Buffalo Sabres vs New York Rangers

Season series: Buffalo, 4-0.

Players to watch: Sabres center Chris Drury bolstered his reputation for producing in pressure situations with four goals in five games during the opening round, and Tim Connolly added a dimension to the power play after returning from post-concussion syndrome. Michael Nylander put up four goals and four assists during the Rangers' sweep of Atlanta in Round 1, and veteran leader/left winger Brendan Shanahan underscored his on-ice value by scoring three.

In the net: Ryan Miller of Buffalo held up well during a surprisingly competitive series against the New York Islanders. The Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist usually had the luxury of playing with a lead in the Thrashers series, but isn't likely to wilt under Buffalo's withering attack.

How Sabres can win: Exploit their superior depth and skill and minimize the damage done by New York's power play.

How Rangers can win: Duplicate their stellar special-teams performance of Round 1.

Who will win: Buffalo in six. The Rangers are talented and playing very well, but Atlanta was no primer for a series with the Sabres.

New Jersey Devils vs. Ottawa Senators

Season series: New Jersey, 3-1.

Players to watch: Second-year winger Zach Parise leads not only the Devils, but the league, with six goals, and Brian Gionta continues to come through in clutch situations. Dany Heatley was less than dominant against the Penguins during the opening round, but could be poised for a breakout, and Mike Comrie is coming off an excellent series.

In the net: Martin Brodeur overcame a sluggish start in Round 1 to carry the Devils past Tampa Bay. Ray Emery remains Ottawa's biggest question mark, but handled the few challenges the Penguins gave him.

How Devils can win: It all starts with Brodeur, which is where the puck usually stops.

How Senators can win: Rely on the depth and commitment that worked so well against the Penguins.

Who will win: Ottawa in six. Getting Emery to crack is New Jersey's best hope.

Detroit Red Wings vs. San Jose Sharks

Season series: San Jose, 3-1.

Players to watch: Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom performed at his customary high level during Round 1 against Calgary, putting up two goals -- both game-winners -- and six assists, but rugged winger Tomas Holmstrom, who is nursing an eye injury, failed to score against the Flames. Bill Guerin and Jonathan Cheechoo, wingers the Sharks count on for goals, did not get any in a five-game series with Nashville.

In the net: Dominik Hasek of the Red Wings played well during Round 1, but benefited from facing a league-low average of 21.5 shots per game. Evgeni Nabokov got the nod over Vesa Toskala for San Jose in the series against the Predators and did nothing to lose the job.

How Red Wings can win: Continue to play stingy team defense.

How Sharks can win: Scoring on more than 6.7 percent of their power-play opportunities would be a start.

Who will win: San Jose in seven. They left a lot of room for improvement during Round 1, but still did enough things well to defeat a quality Predators team.

Anaheim Ducks vs. Vancouver Canucks

Season series: Anaheim, 3-0-1.

Players to watch: Ryan Getzlaf isn't one of the Ducks' big-name talents, but had two game-winners during Round 1, which helped to make up for Teemu Selanne scoring just once in five games. Daniel Sedin and his brother, Henrik, went five games without a point in Round 1, and that can't happen again if the Canucks hope to advance.

In the net: Ilya Bryzgalov and Jean-Sebastien Giguere give Anaheim coach Randy Carlyle two very attractive options. Vancouver's Roberto Luongo came through his playoff debut in style, recording a 1.41 goals-against average and .950 save percentage while defeating Dallas in seven games.

How Ducks can win: Neutralize Vancouver's top forwards, which Dallas did for most of opening round.

How Canucks can win: Find a way to score a lot more than they did against the Stars.

Who will win: Anaheim in five. Luongo can steal games, but he can't score goals, a trait he apparently shares with many teammates.