Questions ahead of the National Hockey League play-offs - Part 8
Who is going to be the player to watch out for during the postseason?
Undoubtedly you would agree that one of the most dominating players during the ending part of the season was the Anaheim Ducks’ Corey Perry. Perry’s single handed brilliance played a very important role in taking the Ducks into the play-offs. Though there
were occasions where it looked as if the Ducks would lose the game, but with some individual brilliance he was able to carry the team on his back and take them across the chequered flag to end with a win.
He has won multiple star players of the game honours and he expected to continue on the dominating track that he has been following so far in the season. At one stage, the Ducks looked out of contention for the play-offs but the superb skills and talent
of Perry helped the Ducks to make their way to the fourth seed in the Western Conference. This is excellent for the Ducks considering the fact that they were struggling and fighting for the eighth spot at one stage.
Perry was nowhere at the start of the season, but his late surge saw him scoring goals every now and then and he became the only player during the course of the season to touch the 50 goal mark. He won the Rocket Richard Trophy out of nowhere to set a benchmark
for all the other players. Perry was way down in the list of players who were expected to win the award, but he showed that he was better than the others and has the strength to guide his team to wins.
Perry was a talented and physical player before this season, but his performance during this season has shown that the physical element he brings into his game coupled with the productivity makes him one of the dangerous competitors to be playing against.
Perry is expected to continue the brilliant performance and take the Ducks forward and if other players in the squad click then expect the Ducks to go quite a long way forward.
Which of low seeded teams is likely to come up with an upset?
The Tampa Bay Lightning is expected to come up with a surprising performance this time out. However, there were a lot of talks surrounding Steven Stamkos who was expected to perform the role of Corey Perry in the Lightning, as he did in the Anaheim Ducks.
The Lightning have been struggling in the last few seasons as despite landing with the Number 1 pick on several occasions they have not managed to finish above the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference. The Lightning had problems in offence and defence.
However, they have been able to sort out their problems and are one of the formidable teams in hockey with the diverse players they have in their team. Coupled with this is another important player in Dwayne Roloson who is guarding the goal for the Lightning
and is in good shape and form ahead of the series.
The Lightning will meet the Pittsburgh Penguins in their first round series and it surely going to be an intriguing match-up especially due to the reason that the Penguins are not a 100 percent with the absence of Evgeni Malkin and uncertainly over Sidney
Crosby’s appearance in the play-offs.
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