Derek Stepan gave some words of advice to his Arizona Coyotes teammates not used to the bright lights of playoff hockey.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the best time of the year to be playing,B次元官网网址� he said.
The time of year is different than usual, but the NHLB次元官网网址檚 Stanley Cup playoffs havenB次元官网网址檛 lost any of their lustre or penchant for surprises.
After a qualifying round full of upsets, overtime heroics and comebacks, the traditional first round that starts Tuesday with 16 teams left is primed to feature even more entertainment and unpredictability.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 wild,B次元官网网址� said Barry Trotz, whose New York Islanders will next face the Washington Capitals he coached to the title in 2018.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 made for TV, really. We didnB次元官网网址檛 know what was going to happen. We knew that there was going to be some strange things happen in this strange, unusual time and format. But itB次元官网网址檚 captivating.B次元官网网址�
"This wasn't an actual Round of 16 playoff series, but trust me, it was no different from a playoff series... and to go through it before you get to the playoffs means a lot for a young team." - Coach commenting on the series win over the Wild, earlier today.
B次元官网网址� Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks)
The Chicago Blackhawks that ranked 23rd out of 31 teams in the regular season are still playing, along with the Montreal Canadiens, who were 24th and not given much hope of moving on.
Chicago has a tough task against the Western Conference No. 1 seed Vegas, and Carey PriceB次元官网网址檚 Canadiens face the Philadelphia Flyers that earned top billing in the East by going 3-0 against Boston, Tampa Bay and Washington.
B次元官网网址淚t was a tall task to get that No. 1 seed and we did it,B次元官网网址� Flyers defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere said. B次元官网网址淲e came in here and have been strictly business. I think for us to go out there and get three big wins in a row and get that No. 1 seed is huge for us.B次元官网网址�
In a very 2020 turn of events, the Bruins that won the PresidentsB次元官网网址� Trophy as the top regular-season team went winless since the restart and now must take on the Carolina Hurricanes that swept their way to this point. ItB次元官网网址檚 a rematch of the 2019 East final but with Carolina looking more prepared for this showdown.
B次元官网网址淭hey swept us last year, which definitely is going to be good opportunity for us to kind of give back what they gave us last year,B次元官网网址� Hurricanes forward Nino Niederreiter said.
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The Hurricanes, Islanders and Golden Knights look scary, the Lightning could be without top players Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman for at least the start of their series, and the Bruins and Blues that met in last yearB次元官网网址檚 Cup Final havenB次元官网网址檛 recaptured the dominance they showed until the season was halted in March and combined to go 0-6.
B次元官网网址淚t doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter what seed youB次元官网网址檙e in because youB次元官网网址檝e got to beat every team anyways if you want to advance,B次元官网网址� Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 over now and start real hockey.B次元官网网址�
Half of the remaining field has been playing real hockey for more than a week now. After knocking off the Nashville Predators, captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson said the Coyotes are B次元官网网址渦p for the challengeB次元官网网址� of taking on the Colorado Avalanche. The Canucks and Flames should also be feeling good after emotional series victories, though Vancouver must face an angry St. Louis bunch that blew leads in all three games.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not playing aggressive enough in my opinion,B次元官网网址� Blues coach Craig Berube said. B次元官网网址淕etting the real thing going here will be important, for sure.B次元官网网址�
The Vancouver-St. Louis series begins on Wednesday.
Your summer nights just got a whole lot cooler. 馃槑馃彃
B次元官网网址� Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks)
ItB次元官网网址檚 all best-of-seven until the Stanley Cup is handed out in late September or early October, though the prospect of playing in quarantined bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton could change the psychological dynamic of the playoffs.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 one of those years itB次元官网网址檚 easier once youB次元官网网址檙e down to say, `Well, I do miss my kids, itB次元官网网址檚 not our year,B次元官网网址滲次元官网网址� Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. B次元官网网址淵ou can sort of have that in the back of your mind and certainly some players are going to go through it, and thatB次元官网网址檚 why I feel that maybe some series will be closed out quicker than previous years.B次元官网网址�
Only one qualifying round series went to a deciding Game 5: Columbus-Toronto, with the Blue Jackets winning 2-0 Sunday to advance to meet Tampa Bay. Over nine days, 44 games showed why the league and NHL PlayersB次元官网网址� Association worked hard to resume the season, and that was just the start of summer hockey madness.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sure itB次元官网网址檒l continue,B次元官网网址� Flames coach Geoff Ward said. B次元官网网址淓verybodyB次元官网网址檚 healthy and thereB次元官网网址檚 been extreme parity, but all the teams are playing extremely, extremely hard and that makes for whoever you play a very tough out and a very tough opponent. And I think as these playoffs go on, youB次元官网网址檙e just going to see more of the same.B次元官网网址�
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