The Red Wings won the first two games from the Kings, but then LA swept the next four games. Included was a rally that wiped out a 3-0 Wings lead in the final seven minutes of Game 4 and Detroit's first home loss since December. We were down and we never quit. Those four big wins should give them plenty of energy. New Jersey, the top seed in the East, survived a scare from the Carolina Hurricanes but advanced in six games.
New Jersey plays a Toronto team that it eliminated in last year's second round.
Devils defenseman Scott Stevens set the physical tone with devastating hits in that series, just as he did against Carolina . The Devils clinched last year's series by holding the Leafs to only six shots in the final game. St. Louis solved the San Jose Sharks a year after losing to them as the West's top seed. Pierre Turgeon led the offensive charge with nine points in the six-game victory. Roman Turek was solid with a 1.80 goals-against average.