The 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs have been notable more for the unexpected than the expected. The regular-season juggernaut Boston Bruins and defending cup champion Colorado Avalanche were ousted in the first round. The final team to qualify for the playoffs -- the Florida Panthers -- is through to the Eastern Conference finals. Home-ice advantage has been largely nonexistent.
And then we have the Pacific Division bracket.
The No. 1 seed Vegas Golden Knights and No. 2 seed Edmonton Oilers both took care of business in Round 1 and have waged a back-and-forth, high-scoring battle this round that has looked like the glorious Smythe Division showdowns in which the Oilers played back in the 1980s -- including a healthy dose of physical aggression, some of which resulted in suspensions.