The second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs begins Thursday night when the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens write a new chapter in the sport’s most historic and intense rivalry.
That’s just one of the exciting storylines following a thrilling Round 1 that included three Game 7s.
The Los Angeles Kings will play the top-seeded Anaheim Ducks in the battle of Southern California after becoming the fourth team in NHL history to erase a 3-0 series deficit and advance. With a roster that features many Stanley Cup champions and one of the best goaltenders in the world in Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles has emerged as the biggest threat to the Chicago Blackhawks’ chances of repeating.
In the other Western Conference semifinal, the Minnesota Wild will take on the Blackhawks after defeating the Colorado Avalanche in overtime of Game 7. These two teams met in Round 1 last year, with Chicago winning in five games.
In the Metropolitan Division section of the Eastern Conference bracket, the Pittsburgh Penguins will take on the New York Rangers in the first postseason series between these teams since 2008. The Penguins survived a six-game series win over the upstart Columbus Blue Jackets, while the Rangers defeated the rival Philadelphia Flyers in seven games.
On the latest edition of NESN’s Bruins/NHL podcast, Bruins editor/reporter Mike Cole and assistant editor Nick Goss preview the second round, make predictions and talk to NHL Network studio host Kathryn Tappen about her thoughts on Round 1 and the upcoming series.
Check out the podcast in the player below.
