Mike Brophy

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy writes Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday on Sportsnet.ca and appears regularly on Hockeycentral.

The playoffs begin in the East without Penguins star Sidney Crosby; can Ovechkin fill the void?

After 82 games the seedings and match-ups for the second-season are ready. Ahead of Wednesday night sportsnet.ca columnists Mark Spector & Mike Brophy ask the 'Burning Questions' surrounding each series and outline players to watch before putting it on the line with their predictions.

Be sure to vote and watch for the results on Hockeycentral's two-hour playoff preview show Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.

Will Ovechkin continue to be a team-first player if the Capitals fall behind in its series against the Rangers?

It's hard to imagine Ovechkin - or any offensively gifted player, for that matter - sticking to the program if things take a turn for the worse. Ovechkin's inclination in the past has been to try to do too much on his own when his team runs into trouble. With 40 points in 28 career playoff games, there's no doubt Ovechkin saves some of his best hockey for this time of year, but he'll have to continue to use his teammates, as he has done this year, if the Capitals are to make a serious charge to the final.

The Montreal Canadiens have a rich history of unexpected Stanley Cup playoff triumphs. Will the Habs write another successful chapter this season?

One of the great things about the Canadiens is, just when you think you have them by the throat, they pull off a shocking upset. Think 1970-71 when the Canadiens finished third and came up against the mighty Boston Bruins, who had finished first and boasted seven of the NHL's top 11 scorers.

The Canadiens answer for Boston's mighty attack was unheralded rookie goaltender in Ken Dryden who befuddled the Bruins at every turn. Montreal won the series in seven games. For that matter, few gave the Habs much of a chance in its first round series against the Presidents' Trophy wining Washington Capitals last season and yet Montreal, backed by goalie Jaroslav Halak's tremendous play, pulled off a massive upset, again in seven. It will take an upset of similar proportions for the Canadiens to advance beyond the first round this year in their match-up against the Bruins. Montreal won the season series between the longtime foes 4-2, but perhaps the most telling tale between the two teams was Boston's convincing 7-0 win over the Canadiens Mar. 24. The two teams looked to be in different leagues that day. The Bruins are bigger and deeper up front, grittier all around and can match the Canadiens in net. It would be foolish to suggest Montreal doesn't stand a chance in this series, but the smart money is bet on Boston.

Player to watch: Boston's Zdeno Chara - biggest, strongest player in the NHL will shut down Montreal's undersized attack.

Boston wins in 6.

Did the Philadelphia Flyers learn anything that can take them all the way this season after losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup final a year ago?

Based on the fact the Flyers finished with 106 points (18 more than they did a year ago) the answer would be a resounding, 'Yes!' But the fact they went 3-4-3 down the stretch has some wondering if they have the makings of a champion. The Flyers did not appear to be hitting on all cylinders as their regular season concluded. Worse, the Flyers will once again open the post-season with questions about its goaltending. Rookie Sergei Bobrovsky seemed to have won the crease early in the season, but his play has not inspired confidence of late. Brian Boucher has a slightly better goals-against average than Bobrovsky (2.42 to 2.59), but the 34-year-old is only 17-14 in his playoff career. Michael Leighton, last year's playoff hero for Philadelphia, was recently recalled and who knows how he fits into the equation. The Flyers have the experience and skill to challenge for the Cup and certainly getting a healthy Chris Pronger back in the lineup will be huge, but if the goaltending isn't there, it all falls to pieces. Not to mention Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller is capable of winning a series on his own.

Player to watch: Daniel Briere - shot the lights out in last year's playoffs and needs to do it again.

Philadelphia wins in 6.

Will the Washington Capitals change in style - from an all-out offensive attack to a more defence-oriented approach - carry them deep into the playoffs?

On first blush you'd have to think, 'Yes.' There is no question the Capitals are a more disciplined team when it comes to checking having finished with 197 goals against - 36 fewer than they allowed a year ago. And yet there's something that just doesn't seem convincing about Washington's transformation. Perhaps it will take playoff success to convince us they are moving in the right direction if winning the eastern Conference championship isn't proof enough. There's just something unsettling about Alexander Ovechkin finishing with just 32 goals and 85 points. That, coupled with the fact defencemen Mike Green and Dennis Wideman are injured and the Capitals, like the Flyers, haven't settled on a starting goaltender has many wondering if they have what it takes to win in the second season. The New York Rangers, on the other hand, deserve credit for overcoming injury problems of their own, and should not be taken lightly.

Player to watch: Henrik Lundqvist - outstanding stopper will make life miserable for Capitals sharpshooters.

Rangers in 7

The Pittsburgh Penguins have done remarkably well without Sidney Crosby and Evgeny Malkin for much of this season, but will reality set in against Tampa Bay in the playoffs?

The teams finished three points apart in the standings (106-103 for Pittsburgh) and both were hot down the stretch; the Penguins concluding their season at 8-2-0 in its final 10 while Tampa Bay was 7-3-0. Yet without Crosby and Malkin it's hard to imagine the Penguins having enough scoring power to match the Lightning. That being the case, Pittsburgh has a decided advantage in goal with Marc-Andre Fleury. Dwayne Roloson was a nice upgrade over Dan Ellis and Mike Smith, but he'll need lots of help from a team defence that is still very much a work in progress. Penguins coach Dan Bylsma will deservedly get lots of attention from Jack Adams Trophy voters in the coach of the year competition, but unless Crosby comes back and plays effectively, it's hard to imagine the Penguins being able to score with the Lightning; especially now that Vinny Lecavalier has found his game.

Player to watch: Steven Stamkos - stumbled down the stretch with just two goals in his final 13 games.

Lightning in 6