Now, the real fun starts for the Detroit Red Wings. They start a second-round series with the Anaheim Ducks Friday night.
The first round against Columbus was too easy. It was hard to tell if the Blue Jackets were just overwhelmed by their first playoff experience or if the Wings were just that good.
It probably is a combination of the two. Anaheim will be a much stiffer test.
And while the Wings are playing the Ducks, it might be a good idea to keep an eye on the Vancouver-Chicago series. Wing fans should be rooting for Chicago.
There are a couple of good reasons for this:
1. It would be fun to see an Original Six matchup and rekindle the rivalry with the Blackhawks.
2. Avoiding Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo would be a good thing. He is the kind of netminder who can steal a series.
3. A Chicago victory would mean that the Red Wings can avoid back-to-back series against a Western Time Zone team. Those can be draining.