It's that time again, folks. The weather is getting warmer by the day, but it is heating up even more in 16 cities across North America.
Tonight, one of the great traditions of sports comes our way again as the 2012 NHL Playoffs start. From Vancouver and Miami to Boston and Los Angeles, pucks will be dropped; players will hit, fight and shoot; and crowds of 17,000+ will cheer their teams onto victory. It's a two month pro¬cess, arguably the most grueling in sports. There is no quitting in hockey - injuries and slumps do not slow players down for one second.
It starts with 16 teams, then eight and then four. Finally, it comes down to two with only one of those teams earning the privilege to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup.
Each team has a different story. Whether they had been assured of a playoff spot for a month and a half or snuck in during the final week of the regular season, all of the teams still playing have their own nuances heading into the first round.
Beginning with the Eastern Conference Quar¬terfinal series, the top seeded New York Rangers face the Ottawa Senators starting on Thursday at Madison Square Garden. A New York team that has been in the middle of the Eastern Confer¬ence for the past few years has finally made it to the top of the Conference in a very competitive Atlantic Division.
Last season's pickup of Brad Richards has paid off in spades. Led by Captain Ryan Calla¬han and superstar goalie Henrik Lundqvist, the "Blueshirts" look to make a big run. Their op¬ponents from North of the Border have an uphill climb, but captain Daniel Alfredsson and the Senators will look to make a series of it.
In a series that many around the Longwood community may care about, the Washing¬ton Capitals face the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Boston Bruins. Washington's four-season-long streak of Southeast Division championships came to an end this season in a year that has seen much turmoil, including a coaching change for the Caps. Led by superstar Alex Ovechkin, they look to upset the Northeast Division champions, easier said than done with many questions surrounding the goalie position, not to mention the many weapons that the Bruins have, i.e. Tim Thomas and Zdeno Chara. A very interesting series pits Florida against New Jersey. The Florida Panthers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2000, claiming their first ever Southeast Division championship. With a myriad of offensive talent, including the likes of Tomas Fleischmann and Stephen Weiss, the Panthers will look to solve the puzzle that is Devils goalie Martin Brodeur in a series that truly could go either way.
Perhaps the most eye-catching series of the first round contains two of the bitterest rivals in hockey: Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The "Battle for the Keystone State" features one of the best scorers in the game, Penguins' Evgeni Malkin, and his matchup with fellow Russian and Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov. It will be a key point in a series that may go the full seven games. The X-factor, however, may very well be Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby, who has had a difficult season recovering from injuries. If he plays like the Crosby seen pre-2011 Winter Classic, he will prove his status as one of the best players on the planet. Out west, the story is the same for Vancouver.Another season, another Presidents' Trophy for best record in the league and another Northwest Division title. Can goalie Jonathan Quick steal a series for the Los Angeles Kings and stun the de¬fending Western Conference champs, or will the Sedin twins send the Kings to the beach early? Five months ago, no one gave St. Louis a shot at making the playoffs. Fewer said that they would end up with the number 2 seed and win the Central Division, but they did, and will play a stout San Jose team. If the Blues get past the Sharks, they may be a true Cup contender.
While Chicago is favored to beat the Pacific Division champions in Phoenix, Mike Smith has been white-hot as of late and may very well lead the Coyotes over the 2010 Champion Black¬hawks. Two Central Division rivals in Nashville and Detroit will face off, as an aging Red Wing side will try and beat a solid Predator team led by Shea Weber. Put down the razor and pick up your rally towel. Seriously, don't shave until your team is either eliminated or holding the Stanley Cup. Let the playoff beard ride. Go crazy. Because this is hockey, and this is the playoffs.
