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Former NCAA Players having success in first round of NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

2012 Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Quick helped the Los Angeles Kings advance to the second round.

By Jeff Cox
Former Wisconsin forward Joe Pavelski had more points than any other college hockey alums in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Former Wisconsin forward Joe Pavelski had more points than any other college hockey alums in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Ezra Shaw

The first round of the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs wrapped up Monday night with the Boston Bruins winning in dramatic fashion and the New York Rangers finishing off the Washington Capitals.

There were plenty of former college hockey players who were major reasons their teams advanced to the conference semifinals.

Former UMass-Amherst goaltender Jonathan Quick, the 2012 Conn Smythe winner as the MVP of the Stanley Cup Finals, was immense in the Los Angeles Kings first round series victory over the St. Louis Blues. Quick's first round started off inauspiciously when he played tremendously in regulation of game one before turning the puck over to lead to the game-winning goal in overtime for St. Louis. The former Avon Old Farms goaltender had a 4-2 record with a 1.58 goals against average and a .944 save percentage in the first round.

Former Maine backstop Jimmy Howard led the Detroit Red Wings to a seven-game series victory over the Anaheim Ducks. His numbers weren't as good as Quick's, but he was equally important to the Red Wings advancing to face the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Vermont's Patrick Sharp, Wisconsin's Derek Stepan, Minnesota's Phil Kessel and Boston University's Nick Bonino all scored two game-winning goals for their respective teams. Sharp's Blackhawks advanced, as did Stepan's Rangers.

Six former college hockey players scored game-winning goals in overtime for their teams in the first round. Bonino was joined by Gustav Nyquist (Maine), Brooks Orpik (Boston College), Jason Zucker (Denver), Chris Kunitz (Ferris State) and Kyle Turris (Wisconsin).

Patrick Sharp led all college hockey players in goals scored with five while former Wisconsin star Joe Pavelski led NCAA alums in points with eight. Pavelski helped lead the San Jose Sharks to the second round where it will face in-state rival Los Angeles Kings.

Jeff Cox covers college hockey for SBNation. Follow him on twitter @JeffCoxSBNation.