It took seven games and every ounce of effort from the New York Rangers until the clock expired in their 2-1 win against the Washington Capitals on Saturday night. But the NHL's final four is finally set. And the race for the Stanley Cup is wide open.
There's a reasonable championship case to be made for every team left, and anyone who has tried to predict the outcomes of any series in these playoffs has learned well that they're all but unpredictable. But we're back at it and we picked winners for the conference finals.
Here's the rationale behind my picks:
Western Conference
To read Craig's full blog, plus get access to all of ESPN Insider's NHL content, sign up today and become an Insider.
- Senior NHL writer for ESPN The Magazine
- Wrote for Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Wrote for The Sporting News
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Craig Custance
Craig Custance joined ESPN in September 2011 as an NHL reporter for ESPN the Magazine, ESPN Insider and ESPN.com. A graduate of Michigan State University, he lived for nearly a decade in Georgia working for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution where he spent time covering the late Atlanta Thrashers. He was the only Thrashers beat writer to get the team to the playoffs.
From 2008-11 he was the national hockey writer for the Sporting News, writing regularly in print and online. A member of the PHWA, he's a proud voter for the major NHL awards and can occasionally defend his selections.
Like hockey, he left Atlanta to return north where he currently lives in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, with his wife Cassie and their three kids.
Follow Craig on Twitter: @CraigCustance
And fire off a few probing questions for his weekly mailbag while you're at it.
