Opening Round Recap

by Ben Burns

Tuesday, May 17, 2022
The second round of the NHL playoffs begins this evening. If its anything like the opening round, hockey fans are in for a treat. Let's take a look at some of the top stories, thus far. 

SCORING IS UP
Though things started slowing down slightly towards the end, scoring was way up in the first round of the playoffs. For years, we've been seeing O/U lines of 4.5, 5, or 5.5 in the postseason. This year, the majority of the O/U lines are 6.5. Often, you even have to lay extra juice to play the 'over' 6.5. Yet, despite the high lines, many games continued to fly over the total. The only series which was somewhat "normal," in terms of scoring, was the Dallas/Calgary one. It'll be interesting to see how the upcoming round plays out. 

WINNER-TAKE-ALL
Not only did the first round feature more scoring than normal but it also included a lot of "bonus hockey." A whopping five (of the eight) matchups went the distance. In four of those cases, the home team won. Of course, fans love goals and they love Game 7's. So, in terms of excitement, the postseason is off to a great start. 

POOR TORONTO
The lone home team which didn't win Game 7 was Toronto. I abandoned any allegiances long ago. However, I grew up a Leafs' fan. So, I can empathize. A few bright spots notwithstanding, for my entire life, the Leafs have under-achieved. So, their supporters are accustomed to heartache and disappointment. This year appeared like it might be different. Then, it wasn't. 

THREE-PEAT?
By rallying to beat Toronto, Tampa showed the heart of a champion. It wouldn't be wise to write the champs off. The Leafs took them to the brink though and the Lightning lost Brayden Point to injury. Now, they face in-state rival Florida. The Panthers are coming off a great regular season and they're coming in hungry. The All-Florida showdown should be a good one. 

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN?
The only series of the first round which ended up being a mismatch was Colorado vs. Nashville. The Avalanche were clearly the stronger team. They swept the 4-game series and outscored the Predators by a combined score of 21-9. Besides Colorado, every other team was tested. While the Avs should receive a tougher test from the Blues, they do look like they'll be tough to stop. 

Good luck in the second round and enjoy the games. 

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

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