2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs (4/30): Round two: Fight!

Are you ready for some round two action? Let's hope it's more lively than the first round's matches.

Capitals @ Rangers

7:30 PM EST, CBC, NBC-SN, TVA Sports

Bovada has the Rangers as the favourite to win the Stanley Cup, at 13:4 odds. The Caps are ranked seventh, at 9:1.

There were a lot of people supporting the Caps today on PPP, particularly to have Ovechkin finally get his win. I am in favour of this. I am also in favour of Marty St. Louis not getting a cup again, specifically because I am still miffed about his hissy-fit when he did not make the Olympic team, and subsequent demand of Yzerman to trade him to New York. I would love to see Tampa move on to the conference finals and leave him in the dust. Plus, the more Carl Hagelin and his Swedish friends the better.

Whatever happens, Washington vs. New York should be a good rivalry, though Holtby against Lundqvist could produce some low scoring games.

Japer's Rink series preview here.

Blueshirt Banter series preview here.

Flames @ Ducks

10:00 PM EST, SN, NBC-SN, TVA Sports

I make no secret of my wish for the Flames to make it to the Stanley Cup finals, though I don't have them winning it all. I like a dark horse. And what better dark horse for PPP to get behind than Burke's new team. Plus they have some good old ex-Leafs; Mississauga Matt, Racin' Mason, and Big Joe Colborne.

Stajan himself showed some surprising Burekian truculence in the last round; scoring the series winning goal;

and earlier dropping the gloves for a serious no holds barred fight, something he may have never really done before.

I wouldn't mind him pulling a repeat of that on Ryan Kessler. They drop the gloves, circle around, and then the fists start to fly. The grab each other's jerseys, and then tumble on to the ice, collapsing on top each other. Exhausted; their breath flowing in and out of each others mouths; their lips inches apart; aching to press them together; fleeting thoughts of just doing it right there on the ice. But then the refs break them up. They smile at each other knowingly as they skate to the penalty boxes.

Matchsticks and Gasoline series preview here.

Anaheim Calling series preview here.

Enjoy tonight's games, all!

And let's take a moment to the one Duck we will all miss tonight.

The second round series winners playing tonight will be: