i herad tonight that philly has lost game 1 of their last SIX series.

Happy the canucks nab game 1. Excellent playoff type hockey, both teams had an extra gear. Tightly called by the refs, but i think thats good, i dont want clutch and grab hockey to drift into this years playoffs.

nucks and blues game 2 in less than 5 hours! can't wait!!

Normally I'd say a series doesn't really start until game 3 - or at least advise against assuming anything after a mere two games - but a few of these series look like they're already decided.

Montreal is done.
Washington is done.
Philadelphia is done.
Columbus is done.

Chicago, even though they're leading the series, looks like they're on the hairy edge of done, depending on how quickly their young stars can learn the play-off brand of hockey.

And San Jose better wake up quick.


Edit: those Chicago young stars are learning quick.

Osgood seems like he's on his game.

Against Columbus it looks like Osgood doesn't even matter - they could have a 2nd string, diarrhetic peewee backup in net right now for all the Blue Jackets are doing.

BJ's power play was 30th in the league, so that cancels out the Wings achilles heal which is their PK.

I'd like to believe Philly and Calgary still have a chance, especially since both teams are going home. But it seems like all year both teams have under achieved a bit. SJ v Ana should be a blast tomorrow.

I love how Gainey tried to counter Lucic with George Laraque, like Laraque was as complete a package as Chris Nilan was when he was a Hab in the 80's. Laraque can fight and not much else. Put him on the 4th line, your scorers need a lot of ice time to keep up with the Bruins.

As much as I don't want you to be right, I think you are. The only hope we have left to go on now is that the previous two times that the Caps went past the first round, they were down 2 games to start the series.

and what about vancouver/st. louis?

i'm still watching the flyers today, because i stick with my teams that i mostly only follow in the playoffs

Too close to call.

flyers looked really good today

So the canucks beat the blues 3-2 tonight, giving them a 3-0 series lead.

looks like that 4-0 series win isn't so unlikely after all.

Lucic suspended for game 3. Not surprised, that cross check to the head of Lapierre was suspension worthy and pretty F'ing dumb. The only surprsing thing is Versus didn't make a bigger deal when it happened. I saw the replay and cringed. Someone in the organisation (Cam Neely?) should pull Milan aside and tell him to cool it a little. That cross check, combined with that incident earlier in the season when he hit the Ducks Mike Brown when he was down, is earning Lucic a bad rep.

Sharks are shooting blanks. I never thought I'd enjoy seeing the Ducks win playoffs games, but this is funny. If the Sharks are so good then how does Roenick get such prime ice time? JR has 38 goals since the lockout ended and Thornton is rarely stepping on the ice without grandpa on his wing. Ducks hold on to win this they get the Wings next round and the Ducks have a PP that can make the Wings pay. Ducks hold on to win this it also means the Sharks won as many playoff rounds the Spring before Thornton arrived (2) as they have in the 3 seasons since.

I am sure I just cursed the Ducks and now the Sharks will win the series

Re: The Blackhawks

Khabibulin is peaking at the right time.
And the young team that he has in front of him should have the stamina to still be somewhat fresh after a long season. They have the stuff to go a long way in the playoffs, IMO.

It's the first time in a long time that I've been excited about hockey... be it the Hawks, or any other team. I'm just excited about the sport, in general. Now that we get to watch it on TV, I get to remember what a freaking amazing game it is!

I hope the "Laraque" experiment is over.

I wasn't too impressed with the St. Louis fans booing throughout the Cdn national anthem - but it'll make it all the sweeter if the 'Nucks can get that 4th win.

yeah, that was pretty disgusting actually

Where has this Caps team been in Game 1 and 2?

Thank God for Varlamov. Youngest goaltender to get a shutout in the playoffs in NHL history.

Avery is such an idiot and arguably cost the Rangers the game with his 8 PIMs.

I just hope the Caps can keep it up. I will get excited if they tie the series.

Canucks sweep blues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

allright!! impressive series by the nucks. I hope with the time off now that Sundin and Salo will get healthy, well need them.

Too bad the Sharks and Ducks calmed down, because the first 40 minutes of that game was a roller coaster. The third period had a great flow, over five minutes before the first whistle stoppage, but it could have used some of the craziness the first two had. Once the Sharks scored you knew it was over because it just did not have the feel of a period that would produce multiple goals. Neither team was playing wide open enough.

I have been trying to convince people all season that Getzlaf and not Thornton, is the best center in the Pacific. Rest of the series could go along way to answering that question.

Nice series by the 'Nucks. Just goes to show a good team that is red hot will always beat a mediocre team that is red hot.

Man, the Marty meltdown is going to be blog and youtube fodder for years to come. Congrats to Jussi Jokinen, a guy who was on waivers a few months back.

Canadians have been boo'ing the American national anthem too

it's terrible on both sides.

really? in what game?

booing a national anthem is such a shitty thing to do