nashville Predators and the Chicago Blackhawks are facing off against the Minnesota Wild In the East, it’s the Montreal Canadiens versus the New York Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins up against the Ottawa Senators.
Some of the Key Players to watch in round 2 include Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane who is currently leading all scorers in the playoffs with 7 goals and 5 assists; Ducks goaltender John Gibson, who has been a brick wall in net, posting a .957 save percentage and Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who has been a force on both ends of the ice.
So far, the second round has been full of close games and exciting moments. If you’re a hockey fan this is definitely a series you don’t want to miss.
Round 2 Results
The second round of the NHL playoffs is now underway. The Tampa Bay Lightning are currently leading the Boston Bruins two games to one in their best-of-seven series. In the other second-round matchup, the Vegas Golden Knights are up against the San Jose Sharks That series is currently tied at one game apiece.
