Playoff Stuff
Penguins
-The Pensblog calls for a boycott of several NBC advertisers and provides contact info.
-Sergei Gonchar (right) has a AAA membership or something.
-Things should be rather civil and orderly in Philadelphia today as usual.
-Rob Scuderi's family was particularly sensitive to the Stanton Heights shootings.
-What does Darroll Powe offer the Flyers?
-Returning to the Wachovia Center offers the Flyers some hope.
-Philadelphia defenseman Kimmo Timonen is a sensitive boy and doesn't like being yelled at.
-The Flyers are desperate.
"More than likely he will play." - Flyers coach John Stevens on forward Daniel Carcillo's status for Game 3.
-When the "home" team in a series takes a 2-0 lead, it usually wins that series 90 percent of the time.
-The Sidney Crosby Show captured Game 1's pregame presentation:
-Pirates outfielders Nate McLouth and Nyjer Morgan hate the Penguins.
Bruins-Canadiens
-What rivalry? Marc Savard had two goals and two assists for the Bruins in a 5-1 trouncing of the Canadiens. Savard's effort was the first four-point performance in a playoff game by a Bruins player since Adam Oates in 1996. Michael Ryder added a goal and an assist while Tim Thomas made 30 saves in the win which gave Boston a 2-0 series lead. After giving up five goals on 26 shots, Montreal goaltender Carey Price was pulled for the third period in favor of Jaroslav Halak.
-Boston pretty much dominated Montreal in Game 2.
"The worst part of our game was that we were undisciplined." -Montreal forward Christopher Higgins.
-Patrice Bergeron > Josh Gorges:
-"Concuss that?"
-Check out this crosscheck Boston forward Milan Lucic gave to the head of Canadiens forward Maxim Lapierre:
-If Philadelphia's Daniel Carcillo deserved a suspension, so does Lucic. He hit a player in the head with his stick late in a game that was decided. Other than Carcillo's history, the situations are nearly identical.
-Check out this hit by Boston forward Shawn Thornton on Montreal forward Andrei Kostitsyn:
-Bruins defenseman Matt Hunwick had his spleen removed.
-With Hunwick down, the Bruins turned to Shane Hnidy who contributed a goal.
-Montreal coach Bob Gainey made some lineup changes and they backfired.
Capitals-Rangers
-Henrik Lundqvist made 35 saves and led the Rangers to a 1-0 win at Washington. Ryan Callahan scored the game's only goal which gave the Rangers a 2-0 series lead. The Capitals benched starting goaltender Jose Theodore and started rookie Simeon Varlamov in his place. The former first-round draft pick made 23 saves in a strong effort.
"I didn’t hear it hit the crossbar, but I heard Ovechkin swearing." -Henrik Lundqvist on a shot by Washington forward Alex Ovechkin that hit metal.
-Check out this hit Ryan Callahan stuck on Washington defenseman Shaone Morrisonn:
-Check out this hit Rangers forward and former Penguin Markus Naslund stuck on Washington defenseman Mike Green:
-New York has taken a 2-0 lead in the first round for the third consecutive postseason.
-Fifteen Rangers players managed to block a shot yesterday.
-Unlike Jose Theodore, Simeon Varlamov gave his team a chance to win.
-The Capitals always seem to run into hot goaltending in April.
-"We have to try something new." Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom on his team's inability to solve Henrik Lundqvist.
Devils-Hurricanes
-Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner, one of the team's most accomplished playoff performers, will be out at least two games due a possible groin injury.
-New Jersey forward John Madden and Carolina forward Tuomo Ruutu are getting awfully familiar with each other.
-Carolina defenseman and Game 2 overtime hero confessed to having his stick blessed prior to the contest.
Sharks-Ducks
-The Ducks are trying to get former Penguins defenseman Ryan Whitney (right) to shoot more.
-As a penalty killer, forward Mike Brown gets his fair share of ice time with the Ducks who are not strangers to the sin bin.
-Current Penguins general manager Chuck Fletcher had a role in the Ducks drafting forward Bobby Ryan No. 2 overall after Sidney Crosby in 2005.
-Ducks forward Teemu Selanne is not a popular fellow in San Jose.
Red Wings-Blue Jackets
-Detroit keeps rolling. Chris Osgood made 25 saves and led Detroit to a 4-0 shutout of the Blue Jackets. Nicklas Lidstrom had two assists for the Red Wings who now have a 2-0 series lead. Columbus' Steve Mason made 35 saves in the loss.
-Osgood recorded his 61st career postseason win and tied former Penguin Tom Barrasso for 12th place on the NHL's all-time goaltending wins list.
-Detroit's depth on defense is proving to be a difference.
-Today's "Marian Hossa is fitting in well with Detroit" piece is brought to you by Brian VanOchen of the Grand Rapids Press.
-Columbus forward Jakub Voracek used a pretty creative defensive ploy:
(Kudos to Kukla's Korner for the find.)
-Blue Jackets forward Antoine Vermette can't get his game on track against Detroit.
"What do we need to do better? Basically everything." - Columbus defenseman Mike Commodore.
-Blues Jackets forward Kristian Huselius is having trouble adjusting to the speed of the game after returning from a concussion.
-"We're going home in front of our home crowd for the first time ever,
and we're going to need them loud. We're going to need them to build off." - Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash on his team returning to Nationwide Arena.
Canucks-Blues
-Are Vancouver's Sedin twins elite players finally?
-Can the Blues solve the minor problem otherwise known as Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo?
-The Blues have never won a series in which they were at a 2-0 deficit.
-St. Louis has been down and out before this season but still managed to rebound to make the playoffs.
-Forward Keith Tkachuk (right) lives to be a St. Louis Blue.
Blackhawks-Flames
-Two goals from Jonathan Toews led the Blackhawks to a 3-2 comeback win against the Flames. Teammate Patrick Sharp added a goal and an assist while Nikolai Khabibulin made 30 saves in the win that put Chicago up, 2-0, in the series. Jarome Iginla led Calgary with a goal and an assist.
-The Blackhawks are 16-2 when they take a 2-0 series lead.
-Chicago overcame another slow start.
-Rookie defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson has been a suprising contributor for the Blackhawks.
-Forward Andrew Ladd does all of the Blackhawks' dirty work in front of the net.
-"That's totally unacceptable." -Flames captain Jarome Iginla on his team blowing a lead for the second consecutive game.
Minor League Playoffs
-Calder Cup: Chris Minard's overtime goal gave the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins a 5-4 win against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Dustin Jeffrey added two goals for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton which now has a 2-0 series lead. John Curry made 33 saves in the win.
-Chris Minard has a knack for scoring overtime playoff goals.
-Penguins forward Janne Pesonen did not play due to an "upper-body" injury.
-Kelly Cup: Facing elimination, the Wheeling Nailers responded in a big way. Curtis Darling stop 41 shots and led Wheeling to a 6-0 shutout of the Cincinnati Cyclones. Reid Cashman had two goals for Wheeling which tied the series, 3-3.
Non-Playoff Stuff
Penguins
-Penguins prospect Casey Pierro-Zabotel was named the Western Hockey League's Western Conference player of the year.
Atlantic Division
-Former Penguins foward Jon Sim is toiling away for the Islanders' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.
(Photos: Gonchar-Jim McIsaac/Getty Images; Whitney-Paul Connors/Associated Press; Tom Gannam/Associated Press)
Posted
Apr 19 2009, 02:12 AM
by
Seth Rorabaugh