Taped up, dedicated, and trained by a lifetime of playing the sport they love, NHL players began the 2015 playoffs this week, and this year’s postseason was nothing short of spectacular. The Washington Capitals conquered the New York Islanders 4-3 in a captivating manner. The New York Rangers demolished the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 in a quick first round series. The Vancouver Canucks lost to the Calgary Flames 2-4. The Montreal Canadians defeated the Ottawa Senators in a dramatic 4-2 series.
The Capitals and the Islanders battled through a long seven game series including two overtime games, each team winning one. The Rangers, the number one team in the NHL, faced off against the Penguins, a team that barely made it to the playoffs as a wildcard. True to statistics, the Rangers destroyed the Penguins in an easy five game series. The Calgary Flames made it to the second round for the first time in eleven years by defeating the Canucks, 4 games to 2. The Canadians, living up to their name, beat the Senators in a battle for north east Canada and a spot in the conference Semi-finals.