Round 1 Wrap

Round one of the NHL Playoffs is in the books and it was anything but dull. Here's a quick recap:

Pens Taking Flight?
The Penguins hardly looked liked world beaters for most of their series with the Islanders. They were shaky on defense and Marc-Andre Fleury was even worse in net leading to Tomas Vokoun taking the reigns in goal. The young Islanders, many playing in their first post season, seemed to have answer for every challenge they faced with John Tavares leading the way, showing he truly is among the league's elite. The Pens were able to out score their defensive problems with a lethal offense and solid power play but need more consistency if they want to make a serious title run.

Bruins out of Hibernation?
The Boston Bruins looked like they would make quick work of the young Toronto Maple Leafs after a dominant 4-1 game one victory. However, they were as Claude Julien referred to them a Jekyll and Hyde team the remainder of the series. Never more evident then in their crazy game 7 comeback, though the Leafs did their own transforming act in the third. They generally struggled to find offense and James Reimer in the Toronto net was unbeatable at times. Their epic collapse not withstanding the Leafs could easily have won this series and Boston will have to get more production from the like of Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand is they want to beat a veteran Rangers team.

Original Six, Again...
After one original six match up in round one (Toronto-Boston) we will have two in round two as aside from Rangers vs. Bruins the Chicago Blackhawks face bitter rival Detroit. The Red Wings knocked off the Anaheim Ducks in seven and are a dangerous team even if they finished well back of Chicago in the standings. The Blackhawks disposed of a scrappy Minnesota team in five games and look to make a serious cup run. This series shouldn't take long to heat up as neither team wants to lose to such a hated foe.

Canada's Team
After beating the Canadiens in five the Ottawa Senators are now the only Canadian team left in the tournament. They draw the Penguins a team that will give a young Ottawa team all it can handle, especially defensively, but with the way Craig Anderson is playing in the Ottawa goal, the Sens will not go quietly. They have veteran leadership and have gotten timely scoring so far this playoff this series shapes up to be a beauty. Oh, and there was that little incident with Mat Cooke...

California Love
The Ducks faltered but both the Sharks and defending champ Kings moved on and will face each other in round 2. The Sharks are a veteran team who looked good, at times, against Vancouver and if they can get solid goaltending from Anti Niemmi they could knock off the champs but LA is a very physical team, their series with St. Louis likely measured on the Richter scale, and have more depth. Jonathan Quick is playing very well in goal for LA and they have the experience to get the job done. They are the first defending champ to get out of the first round in several years and don't seem interested in relinquishing their reign.

Biggest Disappointment?

We'll start with Ovi. Alexander Ovechkin ended the NHL season on a tear but put up only 2 measly points in seven games as his Capitals fell to the Rangers, again. Ovechkin has put up solid numbers in the playoffs before but this is the latest failure for a team that has the talent to do more. What changes will or should be made are still debatable but they just can't seem to get the job done in Washington...seems fitting, no?

The Canucks and Ducks both went into their series as a higher seed and both failed to get the job done. Though at least Anaheim won a game. Vancouver bowed out in four straight and look to have more problems than answers moving forward. The Canucks have a lot of talent but can't seem to get it to produce in the clutch. The Sedin's were mediocre and there was very little secondary scoring beyond Ryan Kessler. They have to deal with the goaltending situation as well. In Anaheim Bruce Boudreau continues to lack playoff success. Not sure why but again his big guns, much like in Washington, didn't step up when it mattered most. What move GM Bob Murray makes we can only speculate but perhaps helping an aging D core by moving a forward may be in order, Bobby Ryan perhaps?

The Canadiens went down to the Sens in 5 in a series that was a bit off a toss up going in so the fact that either team won in 5 was a surprise but it was how they lost. Several blow out games and a lack of composure on several occasions but Brando Prust, Josh Gorges, PK Subban and Branden Gallagher showed how frustrated they were. The Habs have a lot of young talent and will be in better position than most moving forward but need to mature. 

Round 2 awaits...

Do or Do Not, There is no Try...

There is nothing more exciting come playoff time than a game 7 and the first round of the NHL Playoffs will see three with the last two coming tonight in Boston and Washington.

In Anaheim last night the Ducks lost 3-2 at home to the Detroit Red Wings. The Ducks lead 3-2 in the series but failed to close the deal. I can relate...This will undoubtedly continue the talks about coach Bruce Boudreau continuing to come up short in the playoffs after great regular seasons. Now personally speaking I always thought he was over rated as a coach and has always had top end talent that he has failed to get to the next level. He is whinny in interviews and doesn't seem to want to shoulder the responsibility of these defeats. In fairness he's lost to Pittsburgh who won the Cup, Montreal when Halak stole the series and now a team in Detroit with veteran leaders. But His Anaheim team is full of veteran guys, Selanne, Perry, Getzlaf, Beauchemin, Koivu who have lots of experience but failed to produce in the clutch. What happens next is anyone's guess but undoubtedly he will continue to be questioned until he make a serious run in the post season.

In Toronto the Maple Leafs, who looked liked they were going to get rolled in this series after game one, have taken the last two, in large part thanks to James Reimer, and forced a game 7 in Boston this evening. The young Leafs have given the Bruins everything they can handle and played a physical style, not afraid to work for their goals. That said goaltending has been the difference. Not that Tuuka Rask has been bad by any means, but he hasn't stolen games like Reimer. Boston needs its top line of Bergeron, Marchand and Seguin to step up if it wants to avoid the upset at home tonight as they haven't produced much of anything all series. Phil Kessel has finally shaken the monkey off his back against his former team and captain Dion Phaneuf leads his young team into unfamiliar waters tonight after atoning for his game 4 gaff with a big goal last night. Whatever happens tonight this series has gone longer than most, myself included, ever imagined.

The Washington Capitals and New York Rangers must be getting sick of seeing each other in the playoffs by now have seen each other five times in less than a decade. They play a decisive game 7 tonight in the US capital in a series where the home team has won every game. Goaltending again, will be a factor as this has been a very tight checking low scoring series for the most part. 'King' Henrik Lundqvist certainly has the experience but Braydon Holtby has looked solid in the Washington thus far. The stars in this series have yet to make a huge impact so whoever steps up tonight will be a difference maker.

Vanquished in Van City

The Vancouver Canucks have been a Stanley Cup contender for a number of years and even went to game seven of the final two years ago before losing to Boston. That window may be closing rapidly. The job security of they coach and perhaps even management is up in the air and there's still that little goaltending conundrum to sort out.

After a four game sweep in round one of the playoffs at the hands of the San Jose Sharks, perennial underachievers themselves and a team Vancouver finished ahead of in the standings, there will undoubtedly be a lot of time to reflect. There was the switch to Cory Schneider in game three even though Roberto Luongo played solidly in the first two games and Schneider looked shaky in relief coming off injury. This may have been dictated to coach Alain Vinegault from management and  may not lead to his firing. In fairness he was put in the situation of trying to balance a tricky situation in net and an anemic offense.

Don Cherry defended Luongo the other night on Coaches Corner and made some interesting points. Much like Patrick Lalime years ago in Ottawa who was blamed, fairly at times, for not being able to put them over the top Luongo has good numbers in the post season and is doing his utmost to support a team who doesn't seem able to put the puck in the other net. They have struggled offensive in their last three series against Boston in the finals and in first round losses last year to LA and this year. The Sedin's who are elite point producers haven't taken their game to another level and the supporting cast hasn't stepped up either.

Whatever happens out west it's likely at least one goalie will be gone by the time next season starts, and perhaps they won't be alone.

Let's Get Ready to Rumble!!

There had been little in the way of animosity between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens coming into this playoff series, especially when you consider they have been divisional rivals for years. They have the common enemy of the Toronto Maple Leafs and have never met in the post season, in the modern era. However all it took was one huge hit by Eric Gryba on Lars Eller in game one to ignite what is becoming a can't miss series, like watching a train wreck meeting an avalanche.

This pent up anger resulted in an all out brawl in game three's 6-1 Sens blowout and their captain Daniel Alfredsson having to play defense as there were no other bodies left. Both benches were emptier than even the rockiest marriage as there were 9 game misconducts in all. PK Subban who ran around like a punk all night, went after Kyle Turris who put up all the resistance of a rag doll and was quoted as saying 'it didn't matter if he wanted to go or not'. And Michelle Therrien called Paul MacLean classless...

Granted taking a time out with 17 seconds left wasn't exactly taking the high road, personally I didn't get it, and I understand why Therrien was upset but MacLean claims he was doing so to protect his players and would do so every time. Whether or not you you by that is up to you, but one thing is for sure, Montreal didn't conduct themselves any better. Josh Georges fired the puck at Turris as time expired and both Rene Bourque and Brendan Gallagher took cheap shots at Cory Conacher before he eventually had to fight back. Therrien's team showed little fight except for these dirty plays.

Craig Anderson let a weak one in but otherwise was stellar. Carey Price was hardly the reason his team lost but wasn't elite. He has played well and the team in front of him has let him down but they need him to make some big saves it they are going to bounce back tonight.

And just for good measure Eric Gryba checks back in after serving his two game suspension, a bogus call by the way, for decking Lars Eller in game one. Paul MacLean was asked it there would be any revenge from the Canadiens. He said he'd be interested to see. I think we all will...