NHL Playoffs Are Rolling

The 2011-2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs are only in the first round and it is already full of excitement. The only first round matchup that has ended as of now is the one between the Detroit Red Wings and the Nashville Predators. The Predators advance to the second round with a 4-1 series win. Nashville was led by spectacular work of goaltender Pekka Rinne.

Staying in the west, the series between the LA Kings and Vancouver Canucks has also been entertaining. After going down 3-0 in the series, the Canucks came back to win in game four and hope to be able to come back with a great series comeback. An interesting storyline has been Canuck goalie Corey Schneider who has taken over for Roberto Luongo and has played very well. Its seems as though Roberto will be the highest paid backup goalie unless the Canucks decide to trade him next year. The other series in the west are St. Louis 3-1 over the Sharks, and Phoneix 3-1 over Chicago. In St. Louis Brian Elliott has played well in net after taking over for the injured Jaroslav Halak. In the Phoeneix series, Raffi Torres was suspended a record 25 games after his destructive hit on Marian Hossa. Hossa is still out with injury.

Over to the east there has been many contrasting series. There is the overly offensive series with Philly and Pitt series and also the very tight defensive series between the Bruins and Capitals. The Flyers led the series 3-0 before getting demolished 10-3 in game 4. This series has also been a very chippy and agressive and in the first four games it looked like there wasnt a goalie on either side of the ice. However, Marc-Andre Fleury of the Penguins turned it on late in game 5 to help his team bring the series to 3-2. If Fleury can stay hot the Penguins may be able to overcome the 3-0 deficit from early in the series.

The Bruins and Cap's have also had a very entertaining series which is probably led by the quite honestly suprising play by Capital's rookie goalie Baden Holtby. Holtby was with the Cap's AHL team for most of the year before being called up late in the season because of injuries. He has shined in net but it has still been a very aggresive series with many big hits and blocked shots. The series is now 3-2 Capitals, after a 4-3 win by the Capitals today in Boston. The other series in the east are tied at 2 games each. The Senators fought back and now have a chance to upset the number 1 seed in the east. Game 5 of that series is tonight at 7 in New York while the Florida and New Jersey Game 5 is tonight at 6:30 in Florida. All of these games have been entertainig and the series have been tight. Remember it is on the first round and it gets better as we get deeper into the playoffs. It has been a great postseason so far and there is not chance of it letting up any time soon.

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