The Stanley Cup playoffs continue on Wednesday with four major games. Two of those series could come to an end while the other two will face pivotal Game 4's that could shift the series one way or another.
The 2014-15 NHL season is almost a quarter of the way complete. The Eastern Conference has had a lot of close, tight races thus far. In the Metropolitan division, the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins have emerged as the favorites.
Sidney Crosby has often been considered the greatest player in the world of hockey having won numerous scoring titles, the Hart Trophy on a few occasions and a Stanley Cup to his name, however, there is one award that Crosby has not managed to attain: the Conn Smythe trophy for Stanley Cup playoffs MVP, having been overshadowed by teammate Evgeni Malkin.
Another season. Another choke from the Pittsburgh Penguins. While they are no where near the level of the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals in terms of choking, Sidney Crosby and the Penguins are building quite a resume. Here is a look at the highs and lows of the 2013-14 season for Pittsburgh.
Game 7 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and NY Rangers is on the horizon. The Rangers managed a shocking comeback in Games 5 and 6 after looking listless against a dominant Pittsburgh side. But the Penguins have seemingly capsized and no player has been more emblematic of that fall than Captain Sidney Crosby.
On Wednesday evening it all seemed like the NY Rangers were going to exit the Stanley Cup playoffs. The team had been thoroughly dominated by Pittsburgh Penguins in Games 2, 3 and 4; the Rangers had only managed to score one goal in three games and looked listless in Game 4. In that game, the Rangers struggled to create any cycle in the Penguins zone and only recorded 15 shots on goal. For their efforts, they were serenaded with boos by their fans. Fast forward to Sunday evening and the Rangers had accomplished the seemingly impossible. The team had forced Game 7 and now have Pittsburgh right where they want them. Why? Because the Rangers are arguably one of the best Game 7 teams in recent history.
The first round of the NHL came to an end on Wednesday. Every tournament features a plethora of major successes but also comes with a share of disappointments. Here is a look at some of the teams and players that really disappointed in the first round of the 2013-14 Stanley Cup playoffs.
