Canucks vs. Kings
Vancouver: No. 1 seed, 51-22-9, 111 points
Los Angeles: No. 8 seed, 40-27-15, 95 points
SPOTLIGHT ON
Daniel Sedin: The Canucks star winger missed the past nine games with a concussion but says he’s ready to go.
STORY LINE
Vancouver won the Presidents’ Trophy but still is looking for its first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
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KEY PLAYERS
VANCOUVER
PlayerGPGAPts.Henrik Sedin82146781Daniel Sedin72303767Alex Burrows80282452
G Roberto Luongo: 31-14-8, 2.41 GAA, .919.
LOS ANGELES
PlayerGPGAPts.Anze Kopitar82255176Jason Williams 82223759Dustin Brown82 223456
G Jonathan Quick: 35-21-13, 1.95 GAA, .928.
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POST’S PICK
Canucks in six.
SCHEDULE
Today: at Vancouver, 8:30 p.m.
Friday: at Vancouver, 8 p.m.
Sunday: at Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 18: at Los Angeles, 8 p.m.
x-Sunday, April 22: at Vancouver, TBD
x-Tuesday, April 24: at Los Angeles, TBD
x-Thursday, April 26: at Vancouver, TBD
x — if necessary; best of seven
Blues vs. Sharks
St. Louis: No.2 seed, 49-22-11, 109 points
San Jose: No. 7 seed. 43-29-10, 96 points
SPOTLIGHT ON
Kevin Shattenkirk: Former Avs rookie had a big season and gets first taste of playoff hockey.
STORY LINE
St. Louis went 4-0 against the Sharks; the Blues allowed the fewest goals in the league (165), and allowed three in four games with the Sharks.
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KEY PLAYERS
ST. LOUIS
PlayerGPGAPts.David Backes822430 54T.J. Oshie80193554A. Pietrangelo81123951
G Jaroslav Halak: 26-12-7, 1.97 GAA, .925.
SAN JOSE
PlayerGPGAPts.Joe Thornton82185977Logan Couture80313465P. Marleau82303464
G Antti Niemi: 34-22-9, 2.42 GAA, .914.
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POST’S PICK
Blues in six.
SCHEDULE
Thursday: at St. Louis, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: at St. Louis, 5:30 p.m.
Monday: at San Jose, 8 p.m.
Thursday, April 19: at San Jose, 8:30 p.m.
x-Saturday, April 21: at St. Louis, 5:30 p.m.
x-Monday, April 23: at San Jose, TBD
x-Wednesday, April 25: at St. Louis, TBD
x — if necessary; best of seven
Coyotes vs. Blackhawks
Phoenix: No. 3 seed, 42-27-13, 97 points
Chicago: No. 6 seed, 45-26-11, 101 points
SPOTLIGHT ON
Jonathan Toews: Blackhawks captain has been out recently with a concussion but says he’ll be ready for Game 1.
STORY LINE
Phoenix hasn’t won a playoff series as a franchise since 1987.
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KEY PLAYERS
PHOENIX
PlayerGPGAPts.Ray Whitney82245377Radim Vrbata77352762Shane Doan79222850
G Mike Smith: 38-18-10, 2.21 GAA, .930.
CHICAGO
PlayerGPGAPts.Marian Hossa81294877Patrick Sharp743336 69Patrick Kane82234366
G Corey Crawford: 30-17-7, 2.72 GAA, .903.
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POST’S PICK
Blackhawks in seven.
SCHEDULE
Thursday: at Phoenix, 8 p.m.
Saturday: at Phoenix, 8 p.m.
Tuesday: at Chicago, 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 19: at Chicago, 6 p.m.
x-Saturday, April 21: at Phoenix, 8 p.m.
x-Monday, April 23: at Chicago, TBD
x-Wednesday, April 25: at Phoenix, TBD
x — if necessary; best of seven
Predators vs. Wings
Nashville: No. 4 seed, 48-26-8, 104 points
Detroit: No. 5 seed, 48-28-6, 102 points
SPOTLIGHT ON
Shea Weber: A favorite to win the Norris Trophy, the Preds defender is big and has huge slap shot.
STORY LINE
Detroit finished 17-21-3 on the road and lost home-ice advantage in the final days of the regular season.
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KEY PLAYERS
NASHVILLE
PlayerGPGAPts.Martin Erat 711939 58David Legwand781934 53Mike Fisher72 2427 51
G Pekka Rinne: 43-18-8, 2.39 GAA, .922.
DETROIT
PlayerGPGAPts.H. Zetterberg822247 69Pavel Datsyuk70194867V. Filppula812343 66
G Jimmy Howard: 35-17-4, 2.12 GAA, .920.
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POST’S PICK
Predators in five.
SCHEDULE
Today: at Nashville, 6 p.m.
Friday: at Nashville, 5:30 p.m.
Sunday: at Detroit, 10 a.m.
Tuesday: at Detroit, 5:30 p.m.
x-Friday, April 20: at Nashville, 6 p.m.
x-Sunday, April 22: at Detroit, TBD
x-Tuesday, April 24: at Nashville, TBD
x — if necessary; best of seven
