No sweeps tonight, which I selfishly like, as it means more hockey to watch.
- New York was all over the Thrashers, who look turned around. Goalie changes aren’t helping, and the team seems to be on the ropes. You have to wonder if Don Waddell’s much-publicized late-season moves will come back to haunt him in the off-season. His guarantee of last season didn’t end his tenure in Atlanta, but this was an aggressive and public push to get deep in the post-season.
- Gary Roberts has been a huge addition for Pittsburgh. He’s a fixture on the ice late for the Penguins.
- Ilya Kovalchuk going after Sean Avery, that’s frustration. Kovalchuk actually got a shot or two in.
- Ottawa’s first goal is exactly the kind of fluke goal that seems to happen to M-A Fleury.
- Mike Comrie is playing out of his mind right now.
- Dan Cleary clocked Dion Phaneuf, then created a Detroit goal. I never expected to type those words in that order, but all credit to Cleary.
- Roberto Luongo’s working out okay in the playoffs, isn’t he?
- The importance of seeding shows in the Ottawa/Pittsburgh series — the Penguins look like they could beat any of the Islanders, Devils, Lightning, and Thrashers right now. Due to their seeding, however, they are taking on a talented, veteran team that is playing with a lot of confidence. Ottawa’s taking some heavy blows from Pittsburgh and staying with a calm, measured approach.
So everyone is still alive, though some are hanging on by a thread, and some very interesting series going on. It will be interesting to see how Martin Brodeur plays this evening, as well as the next chapter in the San Jose/Nashville drama. The physicality of the playoffs has been a welcome change from the regular season, and has made for some hotly-contested games.
4 Comments
I’m not quite sure why you think that Pittsburgh would be doing so much better against the Devils, Isles or Tampa Bay (I’ll give you Atlanta). Except for a couple of periods, it’s looked like boys against men out there. I’ve always felt that Pittsburgh is primarily a power play team (they led the league in that category) and in the playoffs, teams can figure out other team’s power plays fairly quickly. That’s what’s happened in this series. Even strength, the Penguins are a below average team and that’s become obvious against a skilled team like Ottawa. It looks like Sid the Kid will be joining Ovie in Moscow very soon.
Given how many penalties the Pens seem to be taking this series, you’d think their strategy was for Staal to score 3-4 SH goals a game.
Atlanta’s coach will get dumped this off season if they are swept (IMO of course).
Is it really unexpected that the Pens would likely get bounced in the 1st round considering their youth? Fleury has nice potential but he has built somewhat of a rep at giving up some goals in the big games.
Some rumours out of Ottawa that we might be interested in Comrie. After so much inconsistency and changes of address to date, is he finally coming into his own (and could be had for below-market), or, cynically, is he merely playing for a contract only to fall off again next season?
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