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NHL playoffs 2017: Senators vs. Rangers preview and prediction

By David Austin Bumpus

Apr 8, 2017; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; New York Rangers left wing Tanner Glass (15) skates in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2017; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; New York Rangers left wing Tanner Glass (15) skates in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports /
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Not many would’ve expected the Senators and Rangers to be battling in the NHL Playoffs, but the two are riding high heading into the second round.

If you had looked at the NHL playoff bracket before the first round games began, you might’ve expected the typical Canadiens-Bruins matchup in the second round that we seem to get frequently in the postseason.

However, the Senators and Rangers crushed a lot of dreams in the opening round, and now find themselves battling for a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. The two teams capitalized on big opportunities in their respective opening series, and each have big momentum going into their second round battle.

For the Senators, they survived a six-game series with the Bruins, where they took advantage of both mistakes and injuries to win 4-2 in the series, including a 3-2 overtime win in Boston in Game 6. The Bruins defense was weakened, with injuries to Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo forcing 19-year-old Charlie McAvoy into their strategy at the last minute, but the Senators will take the win regardless.

Ottawa is also hobbling into the second round, with defenseman and captain Erik Karlsson battling through heel fractures in the series with the Bruins. Even with the injury, however, Karlsson played a game-high 29:53 in Game 6 with an assist, and also played 41 minutes in Game 5.

On the New York side, if there is ever a time for Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist to get his Stanley Cup win, it’s this year. The Rangers plowed through the Canadiens with a 4-2 series win, and broke their curse of six straight home playoff losses in the process.

Lundqvist was on fire in the series, holding the Canadiens in check for most of the series, and carrying his team to success in games that found themselves with one goal between each team. New York will find themselves without home-ice advantage, but for a team that struggles at Madison Square Garden as much as they do, the Rangers will be fine traveling out to Ottawa for most of the series, if necessary.

Next: 10 reasons Stanley Cup Playoffs are better than NBA Playoffs

Series prediction: Rangers win in six games

The Rangers are too strong of a team at the perfect time, and the Senators barely survived a brawl with the Bruins in the opening round. New York finds themselves on the road for the first two games of the series, and should steal at least one, if not both of those games in Ottawa to open the series. The Senators won’t go down easily in this series, but I think the skilled passing and the ability to perform on the road gives the Rangers the win.

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