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Folks, all five elimination games played this weekend resulted in the elimination of the potentially-eliminated team, so the First Round is over and the Second Round starts Wednesday with the two Western Conference series beginning that night. Your matchups: Rangers-Senators and Capitals-Penguins in the East, Blues-Predators and Oilers-Ducks in the West. Everyone's bracket is sufficiently busted, I'm sure.
Also, there is only one item even remotely related to the Islanders (we're getting to that time of the year) so here are some uncut, certified fresh Bits.
Have Some News, You're Looking Thin! Eat Up!
- Kyle Okposo is reportedly showing "major signs of improvement," which is great to hear.
- Last night's NHL scores. The Leafs lost to the Capitals in OT on home ice thanks to two goals from Marcus Johansson.
- Earlier in the day, the Sens beat the Bruins in OT of their Game 6, the winner coming off the stick of Clarke MacArthur. What a story that is, Doc. [Silver Seven]
- Erik Karlsson kicked ass in the First Round and does always, but his legend continues to grow: he broke his foot blocking a shot against the Flyers and missed the final five games of the regular season to heal, but played the First Round with two hairline fractures in his foot and he will continue to play as far as the Sens go.
- P.K. Subban gets the last laugh in his trade from the Canadiens to the Predators, with his team moving on and the Habs having been sent home by the Rangers Saturday night. [Puck Daddy]
- Magnus Paajarvi, of all friggin' people, sent the Blues to the next round with his OT winner. Bruce Boudreau made waves by saying the Blues "weren't the better team," but he isn't wrong. The Wild outplayed them for the most part; Jake Allen was just other-worldly. Eric Staal was also hospitalized after a scary collision into the boards.
- Johnny Gaudreau, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Mikael Granlund are the nominees for the 2017 Lady Byng. [SB Nation]
- Ilya Kovalchuk reportedly wants to return to the NHL. I'll take him if he doesn't have to go to the Devils. [All About the Jersey]
- The Kings have found their replacement for Darryl Sutter: John Stevens, a longtime assistant under Sutter and former coach in Philly, will take the reigns next season. [Jewels from the Crown]
- And finally, Don Cherry's latest suit runs with the concept of death, let's say.