Stanley Cup Playoffs Round Three

So after all the hard work, sweat, and a pair of game seven's, the conference finals are now set in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In the East, Boston beat the Rangers in five games, while Pittsburgh took down Ottawa in five. The West saw both series go seven games. Chicago came back from down 3-1 to beat the Red Wings in seven games. It was a home ice series between the Sharks and Kings,and LA came out on top in a seven game series win. With this final four it marks only the 2nd time in league history that the last four Stanley Cup champions make up the final four. Pittsburgh won in 2009, Chicago in 2010, Boston in 2011, and LA last year. The last time that happened was in the 1945 playoffs. WE start off our preview with the Eastern Conference Finals.

Pittsburgh got here after a six game series win over the Islanders in the opening round, and then beating the Ottawa Senators in five games in round two. As for the Bruins they got here after a seven game opening round series win over the Maple Leafs and then a five game series win over the New York Rangers. This is the fifth playoff series for these two teams, with each team having won two of the four previous meetings. Their most recent meeting was in the 1992 Wales Conference Finals, where Pittsburgh swept the Bruins out of the playoffs. The Penguins won all three games in this year's regular season series.

This may be the toughest test for the Penguins in this years playoffs. Boston has one of the more balanced teams in the league, and may be the most physical remaining in the playoffs. It has been well documented in the past that the Penguins don't respond too well to physical play, it throws them off their game and it doesn't end well. Look no further than last year against the Flyers. Boston may be the one team who can really challenge the Pens physically and throw their weight around. Both teams have balanced scoring attacks that's been evident all year long in the playoffs. Here is the date and times of the games in this series.

June 1 Boston Bruins 8:00 p.m. Pittsburgh Penguins Consol Energy Center
June 3 Boston Bruins 8:00 p.m. Pittsburgh Penguins Consol Energy Center
June 5 Pittsburgh Penguins 8:00 p.m. Boston Bruins TD Garden
June 7 Pittsburgh Penguins 8:00 p.m. Boston Bruins TD Garden
June 9 Boston Bruins 8:00 p.m. Pittsburgh Penguins Consol Energy Center
June 11 Pittsburgh Penguins TBD Boston Bruins TD Garden
June 12 Boston Bruins TBD Pittsburgh Penguins Consol Energy Center

So we all know how good both of these teams have been in the playoffs this year. Both teams can score goals that's been pretty evident. Boston has a slight edge in goaltending, but Thomas Vokoun has been one of the big reasons the Pens have gotten this far in the playoffs. That will be the determining factor on this series. Tukka Rask has played great of r Boston as well, and is one of the big reasons they are where they are. This series looks as if its going to take the full seven games to complete. That being said in the end I feel the penguins may have a tad more firepower than the Bruins, and that will be enough to get the Penguins back to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Now we move along to the Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Kings and the Chicago Blackhawks. LA got here after a six game opening round win over the Blues, then followed it up with a seven game series win over the Sharks. Chicago got here after beating the Wild in the opening round in five, then coming back to beat the Red Wings in seven games. This is the second playoff series for these two teams. Their only previous meeting was in the 1974 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals, which Chicago won in five games. The Blackhawks won two of the three games in this year's regular season series.

This will be another very tough and physical series. Chicago is coming off a series in which they came back from down 3-1 to win the series thanks to Brent Seabrook winning the series in OT of game seven. Chicago got its game together in game five and was in the drivers seat from there on out. As for the Kings, they had a bit tougher time dealing with the Sharks, a series in which the home team won every game. What surprised me about the Kings in this years playoffs is that they have been winning and doing so in close one goal games. Since they are playing against a team with a good goalie tandom in Emery and Crawford in Chicago, its going to be a great series to watch. Here is the date and times for games in the West Finals:

June 1 Los Angeles Kings 5:00 p.m. Chicago Blackhawks United Center
June 2 Los Angeles Kings 8:00 p.m. Chicago Blackhawks United Center
June 4 Chicago Blackhawks 9:00 p.m. Los Angeles Kings Staples Center
June 6 Chicago Blackhawks 9:00 p.m. Los Angeles Kings Staples Center
June 8 Los Angeles Kings 8:00 p.m. Chicago Blackhawks United Center
June 10 Chicago Blackhawks 9:00 p.m. Los Angeles Kings Staples Center
June 12 Los Angeles Kings TBD Chicago Blackhawks United Center

A big factor to play in this series, much like in the East Finals, is goaltending. Jonathan Quick of the Kings has the best numbers of any goalie in this year's playoffs. Only thing that is stopping me from taking the Kings in this series is they haven't scored enough goals to really give Quick a comfortable lead, and we know the Hawks can score. Quick is going to steal at least two for the Kings in the series but the Hawks will take it and face the Penguins in the finals.

So there you have it the Conference finals are all set and in two weeks we will have ourselves a Stanley Cup finals!