Thanks to the Ottawa Senators 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday night in the NHL’s season finale, all eight matchups in the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs are set. The Montreal Canadiens are the Northeast Division champions and have the Sens to thank for that. They’ll be able to do it personally.
NHL playoff schedule: Eight first-round matchups set as Senators beat Bruins
The eight Stanley Cup Playoffs quarterfinal matchups are set.
Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
No. 1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 8 New York Islanders
No. 2 Montreal Canadiens vs. No. 7 Ottawa Senators
No. 3 Washington Capitals vs. No. 6 New York Rangers
No. 4 Boston Bruins vs. No. 5 Toronto Maple Leafs
Western Conference Quarterfinals
No. 1 Chicago Blackhawks vs. No. 8 Minnesota Wild
No. 2 Anaheim Ducks vs. No. 7 Detroit Red Wings
No. 3 Vancouver Canucks vs. No. 6 San Jose Sharks
No. 4 St. Louis Blues vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Kings
The Sens win ruined a lot of narratives in the East -- namely, a Leafs vs. Habs first round meeting and the hatred between the Penguins and Senators taking another step. But their win still leaves us with Kessel Bowl 2013 between the Leafs and Bruins, an all-Canada battle in Ottawa vs. Montreal and an all-Atlantic meeting between the Islanders and Pens.
Out West we have a rematch of last year’s meeting between the defending champion Kings and the Blues, an intriguing matchup between Vancouver and San Jose, and an expected pasting between the President’s Trophy winners in Chicago and the last team to squeak into the postseason, Minnesota. But hey, it’s the playoffs. Don’t count the Wild out.
The full schedule will be released later Sunday evening, so stick around.
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