By Dan Meister, Staff Writer
This year in the Nation Hockey League Playoffs, every series has been tight from the start. The usual, big-name players are stepping up and there have been a few surprising performances as well.
In the Western Conference, the no. 1 seed San Jose Sharks are playing the no. 8 seed Colorado Avalanche. The Sharks, led by goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, are looking to avoid another early round exit from the playoffs after a great regular season. This trait has haunted them the past four years, underachieving in the playoffs. The Avs are lead by goalie Craig Anderson who is making his playoff debut this year. The series is tied at two games apiece after the Sharks evened things up with a 2-1 overtime win Tuesday.
The no. 2 seed Chicago Blackhawks are matched up with no. 7 seedNashville Predators who have never won a playoff series in their 12-year history. Led by the strong play of goalie Pekka Rinne, the Predators have grabbed a two games to one series lead with a 4-1 win Tuesday at home. Chicago is going to need forwards Patrick Kane and veteran Marian Hossa to raise their level of play if they expect to advance.
The no. 3 seeded Vancouver Canucks are playing no. 6 seed Los Angeles Kings, who are playing in their first playoff series in eight year. Led by young goalie Jonathan Quick's excellent play, as well as forward Michal Handzus, the Kings lead the series two games to one after Monday's 5-3 victory. The Canucks were depending on the usually strong goaltending of Roberto Luongo but through the second period in Monday's game he had given up nine goals and was pulled.
The no. 4 seed in the West, the Phoenix Coyotes are paired with the no. 5 seed Detroit Red Wings and the series is even at two games each after Detroit's 3-0 win on Tuesday night. The Red Wings are leaning on rookie goalie Jimmy Howard, who was stellar in game 4 with 29 saves. The Coyotes are looking for goalie Ilya Bryzgalov to improve his play and the return of captain Shane Doan to take control of the series.
In the Eastern Conference things have been just as crazy. The top-seeded Washington Capitals, who have arguably the best player in the world Alexander Ovechkin, lead the Montreal Canadiens two games to one. The Capitals scored four goals in the second period and started goalie Semyon Varlamov in game three and look to take a commanding lead in the series Wednesday in Montreal.
The no. 2 seed New Jersey Devils are in trouble. They trail the no. 7 seed Philadelphia Flyers three games to one after the Flyers 4-1 win in Philly Tuesday night. Flyers goalie Brian Boucher has outplayed one of the best ever in Devils' goalie Martin Brodeur through the first four games of the series. An interesting storyline in this series is that in 2000, Boucher's rookie season, the Flyers were in the same position and ended up losing in seven to the Devils. Boucher has "put that all behind him," and is "not worried about what went wrong." The Flyers have New Jersey on the ropes and look to close out the series Thursday in New Jersey.
The no. 3 seed Buffalo Sabres are facing the no. 6 seed Boston Bruins. The Bruins lead two games to one through three games thanks in large part to the stellar play of rookie goalie Tuukka Rask who has stymied the Sabres for most of the three games. U.S. Olympic goalie Ryan Miller, the Sabres' net minder, has been outplayed thus far and looks to rebound his play and Buffalo looks to tie the series Wednesday night in game four in Boston at the Garden.
Finally, star forward Sidney Crosby and the no. 4 seed Pittsburgh Penguins lead the no. 5 seed Ottawa Senators three games to one after Tuesday nights 7-4 rout in Ottawa. Crosby had four points including two goals and the Penguins look to eliminate the Senators Thursday in Pittsburgh in what is clearly the most one-sided series of the playoffs.
The trend so far has been rookie goalies stepping up and leading their team to victory. With the first round about half complete, only time will tell if these rookies can keep their strong play up or if they will fade under the pressure of the playoffs.