Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series
(M1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (WC1) Columbus Blue Jackets
Season series: Pittsburgh swept 5-0-0
They have a history: The Blue Jackets’ playoff history is limited, a 2009 Western Conference quarterfinal meeting with the Detroit Red Wings serving as the franchise’s lone postseason appearance. Pittsburgh is just 185 miles — less than three hours if you don’t mind risking a speeding ticket — from Columbus, and the Blue Jackets are hopeful that this playoff series will lead to a great Metropolitan Division rivalry.
For the Penguins to win: The Penguins have had no shortage of controversy in their last three first-round playoff series. In fact, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has not played a second-round game since 2010. Still, the Pens are the favourites to come out of the Metropolitan, and a playoff series with a young team like Columbus should be a great confidence boost — yet we could’ve said the same about last season’s first-round date with the New York Islanders. Simply put, for the Pens to win, they need their top-two lines — Kunitz-Crosby-Stempniak and Jokinen-Malkin-Neal — to dominate.
Best Penguins storyline: It begins and ends with goaltending. Tomas Vokoun won six playoff games in 2013, but he’s coming off a blood clot that has sidelined him since the preseason. With Vokoun a question mark, and inexperienced Jeff Zatkoff and his 20 career NHL starts waiting in the wings, it’ll be all on Fleury. And if he falters, it could be lights out early again in Pittsburgh.
Leading scorer: Sidney Crosby, 104 points (36 goals, 68 assists)
Game 1 starter: Marc-Andre Fleury, 39-18-5, 2.37 goals-against average, .915 save percentage
For the Blue Jackets to win: Sergei Bobrovsky will have to steal the series. The defending Vezina Trophy winner proved 2012-13 was no fluke, posting 32 wins and a .923 save percentage this season. Columbus has not won a game against the Penguins since Feb. 8, 2011 — two weeks before James Neal was traded to Pittsburgh and a game in which Evgeni Malkin, Chris Kunitz and Sidney Crosby were all sidelined. Columbus also must stay out of the penalty box, as the Pens boast the NHL’s top power-play unit.
Best Blue Jackets storyline: How will Columbus’s youngsters handle playoff hockey? Fortunately for the Blue Jackets, they have seasoned playoff vets like Brandon Dubinsky and Nathan Horton. Unfortunately, Horton will miss the first-round series with an abdominal tear. This is a big blow. For scoring, the Jackets lean on young guns like 21-year-old Ryan Johansen and 24-year-old Cam Atkinson. If they can score goals and get in Fleury’s head, a predictable series suddenly gets compelling.
Leading scorer: Ryan Johansen, 66 points (33 goals, 30 assists)
Game 1 starter: Sergei Bobrovsky, 32-20-5, 2.38 goals-against average, .923 save percentage
Matchup to watch: The Blue Jackets’ top-defence pair — Fedor Tyutin and James Wisniewski — will get the unenviable task of trying to shut down Kunitz-Crosby-Stempniak. Those two are used to massive quantities of ice time but were a combined minus-6 against the Penguins this year.
Big question: What will the crowds be like in Columbus? The Blue Jackets have never won a playoff game and have only ever hosted two, but in the push for the playoffs, the fans in Ohio have poured out to support the club. Still, the trip is easy, and Penguins fans travel well. If the Blue Jackets can steal home-ice advantage early — beyond just last change — this series could be exhilarating.
Best bet: Penguins in five.
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