Round 2 Western Conference Predictions

With San Jose's elimination, the path to the cup out west will run through Detroit, once again. Here's who I like to advance to the Western Conference Finals...

(2) Detroit Red Wings vs. (8) Anaheim Ducks

This re-match of the 2007 Western Conference Finals features two very different teams. While the Ducks rely heavily on one line offensively and two go-to guys on the blue-line, the Wings rely on a consistent puck possession game that sees their whole team get involved...not that their lacking in star power.

Pavel Datsyuk is a nominee for the Hart, the Selke, and the Lady Byng. Henrik Zetterberg is last season's Conn Smythe Winner. Nicklas Lidstrom has won six Norris Trophies, including the last three. They also picked up a guy named Marian Hossa in the off-season.

For the Ducks to win, they will need to play with the same mind-set they had versus the Sharks in the first round. Getzlaf will need to be the best forward in the series. They will need some timely scoring from players not named Getzlaf, Perry, or Ryan. They must receive solid defensive contributions from all six defensemen. Hiller needs to outplay Osgood.

I cannot envision each and everyone of these things happening.

While the Ducks have a great make-up for a playoff team, Detroit is simply better. They cannot be pushed around. They are deeper. They are faster. They are more talented.

It just does't add up for the Ducks.

Barring out-of-this-world performances from their top line, top two d-men, and goaltender, you have to like Detroit in this one.

Prediction: Red Wings in five.

(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (4) Chicago Blackhawks

Doesn't it feel like the Canucks haven't played for a month?

After quickly disposing of the Blues in an exciting but short-lived four game series, the Canucks will now face a young, upstart Chicago team. The Hawks showed some spunk, getting past a physical, though injury riddled, Calgary squad.

The most important player in this series is undoubtedly Roberto Luongo. Although the Canucks are far from a one person team, they will go as far as "Bobby Lu" can take 'em. If he plays like he did in the first round, it's hard to see this team losing anytime soon.

I said in my original playoff predictions that the Sedins would need to fire at or near a point per game pace. They did just that in the first round, registering three goals and six assists between the two of them.

For Chicago to come out ahead, they will need to first and foremost find a way to get to Luongo early. It sounds redundant, but it's worth noting. If Luongo settles in nicely, Chicago will find themselves golfing much sooner than they wish.

If the first round was a sign of things to come in Chicago, Jonathon Toews is destined for playoff stardom. He was a stud at both ends of the ice, and was clearly the leader of this young, but composed, Chicago team.

I'm going with Vancouver here. Their defense is very physical, and will continue to wear down guys like Patrick Kane and Martin Havlat. Let's not forget, teams that face Calgary early in the playoffs don't advance far afterwards (i.e. San Jose last year, Detroit the year before). Calgary put a beating on Kane and Havlat, and I expect the Canucks to follow suit.

The play of Kesler and Burrows will continue to be excellent. Chicago's role players, guys like Versteeg, Byfuglien, and Pahlsson, will need to answer the bell.

When it's all said and done, Luongo and the Vancouver defense will loom large.

Prediction: Vancouver in six.

Round 2 Eastern Conference Predictions

We have two quality match-ups here, with the feature series consisting of Sid's Pens versus Ovie's Caps. Here's who I like...

(1) Boston Bruins vs. (6) Carolina Hurricanes

While the Hurricanes persevered in a back-and-forth seven game series against the Devils in the first round, the Bruins were able to sweep the lowly Canadiens in four games.

This series' outcome hinges on these three battles:

1. Chara vs. Staal

The possible Norris Trophy winner versus the young but playoff proven playoff performer. Size vs. size. Determination vs. determination. Best Bruin vs. Best Cane.

This will be a good one.

Staal will be around the net all series, and plays with too much determination come springtime for Chara to shut him down. Expect a quality series from both players...

2. Bruins' offensive depth vs. Canes' offensive depth

Both of these teams are loaded from top to bottom up front. Jussi Jokinen, Carolina's fourth line center, had a monster first round. Boston consistently gets contributions from up and down their lineup, from Marc Savard right down to Shawn Thornton.

The Canes' four lines will really need to wear down the steady team defense of the Bruins to have some success in this series.

I'll give the Bruins the edge here. They've been consistent up front all season from the first line down to the fourth, and they are also more well-rounded. They have the power forward (Lucic), the playmakers (Savard, Krejci), the two-way checker (Bergeron), and the experienced vet (Recchi)...

3. Tim Thomas vs. Cam Ward

Another great goalie battle for Cam Ward. Tim Thomas, the likely Vezina Trophy winner, has had a magical season. He won his first playoff series in the round one victory over the Habs.

I actually like Ward here. He has a Cup, and just beat Martin Brodeur, the NHL's all-time winningest tender, in a hard fought seven game series. I'm a huge Thomas fan, but I expect Ward to outplay him, slightly...

Expect a long series. I think Carolina can definitely pull off the upset - they are playoff tested, deep up front, and have a "better than the sum of their parts" defense...But, I still got to go with the B's here.

Prediction: Bruins in 7.

(2) Washington Capitals vs. (4) Pittsburgh Penguins

Sid vs. AO. Malkin vs. AO. Sid vs. Semin. This series has NHL Brass foaming at the mouth.

I actually find this series quite simple to break down...

Forwards - edge to Pittsburgh.

While most people would probably go with the Caps here, I like Pittsburgh, and here's why - Crosby and Malkin. These guys continue to elevate their play in the spring. Sure, they don't have the offensive depth of a team like the Caps, but I don't think that is a cause for concern for Pens' fans. The Staal line was very good for a majority of the first round, and has a great make-up for tight playoff hockey.

Ask me who I want in a playoff series, Sid or AO, and I'm taking Crosby without hesitation. In the playoffs, you need to have a large offensive arsenal from which to choose from. Don't get me wrong, Ovechkin can create. The guys going to win his second straight Hart Trophy, as he should. I just think the variety in Sid's game - he can pass, drive the net, win key face-offs...the guy does it all.

Defense - edge to Pittsburgh.

This isn't close. Pittsburgh's defense is playoff tested, hard-nosed, and deep. Mike Green took a beating in the first round, and was very average as a result. There were rumours floating around that he was suffering from the flu - either way, his play in the first round wasn't up to snuff.

In a playoff series, I'd take Sergei Gonchar over Mike Green any day of the week. Gonchar is a calming presence on the back-end for the Pens in all situations, while Green currently has the Caps wondering which Green they will see - regular season Mike Green or the Mike Green of the first round.

Let's see how the Caps deal with an offense that is approximately 4,693,747,503 times better than the Rangers' offensive corps.

Goaltending - edge to Pittsburgh.

Simeon Varlamov has a bright future. His first round was incredible....but you have to go with Fleury here. Fleury has the experience, the better defensive group in front of him, and the swagger that a successful NHL goaltender needs to succeed.

Varlamov faced very few great scoring chances in the first round. Don't expect that trend to continue versus the likes of Crosby and Malkin.

Everyone expects a long series. So long as the Pens stay out of the box, I don't.

Prediction: Penguins in 5.

Injury Update

Surprise, surprise.

You might remember after Game Two of the Penguins/Flyers series I said this:

"There is absolutely no way Mike Richards is playing at full strength. I refuse to believe it. He has looked absolutey brutal of late, including these first two games of the playoffs."

Well, turns out I was right. Per TSN:

"Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards will undergo surgery on Friday to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder, according to the Courier Post. "

After Game Four of the Capitals/Rangers series I mentioned:

"What cannot be forgotten is the effort of Blueshirts' Captain Chris Drury. Playing with what I suspect to be a broken or fractured wrist, he was able to notch his 17th game-winning playoff goal after a crucial blunder by Simeon Varlamov."

Make that a fractured hand. Per the New York Post:

"When the series ended, when the Rangers went through the handshake line following last night's 2-1 Game 7 defeat, Chris Drury used his left hand to congratulate the Capitals. That's because, as he told The Post, the captain had played the first round with a broken right hand he sustained late in the April 9 victory over the Flyers in the Garden finale that clinched a playoff berth."

Moral of the story, besides the given that NHL players are the hardest guys in sports, don't bet on NHL playoff games. I went 5 for 8, not that bad for a league with such parity, but worse than I would've liked. I picked the Rangers and the Flyers to win. Had I known each team's captain was playing at significantly below 100%, I like to think I would've picked differently.

Am I making excuses? Yep.

Kudos to Richards and Drury for toughing it out for their respective clubs. It should be noted Drury played the final two games of last years' postseason with broken ribs - wow.

Fedorov Sends Rangers Packing, Jokinen and Staal Shock the Devils

In Game Six the Capitals exposed Henrik Lundqvist high glove to the weak side.

With five minutes left in Game Seven, Sergei Fedorov proved that he was taking notes.

Walking in on a seemingly harmless rush, Fedorov was able to pull up to the outside of Wade Redden and snap one top corner short side on the Rangers' netminder.

Game. Set. Match.

After dominating the first period, the Rangers were only able to muster seven shots on net in periods two and three. Despite the Caps being outplayed early, and falling behind on a Nik Antropov marker, Alexander Semin was able to knot the contest at one on a flukey rush that saw the puck deflect off of Ryan Callahan, then Dan Girardi, and into the back of the cage.

Alex Ovechkin was a non-factor. Sean Avery was the best player on the ice. But, as has been the theme in this series, it's all about who can finish their chances, not who outplays who.

Simeon Varlamov was able to stymie the Rangers on some great scoring chances early, which loomed large since the Blueshirts were unable to generate much offense throughout the rest of the game. They missed out on a key chance, their only chance, to put their stamp on this game.

You can't overlook what Sergei Fedorov brings to the Caps. Experience. Excellent defensive play. Face-off wins. Leadership. And, it goes without saying, some timely offense.

As a Rangers fan, I hate to say it - the better team won. Best of luck to the Capitals going forward...

Over in Newark, the Devils fans had a lot to be happy about with under two minutes left in the third. They were winning 3-2, and seemingly on their way to the next round, while their cross-river rivals had just been eliminated.

Well, not so fast said Carolina.

Joni Pitkanen hit Jussi Jokinen with a beautiful cross ice pass after a great keep-in by Tim Gleason. Jokinen one timed the pass through the wickeds of an outstretched Martin Brodeur to pull the contest back to square one.

48 seconds later, with 32 ticks left in regulation, Eric Staal came up big. Streaking down his off wing, Staal released a blazing snap shot low blocker side that was able to find twine, and send the Canes into the second round.

This was hands down the best series of the first round. Two over-time games. Two games decided within the last 32 seconds of regulation. A total goal differential of two.

Great entertainment. Props to Eric Staal - 32 playoff games, 14 goals, 21 assists, 35 points. That's raising your game when it matters.

Here's how the Eastern Conference Semi's play out...

(1) Boston Bruins vs. (6) Carolina Hurricanes

(2) Washington Capitals vs. (4) Pittsburgh Penguins

Well, get ready to here about Crosby and Malkin vs. Ovechkin and Semin for the next two weeks. Hopefully it's a long series.

I'll have my second round playoff predictions up soon...

Ducks, Hawks Advance

Thanks to two Game Six Victories compliments of the Ducks and the Blackhawks, the Western Conference Quarterfinals have come to a close.

In Anaheim, the Ducks were able to oust the President Trophy Winning San Jose Sharks thanks to excellent goaltending and elevated play from their top players.

Ryan Getzlaf continued to lead the charge upfront, registering a Gordie Howe Hat Trick (Goal, Assist, Fight). He dropped the mitts with Thornton just two seconds into the game. As a hockey fan, how can you not love to see each team's top player go at it? It was reminiscent of Iginla and Lecavalier throwing down fisticuffs in the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals.

Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger were dominant from start to finish, in both this game and in the series as a whole.

As much as people are going to label it an upset, and I suppose it is, how many people really thought the Sharks would shake their playoff demons and come out of the west?

Joe Thornton only brought his 'A' Game to the rink in Game Five, Evgeni Nabokov failed to make the crucial stops at key points in the series, and the while the Ducks were able to make the most of their chances, the Sharks just weren't able to bear down.

If you're Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson what's the next move? You're team had the best record in the league during the regular season, but once again failed dismally in the playoffs? Do you move Thornton like the Bruins did? Do you exile Captain Patrick Marleau?

I wouldn't envy being in Dougy Wilson's position right now...

Up in Calgary, the Hawks were able to ride out to another hot start and extinguish the Flames in six.

Just as in Game Five, the Hawks were able to take a sizeable lead going into the second period. Patrick Kane was able to convert a rebound in the slot after Dustin Byfuglien drove the net and redirected a Kris Versteeg pass on net. Byfuglien continued to excel in the first period, hitting Adam Burish driving the net with a slick pass to make the score 2-0 in favor of Chicago. The Hawks didn't look back.

Nikolai Khabibulin had an outstanding performance, stopping 43 of 44 shots to preserve the win.

The Flames had a multitude of problems. Their defense was banged up. No Robyn Regehr. Dion Phaneuf was playing hurt and missed Game Six with a suspected concussion. Jarome Iginla wasn't his usual self. Miikka Kiprusoff got little help, and when he did, he still wasn't that great.

But make no mistake, the Hawks earned this series...

The Western Conference Semi's will look like this:

(2) Detroit Red Wings vs. (8) Anaheim Ducks

(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (4) Chicago Blackhawks

Two Game Sevens on the dial tonight. The Capitals look to complete their comback over the Rangers on home ice, while the Devils look to cook the Canes in Newark.

Devils "Staal-ed" in Raleigh

Continuing the trend of alternating wins, Eric Staal and the Carolina Hurricanes demolished Zach Parise's Devils in Game Six of this Eastern Conference Quaterfinal Match-up.

Eric Staal's recently formed line, featuring Ray Whitney and Chad Larose flanking him on the wings, combined to score nine points, as the Canes punished New Jersey 4-0.

Kudos to coach Paul Maurice, who noticed that his line combinations seemed to be running a little stale during Game Five, and flipped centers Matt Cullen and Eric Staal. Cullen centered Erik Cole and Tuomo Ruutu, Staal's usual wingers.

Throughout the game Staal's line was a force. Staal was a bull in a china shop around the net, Whitney's vision was on full display, and Larose was excellent down low and on puck retrieval.

The Devils offense was invisible in this one. They were never able to establish a forecheck, and all of their offensive chances were of the "one and done" variety. When you are opposing a goalie like Cam Ward you need to get second chance opportunities.

Perhaps the most surprising occurrence for the Devils was the invisibility of Zach Parise. Usually one of the most noticeable players on the ice, he had little affect on the outcome of this one, despite the return of his linemate and Devils' Captain Jamie Langenbrunner.

Carolina played an excellent game, forced the play offensively, and smothered New Jersey defensively. If the Devils want to take Game Seven they will need to be more persistent both offensively and defensively.

All the King's Men Dethroned...Again

Who would've guessed that the best player on the ice in Game Six would be former Ranger Tom Poti?

Doing his best Bobby Orr impersonation, Poti was able to burn his former mates in both the offensive and defensive zones. He registered one goal and three assists, to go along with some excellent penalty killing, especially late in the game.

The Rangers made some early mistakes and couldn't recover. Paul Mara and Derek Morris continue to be brutal, Nikolai Zherdev splits his time between being the invisible man and missing critical empty nets, and Lundqvist has been...well...un-Lundqvist-like?

Although the majority of the blame falls on the five guys in front of him, Henrik Lundqvist has now been pulled in two straight games. He was beat to the high glove three times today. The Caps have found a dent in what was once seemingly impenetrable armor.

It's got to be tough knowing you need to be nearly perfect night in and night out. The same goes for the Rangers' players as well, who rely too heavily on winning close, one goal, low scoring games.

The benching of Sean Avery, which many thought would bring out an excellent Game Six for the sparkplug, effectively neutered him. Although he played a sound game, there was no hitting. There was no jawing at the other players. There were no antics to get the other side off their game.

The bottom line is the Caps are finishing their chances, the Rangers are not. The Caps are getting high quality chances, the Rangers are not (and when they are, they miss...cough-cough-Naslund and Zherdev-cough-cough).

Game Seven will be a test of character for the Rangers. They failed in Game Five and in Game Six. Can they fight the tide of momentum swinging in the Caps Favor?

Only time will tell...

Jumbo Joe, Captain Pat Show up, Hawks Dominate Flames

Joe Thornton decided to play some hockey last night.

That's good news for the Sharks, who were able to pull out a 3-2 over-time victory after surrending a two goal lead in the third period.

Thornton finally elevated his play. He broke a zero-zero deadlock in the first period, drawing a hooking minor on Ryan Getzlaf by driving the net, and then banging in a Marleau shot from the side of the net on the ensuing power-play.

Later, towards the end of the second period, Devin Setoguchi was able to walk out from behind the net and snap one short side on Jonas Hiller. It was the first weak goal Hiller's given up all series, a series in which he's been excellent for the Ducks.

Going into the third at 2-0, it seemed inevitable that there would be a Game Six. The Sharks were outshooting the Ducks 29-13, and finally had their top guns getting involved in the play.

Enter Scott Niedermayer. He was constantly jumping into the play all night, doing his best to get the Ducks into the second round.

The Ducks first goal came after Niedermayer passed the puck up the boards on the outlet to Andrew Ebbett. Ebbett was able to make a slick pass to the center of the ice, and Ryan Carter, just moved to the second line, was able to beat Nabokov five-hole with a hard one-timer.

Less than four minutes later, Corey Perry striked to tie the game at two apiece. Niedermayer lugged the puck up ice, creating a three on two. Douglas Murray, who has been dynamite for the Sharks in this series, made a rare blunder by attempting to step up on the Ducks' Captain. Niedermayer made a nifty backhanded pass to Corey Perry, who slid the biscuit through the wickeds of Nabokov. Tie game.

In OT, Jumbo Joe made a giant play. Coming down on his off-wing, Thornton threw a shot at Jonas Hiller. Thornton then beat his defender to the net, took another shot, controlled the rebound, circled the net, and centered in front to Marleau. Marleau was able to sneak one just by Hiller and over the goal-line.

Full marks to Joe Thornton. He finally elevated his game, and made a play for his team when it appeared as if the Sharks were heading into the abyss. His re-united line featuring Marleau and Setoguchi tallied seven points, three more than they had in the first five games combined. All game, he was constantly chirping with Getzlaf, letting the Ducks know he wasn't going to roll over and play dead...something most people expected. By firing shots (he had five) and driving the net, Thornton was finally able to create some offense....

Over in Chi-town, the Blackhawks continued the series' trend of winning on home-ice. They pummeled the Flames in the first period, registering three power-plays, 15 shots, and 3 goals. Calgary had zero power-plays, three shots, and zero goals. The game was pretty much over at that point.

After the Hawks' fourth goal, Mike Keenan pulled Miikka Kiprusoff.

Questionable move.

You couldn't really blame Kipper on any of the four goals he allowed. Pulling your star goalie, who you already have a shaky relationship with, in a situation that doesn't necessarily call for the change in net...well, I don't like the move. Kiprusoff stormed to the Flames locker room after being pulled, first making his way to the bench quite slowly.

Drama alert....

Today's action features two pivotal sixth games. The Rangers will try to finish off the Caps at the Garden without the services of John Tortarella, who was suspended for squirting water at a fan, launching that same bottle into the stands and hitting an unsuspecting woman in the face, and then threatening the fans with Aaron Voros' stick. Apparently Torts can preach discipline, but cannot practice it himself.

In Raleigh, the Canes will face elimination as they try to pull even with the Devils.

Stay tuned...

Pens Score Five Unanswered, Take Series

The Flyers were up 3-0. They were in total control. Game Seven tickets had already doubled in price.

Then Daniel Carcillo decided to fight Maxime Talbot.

Bad move. The positives resulting from dropping the mitts and trying to get the home crowd going, when you're already up 3-0, are vastly outweighed by the chance that your opponent picks up its game.

The Penguins did just that.

Just 14 seconds after the fight, Ruslan Fedotenko was able to nudge home a rebound after a great individual effort by Evgeni Malkin. Less than two minutes later, Mark Eaton was able to tap in an air-born rebound on a three on one rush.

With three minutes left in the second, Sidney Crosby displayed some excellent hand-eye coordination. Following Eaton's lead, Crosby was able to bat in another Martin Biron air-born rebound to make it 3-3 after two...

Coming out of the intermission, the Penguins continued to take it to the Flyers. Malkin, out on a shift with Crosby, was able to gain the blue-line, back off the defenders, and hit Sergei Gonchar with a drop pass. Gonchar ripped a howitzer cleanly by Biron's lower blocker side and into the twine.

Crosby was able to seal the game, and the series, with an empty-netter coming after a half-hearted neutral zone pass by Jeff Carter.

That play just about summed up Jeff Carter's series. I said beforehand I thought Carter and Richards would be able to match-up with Crosby and Malkin. They weren't able to in today's game, and certainly weren't able to in the series. While Carter and Richards combined for six points (Carter had just one), Crosby and Malkin combined for 8 goals and 9 assists, totaling 17 points.

Simply put, Crosby (2 goals) and Malkin (2 assists) were the best players on the ice today. When Talbot decided to take a beating to get the team going, they responded.

One very underrated part of Crosby's game has been his maturation defensively and in the face-off circle. Sid the Kid took 33 of the Pens' 55 draws, winning 20 and losing 13. He also made some excellent plays in the defensive zone, breaking up passes and supporting the puck down low.

When Crosby and Malkin elevate their game to the next level, your top guns better do the same.

Carter and Richards did not.

Caps Win an Ugly One

In a game that looked more like a September pre-season game than an April post-season elimination game, the Caps were finally able to get to Henrik Lundqvist.

Matt Bradley was able to score two goals in a strange first period. Both teams had little energy, and the period featured only nine shots, despite five power-plays. The strangest part? Lundqvist allowed two goals on just six first period Washington shots.

Bradley's first goal, coming short-handed, makes the Rangers a minus one with the man-advantage since their two power-play tallies in Game One. Make that zero power-play goals in Games Two through Five, and one short-handed marker allowed.

That's not going to cut it.

Bradley's next goal brought King Henrik firmly down to earth. With no screen and no options, Bradley tossed one on net from a bad angle that was able to beat a shocked Rangers' netminder, and bring the crowd at the Verizon Center to its feet.

In the second, Alexander Semin took the puck off a face-off and snapped it to the far upper corner to push the lead to three. Blair Betts and Nicklas Backstrom had tied up on the draw, and Betts accidently kicked the puck right onto the tape of Semin.

Later in the period, Ovechkin showed why he is a walking (skating?) highlight show waiting to happen. Taking a pass from Fedorov as he entered the Rangers' zone, he dodged a Chris Drury check, put the puck between the wickeds of Derek Morris, changed direction, lost the puck, re-gathered, and slid the puck between the legs of Lundqvist.

Steven Valiquette saw his first post-season action in the third period, giving the Blueshirts' tender a break.

One can only wonder why the Rangers were lacking in intensity. It was as if their most energetic and emotional spark-plug was missing...

Oh, yeah! Rangers' Coach John Tortarella decided to bench Sean Avery for the lack of discipline he displayed in the previous two games.

Avery plays on the first line. He brings energy. He's the straw that stirs the drink. The Rangers are 14-7-1 since he joined the team. If your John Tortarella, you need to take the good with the bad and move on. Benching a guy like Avery is more detrimental to the team than anything he could do on the ice.

Sticking on the path of his power trip, Tortarella also put the fourth line out for the remaining 42 seconds of a power-play...only down one goal...early in the first period.

Hey, coach, there's a place and a time for sending messages.

This wasn't it.

Flyers Stifle Pens, Ryan Rules, and Wings Bring out the Brooms in Columbus

The last time the Flyers played in an elimination game they lost 6-0 to the Penguins in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals.

This time around they kept the white flag in their pocket.

The Flyers smothered the Penguins defensively, and were able to beat Marc-Andre Fleury three times to move the series back to Philly. Martin Biron played his best game of the series, but give the Flyers' defense the most credit for the Pen's zero in the goal column.

They seemingly bored their way to a 3-0 win. Crosby and Malkin were a combined -3. The Flyers were fairly disciplined (minus two stupid Danny Briere penalties), only giving the Pens four opportunities on the power-play.

If the Flyers can continue to stay disciplined both defensively and emotionally, Game Six could be a good day for the Orange Crush...

Say it ain't so, Joe.

Another early exit? Another one!?!? You usually make it to the second round and then play dead.

The Ducks cruised to a 4-0 win over the Sharks in last night's Game Four in Anaheim. Bobby Ryan notched his third and fourth goals of the playoffs, Ryan Getzlaf continued to lead the Anaheim attack with two helpers, and Jonas Hiller maintained his ownership of the Sharks, stopping all 31 shots he faced.

The bottom line is the Sharks' top guns aren't willing to pay the price. Joe Thornton has two assists. Patrick Marleau has one goal. Devin Setoguchi has one assist. Their leading scorer is defenseman Rob Blake, who has three points.

On the other bench, Getzlaf has one goal and four assists, Ryan has four goals, and Corey Perry has one goal and one helper. That's 11 points for the Ducks' top line. San Jose's entire team only has 15 points.

The bottom line is Thornton has five goals in 39 playoff games with the Sharks. I don't care if you're a pass first player, that's just not going to cut it. 50 total points in 74 playoff games for a guy who has 842 points in 836 regular season games - a drop of over .33 points per-game. 'Nough said...

Over in Columbus, the Wings were able to finish off the Jackets in four games, compliments of a back-and-forth 6-5 victory. You have to feel a little for the Jackets, who were done in by a too many men on the ice penalty that resulted in the game-winner for the Wings, via Johan Franzen.

With the Red Wings victory, we know the Western Conference Semi-finals will look like this:

If the Ducks win:

(2) Detroit vs. (8) Anaheim
(3) Vancouver vs. (4) Chicago or (5) Calgary

If the Sharks win:

(1) San Jose vs. (4) Chicago or (5) Calgary
(2) Detroit vs. (3) Vancouver

In tonight's only action, the Blueshirts will try to put a nail in the Capital's coffin. Expect the Rangers to need to weather the storm early, as the Caps will come out of the gate ablaze...

Brodeur One-ups Ward as Devils Take a 3-2 Series Advantage

86 shots. 85 saves. 1 goal.

Unfortunately for Cam Ward's Carolina Hurricanes, the one blemish on the scoresheet belonged to the Devils' David Clarkson.

With under nine minutes left in the second period and the Devils on the power-play, Clarkson was able to deflect an Andy Greene point shot past Cam Ward and into the back of the net.

That was all Marty Brodeur and the Devils' stingy team defense would need.

Brodeur was able to make a variation of saves down the stretch to keep Jersey clinging to a one goal advantage. At the other end of the ice, Cam Ward was able to do the same to give his team the chance for the equalizer.

That equalizer never arrived for Carolina, despite 16 third period shots. Eric Staal was around the net all game, throwing seven pucks at the Devils' netminder. Jussi Jokinen, the Game Four hero, was promoted from the fourth line and logged over 18 minutes of ice time. He turned in another splendid effort for Carolina.

For the Devils, Brendan Shanahan had what was undoubtedly his best game of the series, launching the rubber disk at Cam Ward five times in over 19 minutes of ice time. Paul Martin continued to be the go-to-guy on the Devils' back-line, logging upwards of 27 minutes while going up against the Canes top guns. Clarkson continued to be a thorn in Carolina's side in front of the net.

As a spectator, this series has been an absolute treat. Both teams are laying it all on the line, and are willing to pay the price shift in and shift out. If you aren't driving to the net 110%, don't even bother. If Brodeur or Ward can see the shot, they will stop it 99% of the time - they are playing that well. Heck, even if they can't see the shot they are still stopping it 90% of the time.

For the Canes, they will attempt to use the energy that will be provided by their fans in the friendly confines of Raleigh for Game Six. For the Devils, they will need to continue to play within their longstanding playoff identity - team defense.

I remember the last Devils' game I attended. Some little snot behind me kept chanting "Marty's better," over and over again.

Tonight he was bang-on.

Around the Rink

With two tickets to the conference semi-finals already punched, six spots still remain. Vancouver and Boston will have some time to rest their black and blues while awaiting their next round's opponent...

Out West, the Ducks will play host to the Sharks tonight in a pivotal Game Four. Anaheim is up 2-1, so tonight's outcome will go a long way to deciding if the Sharks will sink or swim. If this contest is a high scoring affair like Game Three, and make no mistake, a 4-3 outcome is high scoring between these two solid defensive teams, than Anaheim could be in trouble. They cannot allow Boyle and Blake to get their names on the scoresheet as often as they did in their previous outing....

Detroit will have a chance to eliminate the Jackets tonight in Columbus. I expect Detroit to keep their foot on the gas, knowing that they will need all the rest they can get throughout the post-season...

Last night, Calgary was able to deadlock their series with Chicago at two apiece, due in large part to the contributions put forth by Eric Nystrom, whose potted two goals and two assists in the last two tilts. Getting four points and a game-winning goal in two games from a guy who had 5 goals and 10 points during the entire regular season is a major plus for the Flames. Like Father, like son, I guess...

Moving to the east, the Devils and Canes will square off tonight in Newark. Tied at two games apiece, it goes without saying how important this game is. Brodeur and Ward will need to be at the top of their games. I expect a big game from Eric Staal...

In Steel-town, the Flyers will be facing elimination at the hands of Sid's Penguins. For the Flyers to stay alive, they will need a better all-around effort than they received in Game Four, especially from Briere, Giroux, and Carter. For the Pens, they just need to keep their eyes on the prize. It's a tall task ahead for the guys in orange, but if they can get this one back to Philly for Game Six, who knows what will happen?

The Rangers/Caps series will be on hiatus tonight, and resume tomorrow night in D.C. Get some rest Henrik, get some rest....

Lundqvist Takes Lead Role on Broadway

Henrik Lundqvist proved, for the third time in this series, why there is no position in sports that can have as big an affect on the outcome of a sporting event as that of an NHL goaltender.

The King stopped 38 of the 39 shots that were thrown at him, including 10 of 11 from Alex Ovechkin, to push the Caps to the brink of elimination.

Ovechkin was able to cut the Blueshirts' lead to one with 18 minutes left in regulation, virtue of a blazing snapper that ringed off the crossbar and in. It is worth noting that the Morris-Mara pairing was on the ice.

With under ten minutes left in regulation, Sean Avery nearly blew it for the Rangers. He took two bone-headed penalties, both in the offensive zone, which gave the Capitals' deadly power-play two chances to tie the tilt.

But, the Rangers were able to show why they boast the best penalty-kill in the league...and arguably the best tender in the world.

The Great Eight was like a man possessed in the third period. He did everything in his power to tie the game...but Lundqvist was simply too strong.

What cannot be forgotten is the effort of Blueshirts' Captain Chris Drury. Playing with what I suspect to be a broken or fractured wrist, he was able to notch his 17th game-winning playoff goal after a crucial blunder by Simeon Varlamov. Drury tossed an easy shot in on the young Caps' netminder, but after booting the easy catch, Drury was able to follow his shot, find the puck trickle outside the crowd in front of the net, and snap it upstairs.

For the Caps to win three straight, there is one glaring hole in their game that must be fixed.

They need Mike Green to, well...not suck?

Green was awful tonight. The Rangers have done an excellent job of making him go back into his own end and retrieve pucks. It's possible New York had more hits on Mike Green than they had shots on Simeon Varlamov.

The Rangers should consider themselves fortunate. They were fortunate to get away with giving the Caps six power-plays. They were fortunate to escape a game in which their power-play continued to drop the ball.

But the Blueshirts are most fortunate to have Henrik Lundqvist standing between the pipes...

Andy Murray's Club Leaves St. Louis Fans Feeling Anything But Blue

The date was January 19th, 2009. The Blues were sitting in last place in the Western Conference, and decimated by injuries. Erik Johnson had been out for the entire season. Captain Eric Brewer joined him. Paul Kariya had been out of the line-up since the eleventh game of the season and never returned. Andy McDonald continued to be thwarted in his attempts at an early comback from injury. Rookie T.J. Oshie was suffering from an upper ankle sprain.

That night, they visited the first place Boston Bruins.

Down two late in the game, the Blues were able to rally back and score two goals with under a minute left in regulation to tie the contest. They proceeded to win in a shootout.

From that point forward they had the best record in the entire NHL.

The Blues got large contributions from Nashville cast-off Chris Mason in net, forcing them to exile Manny Legace to the minors, along with steady defensive play from stay-at-home defenseman Barret Jackman and former Maple Leaf Carlo Colaiacovo.

Upfront, the Blues received large contributions from the expected, in the form of Brad Boyes, Andy McDonald, and Keith Tkachuk, but also from their youngsters - sophmore David Perron, and Rookies T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund. David Backes became a force once moved to center, scoring 31 goals, including a phenomenal four goal game against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Red Wings.

Down the stretch, T.J. Oshie was the straw that stirred the drink. He electrified St. Louis with bone-jarring hits, anchored the first unit power-play at the point, and was arguably the Blue's best penalty-killer. He took home rookie of the month honors in March with 13 points in 14 games, and helped anchor a line with Berglund and Perron that was a large reason why the Blues were able to scratch and claw their way into the playoffs.

When John Davidson came to town, he revolutionized the Blues' culture. He made tickets more affordable, put the right guys in charge, and made the Blues a fan favorite in Missouri once again. One of his best moves was undoubtedly the acquisition of Andy Murray's services.

Murray has been able to bring along the Blues' youngsters, while still getting the best out of his veterans, to create a successful blend of old and new. He was able to construct the defense in a fashion that made them much better than the sum of their parts. Simply put, he made them a team.

The Blues may have been swept by Vancouver, but by no means do they have anything to be ashamed about.

The brightest days are still ahead in St. Louis...

Canes' Role Players Come Up Big, Fleury Stands Tall

.2 Seconds. It can make all the difference in the world...or in this case, a critical Game Four in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Carolina was up 3-0 until the 19:32 mark of the second period, when Brian Gionta was sprung for a breakaway. He was able to beat Cam Ward to cut the lead to two heading into the intermission. Two defensive miscues and two rebounds later, finished by Brendan Shanahan and David Clarkson, and we had ourselves a tie game.

With little time left in regulation, it seemed that that the Canes and Devils were in store for yet another overtime conclusion.

They weren't.

Dennis Seidenberg's wrister with time waning in regulation redirected off of Jussi Jokinen's left skate and into the back of the net with .2 seconds showing on the clock.

My hat's off to the Canes for being able to battle through what had to be an emotional let down after surrending a 3-0 lead with less than 21 minutes left in the game.

The fact is, this game had the potential to be very ugly in favor of the Canes. Marty Brodeur played a superb game, stopping 42 shots to allow his team the chance for the comeback.

The storyline for Carolina is clearly the play of their depth forwards. Ryan Bayda and Chad Larose scored their second career playoff goals...their first goals came in the last contest. Back-to-back games with a goal from a third and a fourth liner, in the playoffs no less, is a coach's dream. Scott Walker was all over the place, as well, notching his second straight game with a helper.

The Bayda-Jokinen-Walker line combined for 2 goals, 1 assist, and 8 shots....all in a combined 25:45 in ice-time.

Carolina is heading back to the swamps of Jersey (or should I say the refurbished slums of Newark now? anyway...) tied at two games apiece, and their offensive depth is the key reason why...

Further up on I-95, the Flyers weren't as lucky.

Despite peppering Marc-Andre Fleury with 46 shots, the Flyers will be heading back to Steel-town facing elimination.

Mike Richards played an excellent game, and Daniel Carcillo ignited the fans in the third, but it just wasn't enough to overcome a tremendous effort by Fleury.

In the battle of the 3rd lines, the Penguins were victorious. Tyler Kennedy showed some poise in the slot after taking a pass from Matt Cooke, moving the puck from forehand to backhand, and then inserting it behind Marty Biron and into the twine. The Giroux and Briere tandem was unable to be the x-factor, as they were on Sunday, in a game that Philly so desperately needed to win.

0 for 8 on the power-play. A snake-bitten Jeff Carter. The elements for success weren't there for Philly tonight, despite vastly outplaying Pittsburgh for the last 30 minutes, or so.

The Flyers now face a mountain that will be tough to climb...

Eastern Conference Roundup

With three games played in each Eastern Conference matchup, it's a great time to evalulate how each best-of-seven is shaping up...with a musical twist. Here we go...

(1) Boston Bruins lead (8) Montreal Canadiens 3-0.

"I used to rule the world,
Seas would rise when I gave the word.
Now in the morning I sleep alone,
Sweep the streets I used to own.
I used to roll the dice,
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes.
Listened as the crowd would sing,
Now the old king is dead long live the king."
Coldplay, Viva La Vida

One year ago, the Canadiens were Montreal's sweetheart. One year ago, they were the one seed and the Bruins the eight. One year ago, Montreal was able to get out of the first round alive.

This year? Not so much.

The Bruins have dominated this series anyway you look at it. I said the Habs had no chance going in. I said they had no chance despite a solid effort in Game One. Obviously they have no chance now, down three games to none.

(7) New York Rangers lead (2) Washington Capitals 2-1.

"Talk about a dream,
Try to mak it real,
You wake up in the night,
With a fear so real.
Spend your life waiting for a moment,
That just don't come,
Well, don't waste your time waiting.
Badlands, you gotta live it everyday.
Let the broken heart stand,
As the price you've gotta pay.
We'll keep pushin' till it's understood,
And these badlands start treating us good."
Bruce Springsteen, Badlands

In Games One and Two, the Rangers paid the price. The King played great between the pipes, and the Rangers did their best to help him out. They blocked shots left and right, backchecked with a vengeance, and had some timely scoring.

In Game Three, the Caps paid the price. They smothered the Rangers defensively, while their big guns put the game away offensively.

This series will boil down to who will pay the price from this point onward.

(3) New Jersey Devils lead (6) Carolina Hurricanes 2-1.

"He says, son, can you play me a melody?
I'm not really sure how it goes,
But it's sad and it's sweet,
And I knew it complete,
When I wore a younger man's clothes."
Billy Joel, Piano Man

Carolina and New Jersey both know how the song of success goes. Cam Ward's Canes danced to its beat in 2006, while Marty's Devils grooved to its rhythm in 1995, 2000, and 2003.

This series has been an old fashioned grudge match. The last two matches have been hard fought on both sides, with each tilt registering as an overtime 'W' for each side - the Canes in Game Two and the Devils in Game Three.

For the Devils to win, they will need to keep getting Herculean efforts from Zach Parise upfront and Paul Martin on the blueline. For the Hurricanes, they will need more from their top line of Staal, Cole, and Ruutu.

Seven games here wouldn't surprise me.

(4) Pittsburgh Penguins lead (5) Philadelphia Flyers 2-1.

"Guess who just got back today?
Them wild-eyed boys that had been away.
Haven't changed, haven't got much to say,
But man, I still think them cats are crazy...
The boys are back in town."
Thin Lizzy, The Boys Are Back in Town

Well, it took three games, but the Philadelphia Flyers have entered into the ring.

After Pittsburgh outplayed the Flyers in Games One and Two, the Flyers put forth an excellent effort in Game Three to bring the series within reach.

Crosby and Malkin have played great in each game. The big guns for the Flyers, on the other hand, were absent up until Game Three.

For the Pens to advance they will need to get back to the extra effort they put forth in Games One and Two. They will also need a better defensive effort than in Game Three, along with better goaltending from M-A Fleury, who was superb before the series headed to Philadelphia. If the Flyers are to come back and win the series, they will need big efforts from Carter and Richards, as usual, but also continued efforts from Briere and Giroux on the "third line." They have done nothing to slow down Crosby and Malkin, which can only be accomplished through a total team effort.

Stay tuned...

Backstrom Shines on Broadway

Alex Ovechkin had two helpers. Alex Semin had two goals and an assist. 20 year-old Simeon Varlamov had a 33 save shut-out.

But the story of Game Three was oft-forgotten superstar Nicklas Backstrom.

Backstrom turned in a truly "Foresbergian" effort. He initiated contact while maintaining control of the puck, won face-offs, killed penalties, and most importantly, made the key play on three of the Caps' four strikes.

The fact that Backstrom gets as few accolades as he does has always left me disgruntled. People love to credit him as being the lucky S.O.B. who plays with Ovechkin.

That's far from the case.

Once heralded as the best player outside of the NHL, only a year after he was drafted, no less, Backstrom has been an absolute force in his first two seasons in the big leagues, registering 157 points in 164 regular season games to go along with 10 points in 10 playoff tilts.

Backstrom plays a very similar game to that of a fellow Swede you might have heard of, Peter Forsberg. He initiates contact while still controlling the puck down low, has elite vision, soft hands, and a willingness to to play in all three zones.

Sure, the Caps' rookie goaltender also had a phenomenal performance...a 33 save shutout...in his first NHL back-to-back start...under the brightest lights in the Western Hemisphere.

But, I credit a lot of that to the Caps' excellent play in their defensive zone, combined with a large number of perimeter shots with little traffic that Varlamov was able to gobble right up. Don't get me wrong, though, the kid played a heckuva game inbetween the pipes.

The Rangers just didn't bring it tonight. Too much standing around. Not enough discipline. A failure to drive to the net. Not enough quality shots. A horrendous outing by the Mara and Morris pairing.

Chris Drury's injury is clearly affecting his ability to perform. He still cannot take face-offs, and Tortarella is only able to use him sparingly, and not at all on the penalty-kill.

Avery was an asset for the Caps tonight. 18 Pims. But, I'm sure he really sent Varlamov a message at the end of the game...that is, if Avery can speak fluently in Russian.

The turning point of the affair came virtue of a missed empty net by Ryan Callahan, who was hindered by the aforementioned Backstrom. Just seconds later, Semin was able to convert a Backstrom pass for his, and the Caps', second goal of the game.

The Rangers will need to turn in a much better perfomance in Game Four, or they will find themseleves going back to Capital City in a deadlock...

Day 5 Roundup

Oh, San Jose.

Every year prior to the playoffs we hear the same questions - Is San Jose finally going to have a successful playoff run? Will Joe Thornton show up? Can Patrick Marleau lead?

Well, thus far, no, no, and no.

The Ducks shocked the San Jose faithful last night, taking Game Two 3-2. Now the Ducks will head back home to SoCal with a commanding 2-0 advantage.

In a game that was eerily similar to Game One, the Sharks threw everything on net...only problem being shots from the perimeter with little or no traffic in front don't typically produce good results come springtime hockey.

If the Sharks think they are paying the price and driving the net then they are sadly mistaken. The only line that was willing to pay the price and drive the net yesterday was the Clowe-Pavelski-Michalek unit. Thornton and Marleau were no where to be seen...especially when the game was on the line.

Kudos to the Ducks. They were willing to pay the price to keep San Jose from getting to the net, killed off every Sharks' man-advantage, and received quality goaltending from Hiller.

Another disappointing early exit for the Sharks could be in the making...

Game Three for the Blues left them feeling just that...blue. Another fairly evenly played game, another win for the Canucks.

It came down to special teams. The Canucks went 3 for 5 on the power-play while the Blues went 0 for 6, including two 5 on 3 man-advantages.

Chalk this win up to the ineptitude of the Blues' special teams or the prowess of the 'Nucks special teams, whichever way you want to look at it...

In Raleigh, the Devils were able to take a 2-1 series advantage in thanks to a Travis Zajac overtime marker.

Despite the absence of captain Jamie Langenbrunner, the Devils played a strong, passionate, systematically sound game. Paul Martin (assist) and Zach Parise (2 assists) continued to be the catalysts on defense and offense, respectively, for the Devils, while Martin Brodeur put forth a consistent effort inbetween the pipes.

One of the biggest moments in the game came at the end of the first period. With the game tied at one apiece and the first period about to come to an end, Joe Corvo made a horrible pass while pressured by Brendan Shanahan, which landed right on the tape of the diminutive Brian Gionta. Gionta dangled both Ray Whitney and Cam Ward's pokecheck, then slid the puck neatly between Ward's legs.

It's these timely mistakes that can make or break a series...

Flyers Fight Back on Broad Street

It didn't take long for Jeff Carter to atone for his critical miss in Game Two.

Just three minutes into the game, and with the Penguins starting the game with a bang, Jeff Carter was able to swoop into the offensive zone, take a Joffrey Lupul drop pass, dangle Bill Guerin (who at this point in his career is kind of like a pylon with a stick), and make a sweet deke to the backhand to put his team up 1-0.

One Mike Richards power-play goal later, and the home fans were flying high.

But the Penguins were able to fight back, aided by their two big guns. Evgeni Malkin was able to slide home a great pass by Ruslan Fedotenko after an excellent forecheck by Maxime Talbot at the end of the first. Then, right off the second period opening draw, Crosby made a great play to set-up Rob Scuderi for a point shot that tied the contest at two.

Continuing with the theme of redemption, Claude Giroux, who took an atrocious penalty to put his team down two men in overtime in Game Two, was able to take over the game in the second period. He first registered on a pass from Danny Briere (2 assists), and then put forth an excellent effort while shorthanded to set-up Simon Gagne for what amounted to be the game winning goal.

Richards also got off the snide, playing a superb overall game and breaking up countless plays in the Philadelphia defensive zone (rumor has it he will also be rewarded with a rub n' a tug courtesy of Pierre McGuire as an after game treat).

Credit John Stevens for switching up his line-matches, putting Carter against Crosby and Richards against Malkin. Even though they didn't shut them down (Crosby and Malkin both had quality games), the match-ups did produce much better results for the Flyers offensively.

The Penguins received great efforts from Crosby (2 assists) and Malkin (2 goals), but their overall team defense was ugly. Too many break-downs and shotty goaltending from Marc-Andre Fleury isn't the recipe for playoff success.

Chalk this entertaining game up as a much needed 'W' for the Flyers. If they continute to get strong efforts from all four lines, especially the Briere and Giroux unit, their outlook looks promising...

In Night Action, Wings, B's, and Hawks Go Up 2-0

Two ugly, lopsided wins. One comeback win. Three similar series results.

In Detroit, you couldn't help but feel a little empathy for the Jackets. The Wings were at the top of their game - Datsyuk was dangling, Zetterberg was controlling, Hossa was flying...Columbus just couldn't match up.

The bottom line is if Osgood plays "well" - not above average, not great, just okay - Detroit has the best chance to have their names engraved into Lord Stanley's Cup, yet again...

Over in beantown, Bob Gainey was probably asking the troops after the game why the nineteen guys not named "Kovalev" even bothered showing up last night. The Habs were thoroughly outplayed from start to finish.

This is exactly the reason I said after Game One that the Habs have no shot in this series. The Bruins didn't play like they can in Game One, while the Canadiens put forth a solid team effort...and they still lost. In Game Two, the Bruins played with the energy and poise that made them the cream of the crop in the east during the regular season.

As if the beatdown on the scoreboard wasn't bad enough, Patrice Bergeron - you know, the guy with two major concussions in the past year and a half or so - absolutely pummeled Josh Gorges in a battle of fisticuffs.

Well, there's aways the 101st season for Les Habitantes...

In the most entertaining of the three night games yesterday, the Hawks were able to storm back after going down 2-0 to put a stranglehold on the series, upending the Flames 3-2.

Jarome Iginla was much better than in Game One, registering a goal and an assist, but in the end it didn't matter. Jonathon Toews scored the Hawks first goal on the power-play to get the 22, 514 fans at United Center out of their seats. Patrick Sharp was able to tie the contest at two with 6 minutes remaining in the second, converting an excellent backhanded feed from Patrick Kane.

With just 25 seconds remaining in the second period, Toews was able to score his second of the game, finishing off of a horrendous rebound from Miikka Kiprusoff to put the Hawks up for good.

Jonathon Toews is destined for playoff greatness. There is a reason why Hawks' management made this 20 year-old the team's captain - the kid just knows how to lead....

Here's who I like to win today:

Flyers over Pens 4-2. Danny Briere scores two power-play goals.

Blues over Nucks 2-1. T.J. Oshie breaks the deadlock in the second period and the Blues are able to hold onto the lead in the third.

Canes over Devils 4-2. Eric Staal has two goals and an assist as the Canes cruise in a fast paced affair.

Sharks over Ducks 3-1. Dan Boyle and Rob Blake each have a goal apiece from the blue-line for the boys in teal.

"The King" Rules Supreme Over the "Great 8"

Thanks to a remarkable performace by Hank Lundqvist and a first period Ryan Callahan conversion off of a pass from Markus Naslund, the Rangers are heading back to MSG with a 2-0 advantage over Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

The Rangers were able to limit the quality of the Caps' chances with a strong team defense and tenacious back-checking, and even when they weren't, Lundqvist was there to bail them out. Wade Redden had another strong game, while Marc Staal was able to not only contain AO, but hold him completely off the scoreboard. Ryan Callahan continued to play his heart out, laying the body on anybody in a red jersey, while also scoring the lone marker of the contest.

The Rangers' face-offs and penalty killing were much better in Game Two. Although the presence of Captain Chris Drury was helpful, his injury (probably an armor wrist), prevented him from taking many draws or playing a roll a man-down.

The Caps, who replaced ridiculed netminder Jose Theodore with rookie Simeon Varlamov, were unable to find a way to beat Lundqvist, despite some excellent chances. Ovechkin was trying to do too much by himself, Semin was playing soft (as exhibited when he swung his purse at Callahan to take a foolish penalty late in the game), and Mike Green was unable to supply any offense from the back-end.

Two things the Caps can take away from this game are that they outshot the Rangers by a wide margin for the second straight game, and also received some top notch goaltending from the 20 year-old Varlamov.

Unfortunately for the Caps, moral victories are few and far between in the playoffs.

Day Three Roundup

What has happened to the Philadelphia Flyers?

In a series that was supposed to be a the marquee match-up of the first round, the Flyers have failed to hold up their end of the bargain. Although they played a systematically sound defensive game, limiting break-downs and forcing the Penguins into some lower percentage shots, they failed to play with any passion or desire.

Fly-byes in the defensive zone. Not finishing checks. Not burying chances that could seal the game (cough, cough, Jeff Carter).

There is absolutely no way Mike Richards is playing at full strength. I refuse to believe it. He has looked absolutey brutal of late, including these first two games of the playoffs.

The funny part is, the Flyers were one Jeff Carter empty net away from stealing Game Two, despite not having their "A" game. A miraculous save by Fleury coupled by Carter not bearing down paved the way for an unfortunate holding call on Jeff Carter late in the third (bad call, but live I thought for sure it was a blatant hooking call, and I had the same angle as the official). On the resulting power-play, Pittsburgh was able to capitalize compliments of a Kris Letang shot which changed direction off of Evgeni Malkin's leg and into the back of the net.

Tie game.

OT can be summarized easily. Unnecessary penalty by Knuble. Giroux acting his age to give the Pens a two man advantage. Billy Guerin. Goal.

Game Over....

Over in Newark, Carolina was able to even the series at one apiece last night, courtesy of a Tim Gleason overtime marker.

I thought it was fitting that Gleason got the game winner. The guy gets no press, but he's a heckuva a defenseman. He's played efficient, sound hockey in front of Cam Ward all season, and is a big reason that Ward was able to post 39 wins during the regular season.

It was nice to see him get the game-winner and have his day in the sun...

Up in the land of our northern brother, the Canucks were able to defeat the Blues 3-0 (including an empty-netter).

As a hockey fan, this had everything you could want from a playoff game. Every hit was finished. Blocked shots galore. Quality chances on both sides. Raging fans. Goaltenders making big save after big save. End of the game shenanigans (unless your Gary Bettman).

Roberto Luongo, who registered his first playoff shutout, was perfect. It helped that Andy McDonald, who was all over the place and seemed to be on the ice for the entire game, clanked the iron three different times.

It was one of those games you left saying both teams deserved a 'W.' Unfortunately for St. Louis, that's not the way it works. Their forwards played much better than they did in Game One, their defense continued to be solid, and Chris Mason did his best to battle against Roberto Luongo.

If you're the Blues, you have to feel confident that you can go back to your own barn and take two games there. They were right there in Game Two. Plus, one Paul Kariya might be lacing them up come Game Three. That would be a huge boost...

The Ducks Steal Home Ice, The B's Roll, and Chris Osgood Realizes it's Spring

Jean-Sebastian Giguere has reached two Stanley Cup Finals, has one Conn Smythe, and owns one Stanley Cup Ring from 2007.

But, if the Ducks are going to have success this spring, it will be with youngster Jonas Hiller between the pipes.

Hiller was able to claw away the starting gig from Giguere down the stretch, and did nothing to relinquish his hold on his job last night, shutting out the President Trophy Winning San Jose Sharks in a two to nothing victory.

Ryan Getzlaf showed why he is an bona-fide stud with a goal and an assist, while the Ducks were able to use an excellent team defense to limit the Sharks to shots from the perimeter.

If this surprised you, it shouldn't have. A team with either Niedermayer or Pronger on the ice almost every minute of every game will always be dangerous come playoff time. As soon as they start going out there on the same defensive pair, typically when they are up late in the third, you know it's game over.

Was Joe Thornton dressed last night? I couldn't even tell...

The Bruins/Habs game proved to me that the Habs have no shot in this series. I thought the B's played a fairly vanilla game, while the Habs were able to up their intensity as opposed to the regular season. I thought the Canadiens had an excellent team effort....and the they still lost 4-2 (including an empty netter).

The end of the game stupidity displayed by the Canadiens will just add fuel to fire for the likes of Lucic and Chara...all the while making those who hate the Canadiens (myself included), hate them even more. Seriously, Plekanec, Lapierre, Koivu...no class...

Over in Mo-Town, somebody must've told Chris Osgood it was playoff season. After a dismal regular season, Osgood was able to shut the door early on Columbus, making some truly brilliant saves. In the second and third it was all Detroit. When you give up four goals to Detroit, and Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Hossa, Lidstrom, and Rafalski combine for just one point, you know you're in trouble...

Havlat Ties It, Then Wins It in OT

A healthy Marty Havlat did wonders for the Hawks during the regular season.

Tonight he left the Flames wondering where they went wrong.

Although Toews and Kane get a majority of the accolades, Havlat was clearly the teams' MVP this season. He was the team's leader in points and assists, all the while playing on a checking line with Dave Bolland and Andrew Ladd. Towards the end of the season, the Hawks went with all the big guns on one line, as he moved up to the Kane and Toews unit.

But back to tonight...

With under six minutes left in the game, and the Hawks at risk of losing the home ice edge, Havlat was able to convert his own rebound past a sliding Kiprusoff to tie the contest at two apiece. Then, only 12 seconds into OT, he was able to snap a pass from Bolland by a distracted Calgary Goaltender.

Winning game one at home was of the utmost importance for this young Blackhawks team. For a team of younger players, confidence is vital. I thought Chicago's young core was able to get their feet wet quickly in their first taste of the post-season, and didn't seem too out of sorts, especially as the game wore on.

Winning Game One will go a long way towards giving the Hawks that all-important key to any playoff series - confidence.

Day One Roundup

Here is some food for thought after Day One of the playoffs...

I didn't really think the Blues played "their game." Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a "bad" outing, and they only lost by one...I just didn't like their forwards' jam. I expect them to be a lot more into the series from this point out; they are a young team after all, especially up front...

The Sedins played well. I thought they competed hard. Their early success bodes well for the 'Nucks. Their defense, goaltending, and role players will contribute, but for this team to have Cup aspirations the Sedins will have to fire at, or near, a point-per game pace...

Some silver-lining for Philadelphia fans (and this may seem to be a stretch) - it was better to be embarrassed 4-1 than to lose a tight game. Reason being, if this doesn't get the boys in orange going, I don't know what will. Losing handily to your rival in the first game of the playoffs should be embarrassing. I expect a better effort Game Two...so long as Timonen is okay after getting nicked up...

Game One of the Carolina/Jersey Series was anything but what I expected. Carolina seemed to forget the effort and passion that propelled them into the playoffs, while the Devils really had some jump. Cam Ward didn't have his best game, but he also got very little support. Memo to Carolina forwards: shoot the puck often, and throw it at Brodeur's feet from bad angles. Anyone who has watched the Devils on a regular basis should know this...

Will we see Varlamov in Game Two in Our Nation's Capital? Only time will tell, as Bruce Boudreau is apparently mulling it over...

Dubinsky's Dancing, Gomez's 2nd, and Lundqvist's Heroics Spell Doom for the Caps

In a game that was "Example A" of why stats have no importance in the playoffs, the Rangers were able to scratch and claw home ice away from the Capitals. Without their captain, Chris Drury (Upper-Body Injury from a blocked shot...but who really knows), the Blueshirts were able to take the lead in this best-of-seven series thanks to a great dangle-and-roof-daddy by Dubinsky, a dominant three point performance in the second from Scottie Gomez, and a spectacular performance from Lundqvist.

Despite the Caps' stars (Ovechkin and Green) having dominant games, despite outshooting the Rangers by 14, despite being given seven power-plays, and despite pounding (understatement) their opposition in the face-off circle, the Caps couldn't find a way to win the one stat that matters- goals scored.

Wade Redden (yes, that bum) had a surprisingly solid game, while Antropov and Naslund (despite some stupid penalties) contributed on offense.

It's important to note that Drury was clearly missed. The Rangers lacked that dominant second penalty-killing tandem up front, and were also pummeled on the dots.

If I were Bruce Boudreau, Theodore would be on a short-leash. He by no means cost his team the game tonight, but that Gomez goal was brutal, and he was two Callahan-post shots away from allowing two more goals of questionable validity.

Great win for New York. The Rangers found a way to "Block the Red" (okay, brutal pun on the Caps' slogan, but you get the point).

"Ice Meets Metal, Can't You Drive Me Down to the Big Leagues?"

The Stanley Cup Playoffs. Heroes. Villains. 4th Liners making headlines. Sudden-death OT. "Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!" Red Wings vs. Avalanche. Keith Primeau's morning glory versus Pittsburgh. Claude Lemieux. Habs over B's. Jean-Sebastian Giguere. Ken Dryden. Patrick Roy. Cam Ward. Upsets. Game 7's.

Excuse me if I'm giddy.

The long journey to hockey immortality begins tonight, as the Caps host the Rangers, the Battle of PA re-ignites, the Canes visit Newark, and the Blues try to prevent the clock from striking midnight in Vancouver.

To recap, here are my picks:

Bruins over the Habs in 5.
Rangers upsetting the Caps in 7.
Canes beating Marty and the boys in 6.
Flyers over Sid's Pens in 7.
Sharks in 6 versus the Ducks.
Detroit in 5 over the Jackets.
'Nucks in 7 against St. Louis.
Hawks up-ending Keenen's Flames in 6.

At the end of the day, I like whoever comes out of the Pittsburgh/Philadelphia series to come out of the east. So give me the Flyers (grrr) advancing there.

Out west, I still got to go with the Wings, despite their goaltending problems.

The Wings in six over Mike Richards' squad in the final.

NHL Draft Lottery

In what was once a two horse race, the NHL Draft Lottery has seemingly turned into the "John Tavares Sweepstakes." Due in large part to an excellent World Juniors, along with a less than inspiring performance from the 6'7'' Swedish force, Victor Hedman (due in large part to a shoulder injury but that's a whole other story), the draft lottery has turned into a drawing for the services of the "Next, Next, Next One" - or whatever "Next" we are on now.

Here's how the odds of obtaining the first overall pick break-down for the league's worst:

1. New York Islanders - 48.2 %
2. Tampa Bay Lightning - 18.8 %
3. Colorado Avalanche - 14.2 %
4. Atlanta Thrashers - 10.7 %
5. Los Angeles Kings - 8.1 %

If the Isles are awarded the top pick, they need to go with Tavares. They are in dire need of a marquee player with some star power (I like Kyle Okpose and Mark Streit but they aren't it), and most importantly it could help in their efforts to get the funding they need from Nassau County for a new arena.

If I were the Lightning, as tempting as it would be to have a Stamkos-Tavares connection, I'd be either taking Hedman at #1 or trading down to the #2 spot and taking Hedman there. Their defense is an absolute joke...they need a bona-fide potential #1 on the blue-line...and a #2, and a #3...

As far as the Avs, Thrashers, and Kings go, I'm thinking Tavares all the way. Boy, could you imagine if the Kings won first overall? They have enough young talent as it is.

Western Conference Playoff Predictions

In part two of my playoff predictions, I'm going to give you the low down out west. Although the east may have the star power and traditional rivalries, the west will feature four series with just as much promise.

(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (8) Anaheim Ducks

The Sharks have had a magical regular season under new coach, and former assistant coach with Detroit, Todd McLellan. Led by an active defense and a strong puck possession attack that strongly resembles that of Detroit, the Sharks put together a 117 point campaign. They possess one of the best offensive defenseman in the league, and a cup winner, in Dan Boyle. Joe Thornton is arguably the most dominant player in the game when he gets the puck on his stick down low. Patrick Marleau has thus far answered his critics after a previous season in which he had many crying for his dismissal as team captain.

But, quite frankly, who cares?

Despite three seasons of 99, 107, and 108 points since the lock-out, the Sharks have been chronic playoff underachievers. Three consecutive exits in the conference semi-finals. Three terrific seasons and zero conference final appearances.

If their past playoff demons aren’t enough to deal with, they were dealt another blow when it was determined that they would play the Ducks. Anaheim has been on a roll to end the season, going 7-2-1. Scott Niedermayer is playing at the Norris Trophy level we’ve all come to expect, and Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Calder candidate Bobby Ryan comprise an imposing top line.

This sure-to-be physical series boils down to three things:

1. Will Jonas Hiller be able to match-up efficiently vs. Evgeni Nabokov?
2. Can Anaheim get secondary scoring?
3. Will Anaheim stay out of the box?

I think Hiller has a bright future. In this series, he doesn’t need to outplay Nabokov, necessarily, just play sound hockey. Andrew Ebbett and Teemu Selanne need to match or atleast somewhat negate the scoring exploits of the Michalek-Pavelski-Clowe unit.

But most importantly, the Ducks need to stay out of the box. They tend to take stupid penalties, start pissing matches with the stripes, and then take more bad penalties…especially versus a quick team like San Jose. I personally feel they sometimes get the short-end of the stick…but that comes with the territory.

At the end of the day, the Sharks are just too much. If the Sharks are smart, they will lay the body on Niedermayer and Pronger, the Ducks’ minute-munchers, and never relent.

Prediction: Sharks in 6

(2) Detroit Red Wings vs. (7) Columbus Blue Jackets

Well, it only took 8 seasons and the year of the lock-out, but the Jackets’ faithful will finally be part of the NHL playoffs. Think about some of the things that have happened since the Jackets’ inception in 2000:

- The Red Wings won the Central Division…every season.
- Tiger Woods won 51 events and 12 majors.
- George W. Bush systematically destroyed America.
- Each Member of the pop-group “Hanson” married their significant other.

But those days are behind us. Rick Nash and potential Calder Winner Steve Mason have been the driving force behind Ken Hitchcock’s resurgence project. They possess a defense that is much greater than the sum of its parts, and a defensive system that frustrates the heck out of its opposition.

Detroit frustrates its opponents, as well, but for a multitude of reasons. To start with, they always have the puck. In the new NHL, puck possession is key. With two-way studs like Pavel
Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, and Marian Hossa, and a back-line that features perennial Norris Trophy Winner Nicklas Lidstrom, along with Brian Rafalski and Niklas
Kronwall, Detroit will force the play and capitalize off of turnovers.

The one aspect of the Wings game which has and should be ridiculed is the goaltending. Chris Osgood and Ty Conklin have not performed this season (understatement). Had the Wings had even a slightly below average stopper in net this season, they could’ve won 65 games.

What should be most worrisome for the Jackets is how they, and most importantly, Steve Mason, performed down the stretch. Mason has shown signs of fatigue, while the team has given up more quality chances than they have all season. It is also clear that opposing teams have solved Mason...atleast to an extent (for the record, you should be looking high blocker). If the Jackets are to advance, the play of Antoine Vermette and R.J. Umberger will have a lot to do with it. They both have the intangibles to be playoff performers, something Umberger has already proven.

The Jackets have had an inspiring season, but it comes to an end here. They can’t score on the power-play, and the Wings are just too good five-on-five.

Prediction: Red Wings in 5.

(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) St. Louis Blues

Raise your hand if you had the 'Nucks winning the Northwest Division and the Blues making the playoffs at the beginning of the season. Okay, now raise your hand if you had the 'Nucks winning the Northwest Division and the Blues making the playoffs a month ago. No, still no takers?

These two teams come absolutely scorching into the playoffs. I'm talking about Michael Jackson "Thriller" scorching. Like, hot, really hot. Get the picture?

Vancouver's leading scorers (the Sedins), top-flight goalie (Bobby Lu), and solid defense has done a quality job...but they aren't the reason the Canucks finished as high in the standings as they did. The play of Alex Burrows and Ryan Kesler is what has propelled the Canucks into the 3-hole in the west. Vancouver management expected a solid defensive and gritty style of play from the former line-mates, and maybe some timely scoring.

They've gotten that and a whole lot more.

54 goals. 110 points. Not bad from two guys that were suppose to be your checkers, eh? Burrows has complimented the Sedins perfectly, while Kesler has done the same with Mats Sundin and Pavol Demitra.

While Columbus is an excellent story, the true Cinderella of the '09 Playoffs is undoubtedly the St. Louis Blues. These guys were decimated by injuries (Erik Johnson, Paul Kariya, Eric Brewer, Andy McDonald just to name a few), sitting in last place, dead last, out west as late as January!

On January 19th, they were able to score two goals with under a minute left in regulation to tie the Bruins. They proceeded to win in a shootout.

They never looked back.

Due in large part to the steady play of Nashville cast-off Chris Mason, the emergence of rookie T.J. Oshie, and the unspectacular but steady play of defensemen such as Barret Jackman, the Blues have scratched and clawed their way to the best record in the NHL since that win versus the Bruins.

There are character guys left and right in this series, so you know both teams will bring their hard helmets and lunch pails.

These questions will determine who wins this battle of wills:

1. Can Chris Mason continue to play well in the playoffs?
2. Will Barret Jackman shut-down the twins?
3. Can St. Louis's rookies adapt to the high-tempo, grueling style that the playoffs offers?

I'd say yes, somewhat, and yes and no. Follow?

Mason's play has been strong ever since he took the reigns from Manny Legace, and I see no reason for that to change now. He's got a steady-as-they-go defense in front of him, and his confidence has to be at an all-time high.

Jackman has his hands full with the Sedin line. Some people think the Sedins aren't playoff performers...questionable. For me, the jury is still out. But, I will say I don't think the Sedins will shy away from the physical presence of the Blues. They will come ready to play.

Ah, and the Blues's rookies. Perron, Berglund, and Oshie. These guys will need to produce if the Blues are to advance. I know Oshie will be ready. Think of Zach Parise meets Dougy Gilmour (in his prime) with a more defensive and less offensive twist. Oshie is a stud, and he already plays the point on the top power-play unit to go along with some special skills on the penalty-kill. I really like Perron and Berglund...but I'm not sure if they are ready to shine on the big stage just yet.

If Kariya comes back for the playoffs, that will give the Blues a huge boost. Don't forget how well this guy started the season.

This one will be rough and tough. But, hey, when it's close, it always helps to have Roberto Luongo between the pipes for your side.

Prediction: Canucks in 7

(4) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (5) Calgary Flames

Chicago's new darling, meet Calgary's favorite head-ache.

In a series of two very different teams, it's hard to know where to start. The Hawks possess a young and talented team, which has been well documented in the media. Toews and Kane, Kane and Toews. We get it.

But there are three players at three different positions that have really been the difference for Chi-town this season. These players are Martin Havlat, whose finally stayed healthy and was the Hawks' leading scorer, Nikolai Khabibulin, who has overcome being put on waivers, re-entry waivers, and rumours of going back to Europe to put together an excellent campaign, and Duncan Keith, who has been the heart-and-soul of the Hawks' defensive unit for two years now.

Calgary, on the other hand, is a team that confuses the hell out of me.

For starters, the last week and half they've been playing games with basically three lines and six defensemen because they are so close to the cap. They also played liked a word that rhymes with cap.

Iginla will lead, Kipper will stop the puck, and....well, those are the only two things you can ever really count on in Calgary. And with Kipper playing in so many games this season, there is no freakin' way he isn't atleast a little fatigued. Phaneuf has had a bad season, and could be injured. Robyn Reghr is on the shelf and Sarich is also nicked up.

Can Calgary come together and win this one?

Eh...maybe?

This series is a difficult one as well. Calgary has the perfect make-up for the playoffs when they are firing on all cylinders: they are tough, experienced, and have great goaltending.

But, I like the Hawks in this one. The main reason why is the two defenses. The Hawks are healthy and whole, while the Flames are black and blue.

Who knows, maybe Kipper and Iginla will save the day? I don't think so.

Prediction: Blackhawks in 6.