Time to take a look at another big Saturday in the NHL. The biggest news probably came off the ice as the league suspended Coyotes forward Raffi Torres 25 games for his head shot on Chicago's Marian Hossa. Torres' hit met the criteria, late, high, targeting the head, leaving his feet, Hossa was injured on the play, and he is a repeat offender multiple times over. However, still not sure how Shannahan arrived at 25 games. I'm glad he's sending a message and hopefully players take note, but this number seems somewhat arbitrary and no doubt confusing to others in the league. There have been other incidents that haven't gone punished or where not punished to severely so has the pendulum swung the other way now? Hard to say but the bar has been set, we'll see where it goes from here.
On the ice the Blackhawks, without a concussed Hossa, won in over time to keep the series, in which every game has been decided in OT, going. This was a series many predicted would be close going in and well, it doesn't get much closer.
Elsewhere the Washington Capitals continue to get stellar goaltending from Braydon Holtby and are now only one game away from the second round and bouncing the defending champion Bruins. If there is any team that won't panic in this situation however, it is the defending champs who were behind the 8 ball several times in last years run and we all know how that ended. However, they never ran up against a goalie on this kind of hot streak, and with the finishers Washington has, one chance is all they need to send the Bruins packing.
St. Louis won its series over San Jose in five games leaving many questions to be answered for the Sharks who join the Red Wings as the first teams to hit the links. A team with a lot of talent but seemingly in need of a shakeup. The Blues under coach Ken Hitchcock continue to be one of the better stories of the year and won a playoff series for the first time in 10 years. This is a great sign for the franchise with lots of young talent and bodes well going forward as they will be a tough out for anyone.
In Florida the Panthers took care of the Devils and are now one game away from winning their series. In what was thought to be the most predictable of any in the east it has been anything but as New Jersey has been inconsistent and the Panthers opportunistic putting themselves on the verge of advancing.
On Broadway Craig Anderson stole the show and Jason Spezza snapped his long playoff goalless drought with a pair as Ottawa is now one win away from upsetting the top seeded Rangers. The young Sens have defied all expectations all year and look to do so again.
A big Sunday coming up, check in later for a wrap up.
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