May 1, 2017
7-Eleven Power Rankings: Pens trending towards the Final?
No NHL team has repeated as a Stanley Cup finalist since Pittsburgh and Detroit did it in 2008 and 2009. Pittsburgh has all the markings of a team that could end that trend - and the Penguins’ dominant run has them No. 1 in the 7-Eleven power rankings.
No NHL team has repeated as a Stanley Cup finalist since Pittsburgh and Detroit did it in 2008 and 2009.
Pittsburgh has all the markings of a team that could end that trend – and the Penguins’ dominant run in the playoffs has them No. 1 in the 7-Eleven power rankings.
Pittsburgh beat Washington 6-2 Saturday to go 6-1 in the playoffs and earn top billing from the TSN expert panel of Ray Ferraro, Jeff O’Neill, Jamie McLennan, Craig Button and Darren Dreger.
The Penguins have been No. 1 in all three playoff rankings, steamrolling past Columbus and Washington, in the process recording a playoff-high four wins by a margin of at least two goals.
Nashville, also 6-1 in the playoffs, are ranked No. 2.
Notwithstanding a 6-3 loss in Game 3 vs. Anaheim, the Oilers made the most significant jump of the week, going from No. 6 to No. 3. Similarly, Ottawa went from No. 7 to No. 4.
Meanwhile, Washington has gone from the No. 1-ranked team at season’s end to No. 7 three weeks into the playoffs.
1. Pittsburgh Penguins
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PLAYOFF RECORD6-1
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TEAM SV%.936
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LAST WEEK1
The Penguins are averaging four-plus goals per game led by Jake Guentzel. He has a playoff-leading seven goals; combined with a season-ending five-game goal streak, Guentzel has 12 goals in his last 12 games.
2. Nashville Predators
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PLAYOFF RECORD6-1
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TEAM SV%.950
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LAST WEEK3
Predators’ blueliners have scored goals in four straight games – and a total of seven goals in seven playoff games – and Pekka Rinne has a playoff-leading .950 save percentage. The defence never rests in Nashville.
3. Edmonton Oilers
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PLAYOFF RECORD6-3
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TEAM SV%.913
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LAST WEEK6
The Oilers’ four-game winning streak ended in Game 3 vs. Anaheim as the Oilers reprised their Game 4 stinker vs. San Jose from the first round. Edmonton awaits the full playoff blossoming of scoring champion Connor McDavid.
4. Ottawa Senators
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PLAYOFF RECORD6-2
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TEAM SV%.923
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LAST WEEK7
5. Anaheim Ducks
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PLAYOFF RECORD5-2
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TEAM SV%.914
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LAST WEEK2
Anaheim got through a playoff game without giving up a power-play goal for the first time and Ryan Getzlaf went into beast mode in Game 3 vs. Edmonton as the Ducks regained the webbed footing they demonstrated in the first round.
6. St. Louis Blues
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PLAYOFF RECORD5-3
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TEAM SV%.938
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LAST WEEK4
An unhealthy reliance on goalie Jake Allen is revealing itself for the Blues, who have been outshot in seven of eight playoff games. Allen’s save percentages in the first four games of the playoffs: .966; in the last four games: .906.
6. Washington Capitals
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PLAYOFF RECORD6-5
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TEAM SV%.902
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LAST WEEK7
Washington led the NHL with 35 wins by at least two goals during the regular season, but it took the Capitals 11 games in the playoffs to finally win by that margin. The Caps need two more wins to get to the third round.
8. New York Rangers
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PLAYOFF RECORD4-4
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TEAM SV%.933
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LAST WEEK8
The Rangers trail Ottawa 2-0 but can take a measure of comfort from the fact they led for 49:28 in those two games; Ottawa led for just 4:11. The problem: Gotham gave up three goals in the final five minutes of Games 1 and 2.