The Stanley Cup playoffs opened on Wednesday night, though the opening night featured just the first round of the undercard bouts. The real matchup folks in these parts are waiting for begins on Thursday when Original Six rivals Boston and Montreal renew acquaintances for the 33rd time in the postseason.
While provincialism demands extra attention on that matchup, there's plenty to watch in all of the eight opening-round series, not to mention the three rounds of increasing intensity in pursuit of the Cup that will follow.
So as we celebrate the start of the highlight of the sporting year, check out the photo gallery below to see the Top 10 storylines of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs.
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