The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs often turns out to be the best.
Typically, there’s the lure of the upset, unpredictability, and more compelling story-lines.
In 2018, I’m sure I wasn’t the only person disappointed with the NHL Conference quarter-finals.
Six of the eight series did not have an overtime.
Two series did not even have a one-goal game (Tampa Bay-New Jersey and Pittsburgh-Philadelphia), while two others (Boston-Toronto and Winnipeg-Minnesota) only had one game that was decided by a goal.
How excited can non-biased fans get when San Jose sweeps Anaheim by a 16-4 total goal margin, and Vegas literally shuts down Los Angeles in a four-game sweep with a total of just 10 goals, seven by the Golden Knights?
In addition, both the Sharks and Golden Knights had more than a week break before they started their second round series Thursday night.
Is that the best way to build momentum?
Let’s make a quick comparison to last year.
In the 2017 first round of the playoffs, 27 of the 42 games (64%) were decided by one goal.
In 2018, just 15 of the 43 games (35%) were one goal games.
Last year, 18 of the 42 opening round games (43%) were decided in OT.
This year, just five of the 43 games (12%) went to overtime, and four of them were in one series (Washington-Columbus).
Other than Boston-Toronto (and yet another Maple Leafs collapse), I’m not sure where the drama came from.
Tampa was never in doubt in winning in five over New Jersey, and Winnipeg was far better than Minnesota in ending that series in five.
Pittsburgh may have needed six games to dispatch Philadelphia, but it was realistically over once they took a 3-1 series lead (Game Six ended 8-5).
Similar story with Nashville and Colorado, where the series went six, but the Predators skunked the Avalanche 5-0 in the last game.
It looked like the Washington-Columbus match-up was going to be special, with four of the first five games going beyond regulation time, but there was a big letdown in Game Six since the Capitals coasted to a 6-3 road win.
At least the Leafs and Bruins provided a little spark, which was lacking for most of the first round.
And… where were the upsets???
Division-winners Nashville, Vegas, Tampa Bay, and Washington all won.
Second place teams Boston, Pittsburgh, and Winnipeg beat the third-place teams.
Yes, San Jose was a third-place team and Anaheim a second-place team, but it was no upset since they were only separated by one point in the standings (101-100).
From Filip Forsberg to David Pastrnak, the First Round was chock-full of memorable moments (via @NHLNetwork). #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/Z1oxayFV9z
— NHL (@NHL) April 26, 2018
Remember last year how shocking it was when #8 Nashville, not only beat #1 Chicago in the first round, but they swept them?
In the East, Ottawa, went on a surprising run, knocking off Boston in the first round and the New York Rangers in Round Two.
The Senators, who only had the sixth most points in the East, eventually lost to the Stanley Cup-champion Penguins in the 2017 Eastern Final, but it took overtime in a seventh game.
By the way, the NHL needs to learn first round scheduling from the NBA.
On weekends, the NBA spreads out multiple opening-round games, so fans have the option to watch one after the other.
In the NHL, it is puzzling why last Saturday, Tampa Bay-New Jersey and Washington-Columbus, both Game Five’s, started at the exact same time (12:15).
If you are curious, home ice wasn’t much of a factor.
In fact, road teams went 22-21 in the Conference quarter-finals.
We love unpredictability in any sport.
Since round one in the NHL provided little of that, I guess we can assume the best is yet to come.
NHL CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS::
SAN JOSE vs. VEGAS
How much longer can the Golden Knights keep this up?
Vegas crushed San Jose 7-0 in the opener … Vegas in six!
YESSS THAT WAS FUN!!! ?#VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/tdRdbFVslb
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 27, 2018
NASHVILLE vs. WINNIPEG
Predators on a mission … Nashville in seven!
Here’s what you need to know about Round 2 of the #StanleyCup Playoffs, including giveaways, plaza party, door times, where to watch and more.https://t.co/Jlz0YOHcF1 pic.twitter.com/ki6Kss1JJ8
— p-Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) April 26, 2018
PITTSBURGH vs. WASHINGTON
Penguins always beat the Capitals (winning nine of 10) and it looks that way again after Washington blew a 2-0 third-period lead in the opener and lost 3-2 on home ice.
Pittsburgh in six!
Now THAT is Pittsburgh Penguins resilience.
Snap Shots: https://t.co/PBJR3U3tJh pic.twitter.com/54A9UnUC1G
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 27, 2018
TAMPA BAY vs. BOSTON
Andrei Vasilevskiy (0.941 save-percentage first round) over Tuukka Rask (0.899 save-percentage) in net gives the Lightning the edge.
Tampa in seven!
It’s an Atlantic Division showdown in the Second Round!@TBLightning vs. @NHLBruins. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/ZdsnNZROrV
— NHL (@NHL) April 26, 2018
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski bought a stake in a Kentucky Derby racehorse that was named after him. The million-dollar animal bred for its ability to run fast says he’s excited to own a share in a horse.
*Conan O’Brien of TBS
Gronk the horse, who qualified for The Derby is now scratched. Was he ridden by Belichick recently?
*Comedy writer TC Chong of Vancouver
At the London marathon, a man proposed to his girlfriend while dressed as a T. rex — which backfired when his arms were too short to open the ring box.
*Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon
The PGA Tour is close to making a deal to host a tournament in Detroit next year. It’s the one where the grounds crew will be known as “Mow Town.”
*Comedy writer Jim Barach of WCHS-TV in Charleston, W.Va., http://jokesbyjim.blogspot.ca/
Anthony Rizzo says the baseball season is too long. Jeez, get the Cubs team in the postseason for a few years and they turn into snowflakes.
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
People are still marveling at Brandon Belt’s at-bat for San Francisco that lasted over 12 minutes against the Angels. Are you kidding me? It took former major leaguer Mike Hargrove 12 minutes just to walk up to the plate.
*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
The Metropolitan King County Council approved a ban on vaping and chewing tobacco in sports facilities — particularly the Mariners’ Safeco Field — effective May 19. In other words, Skoal’s out for the summer.
*Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://www.seattletimes.com/author/dwight-perry/
A slumping Yoenis Cespedes told the New York Mets that he might start hitting better if he resumed playing golf during the season as in prior years. Guess this is the first time a team is hoping one of their players goes Oh, For Fore!
*Marc Ragovin of New York
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
NHL.com credits airtight defence and relentless checking in Vegas eliminating L.A. in four games. Game plan in short: Knight checks King –– checkmate!
*Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
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Hartley Miller is the sports director and morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT.
He also is the 94.3 radio color commentator for P.G. Cougars home games.
His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com.
Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected].
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