Three factors stand between the 16 NHL playoff teams and the Stanley Cup. Star players stepping up to the lead way, unsung heroes providing timely production and, as is always the case, a couple lucky bounces along the way.
The first one is the most important. Depth and luck are extremely useful pieces of a championship puzzle, but if a team's top scorers aren't playing at an elite level, its upside is limited. In other words, now's not the time for a slump.
With that in mind, let's examine three players who will be under immense pressure to perform at a high level in the coming weeks. If any of the teams listed are going to win the Cup, these are the stars that are going to help made it happen.
Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings)
Quick was unbeatable for extended stretches of Los Angeles' title run last season. He had previously struggled in the playoffs, as the Kings were knocked out in the first round two straight years. But something finally clicked and he carried them to a title.
Now he will be asked to do it again. It comes after a lackluster regular season for the n ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Tim Daniels
Stanley Cup Playoffs 2013: Key Players Under Immense NHL Postseason Pressure
April 30th, 2013 by Tim Daniels Leave a reply »
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