With less than 10 games remaining for every team in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 NHL regular season, many fans have their eye on the standings as well as the potential first-round matchups that could come to fruition a few weeks from now.
There is obviously a lot that can change over the course of several games, but it's never too early to look at the playoff picture. With so many teams in the midst of fantastic seasons and other supposed top teams struggling to make the top eight, there is potential for some extremely intriguing battles in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Here's a look at how the first round would shake out if the postseason started today, as well as some deeper analysis on which series would be most entertaining.
Current Eastern Conference Matchups
1. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 8. New York Rangers
2. Montreal Canadiens vs. 7. New York Islanders
3. Washington Capitals vs. 6. Ottawa Senators
4. Boston Bruins vs. 5. Toronto Maple Leafs
Current Western Conference Matchups
1. Chicago Blackhawks vs. 8. ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Mike Chiari
Stanley Cup Playoffs 2013: Updated Look at First-Round Matchups
April 12th, 2013 by Mike Chiari Leave a reply »
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