NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Preview

NHL PLAYOFF CAPSULES

EASTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 MONTREAL CANADIENS vs. No. 8 BOSTON BRUINS

Season series: Canadiens swept 8-0

Playoff history: 31st meeting, Canadiens lead 23-7

Goaltenders: Montreal — Carey Price (24-12-3, 2.56) Boston — Tim Thomas (28-19-6, 2.44)

Top scorers: Montreal — RW Alex Kovalev (35-49-84), C Tomas Plekanec (29-49-69) Boston — C Marc Savard (15-63-78), LW Marco Sturm (27-29-56)

Story lines: An aggressive, explosive offense — Montreal led the NHL with 262 goals — against a passive, defensive-minded team — only New Jersey and Anaheim finished with less than Boston’s 212 among playoff qualifiers. It’s been 15 years since Montreal’s last Cup, and the 20-year-old Price will try to duplicate the feats of past Canadiens rookie netminders Patrick Roy and Ken Dryden, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy and led their teams to titles.

No. 2 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS vs. No. 7 OTTAWA SENATORS

Season series: Senators won 3-1

Playoff history: Second meeting, Senators lead 1-0

Goaltenders: Pittsburgh — Marc-Andre Fleury (19-10-2, 2.37) Ottawa — Martin Gerber (30-18-4, 2.72)

Top scorers: Pittsburgh — C Evgeni Malkin (47-59-106), C Sidney Crosby (24-48-72) Ottawa — C Jason Spezza (34-58-92), LW Dany Heatley (41-41-82)

Story lines: A rematch from the first round last season that the Senators won in five games. Can the Penguins mesh after guys like Crosby, Fleury and Gary Roberts missed significant time with injuries? Can Fleury, Malkin and new addition Marian Hossa shed their reputations as poor postseason performers? Can the defending conference champion Senators, who are likely to be without captain Daniel Alfredsson (89 points) and Mike Fisher (47), figure out how to save a once promising season? Will Ray Emery continue to be a headache or a playoff hero like last year?

No. 3 WASHINGTON CAPITALS vs. No. 6 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Season series: Tied 2-2

Playoff history: Fourth meeting, Caps lead 2-1

Goaltenders: Washington — Cristobal Huet (32-14-6, 2.32) Philadelphia — Martin Biron (30-20-9, 2.59)

Top scorers: Washington — LW Alex Ovechkin (65-47-112), C Nicklas Backstrom (14-55-69) Philadelphia — C Mike Richards (28-47-75), C Daniel Briere (31-41-72)

Story lines: These are the two teams who made the biggest improvement: The Flyers earned 39 more points this season while the Caps picked up 24 more than 2006-07. It will be Ovechkin’s first taste of the postseason. Can the hottest team in the league continue its amazing run? These teams don’t particularly like each other much, so there are sure to be fisticuffs, and both clubs are deep in that department.

No. 4 NEW JERSEY DEVILS vs. No. 5 NEW YORK RANGERS

Season series: Rangers won 7-1

Playoff history: Fifth meeting, Rangers lead 3-1

Goaltenders: New Jersey — Martin Brodeur (44-27-6, 2.17) New York — Henrik Lundqvist (37-24-10, 2.23)

Top scorers: New Jersey — LW Zach Parise (32-33-65), C Patrick Elias (20-35-55) New York — RW Jaromir Jagr (25-46-71), C Scott Gomez (24-46-70)

Story lines: The Rangers won the first seven meetings this season, but the Devils won Sunday to gain home-ice advantage in the series. Is Prudential Center going to offer the Devils much of an advantage? The last time these two teams met in the playoffs (in 2006), the Devils swept. Will Chris Drury and Gomez bring the Blueshirts postseason success?

WESTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 DETROIT RED WINGS vs. No. 8 NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Season series: Red Wings won 5-3

Playoff history: Second meeting, Red Wings lead 1-0

Goaltenders: Detroit — Dominik Hasek (27-10-3, 2.14) Nashville — Dan Ellis (23-10-3, 2.34)

Top scorers Detroit — C Pavel Datsyuk (31-66-97), LW Henrik Zetterberg (43-49-52) Nashville — RW J.P. Dumont (29-43-72), C Jason Arnott (28-44-72)

Story lines: Another year, another President’s Trophy for the Wings, but can this season be a success if it doesn’t end with a Cup? Both of these teams could have backup goalies (Chris Osgood, Chris Mason) who could end up playing a part if the starter struggles.

No. 2 SAN JOSE SHARKS vs. No. 7 CALGARY FLAMES

Season series: Flames won 3-1

Playoff history: Third meeting, Tied 1-1

Goaltenders: San Jose — Evgeni Nabokov (46-21-8, 2.14) Calgary — Miikka Kiprusoff (39-26-10, 2.69)

Top scorers: San Jose — C Joe Thornton (29-67-96), LW Milan Michalek (24-31-55) Calgary — RW Jarome Iginla (50-48-98), Kristian Huselius (25-41-66)

Story lines: After an 18-0-2 run, the Sharks have lost two straight, but can they keep up the torrid pace since the addition of D Brian Campbell? The Flames are the type of gritty team that has given the Sharks problems in the playoffs, and Calgary will look to forget a disappointing regular season.

No. 3 MINNESOTA WILD vs. No. 6 COLORADO AVALANCHE

Season series: Wild won 5-3

Playoff history: Second meeting, Wild lead 1-0

Goaltenders: Minnesota — Niklas Backstrom (33-13-8, 2.31) Colorado — Jose Theodore (28-21-3, 2.44)

Top scorers: Minnesota — RW Marian Gaborik (42-41-83), RW Pierre-Marc Bouchard (13-50-63) Colorado — C Paul Stastny (24-47-71), LW Andrew Brunette (19-40-59)

Story lines: The Northwest has been the tightest division all season, so the top two teams can continue the battle into the postseason. Can the new old guys (Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote) help lead the Avalanche on another long playoff run? Can newly minted captain Gaborik do the same?

No. 4 ANAHEIM DUCKS vs. No. 5 DALLAS STARS

Season series: Stars won 5-3

Playoff history: Second meeting, Ducks lead 1-0

Goaltenders: Anaheim — Jean-Sebastien Giguere (35-17-6, 2.12) Dallas — Marty Turco (32-21-6 2.31)

Top scorers: Anaheim — C Ryan Getzlaf (24-58-82), RW Corey Perry (29-25-54) Dallas — C Mike Riberio (27-56-83), LW Brenden Morrow (32-42-74)

Story lines: The Ducks won the Cup last year, and they have the whole gang back together in their quest to repeat? Can the Stars, with new addition Brad Richards, break their three-season string of first-round exits?