A season ago, the Rangers sneaked into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed and were dismissed in the first round by Washington. This time around, they have led the Eastern Conference since Dec. 31 and will be sorely disappointed if they don't make a serious run at the Stanley Cup. Despite dominating the season series against powerhouses like the Bruins and Flyers, the Rangers lost three of four to the Senators, their first-round opponent. That said, they should not have any trouble advancing.
Goalie Henrik Lundqvist has come into his own and then some. No team will have a goaltending advantage against the Rangers. The best anyone can hope for is a wash. New York has also added 20-year-old Chris Kreider to the roster. Kreider, who helped Boston College win the NCAA hockey title less than a week ago, may or may not get playing time in the series, but the 6-foot-3 230-pound forward could add depth if he sees action. Ottawa allowed 240 goals this season — the most of any team in the playoffs — so even if the Rangers' power play is anemic, which it has been known to be, they should advance.
A season ago, the Devils didn't even make the playoffs, which is a big deal for a franchise that had not missed the postseason since 1996. Playing much better toward the end of the season (they ended the season on a six-game win streak), the Devils earned the No. 6 seed behind the improved goaltending of Martin Brodeur and have more points than their opponent, the No. 3-seeded Florida Panthers. The teams split their four games this season, and the uneven matchups could prove critical. New Jersey's penalty kill led the NHL, and Florida's power play was top notch. With the Devils peaking at the right time, they should win the series in six games.
