The Second Round

With New Jersey's 3-2 win over Tampa Bay this afternoon, the matchups in the NHL's Eastern Conference Semi-Finals are now set. The Rangers draw the dubious task of taking on 1st place Buffalo (the Sabres won all 4 meetings between the teams this season, although 3 of them were post-regulation), while the Devils will own home ice advantage to start their series against Ottawa. The only thing settled in the West is that Anaheim and San Jose are in, while Detroit can advance with a win tonight in Calgary - or send the series to a Game 7 in Detroit if they lose - and Vancouver and Dallas will flip a coin tomorrow night in their own Game 7.

As was mentioned on TSN's The Sports Reporters this morning, there are four teams already included in the 2nd round who are both serious contenders, and also vying for their first ever Cup. Buffalo, Ottawa, Anaheim and San Jose all have legitimate shots at going all of the way, and none of them have ever sipped from Lord Stanley's chalice before. Buffalo, the city, was particularly noted, since they've never won a major championship of any sort there, despite coming close 4 years in a row in the SuperBowl, as well as having come within an illegal-but-allowed goalcrease goal by Brett Hull of hosting a victory parade in 1999.

New Jersey and the Rangers represent the "old guard" in the East, having won 4 of the last dozen Cups between them, while Detroit, Calgary and Dallas (whichever of them makes it) all have Cup wins in the past two decades. That leaves Vancouver (again, if they make it), as the other newbie in the West, meaning that it's possible 3 of the final 4 Western representatives will be in that category by the time the dust settles.

Since the last 2 Finals have been won by first-timers, fans in Buffalo, Ottawa, Anaheim, San Jose and Vancouver all have reason to hope. At this time of year, of course, any fan whose team is still in it can be excused for dreaming. But the sad fact is that 15 of the 16 playoff teams will end their year on a losing note, and those aren't exactly hopeful odds! The only thing worse is not getting into the post-season at all (as Rangers fans endured for 7 consecutive years, 1998 through 2004)...