12 replies to this topic

[Dark Knight]

Please post your thoughts, pictures and comments on tonight's games in this thread.

Calgary at Chicago
NYR at Washington
Columbus at Detroit
Montreal at Boston

[Bits]

Please post your thoughts, pictures and comments on tonight's games in this thread.


Columbus at Detroit

That's my game! Couldn't pass up the chance to go to a playoff game. Even if we aren't big fans of either team. We will of course be cheering for the Blue Jackets

[ladiesandgentlemen]

Watching the Caps-Rags game right now, and it's hard to believe the lack of aggressive forecheck and overall weak physicality these two teams are bringing to the playoffs. The amount of room the puckhandlers have to operate in, and the big fat cross-ice passes they are allowing each other is just ridiculous. Yesterday's last game between VAN and STL was the polar opposite. They were all over each other every meter of the ice.

Other than BOS, I think 7 out of the 8 WC teams would wipe up the ice surface with any of the EC teams at this point... PHI and PIT included. I just don't see CBJ being able to go very far unless Mason pulls an '03 Giguere... and he certainly hasn't started out in that fashion. Also, their last-place PP puts them at a horrible disadvantage in the playoffs, especially.

That's my game! Couldn't pass up the chance to go to a playoff game. Even if we aren't big fans of either team. We will of course be cheering for the Blue Jackets

NHL playoff hockey is hands-down the best spectator sport on the planet, so if you can't make the Ducks game, any game will do.

Have a great time!

[Dark Knight]

Detroit in practice mode against Columbus... 3-0 at the end of 2.

[ladiesandgentlemen]

I hope the good fans in Columbus enjoy their 2 playoff games on home ice, because at this rate that's all they're going to get this year...

[Dark Knight]

Philadelphia, Washington, Columbus, STL, Montreal all in a 2-0 deficit. Having to win 4 out of the remaining 5 will be a tall order.

Chicago just came back from trailing 2-0 to being ahead 3-2, should make for a great 3rd period.

[oatesfan]

Wings win..No contest there..Sorry...

Bruins up 2-0 in the series!! That's my boys!!! GO BRUINS!!!

I am shocked that Washington is losing.. With all their big guns they should be giving New York a run for their money... Go Caps!! Get it together already.


Philly and Pittsburgh.. Don't really care..Although I hate Philly more for the way they treated Adam Oates so I would go for the Pens..

[Dark Knight]

Add Calgary to the teams now down by 2 games.

[DropThePuck]

TSN's Ice Chips

Matt Hunwick was rushed to hospital with a ruptured spleen on Saturday. The team annnounced the 23-year-old's spleen was removed and he is resting. - TSN

Andrew Ference, out since April 4 with an undisclosed injury, said he’s feeling better. Ference has been going through off-ice workouts. However, he will not play tonight. - Boston Globe

Forward P.J. Axelsson, who took a Patrice Brisebois shot off the knee in the third period Thursday, participated in practice but was not available for comment afterward - Boston Hearald

Flames defenseman Cory Sarich (foot) practiced Friday and is close to returning. - Daily Herald Times

Projected Lines vs. Blackhawks

Forwards:
Cammalleri - Langkow - Bertuzzi
Glencross - Conroy - Iginla
Bourque - Jokinen - Moss
Nystrom - Boyd/Peters - Lundmark

Defence:
Leopold - Phaneuf
Vandermeer - Sarich
Pardy - Aucoin

Goaltender:
Kiprusoff

The Hurricanes made some lineup changes for Game 2, with defenseman Frantisek Kaberle replacing Dennis Seidenberg and Ryan Bayda going in for Tim Conboy as a fourth-line winger. Matt Cullen centered the Canes’ second line with Whitney and Chad LaRose, and Patrick Eaves replaced Scott Walker on Brind’Amour’s line. Walker was on the fourth line centered by Jussi Jokinen. - News Observer

Patrick Sharp, who had missed the last five regular-season games with a leg injury, got through the playoff opener without incident, clocking just over 14 minutes. Sharp went through Friday’s workout, but Havlat and Sammy Pahlsson were given the day off. - Chicago Sun Times

Projected Lines vs. Flames

Forwards:
Sharp - Toews - Kane
Ladd - Bolland - Havlat
Versteeg- Pahlsson - Byfuglien
Eager – Burrish/Fraser – Brouwer

Defence:
Keith - Seabrook
Campbell – Hjarmarsson
Barker – Walker

Wings center Kris Draper (upper body) continues to practice and participate in warm-ups, but isn’t expected to play tonight. - Detroit News

No. 1 defenseman Andrei Markov has been skating back in Montreal, but will miss his second straight game with a knee injury . - Boston Globe

Projected Lines vs. Bruins

Forwards:
Laraque - Koivu - Kovalev
Latendresse - Lapierre - Kostopoulos
Tanguay - Metropolit - Higgins
A. Kostitsyn - Plekanec - D'Agostini

Defence:
Hamrlik - Komisarek
Bouillon - Schneider
Gorges - Dandenault

Goaltender:
Price
Halak

Scratches:
Plekanec, D'Agostini, Stewart, Brisebois, O'Byrne

Captain Jamie Langenbrunner did not make the trip to Carolina with the Devils and is not expected to play in games 3 or 4. He was injured (lower body) in the second period of Game 2. - TSN

Left winger Jay Pandolfo was hit by Erik Cole late in regulation time and was in obvious pain as he remained on the ice in front of the Devils’ net. After getting back on his feet, he went directly to the dressing room with what appeared to be a shoulder injury, and Brian Gionta moved into his spot on the checking line with Brendan Shanahan and John Madden. - Newark Star Ledger

Rangers captain Chris Drury, who missed Game 1 with an undisclosed injury (believed to be lower body), said he would again be a game-time decision. - Bergen Record

Randy Jones made it back from his grandmother’s funeral to play in Game 2. Kimmo Timonen (thigh) was in the lineup as well. Philadelphia scratched winger Riley Cote (finger). - Delaware County Times

The Penguins scratched wingers Eric Godard and Miroslav Satan and defenseman Philippe Boucher for Game 2 against the Flyers last night. - Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Practice Lines

Forwards:
Kunitz - Crosby - Guerin
Fedotenko - Malkin - Sykora
Cooke - Staal - Kennedy
Dupuis - Talbot - Adams/Godard

Defence:
Orpik - Gonchar
Gill - Scuderi
Eaton - Letang

Goaltender:
Fleury

Defenseman Erik Johnson accompanied the Blues on their trip to Vancouver and skated for the fourth consecutive day Friday. Johnson, who had knee surgery on Nov. 20, believes he could still play this year. “I have been hopeful since the start of the season,” Johnson said. - St. Louis Post Dispatch

Right wing Chris Clark rotated in on the Tomas Fleischmann-Michael Nylander-Eric Fehr line during practice. But it appears unlikely he’ll play in Game 2 after missing almost three months while recovering from wrist surgery - Washington Post

Coach Bruce Boudreau told Brian Pothier he will be in the lineup for the Washington Capitals for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the New York Rangers. Pothier missed 14 months because of a concussion and subsequent complications. Defenseman Jeff Schultz didn’t practice Friday because of an undisclosed injury. His absence opens a spot for Pothier, who had one goal and two assists in nine games for the Caps this season. - Washington Times

[DropThePuck]

1 - Callahan, R. (07:44 in 1st)
0


Washington Capitals right wing Viktor Kozlov (25) of Russia, has his shot blocked by New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30) of Sweden, and Michal Rozsival (33) of the Czech Republic during the second period of game two of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals NHL playoff hockey game in Washington, Saturday, April 18, 2009.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

[DropThePuck]

0
4 - Rafalski, B. (PPG, 13:33 in 1st), Datsyuk, P. (PPG, 07:18 in 2nd), Zetterberg, H. (15:30 in 2nd), Hudler, J. (PPG, 03:38 in 3rd)


Columbus Blue Jackets winger Antoine Vermette (50) checks Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk of Russia, past goalie Steve Mason during the third period of game two of a Western Conference quarterfinals NHL playoff hockey game, Saturday, April 18, 2009 in Detroit.
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

[DropThePuck]

1 - Kovalev, A. (00:46 in 2nd)
5 = Savard, M. (PPG, 09:59 in 1st), Kobasew, C. (15:12 in 1st), Hnidy, S. (05:45 in 2nd), Savard, M. (PPG, 08:13 in 2nd), Ryder, M. (PPG, 19:57 in 2nd)


Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price lays on the ice after Boston Bruins center Marc Savard scored his second goal of the game during the second period of a first-round NHL hockey playoff game Saturday, April 18, 2009, in Boston. At right is Canadiens defenseman Roman Harmrlik.
(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

[DropThePuck]

2 - Iginla, J. (PPG, 07:44 in 1st), Aucoin, A. (16:15 in 1st)
3 - Toews, J. (PPG, 00:46 in 2nd), Sharp, P. (13:58 in 2nd), Toews, J. (19:36 in 2nd)


Calgary Flames' Jarome Iginla, left, scores against Chicago Blackhawks goalie Nikolai Khabibulin of Russia, during the first period of game two of an NHL Western Conference quarterfinal hockey game, Saturday, April 18, 2009 in Chicago.
(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)


Calgary Flames' Adrian Aucoin (33) celebrates with teammate Jarome Iginla, center, after scoring on Chicago Blackhawks' goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, of Russia, during the first period of game 2 of an NHL first-round Western Conference quarterfinal hockey game, Saturday, April 18, 2009, in Chicago.
(AP Photo/Skip Stewart)


Chicago Blackhawks' goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, of Russia, reacts during the first period of game 2 of an NHL first-round Western Conference quarterfinal hockey game against the Calgary Flames, Saturday, April 18, 2009, in Chicago.
(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)


Chicago Blackhawks' Patrick Sharp scores on Calgary Flames' goalie Miikka Kiprusoff, of Finland, during the second period of game 2 of an NHL first-round Western Conference quarterfinal hockey game, Saturday, April 18, 2009, in Chicago.
(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)