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Stanley Cup Playoffs: Eastern rivalries take center stage
Washington Capitals center Lars Eller (defends against Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust in a battle of the rivals on January 16, 2017. The Penguins won 8-7 in overtime.  Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Eastern rivalries take center stage

And then there were eight: the crop of NHL teams that survived the bloodbath that was Round 1 in order to advance to the conference semifinals. Today, we take a look at the four still standing in the Eastern Conference. You can find the Western Conference breakdown here.

It took four long series and too many overtimes to remember. (That's a lie. We remember. There were a whopping five OTs in the Capitals-Leafs six game set alone.) But the dust finally settled, and four teams from the Eastern Conference have made it to the second round. All four bring their own je ne sais quoi to the table, and promise to make for two wild series. Here's a look at the four teams representing the Eastern Conference in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

New York Rangers


New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist celebrates an empty net goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period in Game Six of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 22, 2017. Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

While the New York-Montreal matchup in Round 1 was bound to be tough, many favored the first place Canadiens to take the series over the wild card-holding Rangers. New York had other plans, grinding through six tough tilts to send Carey Price and company home early.

X-factor: As SB Nation's Blueshirt Banter points out – as does anyone else who watched the first round – New York's offensive depth shined against Montreal. Keeping that level of production up is sure to keep Ottawa's hands full.

The difference maker for Rangers over the Sens: Henrik Lundqvist. The starting goalie had an up-and-down regular season campaign, and entered Round 1 with not-so-stellar numbers at Bell Centre. He proved everyone wrong by turning away 195 shots in the series versus the Habs, notching a 1.70 GAA and .947 save percentage.

Extra edge over the Sens: Even when going up against a heavy defense like Ottawa's, New York is a faster and more product. Expect them to impose their will on Ottawa early and often.

Ottawa Senators


Derick Brassard of the Ottawa Senators celebrates his third period game tying goal against the Boston Bruins with team mates on the bench in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round on April 15, 2017  Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images

A year after missing the playoffs all together, the Senators got slotted in the first round against the Boston Bruins – a team they beat candidly during the regular season. Round 1 was no cakewalk, with all six games being decided by one goal and four of the being decided in overtime.

X-factor: Derick Brassard. The Ranger-turned-Senator was lethal in the first round, putting up eight points against the Boston Bruins. His contributions would greatly benefit the Sens as they face a stacked New York offense.

The difference maker for Senators over the Rangers: Netminder Craig Anderson had a couple stand-up performances against Boston. Ottawa will need that version of Anderson to show up every game if they want a counter-attack to how well Lundqvist is playing.

Extra edge over the Rangers: This tough team is coming in the underdog, which can make their sturdy defense harder to penetrate. If Erik Karlsson registering six assists in Round 1 whilst having two hairline fractures in his left heel says anything, it's that this team clearly isn't going down quietly. Plus, the Senators took two out of three in the regular season series with the Rangers, outscoring them 8-5.

Washington Capitals


Washington Capitals right wing Justin Williams is the player to watch against the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Capitals are out to prove that this is the year they won't be making another early playoffs exit. After what was a very entertaining series with the fresh-faced Toronto Maple Leafs, they square off with an all-too-familiar foe: The Pittsburgh Penguins.

X-factor: Of course, captain Alex Ovechkin steals most of the spotlight, but his teammate Justin Williams is the guy to really keep on eye on. The forward has a history of catching fire in the postseason, and is a favorite among big time hockey insiders such as TSN's Darren Dreger to make a statement in Round 2.

The difference maker for Capitals over the Penguins: It's not just Ovechkin that is doing all of the goal-scoring these days. That depth will be needed against Pittsburgh, whose secondary scoring in last year's conference semifinals topped Washington's. The Washington Post points to the Caps' third line combination of Andre Burakovsky, Lars Eller, and Tom Wilson as the combo that could make a big impact.

Extra edge over the Pens: Both teams are juggernauts on special teams, but Washington's power play is just a bit tougher to contain. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette points out, the Penguins penalty kill will have its hands full with Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom (with his NHL-leading 35 regular season power play points), and midseason acquisition Kevin Shattenkirk. 

Pittsburgh Penguins


Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins will face a familiar foe in the Washington Capitals.  Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

So far these playoffs have looked like business as usual for the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Penguins haven't let the absence of Kris Letang on their blue line slow them down, as they moved past the Columbus Blue Jackets to square off for another round of "Crosby vs. Ovechkin."

X-factor: Marc-Andre Fleury. In the first round meeting with the Blue Jackets, the netminder started to look like his old self again. Maintaining that level of play across the ice from Braden Holtby will be huge. As Matt Larkin of The Hockey News perfectly summarized: "If (Fleury's) game goes in the tank, it will change the series dramatically."

The difference maker for Penguins over the Capitals: The defense holding up against Washington. They did fine without Letang against Columbus because they overwhelmed the young CBJ team with their speed. The blue line needs to be tight as possible against the Capitals' offensive threat.

Extra edge over the Caps: It's no secret that the Pens have had the Caps number in recent years. Pittsburgh is also quite good at taking advantage of their opponent's mistakes. If a team with almost no playoff experience – like the Maple Leafs – can take advantage of Washington's few disjointed plays, there is no doubt that the Penguins will jump on them as well.

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