While we accepted nicknames based on first names, we did not include players known by their nicknames. Game 1: Monday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. Advantage: Boston, Coaching: Peter Laviolette and Bruce Cassidy are two of the best in the game. Actual objects region, with players whose names are, or sound like, actual things. While we agree that Lorne "Gump" Worsley, George "Punch" Imlach, Joseph "Toe" Blake, Harold "Punch" Broadbent, Modere "Mud" Bruneteau, Aubrey "Dit" Clapper, Elmer "Moose" Vasko, Eldon "Pokey" Reddick and others are stone-cold classic hockey names, we've taken them out of the tournament field. ESPN's Tournament Challenge is back for the 2023 NCAA College Basketball Tournament! Vasilevskiy's backup, Curtis McElhinney, doesn't inspire much confidence, but the Lightning don't expect to use him much anyway. Next game: vs. MTL (May 8) Series pick: Jets in seven. Tragic number: N/A, Points: 58 The Wild's Cam Talbot ended up becoming one of the offseason's smarter signings, finishing 16th in goals saved above average (12.5). Advantage: Tampa Bay. Pittsburgh and the Caps are even in regulation wins, and the Pens won the season series, 6-2. The Greatest NHL Name Bracket - Bronco Horvath, Hakan Loob, Jaromir Jagr and more. Sign in to customize your ESPN experience. ET (ESPN2) Game 2: Wednesday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m. Tragic number: N/A, Points: 57 Click here for the upcoming schedule and to learn how to subscribe. Their line has a 50.34% expected goals percentage. Games left: 1 Next game: @ PIT (May 8) | Laviolette has the Stanley Cup (with the Hurricanes, in 2006), but Cassidy has familiarity with his team. Race for the No. The first two rounds of the 2021 playoffs will be intradivisional. Tyler Bozak can move up and down the lineup. Games left: 2 Games left: 1 Welcome to Qatar Bracket Challenge The tourney has ended. North: TOR-MTL | EDM-WPG Who voted for Messi, Mbappe, Putellas in The Best FIFA Awards? Andrew Copp, Mathieu Perreault, Trevor Lewis, Nate Thompson and Mason Appleton are also in the mix. Copa del Rey semifinal: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid preview, key players, prediction, Infighting of Women's World Cup faves Spain, France, Canada reveals big issues in the sport, ISL Musings: Bengaluru's Ws continue, Odisha sneak through, ATKMB beat EB (again). ET, while the Women's Tournament Challenge brackets will be open on Monday, March 15, at 8 p.m. The #1 bracket app is back and better than ever for the 2022 NCAA Men's and Women's College Basketball Tournaments! The Blues have the sixth-best power-play (23.2%) -- Perron had 21 power-play points -- but their penalty kill was just 25th in the league (77.8%). If you have erroneously created a bracket, you can simply. Series pick: Golden Knights in seven. Tragic number: N/A, Points: 73 Elizabeth Kitley, 6-4, C, Virginia Tech Hokies Kitley turned what was a close race into a second straight ACC Player of the Year trophy. Against most teams, the Caps would have an edge on the top line, but the Bruins have arguably the best trio in the entire league in Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron. Advantage: Even. Who is the player of the year in every women's college basketball conference? Edmonton's Dave Tippett is 18th in career wins and deserves credit for helping the Oilers improve defensively this season. Next game: vs. Games left: 3 Advantage: Toronto. scores. Advantage: Vegas. Who will win each 2023 conference tournament? Series pick: Caps in seven. Plus, if you score the most points, you'll have a chance to win the grand prize of a $10,000 Amazon Gift Card and a trip to the 2016 Maui Invitational. Tragic number: E, Points: 42 Who will win each 2023 conference tournament? Games left: 4 The best part is it's completely free to play and we're offering $150K in total prizes this year! The East Division has had its four playoff teams clinched longer than anyone -- but there's the least clarity as to the order in which they'll finish. Playoff position: N/A 2 Colorado Avalanche vs. No. The Jets were really spiraling down the stretch, while the Oilers and a next-level McDavid were steam-rollering through teams. When McAvoy was on the ice against Ovechkin at 5-on-5, the Bruins outscored Washington 5-0 and had a plus-12 edge in shot attempts. Lunardi lays out how UNC can still earn an at-large bid. Search. The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order at the top of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. Obviously, we're trying to make a bracket for all to see, so we kept it family friendly, in case you were looking for some notorious names. Are PSG better off without Neymar in big games? Briefly a member of the Wild before the expansion draft, he can be a physical force. 2021 NHL playoff series previews: First-round matchups, picks, The triumph of Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors in Creed III, Top draft prospect Carter charged in fatal crash, Out of dark, Rodgers vows decision coming soon, Survey: Vikes, Fins, Raiders top FA report cards, Scheyer makes history as Duke sweeps at home, Kings deal Cup-winning G Quick to Blue Jackets, Eagles defend QB-push tactic as NFL set to revisit, Chargers GM halts speculation: Allen staying put, Hall of Fame coach Ault named to CFP committee, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, A new home for Michael Thomas? But Tampa Bay has already been through its growing pains; its time is now. Can the Lions fix their defense? Playoff position: E3 1 taking on No. Bennett's arrival slid players down the lineup and only strengthened the bottom six (which has some decent players, including Nikita Gusev, whose performance has improved after a forgettable stint in New Jersey). Continue reading this article and more from top writers, for only $9.99/mo. That could result in some dream matchups for the Cup -- Bruins-Maple Leafs anyone? The Wild's defense corps is one of the deepest in the NHL. While they are great complements, they're not necessarily game-breakers. Welcome to the 2021 men's basketball Tournament Challenge. The Pittsburgh Penguins have a two-point lead in the standings over the Washington Capitals, and play their final regular-season tilt this afternoon against the Buffalo Sabres. Advantage: Tampa Bay. Regulation wins: 20 Advantage: Even, Goaltending: Tuukka Rask has played 93 career playoff games, and that type of experience typically matters this time of year. Zach Parise, a healthy scratch this season, is there too. Nurse in particular has had a great two-way season, and was in the Norris Trophy conversation. His team, however, isn't nearly as unstoppable. Playoff position: C1 The middling "Price In Name Only" that they've seen in the regular season? The first playoff meeting between these franchises since 1979 will undoubtedly be intense and physical, as the Canadiens try to brutalize and goad the Leafs with physical play. Six players have double-digit power-play points, with Aho, Trocheck and Hamilton leading the pack with 18 apiece. Follow along here with our updated tracker. Tragic number: 2, Points: 52 Vasilevskiy can be a workhorse, and he will be. Fill out your bracket and compete against friends, ESPN personalities and celebrities for your shot at. In 35 games this season, the trio had a 64.9% expected goals percentage. The Penguins say they'll be fine for the postseason, but it's still something to monitor. More NHL and draft content, NHL Playoff Watch Daily: What's at stake on Saturday, Wyshynski's NHL trade deadline tiers: From elite game-changers to bargain beauties, NHL trade deadline guides for all 32 teams: Players, picks in play, cap space, team status. -- but before we get there, it's time for eight divisional series to kick things off, starting on Saturday. Grading all the big NHL deals, including Wednesday's trade that saw the Kings and Blue Jackets swap goaltenders, among other assets. Note: Emily Kaplan previewed the East and Central, while Greg Wyshynski did the honors for the North and West. 2 facing No. Dominique Ducharme replaced Claude Julien after 18 games, and managed to sneak the Canadiens into the playoffs despite several injuries down the stretch. Playoff position: N/A Regulation wins: 23 Regulation wins: 14 The Canes had Brock McGinn and Cedric Paquette sidelined with injuries toward the end of the season. Nico Sturm, Nick Bjugstad and veteran center Nick Bonino are in the mix, as is veteran winger Marcus Johansson. In more than 106 minutes at 5-on-5 together, the duo has a whopping 73.62% expected goals for percentage, outscoring opposing teams 10-1. Playoff chances: 0% At the peak period of entries shortly before the start of the first game today, fans registered more than 15,000 brackets per minute. The Capitals get a rematch against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday after losing Friday night. | Next game: @ MIN (May 8) 1 at this point. Playoff chances: 0% It's a group that's been effective in the past, but has struggled to produce offense this season. To mark the ninth straight year of the Bracket Challenge, the NHL is introducing two new exciting elements to the program. West: COL-STL | VGS-MIN. Gretzky. Playoff chances: 100% Bracket busted? An old, reliable trio that can produce offense but has been rolled defensively at 5-on-5 this season, giving up over 3.5 goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time. They could use Vince Dunn, who's out with an upper-body injury. Playoff position: E4 Menu ESPN. As long as health holds up, the Lightning should win this. In another season, the Jets' line gets the nod. Nashville boasts a top four featuring Mattias Ekholm, Ryan Ellis and reigning Norris Trophy winner Roman Josi. Carter Verhaeghe and Anthony Duclair likely flank Barkov. Playoff position: N/A The first two rounds of the 2021 playoffs will be intradivisional. Catch NHL games streaming live every night (and on replay) this season on ESPN+. Let's take an in-depth look at each first-round matchup and make our picks for which teams will advance. For Edmonton, the pairing of Tyson Barrie (48 points in 55 games) and Darnell Nurse (36 points in 54 games) has excelled offensively. Games left: 4 Users can have up to 25 brackets per person (no limit) by default but the limit for each group can be set to. Next game: vs. DAL (May 9) Regulation wins: 19 When Backstrom and Ovechkin have been on the ice together this season, they have outscored teams by 14 goals. Regulation wins: 14 Vegas and St. Louis square off again tonight in a potential playoff preview (streaming on ESPN+), while the Avs get the Kings and the Wild face the Anaheim Ducks. Regulation wins: 27 Interest-Based Ads Colton Parayko played through injuries this season, and his current pairing with Marco Scandella has an expected goals percentage of 43.5%. Tragic number: E, Points: 45 Thirty-two NCAA Division I men's basketball conferences will crown champions over a nine-day stretch that begins Saturday, March 4, with the Ohio Valley Conference tournament final and comes to an . Aho had 16 goals and 37 points over his final 33 games. Playoff position: C2 1 taking on No. Playoff position: N1 Regulation wins: 16 Advantage: Edmonton, Health: The Jets have been without Ehlers since April 26, but he's skating again and could be back for this series. David Savard hasn't yet made the impact Tampa Bay had hoped, but he was acquired to make a difference in the playoffs, and he still can (and has the experience). He took the Knights to the conference finals in 2020 after taking over for Gerard Gallant, but this is his first full season with Vegas. He posted a .913 save percentage in the 2021 season but was limited to only 24 games because of injury. Entries Per User The amount of brackets each member is allowed to enter into your group. He's motivated and scary. Playoff position: W3 Washington defenseman Michal Kempny, a regular defenseman, is out for the season. Advantage: Pittsburgh, Defense: The Islanders are known for their defensive structure -- often playing in low-scoring games, with forwards always coming back to help on the backcheck -- but they also have a true No. Regulation wins: 28 Central: CAR-NSH | FLA-TB 1, a loaded LPGA field and more to watch in golf this week, How to watch PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational on ESPN+, Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, Everything you need to know about F1's 2023 season, F1 season preview: Who's hot and who's not, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, Oral history: When Barcelona, Real Madrid played four Clasicos in 18 days back in 2011, LIVE Transfer Talk: Gvardiol, Bellingham named Real Madrid's top transfer targets, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Defense: It has not been the smoothest transition for Alex Pietrangelo. After the NHL staged a 24-team, bubble-based tournament to determine the Stanley Cup winner in 2020, we're back to a more traditional 16-team event in 2021 -- with a significant twist. And bear in mind that while Tampa expects Kucherov back, he hasn't played in a game since last summer. Already an ESPN+ subscriber? The Golden Knights were 22nd in the NHL (17.8%), while the Wild were right behind them at 24th (17.6%). He went to the Stanley Cup Final with the Devils in his first full season in New Jersey. ET. He should be rested heading into this postseason. Points: 59 2 Washington Capitals vs. No. Previously banged-up Bennett, Patric Hornqvist and Huberdeau all looked poised for Game 1, also. Minnesota doesn't generate offense from this group like Vegas does -- the Wild don't have a defensemen in the top 40 in points per game, while the Knights have three in the top 30 -- but it's a solid group. 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