Stanley Cup Playoffs: Western Conference 1st-round breakdown
It's playoff time, folks. To get you prepared, we break down each of the Western Conference's first-round series. (Advanced stats at five-on-five courtesy: Corsica)
Predators 1C vs. Avalanche WC2
| Predators | Stat | Avalanche |
|---|---|---|
| 53-18-11 | Record | 43-30-9 |
| 56 | Goal differential | 20 |
| 51.52% (9th) | 5-on-5 Corsi % | 47.57% (27th) |
| 8.19% (9th) | Shooting percentage | 8.21% (7th) |
| .935 (1st) | Save percentage | .932 (3rd) |
| 101.74 (3rd) | PDO | 101.45 (6th) |
| Filip Forsberg (64) | Leading scorer | Nathan MacKinnon (97) |
The Avalanche were dreadful a season ago, but, to the surprise of just about everybody, have qualified for the playoffs in a year when nobody gave them a chance. Their reward? A matchup with the NHL's most complete team, which is looking to avenge last season's Stanley Cup disappointment. If the task wasn't already tall enough, the Avs will have to get by without starter Semyon Varlamov, who was ruled out for the season.
Game 1: Thursday, April 12, 9:30 p.m. ET (See full schedule)
Jets 2C vs. Wild 3C
| Jets | Stat | Wild |
|---|---|---|
| 52-20-10 | Record | 45-26-11 |
| 59 | Goal differential | 21 |
| 51.5% (10th) | 5-on-5 Corsi % | 47.18% (29th) |
| 8.53% (5th) | Shooting percentage | 8.19% (8th) |
| .925 (11th) | Save percentage | .927 (10th) |
| 101.07 (7th) | PDO | 100.91 (8th) |
| Blake Wheeler (91) | Leading scorer | Eric Staal (76) |
The Jets concluded the season with the second-most points in the NHL (114), and have plans far beyond earning their first series win in franchise history. To do so, though, they'll need to take down a Wild squad that went 14-6-5 down the stretch. While they're missing their top blue-liner in Ryan Suter, the animosity between these Northern rivals should make for quite an entertaining series.
Game 1: Wednesday, April 11, 7 p.m. ET (See full schedule)
Golden Knights 1P vs. Kings WC1
| Golden Knights | Stat | Kings |
|---|---|---|
| 51-24-7 | Record | 45-29-8 |
| 44 | Goal differential | 36 |
| 50.96% (12th) | 5-on-5 Corsi % | 50.05% (16th) |
| 8.38 (6th) | Shooting percentage | 7.8% (14th) |
| .921 (17th) | Save percentage | .930 (4th) |
| 100.57 (10th) | PDO | 100.88 (9th) |
| William Karlsson (78) | Leading scorer | Anze Kopitar (92) |
Even though it's been decided for weeks, the Golden Knights making the playoffs in their inaugural season is nothing short of astonishing. The atmosphere in Vegas should be rocking to get things started, but the NHL's 31st franchise has a tall order on its hands. Shutting down MVP candidate Anze Kopitar will be tough, but it could make the difference in what promises to be a fast-paced, intense series.
Game 1: Wednesday, April 11, 10 p.m. ET (See full schedule)
Ducks P2 vs. Sharks P3
| Ducks | Stats | Sharks |
|---|---|---|
| 44-25-13 | Record | 45-27-10 |
| 19 | Goal differential | 23 |
| 50.8% (13th) | 5-on-5 Corsi % | 48.62% (22nd) |
| 8.16% (10th) | Shooting percentage | 7.5% (20th) |
| .933 (2nd) | Save percentage | .916 (27th) |
| 101.51 (5th) | PDO | 99.13 (24th) |
| Rickard Rakell (69) | Leading scorer | Brent Burns (67) |
The start times are late, but this West Coast battle should be fought tooth and nail. Both the Ducks and Sharks match up quite evenly and know each other quite well, but health will be a big factor. San Jose is doubtful to have Joe Thornton in the lineup, while Anaheim starter John Gibson is banged up as well. Regardless of who's in and who's out, expect this one to be neck-and-neck.
Game 1: Wednesday, April 11, 10:30 p.m. ET (See full schedule)
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)