The Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round playoff matchup against the New York Rangers could also be viewed as a battle to keep the band together.
There's growing concern in Pittsburgh that the team's window as a Stanley Cup contender is closing. After the injury-plagued Penguins struggled down the stretch and needed a win on the last day of the season to squeeze into the playoffs, this series against the Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers is viewed as a referendum on this roster's future.
With a lineup that includes Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as the team's top two offensive players, the Penguins should have been a hunter, not the hunted, during the stretch drive.