Who Is Going To Win the NHL Playoffs?
Contents
It’s that time of year again! The NHL playoffs are upon us and everyone is wondering who is going to take home the Stanley Cup this year.
The Tampa Bay Lightning
Their Regular Season
The Tampa Bay Lightning had one of the best regular seasons in NHL history. They won 62 games, lost 16, and had four overtime losses for a total of 128 points. They scored an NHL-record 3.54 goals per game, and their plus-103 goal differential was the second best ever. Their power play was lethal, scoring on 28.2 percent of their opportunities, and their penalty killing was nearly as good, allowing goals on just 17.3 percent of opposing power plays.
Their Playoff History
The Tampa Bay Lightning is a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Lightning have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, which they won in 2004.
The team is often referred to as the Bolts, and the nickname was popularized by the lightning bolt that adorns the team’s jerseys.
The Lightning were founded in 1992 as an expansion team, and they reached the Stanley Cup Finals in their fourth season of existence (1996). Their improbable run to the Cup Finals was led by goaltender Daren Puppa and forwards Chris Gratton, Gary Roberts and Dan Quinn. Tampa Bay lost to the eventual champion Colorado Avalanche in seven games.
After being swept by the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the playoffs in 1999, Tampa Bay broke through again two years later. Led by goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin and captain Vincent Lecavalier, the Lightning defeated the Calgary Flames in seven games to win their first Stanley Cup championship.
The Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are looking like they are going to take the Stanley Cup this year. They have been one of the top teams all season and have made it to the playoffs. They have a strong lineup and are ready to take on any team.
Their Regular Season
This season, the Boston Bruins have had an up and downregular season. They started out hot, winning their first sevengames. However, they then went on a losing streak, losingfive games in a row. After that, they alternated betweenwinning and losing streaks for the rest of the season.They finished the season with a record of 44-26-12, goodfor 100 points and second place in the Atlantic Division.
Their Playoff History
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team has been in existence since 1924, making them the third-oldest active team in the NHL, and the oldest to be based in the United States.
The Bruins have won six Stanley Cup championships, tied for fourth most of any team with the Chicago Blackhawks. Their home arena is TD Garden, where they have played since 1995. Prior to that, they played at the Boston Garden for 67 years. The Bruins began play as an expansion team in 1924.
In 1928, the Bruins became the first American team to win the Stanley Cup. They did so by defeating the New York Rangers in four games. It was also their first appearance in a Stanley Cup Final series and remains their most recent appearance. That same year, Canadian sports editors named them “the best hockey team in other than Canada.”
The Bruins made it back to the Final series three more times within their first decade of play but were unable to win another championship. In 1939, they lost a close series to Toronto that included three overtime games, with each team winning once on home ice. The next year, they won their second Stanley Cup by sweeping Detroit Red Wings
The Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are one of the most consistent teams in the NHL. They have been to the playoffs in each of the last ten seasons, and they have won the Stanley Cup in 2018. They are a strong team with a lot of experience, and they are led by captain Alexander Ovechkin.
Their Regular Season
The Washington Capitals became the best team in the NHL during the regular season, winning the Presidents’ Trophy for having the most points in the league. They did this by compiling a record of 49-26-7, good for 105 points. Their plus/minus differential was an impressive +60, meaning they scored 60 more goals than they allowed. The Capitals were led by captain Alex Ovechkin, who won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the league’s leading goal scorer with 49 goals. Ovechkin also led the team in points with 87.
Their Playoff History
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Capitals are owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment, headed by Ted Leonsis. From 1974 to 1997 the Capitals played their home games in Landover, Maryland. In 1997 the team moved to downtown Washington, D.C., and now play their home games at the Capital One Arena in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington.
The franchise began play in 1974 as an expansion team along with the Kansas City Scouts and the Colorado Rockies (now New Jersey Devils). Since acquiring Ovechkin in 2004, they have made nine playoff appearances and won their first Presidents’ Trophy for being the team with the most points at the end of the regular season in 2009–10. They won their first Stanley Cup after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights four games to one in 2018.
The Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking like they are going to be the team to beat in the NHL playoffs. They have been on fire lately and they have a lot of momentum going into the playoffs. They also have a lot of experience and they know how to win when it matters the most.
Their Regular Season
The Toronto Maple Leafs had a very successful regular season, finishing first in the NHL standings. They were led by their star player, Auston Matthews, who scored a league-leading 41 goals. The Maple Leafs will be looking to carry their success into the playoffs and win their first Stanley Cup since 1967.
Toronto’s opponents in the first round of the playoffs will be the Montreal Canadiens. The Maple Leafs had a great season against the Canadiens, winning all four of their games. If they can continue to play at that high level, they should be able to advance to the next round.
Their Playoff History
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Maple Leafs have won thirteen Stanley Cup championships, second only to the 24 championships of the Montreal Canadiens. They last won the Stanley Cup in 1967, 50 years ago.
The Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are currently the frontrunners to win the NHL playoffs. They have been dominating the Western Conference and are currently on a winning streak. They have a strong defense and an amazing goalie.Their offense is also top notch, with players like Max Pacioretty leading the way.
Their Regular Season
The Vegas Golden Knights entered the NHL as an expansion team in the 2017-18 season. After a spectacular inaugural campaign that saw them go all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, the Golden Knights entered this season with high expectations. Unfortunately, they were not able to live up to those expectations and failed to make the playoffs.
Their Playoff History
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They began play in the 2017–18 NHL season, as members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team is owned by Black Knight Sports & Entertainment, a consortium led by Bill Foley and the Maloof family.
The Golden Knights played their inaugural season at T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. They set several league expansion records during their first season, most notably winning eight division games and compiling an expansion-best record of 49–24–7. Although they ultimately failed to make the playoffs in their first season, going 0–3 in Bud Light Western Conference Quarter-final series against divisional rival Los Angeles Kings, they eventually reached the Stanley Cup Finals in their second season where they lost to Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals in five games.