By Anna Kleczek
The Stanley Cup finals advance into their third round as the New York Rangers face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning after beating their opponents in the second round of playoffs. In the Western Conference finals, the Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks go face to face as they battle to get into the Stanley Cup finals.
Earlier, in the Western Conference playoffs, the Minnesota Wild beat out the St. Louis Blues in Game 6, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Nashville Predators in another Game 6. The Anaheim Ducks then beat out the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4, while the Vancouver Canucks fell to the Calgary Flames in Game 6.
Back in the Eastern Conference, Montreal defeated the Ottawa Senators in a solid Game 6 while the Detroit Red Wings took a tough loss in Game 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Pittsburgh Penguins then fell to the New York Rangers in Game 5 as the Washington Capitals went on to beat the New York Islanders in Game 7, advancing to the second round of playoffs.
During the second round of playoffs, the Washington Capitals took a hard loss against the New York Rangers when the Caps were winning the series 3-1, but the Rangers came back, taking them all the way to Game 7, beating the Caps in overtime 2-1, in the final game to take the series. The Tampa Bay Lightning then copped a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7, also advancing into the Conference Finals, proceeding to play against the Rangers. The Chicago Blackhawks also go on to play the Anaheim Ducks after they beat the Minnesota Wild, 4-3, in Game 4, with the Ducks beating out the Flames in Game 5, 3-2.
As for series predictions, NHL writers Chris Peters and Adam Gretz gave their opinions on who was going to win the Conference finals and together they both concluded that the Rangers will win the Easterns and the Blackhawks will take the Westerns, later facing off against each other in the finals but they have yet to make a prediction for who will win the Stanley Cup Finals.
Overall, the Stanley Cup Finals are shaping up to be great this year. Hockey lovers all over are gathering together to see who will take home the trophy, hoping that it’ll be their team. But whoever wins, may there be continuous celebrations as every player of the winning team hoists up the Stanley Cup, each giving it a kiss.
sources: http://www.nhl.com/ice/stanleycup.htm & http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/25185013/nhl-expert-picks-2015-stanley-cup-playoffs-conference-finals-prediction
