Speed, teamwork and consistent goaltending have carried the Vegas Golden Knights far beyond anyone’s expectations in their inaugural NHL season.
The Golden Knights used that winning formula to rout the San Jose Sharks 7-0 in the opening game of their second-round playoff series last Thursday. They lost Game 2 in double overtime Saturday but now head into Monday night’s Game 3 in San Jose aiming to take back home-ice advantage. Vegas is also the top team in TSN’s 7-Eleven Power Rankings for the second straight week, according to consensus rankings formulated by the TSN Power Ranking panel of Ray Ferraro, Jeff O’Neill, Jamie McLennan, Craig Button and Darren Dreger.
The Winnipeg Jets remain in the No. 2 spot after losing to the Nashville Predators in double overtime Sunday, two days after taking the opener 4-1. The Predators, ranked No. 5 a week ago, move up to No. 4 this week, thanks to their Game 2 victory.
After bouncing the Toronto Maple Leafs from the 2018 playoffs last Wednesday in the only Round 1 series to go seven games, the Bruins – less than 72 hours later – whipped the rested Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 Saturday afternoon. Ranked No. 7 out of 16 playoff teams last week, the Bruins jump four spots to No. 3 with their high-scoring line of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak (who's tied with Pittsburgh's Jake Guentzel for the playoff scoring lead with 17 points) and Brad Marchand combining for 11 points against the Lightning in Game 1.
The Pittsburgh Penguins move up a spot to No. 5 after beating the Capitals in Washington in Game 1. The Caps, who had a solid outing against Sidney Crosby and company for a Game 2 win Sunday, edge up to No. 6 from No. 8 a week ago.
The No. 7-ranked Sharks drop four spots this week while the Lightning, ranked No. 4 last week, also fall four places to No. 8 after top-line forwards Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov were kept off the scoresheet in Game 1. The Bolts, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, will have to rebound on Monday night to get themselves out of a hole before heading to Boston for Games 3 and 4 on Wednesday and Friday.
The ousted Leafs, who announced Monday that Lou Lamoriello will not be back as GM next season, move to No. 9 after sitting at No. 10 in last week's rankings.
Rounding out the teams sent packing are the No 10 Columbus Blue Jackets, who were No. 9 a week ago; Colorado Avalanche, finishing at No. 11 for a second straight week; Philadelphia Flyers, ranked No. 12 for a second consecutive week; New Jersey Devils, staying put at No. 13; Minnesota Wild, perched again at No. 14; Los Angeles Kings, moving up a spot to No. 15; and the Anaheim Ducks, falling one place to finish their playoff dead last after the Sharks devoured them in four straight.