Coyotes Howl

The Phoenix Coyotes ownership situation may be as muddled as it can get in pro sports but the one ice product certainly isn't. The Phoenix franchise won a playoff series for the first time in 25 years, when they were the original Winnipeg Jets. They defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in six games, five of which went to overtime, in a very competitive series. When it came to do it though, Mike Smith put up a wall in the Phoenix net and was unbelievable making 39 saves, many of the spectacular type, in the clinching game. Cory Crawford put up, well, a valiant effort at least, but the fact is he didn't get the job done. He let in several soft goals, including in OT, and this was a big difference, or at least the easiest one to spot, in the series. With the games being so close obviously those goals were the difference and while it's hard and not necessarily fair to heap it all on one player, such is the life of an NHL goalie.

Elsewhere the New York Rangers stayed alive thanks to a big game from Brad Richards, lousy penalty killing for the Senators and some stellar goaltending and a hissy fit, from king Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist is buddies with John McEnroe and sure looked like his pal last night after he thought Chris Neil kicked one in. In fairness Neil definitely did swipe at it but it was hard to say for sure that he actually got a piece of it. Lundqvust was still fuming after the game and basically instantiated that the league wanted Ottawa to move on. I think he needs to take a hard look at where the league offices are and how much revenue the teams he leads makes, that should quell any conspiracy theories very, very quickly. Game 7 goes Thursday at MSG and will be a hard fought game for sure. The Sens haven't had much, by which I mean any, success in game 7's so you know they are lamenting letting last night get away. The Rangers will be tough to beat at home and once again it will probably come down to the men between the pipes.

The Florida Panthers look to win a series for the first time since the 90's as they play the Devils in game six tonight. This was supposed to be one of the more predictable series with many thinking the Devils would have been done with them by now but the Panthers have shown great resilience and have given the Devils all they can handle. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, and not just for my hockey pool as it's in worse shape then the Leafs roster.