Deadline deals begin: Downie to Avs, Quincey traded twice

Steve Downie and Kyle Quincey were on the move as part of a three-team trade as Deadline 2012 heats up.

With less than a week to go in this year's trade deadline, a couple of moves were finally made. No. It didn't involve much rumored top fish Rick Nash, which is fine with me since I want no part of him.

However, two players were dealt in essentially a three-team trade. First, the Lightning sent rugged winger Steve Downie to the Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Kyle Quincey. Then, Tampa Bay flipped Quincey to the Red Wings for a 2012 first round pick and minor league blueliner Sebastien Piche.

TRADE BREAKDOWN

Colorado gets physical Downie, who can bang in corners and contribute on stat sheet. The 24-year old has 28 points (12-16-28) with 121 penalty minutes over 55 games. The former '05 first rounder of the Flyers spent four years in Tampa developing into one of the game's top pests. He now joins his third roster trying to boost the Avs' playoff chances.

Tampa Bay recoups another pick as Steve Yzerman continues to sell spare parts. He did well landing a second for Dom Moore and got another second, plus a third for Pavel Kubina, who was shipped to Philadelphia. Now, he gets a first round pick from Detroit, who's all in for another Cup. We don't know much about Piche other than he's already 24 and has been in the AHL.

Detroit acquires a top four defenseman who can relieve pressure off ageless Nick Lidstrom along with Nik Kronwall and Brad Stuart. Quincey, 26, was originally a Red Wing fourth round draft pick in '03. However, he only got into 13 games over three seasons before the Kings claimed him. His best year came during '08-09 in Hollywood when he totaled 38 points (4-34-38). LA dealt Quincey to Colorado in a failed blockbuster for Ryan Smyth. He's a solid blueliner capable of contributing with his 23 points (5-18-23) tied with Erik Johnson for most by a D this season. Now, he'll return to Hockey Town and try to help the Wings win another Cup.

Conference Semi Banter

While things are pretty quiet around these parts, the second round is rolling along. Already, a pair of teams are ahead 3-zip, poised to make Conference Final appearances. The other two series are 2-1 and hanging in the balance. What are our thoughts? Here's some Conference Semi banter:

-The Sharks have to be the lead story. Especially the way they've played against the Cup proven Red Wings. Everyone's bought into Todd McLellan, who's well on his way to atoning for last year's first round disappointment. Ever since Dan Boyle's Game 3 blooper last round, all the guys in teal have done is rise up, winning the final three of the Av series and the first three in shocking fashion over Detroit by identical 4-3 margins. From Conn Smythe candidate Joe Pavelski's clutch finishing ability to linemates Ryane Clowe and Devin Setoguchi's gumption, the much overlooked trio have relieved pressure from Jumbo Joe, Dany Heatley and Game Four hero Patrick Marleau- allowing them to play their game. It's always been easy to bash Joe Thornton but boy has he come to play in this series, tallying in two straight including the second goal early in the third that started another San Jose comeback. Following Logan Couture's clunker on Jimmy Howard, Thornton took full advantage of a wide Jason Williams shot catching the Sharks red handed, making a sweet dish to Marleau for a tap-in that stunned The Joe.

-Every Shark's contributing, including last summer's key additions Scott Nichol and Manny Malhotra. Both are spark plugs who provide energy. Their hunger is noticeable with each winning their fair share of board battles. Malhotra has also dominated in the faceoff circle, becoming one of the most reliable in that key department. Whether it's hitting, penalty killing or checking, they get the job done. Meanwhile, Evgeni Nabokov is silencing doubters with timely stops. Don't forget he's 3-1 in sudden death. Nice to see the much maligned Russian turning it around. The blueline led by Boyle and captain Rob Blake is getting it done. Both are logging big minutes along with Doug Murray and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Rookie Jason Demers has also contributed offensively, turning a perceived team weakness into a strength. It all adds up to a 7-2 record, aiming for a sweep tonight.

-For the Wings, perhaps all the wear and tear has finally shown. They played all out down the stretch to get in all the way up to No.5 before being taken seven by the feisty Coyotes. By not finishing them off in six, it forced Mike Babcock's club to play an extra game. As Hasan noted in last year's preview, he felt all the games the past two years would catch up. Throw in how hard they've played and it might explain how they've blown two-goal leads in each of the last two losses, turning a possible 2-1 series lead into an 0-3 deep hole. Pavel Datsyuk has been held in check and all the starts are finally getting to Howard. Forget the conspiracy theories stemming from the Game Two penalty fest. Bottom line: The Wings have been outgunned by a fresher/hungrier foe. Right now, the Sharks look like a well oiled machine. Is this the year?

-Following a dominant 4-1 Game Three win turning Wachovia restless, the Bruins are in the same enviable position, looking to sweep the Flyers. At one time, these two old rivals were the best the Wales Conference had to offer with both taking turns as runner-up to the Oilers. Now, it looks like Boston finally will get back to the Conference Finals since those fun days when Oates, Neely and Bourque ruled Beantown. Amazingly, for a team that struggled just to get into the playoffs, they've turned it on. Getting healthy has helped but so have amazing performances from team scoring leader Miro Satan (5-5-10), resurgent defenseman Dennis Wideman and Johnny Boychuk. Since dropping Game One to Buffalo and falling behind 2-0, the B's have responded well showing their playoff mettle. Perhaps we overlooked last Spring. Claude Julien's bunch are demonstrating that they're never out of a game. Especially with Tuukka Rask standing on his head. But while the remarkable first-year Finn's done his part, enough can't be said about the Bruins' leadership with captain Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron and wily vet Mark Recchi stepping up. David Krejci has been instrumental but was injured on a clean Mike Richards hit last night. They can certainly use the gifted playmaker for next round.

-The Bruins have also gotten excellent performances from Milan Lucic, Matt Hunwick and Andrew Ference. Lucic is healthy and doing damage while Hunwick's notched five helpers and Ference has played solid D. Even former Sabre Daniel Paille's played an important checking role, leading the league's top PK who once again stifled the opposition. Boston's special teams are only part of the story as they play airtight defense, forcing turnovers. Similar to the '95 Devils. It may not always be pretty but Julien's system is effective. Especially when you got a stud defenseman and future star in net. If they are to keep it up, they'll need more out of Marc Savard, Michael Ryder and Blake Wheeler.

-For the Flyers, like Detroit, they look beat up. But when you lose your top scorer, a top six forward and a top penalty killer, it's nearly impossible to compete. Mike Richards and Daniel Briere have been most of their offense. Neither factored in yesterday. The well has run dry. Aside from that, Boston's had an excellent plan using their forecheck and tight checking to frustrate Philly. In Round One, the Flyers relied heavily on special teams to oust the Devils. It's been the complete opposite. The Flyers have also been unable to get to Rask. He made some critical stops in the second and then his teammates did the rest with Recchi netting the insurance marker via the power play and unsung hero Bergeron salting it away into a vacant net. With the B's clicking on all cylinders, it's hard to see Philadelphia extending their season.

-Give the Habs full marks for making it a series against the talented Pens. They can thank Jaroslav Halak, who continues his brilliant play, proving our Leaf friend Kayla right. She said Halak was better than Carey Price last year. He certainly hasn't disappointed, following up the stunner against the Caps by stifling the Pens in Game Two and nearly doing the same the other night in Montreal. Only Evgeni Malkin's power play goal early in the third solved him. It turned out to be enough thanks to some big stops from Marc-Andre Fleury, whose 18 save shutout in his home setting held up. While MAF was very good, he never faced any second chances partially in part to a sturdy D which did an effective job boxing out and keeping the Habs outside. It reminded us of some of Martin Brodeur's shutouts when Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Ken Daneyko and Brian Rafalski manned the Devil blueline. Even without Jordan Staal, the Pens did what they had to getting strong performances out of Matt Cooke, Max Talbot and Tyler Kennedy. While Sidney Crosby and Malkin get all the accolades, it's gritty forwards like the trio along with Craig Adams, Brooks Orpik and Jay McKee who make the Pens a complete team. They're not just flash and dash. Don't forget. The checking line led by Staal was a huge component to last year's Cup. They don't win minus him.

-In order for the Canadiens to level the series giving themselves a realistic chance because the Pens aren't the Caps, they'll need to get to Fleury early later today. Mike Cammalleri (8 goals) is the focal point. He'll need help from Tomas Plekanec, Andrei Kostitsyn, Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta. Can an unsung hero like Dominic Moore or P.K. Subban step up? Jacques Martin along with the rest of a rabid Bell Centre sure hope so. It's amazing to think that they're doing this without Andrei Markov or Jaroslav Spacek. A credit to Martin. They'll need dominant defensive efforts from Hal Gill, Josh Gorges and Roman Hamrlik.

-I've said it before and I'll say it again. Why does Crosby embellish so much? For as gifted as he is, he shouldn't need to. Good for Gomez standing up to him after another abuse of his stick following a whistle at the end of the second in Game Three. When oh when will the game's Golden Boy be made accountable?

-Still not sure what to make of the Hawks-Nucks. It looked like Vancouver off a dominant Game One was poised to take a commanding 2-0 lead back home. Instead, Chicago showed a lot of heart fighting back from two down to pull out a gritty 4-2 Game Two win with Kris Versteeg netting the winner with over a minute left thanks to a great play by Duncan Keith. Patrick Kane added an empty netter. As he's done all Spring, Antti Niemi bounced back from a rough outing. The surprising aspect is he was sharper than Roberto Luongo in yesterday's 5-2 Game Three triumph, stealing the home ice back. Chicago jumped in front 2-0 and never trailed. Louie struggled with rebounds including the first of Dustin Byfuglien's first career postseason hat trick. Even if the third tally shouldn't have counted. Good old Toronto for you. Chicago's strategy was simple yet effective. Get shots to the net with traffic and bang home the rebounds of which there were plenty against a shaky Luongo. All five came the same way with the big Byfuglien doing significant damage. Kudos to Joel Queeneville for moving him up to the top line with Jonathan Toews and Kane. Even Marian Hossa got into the act, notching his second off a Patrick Sharp rebound.

-Niemi made the big saves, robbing Ryan Kesler of a shorthanded bid that could've made it 3-0 in Game Two. Instead, his huge glove stop allowed the Blackhawks to recover. Again last night, Niemi stoned Vancouver, thwarting Daniel Sedin and Steve Bernier on the doorstep. Obviously, that cannot happen for the Canucks in what amounts to a must win Game Four. Yeah. They can lose and fall behind 3-1 with the fifth game back in the Windy City. We just don't advise it. Luongo needs to come through as does Daniel and Henrik Sedin with help from Kesler, Mikael Samuelsson, Mason Raymond and Alex Burrows. This is their best chance to finally deliver the franchise's first Cup. Are they about to fold up again? We'll see.

-There's really nothing to say about Versus' technical issues during last night's first between the Bruins and Flyers. At least they had the common sense to pick up the CBC feed until it was fixed.

-Nothing against Joe Beninanti but I really miss Sam Rosen.

-That OT between the Flyers and Bruins last Sunday was epic. Classic playoff hockey. Unfortunately, it looked to be the last straw from Philly. NBC can have their Derby. We'll take the puck.

-Ex-Rangers certainly are having fun. Malhotra. Samuelsson. Gomez. Savard. Moore. Pascal Dupuis. Tom Pyatt. Jed Ortmeyer. Blair Betts. Ian Laperriere. Dwight Helminen. Paul Mara.

Conference Semis start up

Well, after a wild/unpredictable opening round, eight teams are left vying for the prize. The Conference Semis start up tonight with the Red Wings visiting the Sharks with faceoff an hour from now.

Can San Jose finally overcome a huge obstacle or will it be the same old story? They'll need much better production from Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau, who were too silent in the six-game win over the Avs. Joe Pavelski certainly did his part as did Dan Boyle, who atoned for his giant Game 3 gaffe. Evgeni Nabokov was also steady. But if these Sharks are to do damage, their top line must step up.

You know Detroit's best Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Tomas Holmstrom and Johan Franzen will. The Red Wings look to have a significant edge on the blueline boasting Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski and Niklas Kronwall. The Sharks' best is Boyle and vet Rob Blake. They'll need Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Doug Murray to be factors. Grinders Ryane Clowe, Manny Malhotra and Scott Nichol help. Devin Setoguchi had a strong first round scoring the Game Four overtime winner that swung the series. It'll take a team effort against the Cup proven Wings, who boast Calder candidate Jimmy Howard in net. J-How held up well in the seven-game win over Phoenix. The goalie match-up is huge. Is this the year Nabokov conquers the demons? It all begins tonight.

The other three semi match-ups get going this weekend. Chicago and Vancouver don't play till Saturday night on Hockey Night In Canada while NBC opted for Flyers-Bruins, meaning the Canadiens and Penguins kickoff tomorrow on CBC. Not much rest for the weary. It'll be interesting to see what Jaroslav Halak and Co. bring to the table at Mellon Arena. Stopping 131 of the final 134 shots making the Caps the first top seed to ever blow a 3-1 series lead in the first round was off the charts. Can it be duplicated against MVP nominee Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal? On paper, it seems like a mismatch but wasn't the same thing echoed about the Caps? Still, the Pens are defending champs for a reason and play a different style. They're more battle tested. What can Jacques Martin come up with to slow them down?

With it being one of the best opening rounds, the league had some noteworthy info. Here are the highlights courtesy the official media site:


BEST EVER? TAKING STOCK OF AN OUTSTANDING OPENING ROUND


OF THE 2010 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

NEW YORK (April 28, 2010) -- The entertaining and unpredictable opening round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs concluded tonight with the Montreal Canadiens defeating the Washington Capitals 2-1, adding the latest chapter in the storied franchise's playoff history by becoming the first #8 seed to win a series from a 3-1 deficit.

For the past 15 days, NHL fans were treated to a roller-coaster ride of eight hotly-contested series in which no outcome was a given, no lead was safe and the margin between winning and losing was razor-thin.

Among the statistical highlights:

* Road teams won 27 games (27-22), the most ever in the first round. Three series tied the NHL playoff record for most road wins (five, Montreal vs. Washington; Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa and Detroit vs. Phoenix). The Boston Bruins were the only of the eight advancing clubs to clinch the series on home ice.

* There were comebacks galore: the winning team in 24 of the 49 games trailed at some point in the contest. Five teams won after trailing by two or more goals. A club trailing in the third period came back to win nine times.

* Teams combined to score an average of 5.90 goals per game, the highest for an opening round since 1996 and a 36% increase over 2004 (4.34), the last playoff year before the adoption of several rule changes designed to limit obstruction. The first-round scoring average also topped that of the 2009-10 regular season (5.53), marking the first time that's happened since 1994-95.

* Twelve of the 49 games were decided in overtime, the most in opening-round play since 2001 (14). Seven of the eight series had at least one game extend to overtime.

* Scoring the game's first goal wasn't as much an advantage as advertised. The teams scoring first lost five of the six games in the Vancouver Canucks-Los Angeles Kings series (VAN 1-2, LA 0-3). The Buffalo Sabres opened the scoring five times against the Boston Bruins, but went 2-3 in those games.

* Adding to the upset-prone lore of the first round, each of the top three Eastern Conference seeds was eliminated: the #1 Washington Capitals (by #8 Montreal Canadiens), #2 New Jersey Devils (by #7 Philadelphia Flyers) and #3 Buffalo Sabres (by #6 Boston Bruins).


Reversal of Fortune

Beyond the statistics, each series provided a compelling narrative. Whether digging out from an early-series deficit or losing key personnel, every club that survived the first round faced adversity over the past two weeks. Their paths to winning the series were punctuated by dramatic, series-changing moments.

* Down 1-0 in the series, the Pittsburgh Penguins were tied 1-1 with Ottawa late in the third period of Game 2 until Penguins captain Sidney Crosby conjured up some playoff magic. His dive through the crease to swat away an Anton Volchenkov shot that had eluded goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury preserved the tie with 9:13 left in regulation. Later, he repeatedly eluded checkers behind the Senators' net before setting up Kris Letang for the game-winning goal with 4:12 left in regulation.

* Down 1-0 in the series, the Boston Bruins surrendered the first two goals of Game 2 and began the third period trailing a Buffalo Sabres team that was 31-0-0 in 2009-10 when leading after two periods. The Bruins rallied for three goals and a 5-3 victory to even the series.

* The Philadelphia Flyers learned after Game 4 of their series against the New Jersey Devils that two of their top forwards, Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne, were headed for foot surgery and sidelined indefinitely. With captain Mike Richards and young star Claude Giroux leading the way, the makeshift Flyers headed up the New Jersey Turnpike and blanked the Devils 3-0 to clinch the series.

* After dropping a pair of games at home to land on the brink of elimination, the Montreal Canadiens returned to goaltender Jaroslav Halak to get back in the series. Halak backstopped the Canadiens to three consecutive victories -- two at Verizon Center in Washington -- as Montreal became the first #8 seed to win a playoff series after trailing 3-1. In a performance reminiscent of famous playoff exploits by Canadiens goaltenders like Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy, Halak stopped 131 of 134 shots in the three victories (.978)

* The San Jose Sharks were on the verge of trailing their series with the Colorado Avalanche 2-0 heading to Denver until center Joe Pavelski tallied the game-tying goal with 31.8 seconds remaining in regulation of what became a 6-5 overtime victory at the Shark Tank. "I'm sure a lot of people were going, 'There we go again,'" Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov said. "I hope this will give us momentum. I think we showed the team's spirit." Pavelski didn't stop there -- he notched the overtime winner in Game 4 to square the series 2-2 and tallied the series-clinching goal in Game 6.

* The Chicago Blackhawks were just seconds away from dropping Game 5 of their series against the Nashville Predators to force a must-win Game 6 on the road, but center Patrick Kane scored a shorthanded goal with 13.6 seconds remaining to tie the score. Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa -- who was serving the penalty when Kane scored -- completed the Chicago comeback by scoring early in overtime. "Nothing tops it," Kane said when asked if that was the biggest goal of his young career. "That's why you play the game. From death to the door opening, it's a really good feeling. NBC in Chicago, there's no better place you want to be. That's why hockey's such a great game. You never know what can happen."

* The Vancouver Canucks trailed their series against the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 and fell behind 1-0, 2-1 and then 3-2 entering the third period of Game 4. The Canucks rallied thanks to a brilliant Roberto Luongo save, three assists from Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin's game-winning goal with 2:52 remaining in a 6-4 victory.

* The Detroit Red Wings trailed their series against Phoenix 1-0 and 2-1, and were beaten decisively by the Coyotes 5-2 in Game 6 with a chance to wrap up the series at home. Undaunted, the Red Wings came back two nights later in Phoenix with a flawless performance in capturing their first Game 7 on the road since 1964.

It certainly speaks for itself as to how good most of the games were. Now it's onto Round Two. In the first round, I went 5-for-8 nailing the West while taking it on the chin in the East with the top 3 seeds sent packing, including my roll of the dice on Buffalo. At least my Cup pick remains alive. Let's try our hand at what's left:

EAST

(4) Pens over (8) Habs in 5

(6) Bruins over (7) Flyers in 6

Analysis: Can't see the Canadiens having much left. Pitt has tremendous center edge and Fleury got better versus Sens, showing playoff form. Halak would have to repeat and every Canadien would have to play out of their head. More offense too would help. As for the B's, they're getting healthy with Savard returning. Things seem to be falling into place. Plus if I got a choice, Rask over Boucher, who figures to come down from an inspired first round revenge 10 years in the making. The bluelines are similar but can't see Philly overcoming no Carter, Gagne or Laperriere, who was key penalty killer. Just seems like too much.

WEST

(5) Red Wings over (1) Sharks in 6

(3) Canucks over (2) Blackhawks in 6

Analysis: Both series could go either way. I'm merely sticking with my picks. It will be difficult for San Jose to beat Detroit unless that top trio performs. They cannot have another no show. What they must do is attack Wings, who just went seven and have been playing playoff hockey for a month. Maybe they can wear them down. The Wings know what it takes. They get dirty and boast immense skill. Unless Thornton, Heater and Marleau can match Datsyuk, Zett and Holmstrom/Franzen, it'll be tough for the Sharks to win. You can make the argument Sharks have better depth in Pavelski, Setoguchi and Clowe but guys like Filppula, Helm and Cleary step up. Hard to see the latter getting shutout again. Canucks-Hawks for a second straight year. Last time, Patrick Kane ended their season. Vancouver is improved with best line in game plus Kesler, Raymond and Burrows, who figures to be more a factor. Can Toews/Kane/Hossa match The Sedins and Samuelsson? Patrick Sharp had good first round but Hawks need more from Versteeg and Troy Brouwer. Keep an eye on Pavol Demitra and Steve Bernier, who had good opening rounds. For Chicago, Tomas Kopecky and Dustin Byfuglien. The bluelines are about even but we like Vancouver's balance that includes Ehrhoff, Salo, Edler and Bieksa over Keith/Seabrook, Campbell and Hjalmarsson. Goalie match-up pits Luongo vs Niemi. Can the Finn duplicate Rd.1 success against higher scoring team? The pressure's all on Louie here.

Playoffs?!?!?! Day Two

It's Day Two of the playoffs. Playoffs??? We'll be lucky to win a God **** game! Had to get that in there sans Jim Mora. Especially with the Rangers on the golf course which is driving Jazzy Jim batty. Heard he showed at Wachovia for the coup de gras and was fuming. Ahhhh. That made it all better. Nothing like a money hungry, greedy owner who just desired the playoff revenue for a mediocre team so he could justify the ridiculous cost and then raise again at the expense of a too loyal fanbase that bleeds True Blue.

Speaking of which, if you missed New York Times' Ken Belson's piece on what those extra gates meant to Camp Dolanvi$ion, we suggest you check it out and try not to laugh too hard. Our favorite part:

But because all N.B.A. and N.H.L. teams must keep dates open at their arenas in case they make the playoffs, the elimination of the Knicks and the Rangers from the postseason means the Garden would remain empty for many more nights in April and May.



“You can’t fill them with two weeks’ notice,” Scott O’Neil, the president of MSG Sports, the division that runs the Rangers and other sports properties, said at a recent news event. “There are more dates in the building if we’re in the playoffs.”

The loss of playoff revenue would also come as Madison Square Garden spends about $800 million to renovate the 42-year-old arena. Home playoff games would not only generate a few more million dollars to help pay for the work, but would also give the Garden’s salesmen more ammunition to sell season tickets, suites and advertising for next season.

It might not cure your playoff appetite but hey. If Dolan's mad, some salvation. Now, if only some crazed person would slip a little poison in his scotch. ;) Couldn't resist. While we are on the sidelines finding other things to do (I missed most of last night except for 1 period of Wings/Yotes and highlights of all 4), sixteen teams' fans are dealing with anxiety right now. We can just sit back and relax. Don't ponder our team's future too much. It's not advisable. Let's enjoy the great weather and take it all in. Dream of a much different world minus Jazzy Jim and Glen Savior. Find the dimension over the haze between the sun and moon. Birds are chirping. Life is full of possibilities. Live it.

If Day One was any indication, then we're in for an interesting playoffs. Especially with all four underdogs winning. Phoenix included with a great come from behind 3-2 triumph over Detroit before the traditional White Out paying homage to Winnipeg. I've always loved that about the Yotes. It shows class and tradition. Good on Derek Morris scoring the winner on a bomb off a faceoff. He was huge netting the deciding power play goal and two helpers last night. Also noticed Korp got more ice than Pruuuu. And Bryzgalov stood up making 38 saves. Nice to see Gretzky recognize his former goalie via Puck Daddy pertaining to the Hart. Didn't we say that a while ago? Though it's awfully hard to ignore Henrik Sedin, who also was instrumental in aiding us to a second fantasy hockey championship. Safe to say I'll be protecting one-half of Swede genes.

As for the three road teams that prevailed yesterday, they all have something to prove. Brian Boucher (23 saves) has a shot at redemption and seems to recognize the situation. His Flyer 'mates don't want to be known as the team that slipped in due to a skill comp. Yes, Mike Richards' decider came with one extra out but the puck was all the way on the other side and the change wasn't blatant. Probably why it wasn't called. Agreed with Hasan on the Devils, who need to turn up the heat. Offense is their big chance this time. Someone better cue in Lemaire before Friday. ... Ever get the feeling it's just not a player's year? That's what it seems with MA Fleury (5 GA on 26), who again wasn't sharp in the Pens' 5-4 loss to a shorthanded Sens team minus Kovalev and now without Milan Michalek, who's done. Poor kid. I noted in my preview that Colin Wilson was a rookie to watch. Well, the Sens boast two in Erik Karlsson (remember that name) and Peter Regin, who both scored in the upset. The kids are hot and the Sens got contributions from pests Neil and Ruutu while Spezza and Alfie were quiet along with Mr. Carrie Underwood. Brian Elliott (17 saves) was good enough despite 2-1-3 from Geno and 3 helpers from Sid to best Flower, who doesn't inspire much confidence. Would it be nuts to consider Brent Johnson if they somehow fall behind 0-2? We think not. ... Now for the best of the bunch. The upstart Avs upset the Sharks in grand fashion, sending San Jose into full panic mode thanks to Chris Stewart's bankshot off Rob Blake with 50 ticks left. How is he their captain again? It didn't sound like it was Nabby, who made 28 saves and kept his flat team in it. As Scotty Hockey noted in this tweet, why wasn't Jed Ortmeyer dressed? Instead, Todd McLellan went with seven D only giving Jason Demers 6:53. Huh? Why go against logic? Ort's a heart and soul guy that's been part of the Sharks' season. Curious to say the least. It'd also help if Marleau-Thornton-Heatley remembered to show when it counts. No points. Eight shots with five from pass-happy Jumbo Joe and a minus-three won't cut it. Neither will another first round ouster.

So what to expect with three more opening tonight on Day Two? Figure the home teams to take care of business. They'll be more on their toes. Buffalo will be minus Jochen Hecht for a bit due to a bad finger. How'd he do that? Our favorite Tyler Ennis is in. The big goalie match-up in Rask-Miller is on. The Sabres should still have more offense. Especially if Vanek continues his tear. How Connolly performs will be key. For the B's, Miro Satan tries to haunt his ex-teammates. Chara, Bergeron, Krejci and Lucic are Boston keys. If they get anything from Michael Ryder, that's huge. Buffalo has Tyler Myers on D with Rivet and Pominville and Roy along with grit master Patrick Kaleta. Figure it to be tight. ... Les Habitants and Ovie Caps get underway on Versus. Can Halak stone AO, Backstrom, Semin, Green and the rest of the league's most potent offense? It's advisable for the Habs to counter slowing down their high flying opponent that's prone to mistakes. Air tight D led by the series' top defenseman Andrei Markov is pivotal. So too will be old Devil duo Gomer and Gio, who finished well. Cammalleri needs to find the magic touch. Tomas Plekanec has been their MVP. The play of the Kostitsyns and ice cold Benoit Pouliot are crucial. Can Max Lapierre get underneath the skin of Ovechkin? The Caps boast great depth in battle tested Knuble along with Fleischmann, Laich and Eric Fehr. Steckel, Bradley and Chimera are high energy. Jeff Schultz is intrumental defensively and Poti has been a good Cap. So, it should be easy, right? As long as Theodore shuts the door on his former team, for sure. If he's pulled, all bets are off. ... The final match pits the Kings vs Canucks. Hollywood against British Columbia. You have Sedin genius along with key cogs Ryan Kesler, Burrows and Mason Raymond plus Cup savvy Sammy making these Nucks legit. Especially with Demitra, Wellwood and Bernier in reserve. The key will be Louie. Can he get it back? If guys like Ehrhoff and Salo stay healthy, then a blueline that features Edler and Bieksa becomes a real strength with Shane O'Brien providing depth. What if Willie Mitchell (concussion) was available in mid-May/June? First, they have to get there which means winning two rounds. LA isn't a good match-up because they boast the kind of forwards that could give them fits. Kopitar, Smyth and Justin Williams are very potent. Especially with the Cup winner finding his form. Dustin Brown is a human freight train. He'll need support from Frolov and Jarret Stoll. We love Wayne Simmonds and Zeus has bounced back with a big season. Even Modin has fit in. The Kings boast the best defender in the series in Norris candidate Drew Doughty, who's a beast. Offense. Defense. You name it. He does it. Jack Johnson has quietly had a good year. Both along with vets Sean O'Donnell and Rob Scuderi will see a lot of big minutes. Matt Greene provides beef and Randy Jones has been steady. If Jon Quick regains confidence, the Canucks are in trouble. Even if we took them to Lord Stanley, this is a dangerous match-up that promises to be entertaining. Fasten your seatbelts.


Day Two Schedule

Boston @ Buffalo 7 ET
Montreal @ Washington 7 ET Versus
Los Angeles @ Vancouver 10 ET Versus

Battle Playoff Predictions

It's that fun time of year once again. Finally after a grueling 82-game season that also featured a thrilling Vancouver Olympics with Canada edging USA on Sidney Crosby's sudden death winner, sixteen teams are left to vie for Lord Stanley.

Gone are the Rangers, Anaheim and Calgary. In are mainstays Detroit and the Devils. Is this the Spring San Jose conquers their demons? Can the Ovie-Backstrom Caps win their first Cup? What about playoff hockey finally returning to the Desert for the traditional White Out dating back to Winnipeg? Meaningful hockey also returns to LA and Colorado where two upstarts try to put a dent in playoff brackets. Exciting stuff. Is this the year the Cup returns to Canada? The Sedins hope to deliver. Montreal hopes Halak can carry them to a monumental upset. Do the Hawks have enough goaltending to win the franchise's first championship since Bobby Hull starred in 1961? Can Rinne's Preds play spoiler and win their first series? Are Miller's Sabres being overlooked or is Tuukka Rask ready for primetime? Is Kovalchuk enough to bring Cup No.4 back to Jersey? Or will the Devils' best team since its last winner under Pat Burns go belly up against the hated Flyers? Can the Crosby-Malkin Pens repeat? Who will surprise? Who will disappoint? Who is this year's hero?

All these questions will get answered beginning tomorrow. We'll take our best crack at it.


BATTLE PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

EAST

Conference Quarters:

(1) Capitals over (8) Canadiens in 6  

Analysis: Halak steals a game or two but too much firepower.

(2) Devils over (7) Flyers in 7         

Analysis: Tempted to take Philly but Devs have too much to lose.

(3) Sabres over (6) Bruins in 6          

Analysis: Won't be easy versus Rask but Vanek heating up and Miller.

(4) Penguins over (5) Senators in 5    

Analysis: If Fleury struggles and Elliott performs, this could get interesting.


Conference Semis:

(1) Capitals over (4) Penguins in 6   

Analysis: Depth proves the difference.

(3) Sabres over (2) Devils in 7   

Analysis: Teams are very similar but think Myers and Miller deliver.


Conference Final:

(3) Sabres over (1) Capitals in 6     

Analysis: Goaltending, defense, grit and better coaching wins out.


WEST

Conference Quarters:

(1) Sharks over (8) Avalanche in 5  

Analysis: Too much scoring, depth, experience and so much at stake.

(2) Blackhawks over (7) Predators in 7

Analysis: Rinne/underrated offense scare but home ice/balance boost Hawks.

(3) Canucks over (Kings) in 7         

Analysis: Dangerous opponent but can't go against Sedins and Kesler.

(5) Red Wings over (4) Coyotes in 6

Analysis: Bryzgalov gives 'Yotes chance but Wings hot and prove too much.


Conference Semis:

(5) Red Wings over (1) Sharks in 7

Analysis: Potential for lots of scoring. Will Shark D be exposed?

(3) Canucks over (2) Blackhawks in 6

Analysis: Teams very even. Pressure's on Louie to deliver.


Conference Final:

(3) Canucks over (5) Red Wings in 6

Analysis: A toss-up. Which goalie steps up? Samuelsson haunts former 'mates.


Stanley Cup: A delicious match-up between two Cup starved cities. Think of the storylines. Olympic rematch between Miller and Luongo. Canada versus USA again. Third time post-lockout. It would be a nightmare for NBC but how can you ignore the star power of The Sedins? This would be good for the sport. A battle between three seeds who've been the butt of jokes forever. One gets to end it.

(3) Canucks over (3) Sabres in 6          

Analysis: Hard to go against Vancouver's firepower. Miller would have to steal series. This is the most talented Canuck team since '94. They'll struggle to get past first round but ultimately, they are the best team. Can Alain Vigneault and Louie deliver? That's what we're playing. The time is right. 1-2-3-4 Presssssuuuureee!!!!! Billy Joel would be proud.

Fun Stuff

Stanley Cup Champion-Vancouver Canucks
Conn Smythe-Henrik Sedin, Canucks
Leading Scorer-Henrik Sedin, Canucks
Top Finisher-Thomas Vanek, Sabres
Best Goalie-Ryan Miller, Sabres
Best Defenseman-Tyler Myers, Sabres
Breakout Star-Ryan Kesler, Canucks
Rookie Under Radar-Colin Wilson, Predators
Best Coach-Lindy Ruff, Sabres/Mike Babcock, Red Wings
Coach You Can't Trust-Bruce Boudreau, Capitals
Scary-Evgeni Nabokov, Sharks
Jinx-Marian Hossa, Blackhawks
Disappearing Act-Joe Thornton, Sharks
Hot Seat-Roberto Luongo, Canucks/Jacques Lemaire, Devils

Sid is just a Kid

All-Star. Hart Trophy. Stanley Cup. Gold Medal Olympic Hero. Golden Boy. Nobody can deny the special talent of Sidney Crosby. At 22 years of age, the Penguin leader has accomplished plenty already, silencing cynics like us that can't stomach him along with co-bloggers Hasan and Brian.

While the ever popular "Crosby Sucks" spreads to every arena outside Mellon Arena who hear no evil see no evil from their hockey God, frustration mounts at what he's allowed to get away with daily. In between all the goals, assists and points, Sid The Kid shows off his bad side getting underneath opponents' skin, which usually involves using his stick illegally. Most would agree that's putting putting it mildly. It doesn't seem to matter who he faces. The league co-leading finisher loves to chop opponents while programmed referees turn their backs. Fans in the metro area who rarely get along can at least agree one this sore subject. Crosby sucks. The missed slashes and repeated hacks that are just as reckless and disrespectful as an Ovechkin shove from behind are ignored.

Nobody will ever accuse Sidney of being a dirty player. However, such antics like he childishly displayed at the conclusion of tonight's nationally televised Versus game in a Cup rematch at Detroit show a different side than the lovey dovey character we get shoved down our throats. While it's true his success benefits the NHL and NBC which most feel stands for Nothing But Crosby, would it kill the powers to be to take a closer look at the wonder boy following another stick incident? His team lost 3-1 to Henrik Zetterberg, who flat out dominated finishing with two goals and an assist while shutting down Sid. It's easy to talk Crosby-Ovie 24/7, but it's this writer's opinion that Zetterberg and Red Wing teammate Pavel Datsyuk are better overall players. This isn't a knock on the super-hyped rivalry. Just an objective take that the guys who wear the Winged Wheel along with ageless wonder Nicklas Lidstrom don't take a back seat.

Apparently, Sid vehemently disagrees. How else to explain the latest cheap shot, repeatedly shoving his stick into a furious Zetterberg as the buzzer sounded at The Joe, signaling the latest big win for a Detroit outfit who refuse to go away. Perhaps their inspired play which saw a heroic Zett backhand rifled past Roberto Luongo with 0.3 left to spare in Vancouver has intimidated San Jose and Chicago, who've eerily lost enough allowing the miracle Coyotes to catch up. As for the Pens' captain, maybe he was just taking out his frustration following a no point, minus-two game against one of the best two-way players we've ever seen. After being stifled by Calder front runner Jimmy Howard seconds earlier, his latest tantrum didn't sit well with the rookie netminder who defended his teammate by challenging Crosby, who typically backed off.

"I knew it was him without turning around,” Zetterberg pointed out while Sid retorted, “I don’t think that’s where he [Howard] should be. “I don’t know what he was doing over there.” The same thing even Henrik Lundqvist did following your continued lack of respect for your peers.

Pittsburgh	roughing - 2 min	20:00, S. Crosby
Detroit	roughing - 2 min	20:00, J. Howard
Detroit	roughing - 2 min	20:00, H. Zetterberg

So, what do you think happened? All ref tandem Tim Peel and Brian Pochmara saw fit to do was handout matching roughs to Zetterberg and the guilty party who got away with crosschecks while also giving Howard two as well. You guessed it. Somehow, the Red Wings wound up with two extra minutes. Even if it was only a matter of book keeping, it summed up the serious double standard that few have the gall to write about. When will Gary Bettman and Colin Campbell finally take action against their guy? Is it going to take one of those unnecessary whacks which finally injures another to penalize the face of the league?

Between you, me and the lamppost, that day probably will never come. In a game that's pushing radical changes to prevent head shots like the one Crosby's teammate Matt Cooke delivered and got away with on poor Marc Savard, they refuse to notice what Sid does after whistles. No discipline. Not even a warning. Makes plenty of sense given how it's run.

If you didn't know any better, you'd swear Bettman and Campbell are the real life version of Lloyd and Harry. Who knew? Dumb & Dumber truly do exist. No wonder their kid runs a muck.

Random thoughts

With a lot of hockey taking place this weekend, I figured I'd bring back my total randomness and give you a little insight. So, here goes:


1.Some HNIC announcer pointed out that Detroit doesn't have much offensive depth up front outside of Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Holmstrom. Well, you don't say. It's much easier to conclude that when Lidstrom, Rafalski, Chelios, Hasek, Cleary and Kronwall are out. How many teams can play good hockey when so many key contributors are out including Detroit's best player? There's no doubt that they could use a little more toughness up front. Maybe Darren McCarty's comeback pans out. You sure hope so.

2.How bad is the Devils radio cast? It's already sad enough that they have the worst announcers in the overmatched Matt Loughlin and Sherry Ross but they were just about to go to commercial and screwed up. God. How can a successful franchise that's won three Cups and produced such great players like Brodeur, Parise, Elias, etc. have such an awful radio broadcast?

It was a much better listen when John Hennessy and Randy Velischek were calling games. Sure. Velischek accentuated the positives but he was a decent analyst and Hennessy was a real play-by-play man. Isn't it about time the Devils scrap this failed experiment? Loughlin's a solid studio host where he worked extremely well with Stan Fischler in the infamous Matt & The Maven segment which always were a blast. Ross is a much better hockey writer for the Daily News than color commentator.

3.For NBC to be airing golf today instead of hockey is a joke. The network's done an admirable job in its third season covering the sport. The team of Mike Milbury and Pierre McGuire is a big improvement. They're really good and not afraid to pull punches. However, with the trade deadline looming, you'd think the NHL's network TV station would have some games on. It's disappointing.

4.Coach of the year candidate: Barry Trotz, Nashville. This guy is just a phenomenal coach. He loses his No.1 goalie along with arguably his best defenseman because of the franchise's uncertainty and still has this team in the playoffs if the season ended today. Oh. He still has good players. J.P. Dumont has been terrific and Alexander Radulov is an emerging star. Jason Arnott has assumed the leadership role and played very well. His best hockey since he helped the Devils win their second Cup. Still, with Chris Mason and Dan Ellis sharing the No.1 goalie duties and an alright blueline which has seen Shea Weber miss a lot of time and no Steve Sullivan up front, this team is overachieving. Trotz really deserves a lot of credit. Especially if they get in in an extremely tough West.

5.Say this for the Kings. They might not be making the playoffs this year but they sure boast an exciting crop of young forwards which will make them an improved team for the future. If Jonathan Bernier develops into the top netminder the franchise expects, they'll be much better. Patrick O'Sullivan has joined a talented roster which features Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov, Michael Cammalleri and Dustin Brown. Jack Johnson will get better on the blueline. He made a great hustle play yesterday to allow his team to rally from four down to force OT before falling on Patrick Sharp's rebound goal.

6.Did anyone have Sharp leading the Hawks with 29 goals including an NHL best seven shorthanded?

7.Brodeur's stoning the Caps here. He's made at least four great saves including a big one on league leading finisher Alexander Ovechkin.

8.Do the Canucks have enough scoring to make the playoffs let alone go far? Mats Sundin sure would look good playing alongside countrymen Markus Naslund, the Sedins and Mattias Ohlund.

9.Where will Marian Hossa land?

10.He won't get much recognition but Rick DiPietro has been extremely valuable to the Islanders. The stats say otherwise but anyone who watches that depleted team as they grind their way to stay in this race knows better. How about nominating him for the Vezina alongside Brodeur and Roberto Luongo? It won't happen.

11.I've been pushing him for a while but Andrei Markov needs to be up for the Norris even if it's going to Lidstrom.

12.Hidden superstar: Ryan Getzlaf. If you see any of the Ducks, then you know why. He just does it all. The definition of a power forward who makes teammates better and strikes fear into the opposition.

13.How are the Canes still winning without Rod Brind'Amour and Justin Williams? Plus they unloaded Cory Stillman and key cog Mike Commodore to the Sens. That's a great coaching job by Peter Laviolette.

14.Paul Martin won't be up for the Norris but he's having his best season and really means so much to the Devils' success. A very solid skater who's extremely smart in his end. Now he's finally jumping into the play and finding offense.

15.When Jaromir Jagr decides to play, he's still pretty tough to stop. Too bad his confidence in his ability to score is shot.

16.Who would you rather have? Daniel Briere or Derek Roy? Looks like the Sabres made the right choice.

17.Underrated defenseman: Meet Mike Green. Don't let him wind up or you could pay the price.

18.Jonathan Toews has really raised his level since returning to the Hawks.

19.How does Radim Vrbata have 27 goals in The Desert?!?!?!?!?!

20.Wayne Gretzky's done an unbelievable job with the 'Yotes. Remember when they were a laughingstock? Not anymore.

21.The Sharks still don't look like they have enough scoring to win more than a round.

All-Star starters announced, Brodeur gets nod in goal for East

Earlier today, the league announced the starters for the upcoming All-Star Game.

Here's who that elite list of stars will include:

2008 Eastern Conference All-Star Team Starting Lineup

Goal: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey

Defense: Andrei Markov, Montreal
Defense: Zdeno Chara, Boston

Forward: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh
Forward: Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay
Forward: Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa

2008 Western Conference All-Star Team Starting Lineup

Goal: Roberto Luongo, Vancouver

Defense: Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit
Defense: Dion Phaneuf, Calgary

Forward: Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit
Forward: Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit
Forward: Jarome Iginla, Calgary


From the look of things, two quick notes:

1.No Ilya Kovalchuk for the stacked East
2.The Western lineup with the exception of goaltender is made up of all Red Wings and Flames.


We'll have much more later on.

Wednesday Night Wrap: Three OT's and Three Goals for Stastny

Anaheim 2
Detroit 3 (SO)
ANA: Bertuzzi, Getzlaf
DET: Zetterburg, Holmstrom
SHOOTOUT WINNER: Hudler

Montreal 3 (OT)
Carolina 2
MTL: Streit, Koivu (2)
CAR: Cole, Hedican
OT Winner: Koivu (1:05)

Ottawa 4 (OT)
Toronto 3
OTT: Vermette, Alfredsson, Heatley (2)
TOR: Antropov (2), Stajan
OT Winner: Heatley (2:57)

Dallas 3
Colorado 4
DAL: Halpern, Jokinen, Hagman
COL: Stastny (3), Wolski

NOTES:

-Good work turned in from VERSUS. They're very close to "finely tuned machine" status. The new game recap graphics are ESPN-quality, and Mike Emrick, Bill Patrick, Keith Jones and Daryl Reaugh were stellar in particular.

-This Stastny kid will get 35-40 if he stays healthy this season. He's a "Flash" type of player, he pops in and out of your TV screen.

-Where did the Hnlika come from?

-Anaheim looked a little lagged tonight.

-Rafalski looked like a completely different player in a Detroit uniform.

Devils tomorrow...cannot wait.

Hockey Tonight!

Finally.

Here's VERSUS' schedule for tonight:

5:30 Lord Stanley's Summer - Trivails and Trips over the Ducks' Cup Winning Summer..
6:30 Hockey Central - Pre-Game Show, New Studio, New Host, In HD.
7:00 Anaheim vs. Detroit - Doc Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Chris Simpson
9:30 Dallas vs. Colorado - Joe Beninati, Daryl Reaugh, Bob Harwood
12:00 Hockey Central

Predictions later today.

Pre-Season Roundup

Flyers 5-0 Rangers
Key Goal-Getters: Mike Knuble - 2 Goals, Sami Kapanen, Mike Richards (PHI)

Leafs 4-3 Bruins (Shootout)
Key Goal Getters: Phil Kessel (BOS), John Pohl (TOR)

Blues 3-2 Thrashers
Key Goal Getters: David Perron (STL), Marian Hossa - 2 Goals (ATL)

Senators 2-1 Canadiens
Key Goal Getters: Jason Spezza (OTT)

Red Wings 5-2 Penguins
Key Goal Getters: Kris Draper, Henrik Zetterburg - 2 Goals (DET), Evgeni Malkin (PIT)

Capitals 2-1 Lightning
Key Goal Getters: Alexander Semin (WSH), Martin St. Louis (TB)

Hurricanes 1-4 Predators
Key Goal Getters: Jason Arnott (NSH)

Oilers 5-4 Flames (Overtime)
Key Goal Getters: Jarret Stoll, Shawn Horcoff (EDM), Alex Tanguay, Jarome Iginla, Marcus Nilson (CGY)

Opening Night Doubleheader

If your VERSUS, based on what's happened in free agency and whatnot, what two games do you use to open the season?

My pick:

7:00 Anaheim vs. Pittsburgh
10:00 Detroit vs. San Jose

What do you guys think? Comment it.

Dallas is in Detroit

Dallas Drake has signed a deal with the Red Wings. Likely a 1-year deal, he'll be a great fit on their fourth line.

Also, Kevin Bieksa has signed an extension with the Canucks.

Red Wings Finally Re-Sign Hasek

1 Year deal, $2 million base salary with incentives.

The Red Wings go back to being first round fodder for a Western Canadian team again.

Various Signings Tonight

Minnesota re-signed Wez Walz for 1 year.

Vancouver signed Curtis Sanford - 1 Year, $600K

Raffi Torres re-signed in Edmonton. 3 Years, $6.75M total.

Kings signed Brad Stuart - 1 Year, $3.5 Mill. Kings continue to build.

Brad Ference is signed with the Red Wings.

Speaking of the Kings, Jason LaBarbera signed a 2-year extension with them. Finally, they can keep him at the NHL level.

Video of McClennan's Idiocy

http://video.nbcsports.com/player/?id=93835

About 3 minutes in, it gets ugly.