In a season where Sidney Crosby played just 22 games due to his post-concussion symptoms and Alex Ovechkin had career lows with 65 points and just 27 assists (his lowest totals since he had 85 points last year and 46 assists during the 2006-2007 season), the NHL wasn't dazzling with star power.
It is easy to take a quick glance at the team's remaining in the NHL playoffs and not get overly enthused.
The defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins, who finished 2nd in the East, were eliminated in the first round in 7 games by the Washington Capitals. The Bruins joined the 1989-1990 Calgary Flames, the 2002-2003 Detroit Red Wings, and the 2007-2008 Anaheim Ducks as just the 4th Stanley Cup Champion since 1990 to lose their first round match-up after winning the Cup, despite having home ice advantage.
The star studded Pittsburgh Penguins were extremely disappointing in their first round defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers. The Pens, who were 14-4-1 during March and April largely fueled by Crosby's return, were sliced apart by the Flyers offense. In Philly's 4 victories, they averaged more than 6 goals per game.
In the Western Conference, the top seeded and Presidents' Trophy winning Vancouver Canucks could only muster one game during their opening round series against the Los Angeles Kings. Without Daniel Sedin for the first three games of the series, the Canucks fell in a 3-0 hole. The Canucks became just the 6th Presidents' Trophy winner to lose in the first round of the playoffs joining the 1990-1991 Chicago Blackhawks, the 1990-2000 St. Louis Blues, the 2005-2006 Detroit Red Wings, the 2008-2009 San Jose Sharks, and the 2009-2010 Washington Capitals.
Finally, instead of powerhouses like the Red Wings and the Blackhawks in the Western Conference semifinals, they have been replaced by much less attractive teams like the Phoenix Coyotes, who knocked off the Blackhawks in 6 games, and the Nashville Predators, who defeated the Red Wings in 5 games.
Despite both conference semifinals lacking the star power of a normal year, the NHL playoffs have been nothing less than magnificent due to all of the close games and the wild finishes in overtime.
During the 2003-2004 NHL season, 170 NHL games ended in a tie with neither team walking home the winner. In fact, the Minnesota Wild only had 20 ties that year, which means they had nearly 3 ties every 10 games.
Following the NHL lockout in 2004, Gary Bettman decided to implement a shootout during the regular season if both teams remained tied after three periods and a five minute overtime. Although the rule has received some criticism especially from hockey purists, it has made the end of games extremely exciting as no fan wants to see a game end without a winner.
However, there is nothing better than sudden-death hockey overtime in an intense and highly contested playoff game and that is what this year's playoffs have provided.
During the conference quarterfinals, of the 48 games, 16 of them were won in overtime, which set a record for the most overtime games during the first round of the playoffs. This mean that a third of the opening round games took at least one extra period of thrilling hockey to declare a winner. In fact, every series had at least one overtime game aside from the Predators-Red Wings 5 game battle.
Both the Bruins-Capitals series and the Panthers-Devils series went into overtime in game 6 as well as in the decisive game 7.
The Capitals were unable to close out the Bruins at home in the Verizon Center in game 6 after Tyler Seguin scored just 3 minutes and 17 seconds into overtime. However, the Capitals regrouped and returned the favor in an exhilarating game 7 overtime victory after Joel Ward slammed home a rebound for the series win.
After falling behind the Panthers 3-2 in the series, the Devils were able to keep their championship hopes alive by winning both game 6 and game 7 in exciting overtime periods. Travis Zajac became the hero in game 6 with his goal in OT, but the intensity of game 6 was nothing compared to the pressure of game 7, which lasted two overtimes before rookie center Adam Henrique won the series for the Devils with en electrifying goal.
Finally, the Coyotes-Blackhawks series was overtime galore, as the first 5 games of the series all went into overtime, which tied an NHL record with five consecutive extra periods. Even though the Coyotes are still flying under the radar despite the fact that they are one win away from reaching the Western Conference finals and the Blackhawks were without Marian Hossa for the final 3 games of the series, the Coyotes-Blackhawks were a can't miss matchup because every game was nip and tuck.
In the Western Conference, the top seeded and Presidents' Trophy winning Vancouver Canucks could only muster one game during their opening round series against the Los Angeles Kings. Without Daniel Sedin for the first three games of the series, the Canucks fell in a 3-0 hole. The Canucks became just the 6th Presidents' Trophy winner to lose in the first round of the playoffs joining the 1990-1991 Chicago Blackhawks, the 1990-2000 St. Louis Blues, the 2005-2006 Detroit Red Wings, the 2008-2009 San Jose Sharks, and the 2009-2010 Washington Capitals.
Finally, instead of powerhouses like the Red Wings and the Blackhawks in the Western Conference semifinals, they have been replaced by much less attractive teams like the Phoenix Coyotes, who knocked off the Blackhawks in 6 games, and the Nashville Predators, who defeated the Red Wings in 5 games.
Despite both conference semifinals lacking the star power of a normal year, the NHL playoffs have been nothing less than magnificent due to all of the close games and the wild finishes in overtime.
During the 2003-2004 NHL season, 170 NHL games ended in a tie with neither team walking home the winner. In fact, the Minnesota Wild only had 20 ties that year, which means they had nearly 3 ties every 10 games.
Following the NHL lockout in 2004, Gary Bettman decided to implement a shootout during the regular season if both teams remained tied after three periods and a five minute overtime. Although the rule has received some criticism especially from hockey purists, it has made the end of games extremely exciting as no fan wants to see a game end without a winner.
However, there is nothing better than sudden-death hockey overtime in an intense and highly contested playoff game and that is what this year's playoffs have provided.
During the conference quarterfinals, of the 48 games, 16 of them were won in overtime, which set a record for the most overtime games during the first round of the playoffs. This mean that a third of the opening round games took at least one extra period of thrilling hockey to declare a winner. In fact, every series had at least one overtime game aside from the Predators-Red Wings 5 game battle.
Both the Bruins-Capitals series and the Panthers-Devils series went into overtime in game 6 as well as in the decisive game 7.
The Capitals were unable to close out the Bruins at home in the Verizon Center in game 6 after Tyler Seguin scored just 3 minutes and 17 seconds into overtime. However, the Capitals regrouped and returned the favor in an exhilarating game 7 overtime victory after Joel Ward slammed home a rebound for the series win.
After falling behind the Panthers 3-2 in the series, the Devils were able to keep their championship hopes alive by winning both game 6 and game 7 in exciting overtime periods. Travis Zajac became the hero in game 6 with his goal in OT, but the intensity of game 6 was nothing compared to the pressure of game 7, which lasted two overtimes before rookie center Adam Henrique won the series for the Devils with en electrifying goal.
Finally, the Coyotes-Blackhawks series was overtime galore, as the first 5 games of the series all went into overtime, which tied an NHL record with five consecutive extra periods. Even though the Coyotes are still flying under the radar despite the fact that they are one win away from reaching the Western Conference finals and the Blackhawks were without Marian Hossa for the final 3 games of the series, the Coyotes-Blackhawks were a can't miss matchup because every game was nip and tuck.
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