2011 NHL Playoffs: Second Round Takes a Toll on Western Conference

With the Vancouver Canucks finishing off the Nashville Predators on Monday night, three of the final four teams left fighting for Lord Stanley's Cup have been determined.

Thanks to the San Jose Sharks choking and giving up their two-goal, third-period lead in Game 5 to extend the series, the outcome of their matchup with the Red Wings is the only second-round contest yet to be decided.

This means that both Western Conference semifinals will go on for at least six games.

By contrast, both of the Eastern Conference's second-round series ended in sweeps.

What's more, over half the games were won with margins greater than one goal, whereas there was just one such game among the 11 played in the deeper, stronger conference.

Having said that, even that instance had been due to an empty net goal.

The reason for this is simple—Western Conference hockey involves better play in their own end, they block more shots and thus give up fewer goals.

In fact, the eight second-round games played in the east had as many goals scored as the 11 played by their counterparts, despite one more game going an extra period.

In the Boston-Philadelphia series, the two teams combined to average 35 blocked shots a game; San Jose and Detroit have played only one game that had fewer blocks than that.

So, the eastern teams stand no chance in the Finals, right?

Wrong.

The two best starting goalies left in the playoffs for both goals-against average and save percentage are in the Eastern Conference. Those teams survived because they are playing the game the right way—the way the entire Western Conference has been playing from the opening round.

Combine that and a couple extra games off in the second round, plus the advantage of playing all games inside the same time zone.

Without a doubt, the winner of the Prince of Wales Trophy has a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup.

Vancouver will have played two time zones away on three occasions and three times zones away on up to six occasions before they even reach the Finals.

The Campbell Trophy winner will just have to hope that their extra battle-testing will better prepare them.

Whatever happens, it should be an interesting final four weeks of the 2011 NHL playoffs.

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