2012 NHL Playoffs: Top Seeds And Perennial Contenders Dropping Like Keslers

(Photo via sports.yahoo.com)

If the Washington Capitals find a way to take game 7 in Boston against the Bruins, we'll have no returning Cup champs in the tourney. No Penguins. No Wings. The Blackhawks are holding on by a thread and could be bumped out by Phoenix in the near future.

Canucks vs Bruins - NHL Playoffs - Stanley Cup Final

This is it! 1,230 games have been completed and the 2nd season begins. 16 teams participate and 1 will hoist the most coveted trophy in professional sports: the Stanley Cup. This is one of the toughest tournaments in the world and P&B will be your round by round guide.

(Photo via zimbio.com)

1

VS

3

2011 Season Series:

Boston won 1-0

Stanley Cup Finals Schedule:

All games are available on CBC, RDS, NBC and Versus (check your local listings) and have an 8pm EST start time:

1 - Wednesday, June 1 in Vancouver, 2 - Saturday, June 4 in Vancouver, 3 - Monday, June 6 in Boston, 4 - Wednesday, June 8 in Boston, *5 - Friday, June 10 in Vancouver, *6 - Monday, June 13 in Boston, *7- Wednesday, June 15 in Vancouver

*If necessary

What's the story?:

To start this off...it feels good to be right! From the beginning, I picked a Boston-Vancouver final and I wanted to let you know.

Redemption On the Coast: How the Vancouver Canucks Finally Got the Hawk Off Their Back

(Photo via canucks.nhl.com)

Hockey has been a nightly ritual in the Paqman household for the past few weeks. I've found pleasure in other team's joy and pain with the absence of my beloved Sens. None was more epic than last night's tilt between the Canucks and Blackhawks. It embodied everything that is so right about the NHL Playoffs: anticipation, frustration and elation.