STANLEY CUP FINAL: 1) Chicago Blackhawks VS. 4) Boston Bruins

Welcome to the final post for the 2013 NHL season, covering the Stanley Cup final between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins. This post will act as a reference for the entire series.

Game 1: United Center, Chicago, Illinois. In goal: Tuukka Rask for Boston and Corey Crawford for Chicago. Boston led off in the first period with a Milan Lucic goal, his fourth of the postseason, assisted by Nathan Horton and David Krejci. The Bruins added on as Lucic scored his second of the game and fifth of the playoffs in the second period, via Krejci. Chicago got on the board with a Brandon Saad goal, courtesy of Marian Hossa. Boston answered in the third period with a power play goal by Patrice Bergeron, his sixth of the postseason, powered by Tyler Seguin and Lucic. The Blackhawks got one back as Dave Bolland scored, passed from Andrew Shaw. Chicago tied it on a Johnny Oduya goal, his third of the playoffs, with assists provided by Marcus Kruger and Michael Frolik. The Blackhawks won it 5-4 in the third overtime as Shaw potted his fifth of the postseason, courtesy of Bolland and Michal Rozsival. Shaw, Lucic, and Hossa received the three stars, while Bolland and Krejci got the honorable mentions. The Blackhawks take the early 1-0 series lead.

Game 2: United Center, Chicago, Illinois. In goal: Tuukka Rask for Boston and Corey Crawford for Chicago. Chicago was first to score in the first period, with the ninth of the postseason by Patrick Sharp, assisted by Patrick Kane and Michal Handzus. Boston tied it in the second period on a Chris Kelly goal, with a lone assist by Daniel Paille. The game went into overtime, and only part of one additional period was required for Paille to score the decisive 2-1 goal for the Bruins, his third of the playoffs, made possible by Tyler Seguin and Adam McQuaid. The three stars were handed to Paille, Rask (33 for 34 in saves), and Sharp. The series heads to Boston tied at 1.

Game 3: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts. In goal: Corey Crawford for Chicago and Tuukka Rask for Boston. Boston got going in the second period as Daniel Paille scored his fourth of the postseason, courtesy of Chris Kelly and Tyler Seguin. The Bruins added on as Patrice Bergeron scored his seventh of the playoffs, a power play goal powered by Jaromir Jagr and Zdeno Chara. This stood for a 2-0 win, with the three stars being Bergeron, Rask (28 save shutout), and Paille. The Bruins take a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts. In goal: Corey Crawford for Chicago and Tuukka Rask for Boston. Chicago opened in the first period on a shorthanded goal by Michal Handzus, his third of the postseason, set up by Brandon Saad. Boston tied it with a power play goal by Rich Peverley, his second of the playoffs, powered by Andrew Ference. The Blackhawks took the lead back in the second period on a Jonathan Toews goal, his second of the postseason, thanks to Michal Rozsival. Chicago extended the lead on a Patrick Kane goal, his seventh of the playoffs, fueled by Bryan Bickell and Rozsival. The Bruins pulled back with a Milan Lucic goal, his sixth of the postseason, helped along by Zdeno Chara. The Blackhawks answered on a Marcus Kruger goal, his third of the playoffs, assisted by Michael Frolik and Dave Bolland. Boston replied as Patrice Bergeron sank his eighth of the postseason, a power play goal with assists provided by Chara and Jaromir Jagr. The Bruins tied it in the third period as Bergeron scored his second of the game and ninth of the playoffs, with the help of Jagr. Chicago regained the lead as Patrick Sharp deposited his tenth of the postseason on the power play, courtesy of Marian Hossa and Duncan Keith. Boston retied it on a Johnny Boychuk goal, his sixth of the playoffs, with helpers from Nathan Horton and David Krejci. The Blackhawks won it 6-5 in overtime as Brent Seabrook scored his third of the postseason, with a lone assist by Bickell. Seabrook, Bergeron, and Kane got the three stars, while Bickell, Rozsival, Chara, and Jagr get the honorable mentions. The series shifts back to Chicago tied at 2.

Game 5: United Center, Chicago, Illinois. In goal: Tuukka Rask for Boston and Corey Crawford for Chicago. Chicago started in the first period with a Patrick Kane goal, his eighth of the postseason, coming off of Johnny Oduya and Jonathan Toews. The Blackhawks added on in the second period as Kane struck again with his second of the game and ninth of the playoffs, thanks to Bryan Bickell and Toews. Boston got on the board in the third period with a Zdeno Chara goal, his third of the postseason, guided in by David Krejci and Milan Lucic. Chicago iced it at 3-1 with a Dave Bolland empty net goal, his second of the playoffs, with a lone assist from Michael Frolik. The three stars went to Kane, Crawford (23 for 24 in saves), and Bickell, while Toews gets an honorable mention. The Blackhawks have pushed the Bruins to the edge, holding a 3-2 lead in the series.

Game 6: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts. In goal: Corey Crawford for Chicago and Tuukka Rask for Boston. Boston began in the first period on a Chris Kelly goal, his second of the postseason, assisted by Tyler Seguin and Daniel Paille. Chicago tied it in the second period as Jonathan Toews scored his third of the playoffs, an unassisted goal. The Bruins took the lead back on a Milan Lucic goal in the third period, his seventh of the postseason, helped along by David Krejci. The Blackhawks tied it late with a Bryan Bickell goal, his ninth of the playoffs, courtesy of Toews and Duncan Keith. Chicago took the lead with a Dave Bolland goal, his third of the postseason, guided in by Johnny Oduya and Marcus Kruger. This stood up for the final at 3-2, with the three stars going to Lucic, Keith, and Seguin. The Blackhawks are the 2013 Stanley Cup Champions, with the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP belonging to Patrick Kane.

As usual, I would like to give a "state-of-the-blog" address now that the NHL season is over. Starting July 1, 2013 will be a new series, entitled "From Cradle to Cup." This will focus on telling the stories of the Chicago Blackhawks that make up this team, much in the way that "How They Got Here" did with the San Francisco Giants last November. I will not pick up baseball this season, since it would be very time-consuming and I am trying to relax before heading out to college. At the conclusion of "From Cradle to Cup," I will take approximately a month and a half off to prepare for moving and getting settled at Washington State University. I have decided that I will continue blogging the KHL next season, which now stands at 28 teams after expansion. I will also continue with the NFL in September and NHL in October when both sports return. Most likely, I will not cover the 2014 Sochi Olympic Hockey tournament at all, as I will use the time to rest up. Additionally, in the next couple of weeks, I will start in earnest my new poetry blog, which can be found here. I would love feedback on all of the posts over there. Thank you all very much for making this lockout-shortened hockey season another spectacular run on my blog. Enjoy the new series tomorrow! Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

Western Conference Final: 1) Chicago Blackhawks VS. 5) Los Angeles Kings

Welcome to the post for the Western Conference Final between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. This post will act as a reference for the entire series.

Game 1: United Center, Chicago, Illinois. In goal: Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles and Corey Crawford for Chicago. Los Angeles opened in the first period with an unassisted goal by Justin Williams, his fifth of the postseason. Chicago tied it in the second period as Patrick Sharp scored his eighth of the playoffs, assisted by Johnny Oduya and Michal Handzus. The Blackhawks took the lead on a Marian Hossa goal, his sixth of the postseason, passed from Duncan Keith and Bryan Bickell. This was good for a 2-1 final score, with the three stars going to Sharp, Quick (34 for 36 in saves), and Hossa. The Blackhawks begin with a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2: United Center, Chicago, Illinois. In goal: Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles and Corey Crawford for Chicago. Chicago started in the first period on an Andrew Shaw goal, his fourth of the postseason, coming off of Viktor Stalberg and Brandon Saad. The Blackhawks added on as Brent Seabrook scored his second of the playoffs, via Marian Hossa and Jonathan Toews. Chicago extended the lead with a second period power play goal by Bryan Bickell, his sixth of the postseason, powered by Patrick Sharp and Saad. The Blackhawks chased Quick on a Michal Handzus goal, his second of the playoffs, guided in by Sharp and Patrick Kane. Jonathan Bernier came on in relief of Quick. Los Angeles got on the board as Jeff Carter scored his sixth of the postseason, thanks to Tyler Toffoli and Slava Voynov. The Kings pulled closer in the third period with a Toffoli power play goal, his second of the playoffs, set up by Dustin Penner and Voynov. This only made it 4-2, the final, with the three stars being Sharp, Saad, and Crawford (29 for 31k in saves), while Toffoli and Voynov get the honorable mentions. The Blackhawks will head west with a 2-0 series lead.

Game 3: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California. In goal: Corey Crawford for Chicago and Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles. Los Angeles was first to score in the first period as Justin Williams netted his sixth of the postseason, thanks to Slava Voynov and Rob Scuderi. The Kings added on in the second period as Voynov scored his fifth of the playoffs, coming off of Tyler Toffoli and Jeff Carter. Chicago got on the board on a Bryan Bickell goal, his seventh of the postseason, an unassisted goal. Los Angeles iced it at 3-1 in the third period with a Dwight King empty net goal, set up by Carter and Matt Greene. The three stars belonged to Voynov, Williams, and Carter. The Blackhawks still lead the series 2-1.

Game 4: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California. In goal: Corey Crawford for Chicago and Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles. Los Angeles struck first in the first period with a Slava Voynov goal, his sixth of the postseason, assisted by Kyle Clifford and Colin Fraser. Chicago tied it on a Bryan Bickell goal, his eighth of the playoffs, guided in by Michael Frolik and Niklas Hjalmarsson. The Kings took the lead back in the second period on a Dustin Penner goal, his third of the postseason, coming off of Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli. The Blackhawks tied it as Patrick Kane deposited his third of the playoffs, with helpers provided by Bickell and Hjalmarsson. Chicago took the lead with a third period goal by Marian Hossa, his seventh of the postseason, set up by Michal Handzus and Johnny Oduya. This made it 3-2, which was the final, with the three stars handed to Hossa, Kane, and Penner, while Bickell and Hjalmarsson get the honorable mentions. The Blackhawks will return home with a 3-1 series lead. 

Game 5: United Center, Chicago, Illinois. In goal: Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles and Corey Crawford for Chicago. Chicago began in the first period with a Duncan Keith goal, his second of the postseason, via Michal Rozsival. The Blackhawks added on with a Patrick Kane goal, his fourth of the playoffs, coming off of Jonathan Toews and Bryan Bickell. Los Angeles got one back in the second period with a shorthanded goal by Dwight King, his second of the postseason, set up by Justin Williams and the goalie Quick. The Kings tied it in the third period on an Anze Kopitar goal, his third of the playoffs coming on the power play with assists provided by Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. Chicago took the lead back as Kane scored his second of the night and fifth of the postseason, thanks to Bickell. Los Angeles tied it with ten seconds left in regulation on a Richards goal, his third of the playoffs, assisted by Kopitar and Slava Voynov. The Blackhawks knocked the Kings out with Kane's third goal of the night and sixth of the postseason in the second overtime, guided in by Toews. The three stars of the 4-3 game were Kane, Keith, and Kopitar, while Richards, Toews, and Bickell get the honorable mentions. The Blackhawks advance to the Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins after winning 4-1 in this series.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

Eastern Conference Final: 1) Pittsburgh Penguins VS. 4) Boston Bruins

Welcome to the post for the Eastern Conference Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Boston Bruins in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. This post will act as a reference for the entire series.

Game 1: CONSOL Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In goal: Tuukka Rask for Boston and Tomas Vokoun for Pittsburgh. Boston led off with a first period David Krejci goal, his sixth of the postseason, assisted by Nathan Horton and Andrew Ference. The Bruins added on as Krejci scored his seventh of the playoffs and second of the game in the third period, with a lone assist provided by Horton. Boston extended the lead as Horton scored his sixth of the postseason, fueled by Milan Lucic and Gregory Campbell. THis produced the 3-0 final score, with the three stars going to Krejci, Rask (29 save shutout), and Horton. The Bruins own a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2: CONSOL Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In goal: Tuukka Rask for Boston and Tomas Vokoun for Pittsburgh. Boston was first to score in the first period on a Brad Marchand goal, his third of the postseason, an unassisted goal. The Bruins added on as Nathan Horton scored his seventh of the playoffs, pushed through by Torey Krug. Boston extended the lead on a David Krejci goal, his eighth of the postseason, assisted by Horton and Milan Lucic. Marc-Andre Fleury relieved Vokoun at this time. Pittsburgh got on the board with a Brandon Sutter goal, his second of the playoffs, fueled by Matt Cooke and Paul Martin. The Bruins replied as Marchand scored his second of the game and fourth of the postseason, with the help of Patrice Bergeron and Jaromir Jagr. Boston padded the lead in the third period when Bergeron scored his fourth of the playoffs, guided in by Jagr and Johnny Boychuk. The Bruins iced it at 6-1 with a Boychuk goal, his fifth of the postseason, coming off of Shawn Thornton and Gregory Campbell. The three stars were awarded to Marchand, Horton, and Bergeron, while Boychuk and Jagr get the honorable mentions. The Bruins head home with a dominant 2-0 series lead.

Game 3: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts. In goal: Tomas Vokoun for Pittsburgh and Tuukka Rask for Boston. Boston began in the first period as David Krejci potted his ninth of the postseason, with a lone helper from Milan Lucic. Pittsburgh tied it in the second period with a Chris Kunitz goal, his fifth of the playoffs, passed from Paul Martin and Pascal Dupuis. The Bruins won in the fifth period with a Patrice Bergeron goal, his fifth of the postseason, assisted by Brad Marchand and Jaromir Jagr. They won 2-1, with the three stars being Bergeron, Rask (53 for 54 in saves), and Evgeni Malkin, while any point-earner can take the third slot. The Bruins push the Penguins to the brink and hold a 3-0 series lead. 

Game 4: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts. In goal: Tomas Vokoun for Pittsburgh and Tuukka Rask for Boston. Boston got going in the third period on an Adam McQuaid goal, his second of the postseason, set up by Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. This held up for a 1-0 win, with the three stars belonging to McQuaid, Rask (26 save shutout), and Zdeno Chara. The Bruins swept the Penguins 4-0 and will compete for the Stanley Cup.

Western Conference Semifinal: 1) Chicago Blackhawks VS. 7) Detroit Red Wings

Welcome to the post for the semifinal series between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. This post will act as a reference for the entire series.

Game 1: United Center, Chicago, Illinois. In goal: Jimmy Howard for Detroit and Corey Crawford for Chicago. Chicago was first to score in the first period with a Marian Hossa power play goal, his fourth of the postseason, powered by Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp. Detroit tied it on a Damien Brunner goal, his third of the playoffs, assisted by Gustav Nyquist and Jonathan Ericsson. The Blackhawks gained the lead in the third period with a Johnny Oduya goal, his second of the postseason, passed from Sharp and Patrick Kane. Chicago added on as Marcus Kruger scored his second of the playoffs, with the help of Dan Carcillo and Nick Leddy. The Blackhawks iced it at 4-1 with a Sharp empty net goal, his sixth of the postseason, via Niklas Hjalmarsson. The three stars were given to Sharp, Hossa, and Oduya. The Blackhawks begin the series leading 1-0.

Game 2: United Center, Chicago, Illinois. In goal: Jimmy Howard for Detroit and Corey Crawford for Chicago. Chicago began in the first period on a Patrick Kane goal, assisted by Michal Handzus and Patrick Sharp. Detroit tied it in the second period with a Damien Brunner goal, his fourth of the postseason, thanks to Jakub Kindl and Joakim Andersson. The Red Wings took the lead with the second of the playoffs by Brendan Smith, courtesy of Henrik Zetterberg and Daniel Cleary. Detroit added on in the third period when Johan Franzen netted his fourth of the postseason, with the help of Jonathan Ericsson and Niklas Kronwall. The Red Wings won it 4-1 on a Valtteri Filppula goal, his second of the playoffs, with a lone assist by Zetterberg. The three stars went to Brunner, Zetterberg, and Kronwall. The series heads to Michigan tied at 1.

Game 3: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan. In goal: Corey Crawford for Chicago and Jimmy Howard for Detroit. Detroit got going in the second period on a Gustav Nyquist goal, his second of the postseason, coming off of Damien Brunner and Joakim Andersson. The Red Wings added on as Drew Miller scored, with helpers from Patrick Eaves and Cory Emmerton. Chicago got on the board in the third period with a Patrick Kane goal, his second of the playoffs, fueled by Duncan Keith. Detroit answered with a Pavel Datsyuk goal, his third of the postseason, guided in by Johan Franzen and Brendan Smith. This made it 3-1, the final, with Howard (39 for 40 in saves), Miller, and Niklas Hjalmarsson getting the three stars, while any point earner could take the third slot. The Red Wings now have a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan. In goal: Corey Crawford for Chicago and Jimmy Howard for Detroit. Detroit struck first in the second period with a Jakub Kindl power play goal, powered by Carlo Colaiacovo and Johan Franzen. The Red Wings wrapped it up at 2-1 with a Daniel Cleary empty net goal, his third of the postseason, set up by Valtteri Filppula. The three stars were awarded to Howard (28 save shutout), Kindl, and Crawford (25 for 26 in saves). The Red Wings have pushed the Blackhawks to the brink with a 3-1 series lead to take with them on the road.

Game 5: United Center, Chicago, Illinois. In goal: Jimmy Howard for Detroit and Corey Crawford for Chicago. Chicago led off in the first period as Bryan Bickell scored his fourth of the postseason, assisted by Patrick Kane and Michal Handzus. Detroit tied it in the second period with a Daniel Cleary goal, his fourth of the playoffs, guided in by Henrik Zetterberg. The Blackhawks took the lead back on a power play goal by Andrew Shaw, his second of the postseason, powered by Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. Chicago extended the lead with a Jonathan Toews power play goal, set up by Marian Hossa and Keith. The Blackhawks added on in the third period as Shaw scored his second of the game and third of the playoffs, fueled by Viktor Stalberg and Michal Rozsival. This produced the 4-1 final, with the three stars being given to Shaw, Toews, and Keith. The Red Wings still lead the series 3-2.

Game 6: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan. In goal: Corey Crawford for Chicago and Jimmy Howard for Detroit. Chicago opened with a first period goal by Marian Hossa, his fifth of the postseason, a power play goal powered by Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith. Detroit tied it on a Patrick Eaves goal, assisted by Drew Miller and Brendan Smith. The Red Wings took the lead in the second period with a Joakim Andersson goal, fueled by Jakub Kindl. The Blackhawks retied it in the third period as Michal Handzus potted the puck, with a lone assist from Niklas Hjalmarsson. Chicago took the lead with a Bryan Bickell goal, his fifth of the playoffs, guided in by Toews and Hossa. The Blackhawks extended the lead as Michael Frolik converted a penalty shot for his third of the postseason, which he was credited with after a Carlo Colaiacovo infraction. Detroit got one back late on a Damien Brunner goal, his fifth of the playoffs, set up by Pavel Datsyuk and Daniel Cleary. This only made it 4-3, the final, with the three stars going to Bickell, Hossa, and Andersson, while Toews gets an honorable mention. This series will be concluded with Game 7 in Chicago, and is currently tied at 3.

Game 7: United Center, Chicago, Illinois. In goal: Jimmy Howard for Detroit and Corey Crawford for Chicago. Chicago started in the second period on a Patrick Sharp goal, his seventh of the postseason, passed from Marian Hossa and Michal Handzus. Detroit tied it in the third period on a Henrik Zetterberg goal, his fourth of the playoffs, guided in by Gustav Nyquist and Daniel Cleary. The Blackhawks won 2-1 in overtime as Brent Seabrook scored, with a lone assist by Dave Bolland. Seabrook, Howard (33 for 35 in saves), and Crawford (26 for 27 in saves) were named the three stars. The Blackhawks win the series 4-3 and will play the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference Final.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

Western Conference Semifinal: 5) Los Angeles Kings VS. 6) San Jose Sharks

Welcome to the post for the semifinal series between the Los Angeles Kings and the San Jose Sharks in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. This post will act as a reference for the entire series.

Game 1: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California. In goal: Antti Niemi for San Jose and Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles. Los Angeles began in the first period with a Slava Voynov goal, his third of the postseason, assisted by Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. The Kings added on as Richards scored, with helpers provided by Voynov and Rob Scuderi. This was it for the scoring, resulting in a 2-0 final, with the three stars going to Quick (35 save shutout), Voynov, and Richards. The Kings have a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California. In goal: Antti Niemi for San Jose and Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles. Los Angeles struck first in the first period on a Jeff Carter goal, his fourth of the postseason, an unassisted goal. The Kings added on in the second period with a Drew Doughty power play goal, his second of the playoffs, with assists provided by Brad Richardson and Dustin Penner. San Jose got on the board as Patrick Marleau scored his fifth of the postseason, coming off of Logan Couture and Dan Boyle. The Sharks tied it with a Brad Stuart goal, set up by Scott Gomez and Scott Hannan. San Jose took the lead with a third period goal by Marc-Edouard Vlasic, fueled by Stuart and Gomez. Los Angeles tied it with a Dustin Brown power play goal, his second of the playoffs, powered by Carter and Mike Richards. The Kings took the lead as Trevor Lewis scored a power play goal, coming off of Tyler Toffoli and Jake Muzzin. This made it 4-3, which was a lead they held on to, and the three stars were given to Doughty, Lewis, and Gomez, while Stuart and Carter get the honorable mentions. The Kings head north with a 2-0 series lead.

Game 3: HP Pavilion, San Jose, California. In goal: Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles and Antti Niemi for San Jose. San Jose led off in the first period on a Dan Boyle goal, his second of the postseason, coming on the power play from Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski. Los Angeles tied it with a Tyler Toffoli goal, going in unassisted. The Sharks won 2-1 in overtime with a Logan Couture power play goal, his fourth of the playoffs, powered by Marleau and Joe Thornton. The three stars belonged to Couture, Niemi (26 for 27 in saves), and Quick (38 for 40 in saves), while Marleau gets an honorable mention. The Kings still have a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4: HP Pavilion, San Jose, California. In goal: Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles and Antti Niemi for San Jose. San Jose was first to score in the first period with a Brent Burns goal, his second of the postseason, guided in by Joe Thornton and T.J. Galiardi. The Sharks added on in the second period with a power play goal by Logan Couture, his fifth of the playoffs, powered by Dan Boyle and Joe Pavelski. Los Angeles got one back in the third period with a Mike Richards power play goal, his second of the postseason, made possible by Jeff Carter and Anze Kopitar. This wasn't enough to avoid a 2-1 loss, and the three stars were Thornton, Niemi (22 for 23 in saves), and Quick (21 for 23 in saves). The series will return to Los Angeles tied at 2.

Game 5: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California. In goal: Antti Niemi for San Jose and Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles. Los Angeles got going in the second period on an Anze Kopitar goal, his second of the postseason, assisted by Justin Williams and Kyle Clifford. The Kings added on in the third period when Slava Voynov scored his fourth of the playoffs, with a lone assist by Trevor Lewis. Los Angeles iced it at 3-0 when Jeff Carter put away his fifth of the postseason into the empty net, set up by Mike Richards. The three stars went to Quick (24 save shutout), Kopitar, and Drew Doughty, while any point-earner can take the third slot. The Kings retake the series lead at 3-2 before heading out on the road again.

Game 6: HP Pavilion, San Jose, California. In goal: Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles and Antti Niemi for San Jose. San Jose started in the first period on a Joe Thornton power play goal, his second of the postseason, powered by Joe Pavelski and Dan Boyle. The Sharks added on in the second period as T.J. Galiardi scored, courtesy of Scott Hannan and the goalie Niemi. Los Angeles got one the board as Dustin Brown netted his third of the playoffs, assisted by Matt Greene and Dwight King. The game was scoreless from here, leaving the final at 2-1 for the Sharks, with the three stars being Thornton, Boyle, and Galiardi. The series shifts back to Los Angeles for Game 7, tied at 3. 

Game 7: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California. In goal: Antti Niemi for San Jose and Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles. Los Angeles opened with a second period power play goal by Justin Williams, his third of the postseason, powered by Slava Voynov and Drew Doughty. The Kings added on with another Williams goal, his second of the game and fourth of the playoffs, set up by Anze Kopitar and Voynov. San Jose got one back in the third period with a Dan Boyle goal, his third of the postseason, courtesy of Joe Pavelski. They failed to get an equalizer, losing 2-1. The three stars belonged to Williams, Quick (25 for 26 in saves), and Niemi (16 for 18 in saves), while Voynov gets an honorable mention. The Kings win the series 4-3 and will compete in the Western Conference Final.

Follow me on Twitter @KipperScorpion.

Eastern Conference Semifinal: 4) Boston Bruins VS. 6) New York Rangers

Welcome to the post for the semifinal series between the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. This post will act as a reference for the entire series.

Game 1: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts. In goal: Henrik Lundqvist for New York and Tuukka Rask for Boston. Boston got going in the second period with a Zdeno Chara goal, his second of the postseason, assisted by David Krejci and Nathan Horton. New York tied it with a Ryan McDonagh goal, coming off of Rick Nash and Derick Brassard. The Rangers took the lead early in the third period on a Derek Stepan goal, his third of the playoffs, fueled by Carl Hagelin and Ryan Callahan. The Bruins tied it with a Torey Krug goal, guided in by Dougie Hamilton and Brad Marchand on the power play. Boston won 3-2 in overtime as Marchand scored, thanks to Patrice Bergeron and Chara. The three stars were Marchand, Chara, and Brassard. The Bruins have a 1-0 series lead to begin with.

Game 2: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts. In goal: Henrik Lundqvist for New York and Tuukka Rask for Boston. Boston was first to score in the first period with a Torey Krug goal, his second of the postseason, assisted by Nathan Horton and David Krejci. New York tied it on a Ryan Callahan goal, his second of the playoffs, going in unassisted. The Bruins took the lead back in the second period as Gregory Campbell scored, with the help of Krug and Adam McQuaid. The Rangers retied it as Rick Nash scored, via Mats Zuccarello and Dan Girardi. Boston regained the lead as Johnny Boychuk scored his third of the postseason, coming off of Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. The Bruins extended the lead on a Marchand goal, his second of the playoffs, guided in by Bergeron and Matt Bartkowski. Boston padded the lead as Milan Lucic netted his third of the postseason, with assists provided by Krejci and Dougie Hamilton. This made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars going to Rask (35 for 37 in saves), Bergeron, and Krug, while Marchand and Krejci get the honorable mentions. The Bruins will hit the road leading the series 2-0.

Game 3: Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York. In goal: Tuukka Rask for Boston and Henrik Lundqvist for New York. New York began in the second period with a Taylor Pyatt goal, his second of the postseason, with a lone assist from Ryan McDonagh. Boston tied it on a third period Johnny Boychuk goal, his fourth of the playoffs, pushed through by Daniel Paille and Shawn Thornton. The Bruins took the lead as Paille scored his second of the postseason, via Thornton and Gregory Campbell. They held on for a 2-1 win, with the three stars going to Paille, Rask (23 for 24 in saves), and Lundqvist (32 for 34 in saves), while Thornton gets an honorable mention. The Bruins have pushed the Rangers to the edge, as they hold a 3-0 series lead.

Game 4: Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York. In goal: Tuukka Rask for Boston and Henrik Lundqvist for New York. Boston struck first in the second period on a Nathan Horton power play goal, his fifth of the postseason, courtesy of David Krejci and Brad Marchand. The Bruins added on as Torey Krug netted his third of the playoffs, a power play goal powered by Tyler Seguin and Horton. New York got on the board when Carl Hagelin scored his third of the postseason, via Derick Brassard and Roman Hamrlik. The Rangers tied it in the third period as Derek Stepan scored his fourth of the playoffs, an unassisted goal. Boston took the lead back with a Seguin goal, coming off of Dougie Hamilton. New York tied it again as Brian Boyle scored his third of the postseason, a power play goal set up by Stepan and Brassard. The Rangers won 4-3 in overtime with a Chris Kreider goal, passed from Rick Nash and Ryan McDonagh. The three stars went to Stepan, Brassard, and Kreider, while Horton and Seguin receive the honorable mentions. The Rangers stay alive but trail 3-1 in the series. 

Game 5: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts. In goal: Henrik Lundqvist for New York and Tuukka Rask for Boston. New York led off in the first period as Dan Girardi scored his second of the postseason, a power play goal made possible by Mats Zuccarello and Brian Boyle. Boston tied it in the second period when Torey Krug scored his fourth of the playoffs, a power play goal powered by Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand. The Bruins took the lead as Gregory Campbell scored his second of the postseason, courtesy of Shawn Thornton and Daniel Paille. Boston iced it at 3-1 with a Campbell empty netter, his second of the game and third of the playoffs, passed from Nathan Horton. The three stars were handed to Campbell, Milan Lucic, and Rask (28 for 29 in saves), while any point-earner can take the second slot. The Bruins will play the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals after winning this series 4-1. 

Eastern Conference Semifinal: 1) Pittsburgh Penguins VS. 7) Ottawa Senators

Welcome to the post for the semifinal series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Ottawa Senators in the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. This post will act as a reference for the entire series.

Game 1: CONSOL Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In goal: Craig Anderson for Ottawa and Tomas Vokoun for Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh led off with a first period Paul Martin power play goal, his second of the postseason, powered by Evgeni Malkin and Brenden Morrow. Ottawa tied it on a Colin Greening goal, fueled by Erik Condra and Jared Cowen. The Penguins took the lead back as Malkin scored his third of the playoffs, with the help of Chris Kunitz and James Neal. Pittsburgh added on with a second period Kunitz goal, his third of the postseason coming on the power play from Jarome Iginla and Kris Letang. The Penguins extended the lead in the third period on a Pascal Dupuis shorthanded goal, his sixth of the playoffs, with a lone assist by Douglas Murray. This was good for a 4-1 win, with the three stars being Malkin, Vokoun (35 for 36 in saves), and Kunitz. The Penguins hold a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2: CONSOL Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In goal: Craig Anderson for Ottawa and Tomas Vokoun for Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh opened with a Sidney Crosby goal, his fourth of the postseason, assisted by Paul Martin and Matt Niskanen. Ottawa tied it with a Kyle Turris power play goal, his fourth of the playoffs, powered by Daniel Alfredsson and Sergei Gonchar. The Penguins regained the lead on a Crosby goal, his fifth of the postseason and second of the game, made possible by Chris Kunitz and Kris Letang. Pittsburgh extended the lead with a Crosby power play goal in the second period, his sixth of the playoffs securing his hat trick, with the help of Letang and Evgeni Malkin. Robin Lehner relieved Anderson in goal. The Senators got one back with a Colin Greening goal, coming off of Zack Smith and Chris Neil. The Penguins shot back as Brenden Morrow scored, via James Neal and Martin. Ottawa pulled back with a Jean-Gabriel Pageau goal, his fourth of the playoffs, guided in by Guillaume Latendresse and Erik Condra. They failed to tie it, losing 4-3, with the three stars going to Crosby, Letang, and Greening, while Martin gets an honorable mention. The Penguins will hit the road with a 2-0 series lead.

Game 3: Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, Ontario. In goal: Tomas Vokoun for Pittsburgh and Craig Anderson for Ottawa. Pittsburgh got going in the second period as Tyler Kennedy scored his second of the postseason, with a lone assist by Matt Cooke. Ottawa tied it with a shorthanded goal by Daniel Alfredsson, his third of the playoffs, set up by Milan Michalek and Sergei Gonchar. The Senators won 2-1 in the fifth period (second overtime) on a goal by Colin Greening, passed from Andre Benoit and Erik Condra. The three stars were handed to Greening, Anderson (49 for 50 in saves), and Vokoun (46 for 48 in saves). The Penguins still hold a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4: Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, Ontario. In goal: Tomas Vokoun for Pittsburgh and Craig Anderson for Ottawa. Ottawa began in the first period with a shorthanded Milan Michalek goal, his second of the postseason, set up by Daniel Alfredsson and Andre Benoit. Pittsburgh tied it as James Neal potted his second of the playoffs, an unassisted goal. The Senators took the lead back with a Kyle Turris goal, his fifth of the postseason, via Jakob Silfverberg and Erik Karlsson. The Penguins tied it again in the second period as Chris Kunitz scored his fourth of the playoffs, thanks to Pascal Dupuis and Kris Letang. Pittsburgh took the lead with a Jarome Iginla goal, his third of the postseason, assisted by Letang and Neal. The Penguins extended the lead in the third period as Neal scored his second of the game and third of the playoffs, a power play goal powered by Sidney Crosby and Letang, the latter getting a natural sock trick. Pittsburgh added on when Dupuis scored a shorthanded goal, his seventh of the postseason, with a lone assist by Matt Cooke. The Penguins padded the lead with a Sidney Crosby goal, his seventh of the playoffs, courtesy of Tyler Kennedy. Robin Lehner relieved Anderson at this time. Pittsburgh struck again as Iginla scored his second of the game and fourth of the postseason, a power play goal pushed through by Jussi Jokinen and Letang. Ottawa took one back on an Alfredsson goal, his fourth of the playoffs coming on the power play with a lone helper credited to Karlsson. This only made it 7-3, the final, with the three stars belonging to Letang, Neal, and Iginla, while Dupuis and Crosby get the honorable mentions. The Penguins have a 3-1 series lead now, as they travel home. 

Game 5: CONSOL Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In goal: Craig Anderson for Ottawa and Tomas Vokoun for Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh started in the first period as Brenden Morrow scored his second of the postseason, assisted by Mark Eaton and Matt Cooke. The Penguins added on in the second period period when James Neal sank his fourth of the playoffs, guided in by Kris Letang and Sidney Crosby on the power play. Pittsburgh extended the lead on a Letang goal, his third of the postseason, coming off of Tyler Kennedy and Brooks Orpik. Ottawa got on the board as Milan Michalek scored his third of the playoffs, via Jason Spezza and Kyle Turris. The Penguins answered when Evgeni Malkin notched his fourth of the postseason, with a lone assist by Neal. Pittsburgh padded the lead in the third period on Neal's second of the game and fifth of the playoffs, going in unassisted. The Senators got one back as Turris scored his sixth of the postseason, thanks to Jared Cowen and Colin Greening. The Penguins shot back as Neal finished his hat trick with his sixth of the playoffs, with assists provided by Malkin and Letang. This produced the 6-2 final, with the three stars awarded to Neal, Letang, and Malkin, while Turris gets an honorable mention. The Penguins will compete in the Eastern Conference Finals after knocking the Senators out by a 4-1 margin.

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