The 2017-18 NHL post-season comes down to four teams…the Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, Winnipeg Jets, and the expansion Vegas Golden Knights. Two of these clubs didn’t make the playoff cut last season, while one only existed on paper. And the fourth, the Capitals, aren’t known for playoff success. How times have changed.
Washington finally eliminated their arch-rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in round two, which meant that a new Stanley Cup winner will be crowned this June. The Capitals have never won the Cup, and have only been to the Final once. They were swept by the powerhouse Detroit Red Wings back in 1998. That is also the last time there was a sweep in the Stanley Cup Final.
The team the Caps will face in the Eastern Conference Final is the Tampa Bay Lightning, the only team left standing that has hoisted the Cup. They did so in 2004, after a tight seven-game series with the Calgary Flames. The Lightning also made it all the way to the Final in 2015, losing in six games to the Chicago Blackhawks.
This is the Lightning’s third time in four years in the Eastern Conference Final. Tampa and Washington last met up in the second round of the 2011 playoffs, with the Bolts sweeping their fellow former Southeast Division cellmate. This regular season the Lightning took 2 of 3 games from Washington.
The Western Conference features two newcomers, one literally. The first edition of the Winnipeg Jets moved to Arizona after the 1996 season, and the passionate hockey fans of Manitoba had to wait 15 years until the Atlanta Thrashers relocated to the ‘Peg. Both editions of the Jets have never been this far in the NHL playoffs.
The team the Jets will face are the surprising Vegas Golden Knights. The team that is setting the golden standard for all expansion teams to follow (hello, Seattle). Two months into the 2107-18 NHL regular season, people began to stop being surprised by the success of the team GM George McPhee and crew cobbled together. They swept the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, then took care of the San Jose Sharks in six games in the second round.
During the regular season, the Golden Knights took 2 of 3 games from the Jets.
Most people expect both of these Conference Finals to go at least 6 games.
Friday, May 11th
Washington Capitals at Tampa Bay Lightning – Game One
8:00 PM Eastern – Sirius XM 91 (home feed) – Sirius XM 167 (away feed)
Saturday, May 12th
Vegas Golden Knights at Winnipeg Jets – Game One
7:00 PM Eastern – Sirius XM 91 (home feed) – Sirius XM 167 (away feed)
Sunday, May 13th
Washington Capitals at Tampa Bay Lightning – Game Two
8:00 PM Eastern – Sirius XM 91 (home feed) – Sirius XM 167 (away feed)
Monday, May 14th
Vegas Golden Knights at Winnipeg Jets – Game Two
8:00 PM Eastern – Sirius XM 91 (home feed) – Sirius XM 167 (away feed)
Tuesday, May 15th
Tampa Bay Lightning at Washington Capitals – Game Three
8:00 PM Eastern – Sirius XM 91 (home feed) – Sirius XM 167 (away feed)
Wednesday, May 16th
Winnipeg Jets at Vegas Golden Knights – Game Three
9:00 PM Eastern – Sirius XM 91 (home feed) – Sirius XM 167 (away feed)
Thursday, May 17th
Tampa Bay Lightning at Washington Capitals – Game Four
8:00 PM Eastern – Sirius XM 91 (home feed) – Sirius XM 167 (away feed)
Friday, May 18th
Winnipeg Jets at Vegas Golden Knights – Game Four
8:00 PM Eastern – Sirius XM 91 (home feed) – Sirius XM 167 (away feed)
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