Who will Capitals play in Round 2?

NHL Playoffs: Who will Capitals play in Round 2?

Apr 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Capitals right wing Justin Williams (14) attempts to shoot the puck as Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Nick Schultz (55) falls to the ice during the first period in game six of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

Now that the Washington Capitals have eliminated the Philadelphia Flyers, who will they be playing in the second round?

The Washington Capitals, living up to their history, took a bit longer than they should have to beat the Flyers in the first round. After winning the first three games of the series, the Caps lost the next two games. Going into Game 6, the Caps knew that they had to win. They won 1-0 to eliminate the Flyers and earn the right to go into the second round.

So who will they be facing? The Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh and Washington are rivals and quite evenly matched, which should lead to a great series, much like their second round series back in 2009. Alex Ovechkin and his Caps will have to get past Sidney Crosby and the Penguins in order to continue their pursuit for a Stanley Cup.

The Capitals will likely enter the series as the favorites since they won the President’s Trophy. However, the Penguins have a well-balanced team, which is needed to beat the Caps. Pittsburgh is coming off beating a slumping second seed in the New York Rangers while the Caps dominated a surprisingly solid eight seed in the Flyers. Expect an epic series between the two hated rivals.

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