Well, things are starting to get clearer now. The Pens advance and the Blackhawks can end it in six against the Predators. Can San Jose knock off the Avs? We'll find out.
Chicago: 5; Nashville: 4; OT Chicago leads the series 3-2 One wonders how this game would have looked if Nashville would have mustered more than 21 shots. But they didn't and Marian Hossa's OT goal was able to put it over the top. How Niklas Hjalmarsson was not named a star tonight is beyond me (a goal, and assist, and a +3) but this was a spectacular and exciting game. Game 6 goes back to Nashville and while they're going to be at home, the Predators will have to break their streak of Game 6 exits to stay alive.
Pittsburgh: 4; Ottawa: 3; OT Pittsburgh wins the series 4-2 Well put this one in the books folks. At one point, Ottawa was up 3-0 and were looking to head back to Pittsburgh for Game 7. Yet Pittsburgh's grinders mount and insurmountable comeback and in the end, Pascal Dupuis seals the deal for the Penguins to advance. Give Ottawa credit for playing a determined game against a formidable opponent, but Pittsburgh's deep as they are talented and took advantage of it. The Pens will likely face the Boston Bruins for the next series.
San Jose: 5; Colorado: 2 San Jose wins the series 4-2 The game was a lot closer than the score indicates; two of those Sharks goals were empty netters. Nevertheless, they're going to advance to the next round. I think the series was forever changed once the ice gaffe happened in Game 4 (thanks to reader Steve's perspective; if the Avs meant to take advantage of that; it wasn't the best decision.) After that, it just wasn't the same for the Avalanche. Give them credit; no one thought they'd be back to the postseason so soon, so hopefully they can take that momentum and build off it for the next season.
Two teams manage to stave off elimination so far while two others were being pushed to the edge. Let's check it out.
Montreal: 2; Washington: 1 Washington leads the series 3-2 Great move by Montreal to put Halak back in. Maybe watching Game 4 helped him refocus and get back to where he needed to be. Montreal's offense isn't prolific, but they were able to generate enough while containing the Capitals. Game 6 is back to Montreal but considering that the Canadiens have lost six consecutive playoff games there, they're going to have to buck the trend if they want to stay alive this series.
Buffalo: 4; Boston: 1 Boston leads the series 3-2 Buffalo came out very strong tonight and got that type of playoff scoring from character guys that makes teams successful in the playoffs. Great showings by Tyler Ennis and Jason Pominville by getting a goal and an assist each while Ryan Miller put up a .971 save percentage. Boston wasn't too please though, and things got hairy toward the end.
If this were anyone other than Chara they'd be suspended. He'll still be there come Game 6. Yay NHL's "consistent" discipline for these events.
Detroit: 4; Phoenix: 1 Detroit leads the series 3-2 No Shane Doan, no Dave Tippett wizardry, and now, the Coyotes are a game away from elimination. The contest was once again very close up to the end but come halfway through the third period, a broken play lead to a Tomas Holmstrom goal and after that, the Coyotes became completed unraveled thanks to the Euro-twins. There's three factors coming into play for Game 6: Detroit's home building, the Red Wings abysmal record for day games (the unofficial number is 2-8, I'll have to verify it), and whether or not Doan will be able to play for Game 6. The Red Wings have that killer instinct on lock, so the Coyotes will have to either exploit their weaknesses on Saturday or get the golf clubs ready after a historic regular season for them.
Vancouver: 7: Los Angeles: 2 Vancouver leads the series 3-2 Vancouver decided to assert their dominance in the series and ended up chasing Jon Quick out of the net. Erik Ersberg didn't fare much better but when you don't get much in terms of playing time, it's a lot harder to get into the groove of things. L.A. wanted to "send a message" to Vancouver... but Vancouver was definitely made for that kinda thing.
Game 6 goes back to L.A., where the Kings still have a chance to tie the series up but if Vancouver keeps playing like they can, it'll be lights out L.A.
Well, as we're advancing toward the semi-finals of the playoffs, I will be reviewing the seasons of teams as they're eliminated from the playoffs. Obviously, the last team reviewed will be the one that wins the Cup.
Now the first team to be eliminated from the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals: The New Jersey Devils.
Season expectations: These guys haven't been as prolific with the winning as the Detroit Red Wings have been since the lockout, but they managed to win three Stanley Cup championships between 1995-2003. Questions of Brodeur's age and ability were coming into question, but he has managed to remain dominant as he plays. With a skilled group of forwards and a technically solid defense, these guys were expected to get into the playoffs and advance beyond the first round; at least.
My prediction: I predicted they would have finished third in the Atlantic Division and seventh in the Eastern Conference.
The truth: The team finished atop of the division and second in the conference. Ironically, they were eliminated by the seventh seeded Philadelphia Flyers in five games, which raises some questions about the future.
What went right?: Brodeur had a great season, posting a 45-25-6 record with a 2.24 GAA and a .916 save percentage. Zach Parise managed to get 82 points and even though Travis Zajac and Jamie Langenbrunner managed to get 67 and 61 points respectively, the team decided to land Ilya Kovalchuk from the Atlanta Thrashers, and he went on to not only put up a point per game (27), but also led the team in scoring during the playoffs. The only players who managed to be minus players were young dudes, utility players, and toughguys. Speaking of which, the team had plenty of that spread througout the lineup with Andrew Peters, David Clarkson, Bryce Salvador, and Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond. Overall, it's easy to see why they managed to earn their division.
What went wrong?: Brodeur's playing in way too many games to be effective come playoff time and the team's "defense first" approach seems to intimidate the utility players from scoring. Philadelphia won the series because they had guys on third or fourth lines who either made the effort or took the punishment to score a goal. New Jersey needed more of that from their depth guys because no team can rely on their top-line alone for an entire series. Also, for the amount of money Dainius Zubrus is making, he could stand to put up more than a goal in the playoffs.
So what's next?: I dunno if the team will retain Kovalchuk; we'll see how much they can afford and how much he'll be offered. Who knows, maybe he'll return to Atlanta now that Don Waddell's gone (by the way, there was no need for a separate post for that, I'm just glad for Atlanta's sake that he's gone.) Going back to New Jersey, they've got most of their money committed and will probably look to add a scoring forward, a veteran defender, and a veteran goaltender to backup Brodeur. I think Martin Brodeur needs to bite the bullet and platoon with another veteran goaltender. I think Marty Turco should bite the bullet and be the guy who either pushes or replaces Martin. I think that would, at the very least, make the Devils advance into the second round next season.
Wow, tonight was a night for goaltenders. Three shutouts in four games. Incredible.
Philadelphia: 3; New Jersey: 0 Philadelphia wins the series 4-1 Wow. Even without Jeff Carter for Game 5, the Flyers found a way to dispatch the second-seeded Devils in five games. You come to think that victory almost became tainted after Ian Laperriere took a slap shot to the face that nearly cost him an eye. He's no worse for wear but he will now be (sit down if you're faint of heart) wearing a visor to protect his face (all the Don Cherry acolytes just fainted reading that. I think it's a smart move.) Here's Ian describing his decision:
I think time's come for New Jersey to go grab another good goaltender to platoon with Brodeur. Nothing against Brodeur, but it's evident that he plays too much during the regular season to be as effective come playoff time. Thing is though, how do you tell this to a goaltender who has won multiple Stanley Cups and gold medals?
The Flyers now advance and await for their next opponent (who'll likely be Washington) and hope their team toughness can shut down the opposition. If it is Washington, can their lack of enforcer finally catch up to them?
Ottawa: 4; Pittsburgh: 3; Triple OT Pittsburgh leads the series 3-2 Now, I was critical of Ottawa's toughguys the last game because of their shenanigans. Tonight, they played really well and in the spirit of being fair, I gotta say that too. Jarkko Ruutu scored but that wasn't as sweet as Matt Carkner's goal to win the game:
Game 6 heads back to Ottawa. Could this actually go to seven games?!
Chicago: 3; Nashville: 0 Series tied 2-2 Whoa. In shades of the Phoenix-Detroit series, these two bruisers are going to the bone for this series. I think I underestimated Nashville's chances (like many do for Phoenix) but Chicago proved tonight (much like Detroit) that they're still great. While there was a solid effort by both teams, Patrick Sharp and Jonathan Toews were exceptional for the Blackhawks tonight and ultimately the difference makers. The series will got back to Chicago; then Nashville, so the reality of this one going to seven games isn't far-fetched considering how both teams are competing.
San Jose: 5; Colorado: 0 San Jose leads the series 3-2 Todd McLellan put Logan Couture on a line with Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau and he scored a goal. Todd McLellan then put Logan Couture on a line with Ryan Clowe and Devin Setoguchi and he scored a goal. Jumbo Joe was the only one of their top-six forwards who didn't register a point tonight. Sucks he's going through a dry spell (which seems to be typical come playoff time) but the rest of the team is firing fierce. Colorado's in a pretty dangerous place and all things considered, I think San Jose's gonna dispatch them six.
Washington: 6; Montreal: 3 Washington leads the series 3-1 Well, Carey Price was given the opportunity to vanquish both the doubters of him being a starter and those who thought he was too immature to be an effective goaltender in the NHL. The contest was tight and tied at 2 after two and a half periods of play when the Capitals responded by scoring two goals in under a minute. How did Price respond? He shot the puck at Jason Chimeria after he scored, earning his team a two-minute penalty kill and drew another two-minute minor after Niklas Backstrom scored the empty netter with 11 seconds left in the game. In the end, he squashed his opportunity to do either and now the Capitals are in prime position to eliminate the Canadiens on home ice for Game 5. To be fair, the Capitals are playing some splendid hockey and the Canadiens' "defense-first" approach is starting to get worn against the best offense in the league. Yet when you're in a "must-win" game, you have to hold your composure. What would have happened had he not shot the puck at Chimeria? Who knows; maybe Montreal would have rallied back and won. Regardless, I think Jaroslav Halak should get the start for Game 5 because win or lose, he's been the Habs go-to-guy, even though they haven't deserved him as much as he deserves an NHL job.
Boston: 3; Buffalo: 2; 2OT Boston leads the series 3-1 Well, in a battle of two Eastern Conference teams you had to expect some of this to spill over...
Be that as it may, the Sabres picked the worst moment to have a too-many-men penalty in the second overtime and Miro Satan, a guy who was signed midway through the season, scored the deciding goal. The game's going to go back to Buffalo where the Sabres may have a chance at winning, but it seems that not only has Boston regained their form, but that no Vanek means no victories, which could spell the end of Buffalo's playoff run.
Vancouver: 6; Los Angeles: 4 Series is tied 2-2 This was a close one folks and the game was in a dead heat until the Sedins scored with less than 3 minutes to go. L.A. pulled the goalie, lost control of the puck, and Selke Trophy finalist (and fellow Detroiter) Ryan Kesler sunk the empty netter. When the game ended, Vancouver's Kevin Bieska got tied up with the new pride of Scarbourough, Ontario, L.A.'s Wayne Simmonds. This series reminds me very much of the Phoenix-Detroit series going on and both have very similar parallels. L.A.'s done better than I figured they would, but it's now a best-of-three game series. Game 5 should be way intense.
Here's the typical Red Wings fan after Game 3: The team sucks, they're lethargic, Todd Bertuzzi's too lazy, and Jimmy Howard's a terrible goaltender.
Here's the typical Red Wings fan after Game 4: The team's great, they're energetic, Todd Bertuzzi's a power play force and Jimmy Howard's a Calder Trophy contender.
In other words... RELAX DETROIT! The Red Wings still got it!
But to Phoenix fans who have their head up their blindside with the "pack mentality" mantra; don't ever discredit the importance of a single player. Shane Doan set the tone for that team and while the Coyotes rallied around his absence in Game 3, they sorely missed his leadership in a tight, defensive contest in Game 4. Detroit attacked and attacked early and in the end, they were rewarded for their efforts.
My prediction? If Doan's back for Game 5, the Coyotes will likely win (and the series will go to seven games). If Doan's out, it's going to take some Dave Tippett wizardy, not mastery, to propel that team over Mike Baccock's hair alone, let alone the Red Wings.
Pittsburgh: 7; Ottawa: 4 Pittsburgh leads the series 3-1 Well, Pittsburgh continues to punish Ottawa on the score board so Ottawa tries to punish Pittsburgh with some bush-league antics that make fighting in hockey look like a bad thing...
Too bad they were more dumb than effective. If anything, it's just going to make the Penguins that much more amped for Game 5, where they should dispatch the Senators on home ice.
Philadelphia: 4; New Jersey: 1 Philadelphia leads the series 3-1 Wow, I didn't figure the Flyers to be doing so well, but suddenly Brian Boucher looks very confident in net and the Flyers have found their scoring touch. Meanwhile, the Devils can't seem to find production from anyone other than Ilya Kovalchuk and the Devils are, once again, giving themselves an offensive chokehold that's forbidding them to get past the first round. They could win Game 5, but could they win Game 6? Suddenly I'm not so optimistic for the Devils.
Nashville: 4; Chicago: 1 Nashville leads the series 2-1 You know what's more exciting than playoff fights? PLAYOFF PENALTY SHOTS!!!
Give Nashville every single bit of credit; they've played very hard and very well against a Chicago team that, on paper, should be absolutely dominating the series. I don't think the goaltending would be a problem for Chicago if they could keep it under 30 shots. This time they didn't and Nashville displayed an evening of offensive prowess.
Can Chicago regroup, or will they go back to Chicago trailing by three games? They'll have to keep it simpler if they don't want that to happen.
San Jose: 2; Colorado: 1; OT Series is tied 2-2
I thought when you played in your home building, you got home ice advantage? This wasn't the case for the Colorado Avalanche tonight. Why do I say this? San Jose calls a timeout with 9:58 left in the first overtime period because they iced the puck and were being aggressively forechecked by the Avalanche. Instead of trying to help the home team out, the ice crew actually comes out and cleans the ice during the timeout, giving the iced San Jose players even more time to rest. Then they send a very attractive female crew member to clean up Craig Anderson's crease. In case you didn't know, Anderson's got a weakeness for the ladies and before you know it, Joe Pavelski sends everyone in Colorado home with a great goal. In fairness though, Evgeni Nabokov came through with some clutch goaltending that prevented the series from going to 3-1 in Colorado's favor. San Jose's heading back home and will have an excellent opportunity to put the series in a beargrip... unless that pesky Anderson continues to stand on his head while juggling sinks; then the Avs still have a chance!
Boston: 2; Buffalo: 1 Boston leads the series 2-1 Wow. Give Claude Jullien credit; he's got the Bruins playing some tight, hard-hitting hockey and some spectacular goaltending from Tuukka Rask (to think; he could be in Toronto...) What was more amazing was the intensity of the game. Here's Johnny Boychuk hammering one my my favorite grinders; Matt Ellis.
Give Ellis credit for skating to the bench.
What else happened? PLAYOFF FIGHTS!
Great hockey!
Washington: 5; Montreal: 1 Washington leads the series 2-1 I think Alex Ovechkin got into Jaroslav Halak's head and now he's got the showdog syndrome that used to dog Detroit players. Carey Price wasn't much better; though one wonders if it's fair to say that if he would have started the game. Nevertheless, Semyon Varlamov did well this evening while Washington got 4 goals from players not named Alexander Ovechkin, Niklas Backstrom, or Alexander Semin. Great showing for the Capitals tonight.
Los Angeles: 5; Vancouver: 3 Los Angeles leads the series 2-1 Wow, Vancouver came out playing nasty, but L.A.'s power-play was surgical, going a perfect three-for-three. Vancouver tried to mount a comeback, even tried to stir the pot, but L.A. was steadfast in not taking the bait and in the end, it's now the Canucks who're trailing the series. Can't say that L.A. doesn't deserve it; it looks good on them.
