Justin

They're down 3 games to 1 now. They aren't playing very well, losing battles, giving turnovers, not getting pucks through traffic (25 blocked shots tonight! ). This team doesn't much resemble the Rangers team from the regular season. Will they begin playing better hockey and battle back to win like they did last year vs Pittsburgh? Or do they choke?

The Rangers had a much less physical series against the Penguins, and it only lasted 5 games. The Capitals had the most physical series of all the first round series, and it lasted the full 7 games. Will the extra fatigue the Capitals faced, and the long break the Rangers had, be a major factor in deciding this series? Or will the Capitals still be fairly fresh considering they've only had to play one round so far, albeit a long and rough one?

Chicago: Toews, Kane, Hossa, Saad, Sharp, Keith, Seabrook, and Richards.

Anaheim: Getzlaf, Perry, Kesler, Silfverberg.

Montreal: Pacioretty, Plekanec, Subban, Gallagher, Galchenyuk, Markov, Desharnais.

NYR: Nash, St. Louis, Zuccarello, Yandle, McDonagh, Kreider, Stepan, Hagelin, Brassard, Hayes.

Washington: Ovechkin, Backstrom.

Tampa: Stamkos.

For the fantasy draft I'm in we must choose 32

players, whoever has the most points wins. There are several thousand entries each year, so picks must be almost perfect. My strategy was to get players from the 4 conference finalists. This way I'd have all 32 players for round 3, and about half my players in the last round. Ovi, Backstrom, and Stamkos were thrown in as possible second rounders who get lots of points.

Will NYR, Chicago, Anaheim, and Montreal all make the conference finals? If not I'm in trouble.

Both of these teams were favourites in their respective series, but both are down 2 games to 1, and were both completely shut out in game 3. Will either of these teams come back to win?

I had both pegged in to go to round 2 in my hockey draft 😬

I'm finding it difficult to predict the Pacific division, as most people's predictions are completely split. Personally I'd pick the Ducks, but if the Jets manage to beat them I'd give the division to them, as both the Ducks and the Jets seem to overshadow the Canucks and Flames, imo.

If you guys had to pick 2 of the 4 teams in hopes of getting the division winner, who would you pick?

I'm preparing for my nhl playoff draft, was wondering which 2 teams from each division everyone thinks has the best chance of making it deep in the playoffs. My ideas so far are:

Central: 1. St. Louis, 2. Chicago

Pacific: 1. Anaheim, 2. LA Kings

Atlantic: 1. Tampa Bay, 2. Montreal

Metropolitan: 1. Rangers, 2. Islanders

Let me know if I should swap certain teams for others.