NHL 2nd Round Preview

First round is in the books in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. We started with sixteen teams, now were down to eight. Every series in the opening round went at least five games. Both the Kings and Blackhawks were bounced in the opening round, meaning we will have a new Stanley Cup Champion in 2016. The Rangers fail to get out of the first round for the first time since 2011, while the Islanders won their first playoff series since 1993 and in as dramatic a fashion as possible. St. Louis finally got over the hump in the first round, getting revenge against the Blackhawks from two years ago. This marks the first series win for the Blues since 2012. But now the 2nd round is set and we are ready to go.

First up is the Atlantic matchup as the wild card New York Islanders head back to Florida to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa Bay is coming of a five game series win in the opening round against the Detroit Red Wings. This marks the 2nd year in a row the Lightning advanced to the second round after beating the Red Wings in the opening round. Tampa Bay is now 10-7 lifetime in playoff series and are looking to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the 2nd year in a row. As for the Islanders, this marks the 1st time since 1993 that they have won a playoff series. They defeated the Florida Panthers in six games. The Islanders are looking to get back to the Conference Finals for the first time since 1993 and are now 168-110 lifetime in the playoffs. This is the second playoff meeting for these teams; their only previous series was in the 2004 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, which Tampa Bay won in five games. New York won two of the three games in this year's regular season series.

Here's the dates and times for every game in this series:
April 27 New York Islanders 7:00 p.m. Tampa Bay Lightning Amalie Arena
April 30 New York Islanders 3:00 p.m. Tampa Bay Lightning Amalie Arena
May 3 Tampa Bay Lightning 7:00 p.m. New York Islanders Barclays Center
May 6 Tampa Bay Lightning 7:00 p.m. New York Islanders Barclays Center
May 8 New York Islanders TBD Tampa Bay Lightning Amalie Arena
May 10 Tampa Bay Lightning TBD New York Islanders Barclays Center
May 12 New York Islanders TBD Tampa Bay Lightning Amalie Arena

Here's how we see this series going!
Pick:
Solly: Lightning in 7
Steve: Islanders in 6
3rd Mic Dan: Lightning in 5

Next up is the Presidents Trophy Winning Washington Capitals playing the Metro Division rival the Pittsburgh Penguins. Washington comes in after disposing of the Philadelphia Flyers in six games in the opening round, making this the 2nd straight year the Capitals have gotten to the 2nd round. Here is where Washington struggles, as the Capitals haven't gotten past this round since 1998. Washington is now 15-25 lifetime in playoff series. As for Pittsburgh, they come in having disposed of the New York Rangers in five games, making this the 2nd time in three years that the Pens have gotten past round one. Pittsburgh is looking to make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2013. Pittsburgh is now 168-148 lifetime in the playoffs. This is the ninth playoff meeting for these teams, with Pittsburgh having won seven of the eight previous series. Their most recent meeting was in the 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals, which Pittsburgh won in seven games. Pittsburgh won three of the five games in this year's regular season series.

Here's the dates and times for every game in this series:
April 28 Pittsburgh Penguins 8:00 p.m. Washington Capitals Verizon Center
April 30 Pittsburgh Penguins 8:00 p.m. Washington Capitals Verizon Center
May 2 Washington Capitals 8:00 p.m. Pittsburgh Penguins Consol Energy Center
May 4 Washington Capitals 8:00 p.m. Pittsburgh Penguins Consol Energy Center
May 7 Pittsburgh Penguins TBD Washington Capitals Verizon Center
May 10 Washington Capitals TBD Pittsburgh Penguins Consol Energy Center
May 12 Pittsburgh Penguins TBD Washington Capitals Verizon Center

Here's how we see this series going!
Pick:
Solly: Capitals in 7
Steve: Penguins in 6
3rd Mic Dan: Capitals in 7

Moving over to the Western Conference we have the Dallas Stars taking on the St. Louis Blues. Dallas got here by knocking off the Minnesota Wild in six games. This marks the first time since 2008 that Dallas has made the 2nd round and also the first time for Dallas trying to get to the conference finals since that same year. Dallas post season record now stands at 80-73. As for the Blues, they got here by knocking off the defending cup champions the Chicago Blackhawks in seven games. This marks the first time since 2012 the Blues are playing in the 2nd round and St. Louis is trying to get to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2001. St Louis is now 184-168 lifetime in the post season. This is the thirteenth playoff meeting for these teams; the two teams have split the twelve previous series. They last met in the 2001 Western Conference Semifinals, which St. Louis won in a four-game sweep. St. Louis won four of the five games in this year's regular season series.

Here's the dates and times for every game in this series:
April 29 St. Louis Blues 8:00 p.m. Dallas Stars American Airlines Center
May 1 St. Louis Blues 3:00 p.m. Dallas Stars American Airlines Center
May 3 Dallas Stars 8:00 p.m. St. Louis Blues Scottrade Center
May 5 Dallas Stars 8:00 p.m. St. Louis Blues Scottrade Center
May 7 St. Louis Blues TBD Dallas Stars American Airlines Center
May 9 Dallas Stars TBD St. Louis Blues Scottrade Center
May 11 St. Louis Blues TBD Dallas Stars American Airlines Center

Here's how we see this series going!
Pick:
Solly: Blues in 7
Steve: Blues in 6
3rd Mic Dan: Blues in 7

Last but not least we have the San Jose Sharks taking on the Nashville Predators. Nashville is coming off a huge first round upset, beating the Anaheim Ducks in seven games. This marks just the 3rd time in franchise history that the Predators are playing in the 2nd round. They have never made it to the Western Conference Finals in the team's history. Nashville is now 25-36 lifetime in the post season. As for the Sharks, they got here by disposing of the Los Angeles Kings in five games in the Opening Round. This marks the first time since 2012 that San Jose is in the 2nd round, and they haven't made it to the Western Conference Finals since 2011. San Jose is now 87-94 lifetime in the playoffs. This is the third playoff meeting for these teams, with San Jose winning both previous series. They last met in the 2007 Western Conference Quarterfinals, which San Jose won in five games. Nashville won two of the three games in this year's regular season series.

Here are the dates and times for every game in this series:
April 29 Nashville Predators 10:30 p.m. San Jose Sharks SAP Center
May 1 Nashville Predators 8:00 p.m. San Jose Sharks SAP Center
May 3 San Jose Sharks 9:00 p.m. Nashville Predators Bridgestone Arena
May 5 San Jose Sharks 9:00 p.m. Nashville Predators Bridgestone Arena
May 7 Nashville Predators TBD San Jose Sharks SAP Center
May 9 San Jose Sharks TBD Nashville Predators Bridgestone Arena
May 12 Nashville Predators TBD San Jose Sharks SAP Center

Here's how we see this series going!
Pick:
Solly: Sharks in 7
Steve: Sharks in 6
3rd Mic Dan: Sharks in 5