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[Dark Knight]

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

Pittsburgh at Washington
Chicago at Vancouver

[Barmy Army]

Final Score

Pittsburgh 2 Washington 3

PIT: Crosby, S. (04:09 in 1st), Eaton, M. (12:54 in 2nd)
WSH: Steckel, D. (13:50 in 1st), Ovechkin, A. (PPG, 17:03 in 1st), Fleischmann, T. (01:46 in 3rd)

[DropThePuck]

Washington Capitals center Dave Steckel (39) scores past Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) as Penguins' Evgeni Malkin (71) from Russia, looks on during the first period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series Saturday, May 2, 2009 in Washington.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)


Washington Capitals goalie Simeon Varlamov (40) reaches across to stop a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during the second period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series Saturday, May 2, 2009 in Washington. Also looking on are Capitals' Tom Poti (3) and Viktor Kozlov (25) from Russia.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)


Washington Capitals left wing Tomas Fleischmann (14), from Czech Republic celebrates his goal with Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom, second from right, from Sweden, as Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) from Russia, defenseman Brooks Orpik (44) and left wing Ruslan Fedotenko (26) from Ukraine , react during the third period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey second round playoff series, Saturday, May 2, 2009, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)


Washington Capitals goalie Simeon Varlamov (40) makes a diving save on a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during the second period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series Saturday, May 2, 2009, in Washington. Looking are are Capitals' Tom Poti (3) with teammate Mike Green (52) and Penguins Chris Kunitz (14).
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

[DropThePuck]

TSN's Ice Chips

The NHL will not hand down any suspension or fine to Anaheim Ducks forward Mike Brown after he received a five-minute penalty and a game misconduct for a hit to the head of Red Wings Jiri Hudler. - LA Times

After missing the entire first round series against the Canadiens with a lower body injury, Andrew Ference, returned to the Bruins lineup for Game 1 against the Hurricanes. He partnered with Denis Wideman and accumulated 20 minutes of ice time. - Boston Globe

After battling the flu all week, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews practiced Friday at GM Place and is expected to be close to 100 percent for Game 2 Saturday night. - Daily Herald Times

Martin Havlat, Sammy Pahlsson, Dave Bolland and Matt Walker all skipped Friday’s Blackhawks practice. Head coach Joel Quenneville stated that they were resting and would likely all play in Game 2. - Chicago Tribune

Red Wings forward Jiri Hudler left during the first period of Friday’s victory over the Ducks to receive stitches in his forehead after being hit by the Ducks’ Mike Brown. Hudler was unsure if he would be able to play in Sunday’s Game 2. - Detroit Free Press

Penguins coach Dan Bylsma would not address potential lineup changes for Game 2 however he had supportive words for defenceman Kris Letang who was a healthy scratch in Game 5 against the Flyers in the first round. Forward Miroslav Satan skated on a line with Evgeni Malkin and Ruslan Fedotenko leading reporters to believe he will remain in the Pens lineup in place of Petr Sykora. - Tribune Review

Practice Lines

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

Defence:
Orpik - Gonchar
Gill - Scuderi
Eaton-Letang/Boucher

Goaltender:
Fleury

Alex Ovechkin returned to the ice after skipping Thursday's practice. The media tried to press him on rumours floated by a Russian journalist that he is hobbled by a lower body injury. Of course, Ovechkin denied suffering from any injury.
It is worth noting that a few days ago Ovechkin flew in his personal trainer from the Moscow Dynamo, who only helps him get in shape or tends to injuries.
Also, Thursday's practice focused on breaking down Pittsburgh's systems, which was a mandatory practice, yet Ovechkin was excused.
One more point: Ovechkin's icetime was lower in the final two games of the opening round. - TSN

Practice Lines

Forwards:
Ovechkin - Fedorov - Kozlov
Fleischmann - Backstrom - Semin
Laich - Steckel - Bradley
Fehr - Gordon - Clark

Defence:
Morrisonn - Green
Poti - Jurcina
Erskine - Pothier

Goaltender:
Varlamov
Theodore

[DropThePuck]

6 - Sharp, P. (10:24 in 2nd), Sharp, P. (PPG, 13:30 in 2nd), Bolland, D. (SHG, 16:50 in 2nd), Eager, B. (02:13 in 3rd), Kane, P. (05:48 in 3rd), Bolland, D. (EN, 18:50 in 3rd)
3 - Salo, S. (PPG, 05:35 in 1st), Edler, A. (PPG, 06:44 in 1st), Sedin, H. (PPG, 17:15 in 3rd)


A fan cheers as Vancouver Canucks Rick Rypien, left, grabs Chicago Blackhawks Dustin Byfuglien during the third period of Game 2 of the Western Conference semi-final hockey game at GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia on Saturday, May 2, 2009.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward)


Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo makes a save during the second period of Game 2 of the Western Conference semi-final hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks at GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia on Saturday, May 2, 2009.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward)


Vancouver Canucks' Ryan Kesler, right, checks Chicago Blackhawks' Niklas Hjalmarsson, of Sweden, during the first period of Game 2 of the Western Conference semi-final hockey game at GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia on Saturday, May 2, 2009.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)


Chicago Blackhawks Patrick Sharp's shot goes past Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo during the second period of Game 2 of the Western Conference semi-final hockey game at GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia on Saturday, May 2, 2009.
(AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward)