New York Rangers forward Sean Avery will miss the rest of the season with a lacerated spleen.
Contrary to reports that Avery had lost consciousness and had a heart attack, Avery was taken to the hospital where after being administered a CT scan a laceration in his spleen was found. Avery was brought to the hospital after the game 3 loss to the Penguins last night, when he told team doctors that his pain was growing worse.
The Philadelphia Flyers hung on to defeat the Montreal Canadiens last 3-2... barely. The Montreal Canadiens mounted a furious comeback, and in the final moments of the third, pounded the Flyers with shots but were unable to solve goaltender Martin Biron for the second straight game.
Biron helped the Flyers climb back into the series on Saturday and last night helped them take a 2-1 series lead. Unfortunately for Habs goalie Carey Price, for every action there is an equal yet opposite reaction. Price was yanked in favor of back up Jaroslav Halak after surrendering the third goal to the Flyers.
Aside from this series, the rest of the games in this round are very one sided.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have dominated the New York Rangers in the first two games of their series. The Rangers blew a commanding three goal lead Friday night and fell to the Penguins 5-4. On Sunday, they tightened up, and were shutout by Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. I can't say enough good things about this club right now. They overcome adversity, they play good team defense, and they have made Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist look ordinary. They have yet to lose thus far in the post season, and really look like a team of destiny right now.
Now for the bad. While I appreciate the effort, Sidney Crosby's playoff beard (term used very loosely) is undescribable. While teammates Ryan Malone, and Marian Hossa have brought the Beardgame, Crosby.... well he just can't. I will never take anything away from him as a player, but I have found his flaw. Pittsburgh fans.... we have found the new Jeff Friesen. Officer Crosby... the donuts are on us.
I got some crap for my opinion on Joe Thornton last week, and my belief that he is not a big time playoff performer. Two games, 1 assist, two losses. The man has all the skills and tools necessary to carry this club to the promised land, but for some reason fails to do so, or at least has so far. On the positive side, the man does wield a formidable playoff beard... hopefully that facial magnificence will one day translate to Stanley Cup glory. The Dallas Stars look amazing. After knocking of the reigning Stanley Cup Champs, they look poised to easily dispatch the Stanley Cup favorite San Jose Sharks. They bring a 2-0 series lead back to Dallas tomorrow night. Marty Turco is the man.... and he is finally getting his due..... take a page from his playbook Joe.
The sleeping giant has awoken in Detroit. After an amazing regular season, the Detroit Red Wings were tested in round 1 by the Nashville Predators, but now head to Denver with a 2-0 series lead, and look to continue their dominance over an injury depleted Colorado Avalanche lineup. The Red Wings have brought Avs goaltender Jose Theodore back down to earth and have made him look like the Theodore of old (not the MVP old Theodore... last years Rogaine Junkie Theodore). Rumors are abound that back up goaltender (formerly number one) Peter Budaj may start game 3 for the Avs. There is also a chance that Forsberg may return from the groin injury that has hampered him this round. Either way, the Avs better pulll something out of their hats.
That was an impressive Round 1. Three game 7's, two of which I doubt many saw coming, or predicted. The third, Calgary and San Jose.... well, I had a feeling that would go long, but I guessed the outcome wrong. Hats off first to the Philadelphia Flyers, in stopping the hottest team in the league going into the playoffs in the Washington Capitals, and congratulations to Montreal and the Bruins for putting on an unbelievably exciting series.
The Bosh didn't do too badly in the first round. Let's look at the scorecard:
Habs in 4. Much credit to the Bruins, who as you can tell I had little faith in.
Penguins in 5. I guess I gave a little too much credit to the Senators. Holy crap what the hell happened to that team?
Caps in 3. Yeah this was a joke that obviously blew up in my face. Enjoy it while it lasts Philly fans.
Rangers in 6. Almost called this one on the button as well, but the Devils just couldn't out produce the Rangers on the offensive side of the puck.
Detroit in 5. The Predators gave the Red Wings a bit of a scare...
Calgary in 6. San Jose was lucky.
Colorado in 5. Another almost brilliant call by the Bosher!
Anaheim in 7. Ok I suck.
5 out of 8. Yeah I guess that does suck. Anyway, here's my round two calls:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Both clubs gave up 3-1 leads in their round 1 series and were forced to close it out in a game 7 match-ups. The Habs ended the Bruins comeback convincingly while the Flyers narrowly defeated the Capitals in overtime. I think both of these clubs are in for another long-term battle, and would be surprised if both play 14 games before round 2 is over. Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price looks so confident in net, and was able to deal with some adversity in the first round. As I said before the Philadelphia Flyers found a way to shutdown a red hot Capitals team, and contain star forward Alexander Ovechkin and keep his damage to minimum.
As much as it pains me to do so. I'm going Flyers here. Call it hunch (and most are wrong), but the Flyers showed me a lot in round 1, and I think they defeated the superior opponent.
Playoff Beard Prediction: Flyers in 7 games.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers
After nearly a decade of no playoffs in New York, the Rangers have made it to the post-season for the third straight season, and for the second consecutive year find themselves in the final 8. I'm still not used to seeing them in the playoffs either. The same could probably be said for many Penguins fans who are enjoying a similiar ressurrection. Clearly the Penguins boast the more potent offense. Who could argue that with a front line that consists of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Marian Hossa? However, I don't think the Penguins were tested whatsoever in round 1. Were the Penguins really that good, or the Sens really that bad. I'm leaning towards the latter. The New York Rangers I believe met their first challenge and will be ready for their next one. Although this one will be much more difficult.
Playoff Beard Prediction: Rangers in 7 games.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche
Is this still a rivalry? I remember the old days of ESPN Hockey when Gary Thorne and Bill Clement were orgasming with joy every time these two teams got together (I'm still convinced that Thorne wants to share a hot tub with Steve Yzerman and drink champagne off Clement's moustache.... I digress). The Avs brought back a few of the originals players in this drama in Forsberg and Foote, and the Red Wings brought back McCarty so perhaps there will be some ancient animosity revived. The Red Wings always seem as though they need to get passed the first round in order to relax and start playing good hockey. Now that they've done just that, I think the Avs will be the unfortunate recipients of that. Avs keeper Jose Theodore has been hot, but I think Red Wings keeper Chris Osgood who replaced Dominik Hasek will continue to prove why Coach Babcock chose to go with him as the starter (that and the fact that Hasek admitted he was playing like crap).
Playoff Beard Prediction: Red WIngs in 6 games.
San Jose Sharks vs. Dallas Stars
San Jose.... you lucky bastards. Yer lucky that Jarome Iginla was the only player on Calgary who decided to show up in Round 1. Yer lucky that you got any production whatsoever out of playoff choke monster Joe Thornton. YOU ARE SO LUCKY that Jeremy Roenick channelled his inner Blackhawk the other night and won game 7 for you. That being said.... it's over. I will never believe in the Sharks till they prove me wrong. They have always been a solid regular season team, but the post season has not been the land of milk and honey for them. Joe Thornton is rapidly becoming the NHL equivalent to MLB's Alex Rodriguez. Incredible during the regular season. Regular during the post season. And no, I don't watch baseball, that sport is for sucks. Maybe the reason the Bruins traded him three seasons ago wasn't as off base as we originally thought. Regardless. It's over for San Jose. The Stars having gotten over the hump of the first round, will go over the Sharks like a modest speed bump.
Playoff Beard Prediction: Stars in 5 games.
For the record... Playoff Beards on superstar NHL players... very cool. Playoff Beards on jackasses like myself in a corporate environment..... not so cool.
It took a few years, but it's apparent that Colorado Avalance goaltender Jose Theodore has rediscovered his play that secured him the Hart Trophy several seasons ago.
Jose Theodore made 34 saves last night and lifted the Avs to a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild, and became the third club to advance to the second round of the playoffs. The Avalanched closed out the Wild in 6 games.
In the final three games of the series, Theodore held the Wild to two goals or less. The Avs ride a three game winning streak into round 2.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins
The Bruins forced a game 7 in spectacular fashion last night in their 5-4 win over the Habs last night. The final 10 minutes of the game saw both clubs exchange goals and leads several times... in what had to be one of the most exciting games of the playoffs thus far. The Bruins will travel to Montreal on Monday night and attempt to do something their franchise has accomplished before in their history. Win a playoff series after being down 3-1. The pressure has surely shifted to the Canadiens. Playoff Beard Watch: Zdeno Chara.... give that man another round in the playoffs and he should be ready to start selling car insurance.
Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers
The Washington Capitals comeback attempt is well under way. The Capitals defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 yesterday and staved (oh yeah, it's staving time) off elimination. Caps keeper Cristobal Huet made 30 saves, and Washington got goals from Backstrom, Federov and Semin to force a game 6. Phildalphia leads the series 3-2.
Today's Action: Detroit Red Wings vs. Nashville Predators
Detroit at Nashville 3:00 PM
The Red Wings take their 3-2 series lead to Nashville this afternoon and will look to finish off the Predators. Stave time for the Preds as they will look to force a game 7.
San Jose Sharks vs. Calgary Flames
San Jose at Calgary 8:00 PM
The Sharks will attempt to close out their series as the face the Flames in Calgary. Calgary will attempt to to force another game 7.... we can only hope!
Dallas Stars vs. Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim at Dallas 9:00 PM
Do or die time for the Dallas Stars. Yes I know they have two more opportunities to win this series, but if they lose game 6, they WILL lose game 7. Exorcise the demons boys, otherwise, get your razors out.
Speaking of razors. Edge shaving gel has apparently jumped on board the playoff beard band wagon along with Gillette. Again I have to point out to both companies.... your products are for shaving. Shaving in the playoffs, means you lost. Your products represent failure!
Now, this is the time of year, when Just For Men, and other beard care products should start advertising their wares... No play for Mr. Gray. No playoffs for Mr. Freshly Shaved either.
The New Jersey Devils got an early 1-0 lead off a Brian Gionta goal early in the first period and looked to take game 6 in commanding fashion. The New York Rangers immediately responded by scoring less than half a minute later to tie it 1-1 on a goal by Michal Rozsival, and captain Jaromir Jagr and Scott Gomez added two more in the first.
Rangers forward Chris Drury added to the lead in the second to give them a 4-1 lead. The Devils rallied to bring the defecit within 1 goal, but the Rangers refused to relinquish the lead. They even survived a John Madden penalty shot that was stopped by Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist.
An empty net insurance score from Brandon Dubinsky and some late game heroics from Ryan Callahan (he single-handedly ate precious time from the clock battling for the puck behind the Devils net against a pair of Devils defencemen) were all the Rangers needed to take the 5-3 win, and close out the round 1 series in 5 games.
The Rangers now wait along with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the outcome of the Montreal / Boston series, and the Washington / Philadelphia series to find out who their second round counterparts will be.
Detroit takes 3-2 series lead
The Detroit Red Wings benched starting goaltender Dominik Hasek in favor of Chris Osgood and the gamble payed off. The Nashville Predators tied the game late on a goal by Radek Bonk to force overtime, however the Wings halted their attempted comeback early in extra time on a game winning goal by Johan Franzen and won the game 2-1. The Red Wings now lead the series 3-2.
Anaheim Ducks stay alive, force game 6
The longer this series goes on, the more it will get into Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco. Although I think he shed the monicker of playoff goat last season during their first round playoff exit at the hands of Vancouver ( I know that sounds like an odd declaration, but Turco was amazing in that series, and had 3 shutouts versus the Canucks) I"m sure there is still a small doubt somewhere in his head. The Ducks fired 31 shots at Turco and got goals from Teemu Selanne, Ryan Getzlaf and the returning Corey Perry who started the scoring. The Ducks defeated the Stars 5-2 and prevented Dallas from closing out the series. If Dallas doesn't win game 6, they will lose this series. Dallas currently holds the 3-2 series lead.
Quick Shave:
We could have a very interesting day today. Three series could come to a conclusion today.... or we could have ourselves of handful of game 7's. Nice!
Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Matinee matchup as the Flyers will look to closeout the Capitals in Washington this afternoon. The Flyers lead the series 3-1.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins
The Montreal Canadiens will look to bounce back after a lopsided loss to the Bruins in game 5, and advance to the second round as they visit the Bruins tonight. The Habs lead the series 3-2.
San Jose Sharks vs. Calgary Flames
The San Jose Sharks finally began showing some playoff chops late in this series and will look to put the Flames out tomorrow in Calgary. The Sharks lead the series 3-2.
Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche
The Wild will look to force a game 7 tonight as they visit the Avalanche at the Pepsi Center this evening. The Avs can finish off the Wild and move onto round 2 with a win. The Avalanche lead the series 3-2.
The Pittsburgh Penguins dealt the Ottawa Senators the final blow tonite, defeating them 3-1, and taking the round 1 series in 4 straight games.
The results are a complete turnaround for the Senators who last year dispatched the Penguins easily in round 1, and then marched through the Eastern Conference on their way to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Senators started the season spectacularly, but finished spectacularly awful. Winning 18 of their final 48 games, the Sens squeaked into the playoffs, and went out with a whimper. Perhaps the firing of GM John Muckler over the summer in favor of coach Bryan Murray was a hasty move?
The Penguins continue to prove that they are a now team. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have grown from young players with star potential to NHL Elite. Both players scored in the statement game that saw their young club become the first this playoffs to close out a series and advance to round 2. They will be a tough team to contend with.
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers
The Rangers became the first club of this series to win a home game, and also take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Rookie defenceman Mark Staal scored his first ever NHL playoff goal late in the third period, which was the eventual game winner and helped lift the Rangers to a 5-3 victory.
Joanne Richard of the Toronto Sun was nice enough to do a little story on the Playoff Beard and we it's disciples. She also gave a nice nod to Michelle our Buffalo Sabre fan and mistress of the playoff pits. Click here to read the story!
The NHL deemed New York Rangers forward Sean Avery's actions during their 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils to be unsportsmanlike. Thus if he or any other player screen a goaltender in a manner similar to what you see above, they will recieve a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and enjoy two minutes of luxurious rest and relaxation in the sin bin.
The New Jersey Devils climbed back into the playoffs with a deflected John Madden shot turned game winner last night, and now trail the Rangers 2 -1 in the series.
The Washington Capitals experienced a lot of firsts last night. The franchise first playoff appearance in the post lock-out era and the first playoff game for many of it's participants.
The Capitals enjoyed an early lead, then entered the third period down 4-2 by two goal games from Philadelpia Flyers Daniel Briere, and Vaclav Prospal. For the most part, the Flyers were able to shut down Alexander Ovechkin, keeping him without a shot in the game till the third period. Big players do big things in big spots. With roughly 4 minute remaining in the game, Ovechkin potted the eventual game winner, giving the Capitals the 5-4 win, and the 1-0 series lead over the Philadelphia Flyers.
For the Flyers this loss may be devestating. They did everything right and still couldn't come away with a victory. Keeping Ovechkin from being productive, and also buidling a two goal lead going in to the third period should have been keys to a win. The Flyers should perhaps spend time trying to take Washington Capitals defenceman Mike Green off his game. Green scored twice last night, and was the leading scoring defenceman during the regular season with 18 goals.
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers
The Rangers will return home to Madison Square Garden on Sunday night, and take with them a 2-0 series lead over the New Jersey Devils. The Rangers defeated the Devils 2-1 last night, the second time in a row, and ninth time this season. Another defensive affair, yet with more scoring opportunities and much more spice. These two clubs don't like each other and it really began to show last night. The game really came down to goaltending once again, with Rangers keeper Henrik Lundqvist coming out on top once again. Lundqvist made 26 saves on the night. Brodeur was solved in the third period once again, mostly due to a bump from his own defenceman Colin White which allowed Rangers forward Jaromir Jagr to deposit the puck on the near side. 23 seconds later, Rangers forward Sean Avery sent a wrist shot through traffic which held up as the eventual game winner.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators goaltender Martin Gerber made 49 saves but even his performance wasn't enough for the Senators to capture a win. Perhaps because the Senators allowed a total of 54 shots to be fired out their goaltender? The Senators did battle back from a 3-0 defecit to tie the game at 3 goals a piece in the third, but Penguins forward Ryan Malone potted the game winner of the with less than 90 seconds to play in the game and sealed the game with an empty netter a minute later. Penguin Evgeni Malkin had three assists on the night and Peter Sykora scored twice. While the Senators were finally able to get a goal past Fleury (as well as two others), the Ottawa defence seems to be completely overwhelmed with the Penguins offensive corps. They stormed the Sens and had it not been for Gerber, the Pens could have finished the game in the first period where they outshot their opponents 20-8. Game 3 comes to Ottawa Monday night, and their are rumors that captain Daniel Alfredsson could make a return. How effective he would be, is hard to say, but I have to imagine an injured Alfredsson is better than no Alfredsson at all?
Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche
The Minnesota Wild evened their series 1-1 thanks to an overtime score by Wild defenceman Keith Carney to give his club the 3-2 win. Colorado Avalanche forward Peter Forsberg scored his 64th career playoff goal and gave the Avs the 1-0 lead in late in the first period. The Miinnesota Wild finally scored on Avs netminder Jose Theodore in the third. Wild forwards Pavol Demitra and Mikko Koivu scored. Koivu's goal came with less than 2 minutes to play in the game, and looked like it would hold up as the game winner till the Avs Miljan Hejduk scored to force overtime with 44 seconds left in the game. Defenceman Keith Carney prevented the Wild from heading to Denver for game 3 down 2-0 in the series.
Game of the Night:
Nashville at Detroit 2:00 PM
Boston at Montreal 7:00 PM
Dallas at Anaheim 10:00 PM
The Ducks, Bruins and Predators will all attempt to rebound today after some rather lopsided losses in game 1. Especially the Ducks. Enjoy the games!
I realized the other day that since this beard, I mean site started growing, I've amassed quite the portfolio of NHL player caricatures. Here's a look at how Captain Bosh see's the NHL! Click here to view the full size version!
The Calgary Flames stunned the San Jose Sharks last night taking game 1 and home ice advantage.
The Flames defeated the Sharks 3-2. Flames forward Stephane Yelle scored two goals, and goaltender Miika Kiprusoff made 37 saves against his former club to take the 1-0 series lead into tonight's Game 2 matchup. Defenceman Dion Phaneuf rounded out the scoring for the Flames.
Sharks forward Ryan Clowe who missed most of the regular season on the IR provided both goals for the Sharks. His line along with Patrick Marleau seemed to be the only one that consistently gave the Flames headaches during the game.
Quick Shave:
Home Ice Advantage didn't mean much last night to the Colorado Avalanche as they defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-2 last night in overtime. Joe Sakic scored roughly midway through the first period of extra time (his 8th career overtime playoff goal) to give the Avs the series lead 1-0. Game 2 is Friday night.
New York Rangers forward Scott Gomez stung his former club the New Jersey Devils last night by setting up three goals enroute to their Game 1 victory.
The game was a tight affair for most of the evening. Scoreless in the first, the Rangers and Devils traded goals in the second and then New York broke it open in the third and won the game 4-1. Rangers forward Ryan Callahan recorded a short handed score midway through the third that would hold up as the eventual game winner. Sean Avery provided some insurance late in the game and Nigel Dawes sealed the win with an empty netter. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves, and a few brilliant ones that kept the Rangers in the game. Game 2 is Friday night.
Quick Shave:
Talk about role reversal! The Pittsburgh Penguins lit up and shut down the Ottawa Senators last night 4-0 and took game 1 of the series convincly. Penguins goaltender Marc Andre Fleury made 26 saves to record his first career playoff shutout. Pens forward Evgeni Malkin scored a goal and added two helpers, and big surprise Gary Roberts returned, fresh from the IR list to score two goals. The Senators looked like the same team that limped into the playoffs. If they don't right the ship soon, the series will be over very quickly.
I love that Gillette has finally jumped on the band wagon and is promoting their products all over our beloved hockey sites. Do they not understand that all they represent this time of year is failure? Gillette as a corporate entitiy, needs to prepare properly for this time of year. Much in the manner of a hibernating bear, they should prepare themselves for a long couple of months, as millions of us cast aside our shaving implements, and the art of man-scaping till Stanley Cup of bust!
PLAYOFF BEARDS ACTIVATE!!!!
Below you will find my rather conservative picks for round one of the 2007-2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as well as notable playoff beards you should keep an eye on. Enjoy!
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Montreal Canadiens vs Boston Bruins
The Montreal Canadiens finished the season at the top of the Eastern Conference. A feat few dreamed of. This squad of young players grew so confident that management deemed their number one goaltender Cristobal Huet expendable and traded him away to make room for the youth movement and new starting netminder Carey Price. The Boston Bruins looked like a solid playoff contender until goaltender Tim Thomas became human and started allowing goals by the bucket. They finished strong enough to stave off (haven't used that beauty in a while) upstarts Buffalo and Florida from stealing their playoff bid, however I think their return to the post-season will be a short one. The Habs ride a 3 game winning streak into the playoffs and have lost only once in regulation in their last 10. The series should be over quicker than Martin Havlat's comeback next season.
Playoff Beard Prediction: Habs over the Bruins in 4 games.
Playoff Beard Watch:
Half the Canadiens roster hasn't hit puberty yet, so really your guess is as good as mine. Keep an eye on Kovalev.... some of those Russian boys can get a bit wooly. As for the Bruins, I'd say watch Glen Murray, and Zdeno Chara. Although I doubt the Bruins will be playing long enough in the playoffs to get shadow.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators
The future is now in Pittsburgh. Does any team in the NHL boast as potent an offensive corps as the Penguins do? Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Marian Hossa… oh my. The Pens also walk into the playoffs playing solid hockey, and for the first time in months will ice a healthy lineup. Playoff veteran Gary Roberts should return from his broken leg for the series and provide a teaspoon of extra grit for their Cup run. The Ottawa Senators. The once great Eastern Conference Champs… now a study in moppishness… I kid, but not really. The Senators have fallen apart and succumbed to their inner turmoil and scandals. Benched goalies, fired coaches, and now injured stars will all sideline this club’s chances at another bid for the Stanley Cup. The Penguins should roll over Ottawa, in a fashion similar to the way the Sens defeated them last year. In fact I predict the outcome to be the same, but opposite. Did that make sense? This will:
Playoff Beard Prediction: Penguins over Senators in 5 games.
Playoff Beard Watch:
As I said folks. The future is now. It is time for the Cros-beard!
Washington Capitals vs Philadelphia Flyers
Welcome back to the playoffs Philadelphia! As Bosh predicted, you have made it (unfortunately my other prediction of Los Angeles clinching a post-season berth somewhat soils this victory)… however, much like the Bruins your return will be an extremely short one. The Washington Capitals are unstoppable, and have been pretty much since the trade deadline. Riding their number one horse of soon-to-be MVP Alexander Ovechkin, and castoff goaltender Cristobal Huet, the Caps have kicked the stuffing out of everyone and not only made the playoffs but clinched the Southeast Division and the three seed (much to the sadness of the Carolina Hurricanes and their faithful). The Capitals have won their last 7 and I don’t see that winning streak ending anytime soon.
Playoff Beard Prediction: Capitals over the Flyers in 3 games. Yes I’m aware they need to win four, but I expect the Caps to beat the Flyers so badly in the first three, that they will forfeit game 4.
Playoff Beard Watch: The Capitals are all about Alexander Ovechkin, and Ovechkin is all about playoff beards. This guy sprouted a beauty midway through the season and should easily do so again. I’m convinced he’s part Yeti.
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers
This is the only series in the Eastern Conference that I find difficulty predicting. Rangers. Both teams are very evenly matched. Rangers. Both have great goaltenders. Rangers. New York bested the Devils for all but one of the games this season, the games were extremely close, and most were settled in extra innings. Rangers. Both clubs boast proven Stanley Cup veterans. Rangers. Both teams know each other far too well. Rangers. As I said this one is a crapshoot and it could go either way. Rangers. So allow me to hazard a guess. Rangers.
Playoff Beard Prediction: Rangers over the Devils in 6 games.
Playoff Beard Watch: The Rangers should easily dominate the Devils in almost every facet of the game, and most certainly in playoff beard growth. Brendan Shanahan will most likely be sporting his patented ‘Evil Spock’ look by the end of the series. Jaromir Jagr is already growing a soup-catcher, and I expect him to be looking like a wookie by the middle of round 1. Scott Gomez also has tons of potential.
WESTERN CONFERENCE Detroit Red Wings vs. Nashville Predators
Didn’t we just do this last year? I swear we did. Critics still claim that the Red Wings are playoff choke artists, however here at Playoff Beard Central we think otherwise. I believe the Wings shed that evil moniker last season when they made it to the Western Conference Finals, and eventually fell to the Anaheim Ducks. The Red Wings hit the skids for a short period during the second half of the season, but still finished way ahead of the competition with 115 points and won 7 of their last 10 games. While the Nashville Predators should be commended for making it back to the playoffs after most of their team was sold off, the accolades stop now. I doubt the Red Wings will have much trouble dispatching their first round opponents.
Playoff Beard Prediction: Wings over the Preds in 5 games.
Playoff Beard Watch: I knew there was a reason the Red Wings brought Darren McCarty back! Facial Hair. He and Holstrom should start looking like man-sized Ewoks towards the end of round 1.
San Jose Sharks vs. Calgary Flames
The San Jose Sharks have been waiting for this all season and playing like it too. Finishing second only the the Red Wings, the Sharks dominated the competition and clinched the Pacific Division. They also acquired defensive stud (I feel dirty every time I call another man that) Brian Campbell from the Buffalo Sabres at the trade deadline in order to solidify their chances for a long Stanley Cup run. And you know what else? I just don’t care. I’m not buying into the Sharks propaganda and haven’t all year long. Until they prove me wrong, I will sit in my Ivory tower (more like a sub-basement) and cast aspersions of them and their chances of winning. The Sharks are missing one vital ingredient. Jarome Iginla.
Playoff Beard Prediction: Flames over the Sharks in 6 games.
Playoff Beard Watch: Playoff beards should be plentiful in this series, unfortunately half of them will be shaved prematurely. Calgary boasts two of the best face men in forward Jarome Iginla, and goaltender Mikka Kipprusoff, while the San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton, and G.I. Joe Snow Job look-alike Brian Campbell counter with playoff beard depth of their own.
Playoff Beard Prediction: Avalanche over the Wild in 5 games.
Playoff Beard Watch: Peter Forsberg is famous for his post-season heroics, but I submit that his playoff beard is the stuff of legends. If Forsberg stops shaving now, he will be piloting the Millenium Falcon by tomorrow.
Anaheim Ducks vs. Dallas Stars
It seems almost a shame that after the amazing season the Dallas Stars had, that they drew the defending Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks in round 1. Again goaltender Marty Turco will have to prove that he is not a playoff jinx ( also unfairly branded as he was the star player in the Stars first round knock out by Vancouver last year… the man had three shutouts in the series and they still lost). The Anaheim Ducks get defenceman Chris Pronger back just in time for the playoffs where he can get suspended again. Without Pronger, the Ducks are ridiculously stacked on the blue line, and have a more than capable goaltender in Jean-Sebastien Giguere. They don’t score a lot, but neither does Dallas. This series is going to be a long one.
Playoff Beard Prediction: Ducks over the Stars in 7 games.
Playoff Beard Watch: Two words. Scott Niedermayer. The Patron Saint of the Playoff Beard, and our very own Playoff Beard winner last year pilots this team like the chin of a Z.Z. Top band member. Can anything stop Beard-ermayer? No way.
That’s it folks. Enjoy the playoffs... and your facial hair!
The Tampa Bay Lightning won the NHL Entry Draft Lottery this evening.
The Lightning will pick first overall in this June's Draft and will most certainly select coveted prospect Steve Stamkos.
The Los Angeles Kings will select second, the Atlanta Thrashers will pick third, the St. Louis Blues will select fourth, and the New York Islanders have the fifth pick overall.
The Washington Capitals completed the improbable last night.
By defeating the Florida Panthers 3-1, and winning their seventh consecutive game, the Capitals clinched the Southeast Division, the third seed in the playoffs, and effectively bounced the Carolina Hurricanes from playoff contention.
It looks as though the Capitals will face the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the playoffs. I don't envy the Sens right now, there is a freight train headed towards them. Can they stop MVP Alexander Ovechkin?
Quick Shave:
The Pittsburgh Penguins can capture the Eastern Conference Title today when they face off against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Pens need only one point. If they fail to do so the Montreal Canadiens will win the East. The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils will battle for seeding this afternoon, and home ice advantage. The Calgary Flames defeated a Vancouver Canucks who were bounced from the post season just a night earlier 7-1 last night. Jarome Iginla potted his 50th goal of the season.
Almost time to put your razors away kids! Can you say Playoff Beard? I knew that you could.
Jaromir Jagr scored a pair of power play goals to lead the New York Rangers over the New York Islanders 3-0, and help the club into the post season for the third consecutive season.
Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist made 25 saves to complete his league leading 10th shutout.
Quick Shave:
The Minnesota Wild defeated the Calgary Flames 3-1 on a pair of third period scores from Marion Gaborik to lockup the Northwest Division and third seed in the Western Conference. The Montreal Canadiens ended the Buffalo Sabres playoff hopes by defeating them 3-1 last night. The Washington Capitals defeated Tampa Bay Lightning last night 4-1 and moved into 8th place in the Eastern Conference. Caps forward Alexander Ovechkin had another 2 goal game, scoring his 64th, and 65th of the season, and broke Luc Robataille's single season record for goals by a left wing. The pressure now shifts to the Philadelphia Flyers who sit in 9th place in the Eastern Conference with 2 games remaining. The Caps have one. This should get interesting.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, a team that most thought would be a powerhouse in years to come, has become that powerhouse today. Loaded with young talent, the Penguins took huge steps this season and overcame many obstacles including playing without their best player for almost a third of the season in Sidney Crosby, and last night clinched the Atlantic Divisions title. Breath.
After defeating the Philadelpia Flyers last night (and putting them close to post season elimination) 4-2 the Pens secured the Division title for the first time in a decade. Sidney Crosby scored two goals, and Evgeni Malkin recorded the game winner. They also pulled ahead of the Montreal Canadiens for the Eastern Conference lead, and are guaranteed no less than the second seed in the playoffs.
The Penguins set themselves up for a possible matchup with the Washington Capitals, if they can deliver. Ovechkin vs. Crosby sounds awfully nice!
The Washington Capitals might not only make the playoffs, but possibly clinch a post season berth as the three seed in the Eastern Conference.
Following the 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, the Washington Capitals pulled into a first place tie with the Canes for the Southeast Division lead. Their fifth win in a row, and ninth victory in their last 10 games, the Capitals have been riding the stellar play of their captain Alexander Ovechkin who potted his league leading 63rd goal last night. Regardless of the team's finish in the regular season, he has to be named the NHL's MVP.
The Caps are a team most clubs would dread meeting in the first round as they are riding a wave of momentum right now. If they do manage to win the Southeast they will take the third seed, and possibly bounce the Hurricanes from the playoffs altogether. The Caps also sit just 1 point behind the Boston Bruins, and the Philadelphia Flyers, and 2 behind the collapsing Ottawa Senators.
Imagine a matchup between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs? Or how about a Cap vs. Habs series that would see former number one goaltender Cristobal Huet do battle against young Carey Price who bounced him out of a job, and out of town? Storylines galore!
Quick Shave:
Are the Ottawa Senators going to miss the playoffs? The once dominant Senators (remember how lethal they were at the beginning of the season?) fell to the Montreal Canadiens 3-0 last night. Habs keeper Carey Price made 32 save for his 3rd shutout win of the year and helped his club clinch the Northeast Division title. The win also gave the club 100 points (the first time they've achieved that since their Stanley Cup season in 1992-93) and pulled them into a tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Eastern Conference lead. The Sens are now 2 points from falling into the abyss of a post-season filled with watching, rather than playing (unless you count golf). Bryan Murray's takeover of the head coaching role has done little to motivate this club and the unthinkable is now quite possible.
It's almost time to put the razors away folks. In case you are need of a refresher, check out the PlayoffBeard.com Guide to Grading the Playoff Beard here. You will learn all you need to know when in comes to the finer art of facial hair. Less than a week away! Playoff Hockey!
The Philadelphia Flyers hung on to defeat the Montreal Canadiens last 3-2... barely. The Montreal Canadiens mounted a furious comeback, and in the final moments of the third, pounded the Flyers with shots but were unable to solve goaltender Martin Biron for the second straight game.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have dominated the New York Rangers in the first two games of their series. The Rangers blew a commanding three goal lead Friday night and fell to the Penguins 5-4. On Sunday, they tightened up, and were shutout by Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. I can't say enough good things about this club right now. They overcome adversity, they play good team defense, and they have made Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist look ordinary. They have yet to lose thus far in the post season, and really look like a team of destiny right now.
I got some crap for my opinion on Joe Thornton last week, and my belief that he is not a big time playoff performer. Two games, 1 assist, two losses. The man has all the skills and tools necessary to carry this club to the promised land, but for some reason fails to do so, or at least has so far. On the positive side, the man does wield a formidable playoff beard... hopefully that facial magnificence will one day translate to Stanley Cup glory. The Dallas Stars look amazing. After knocking of the reigning Stanley Cup Champs, they look poised to easily dispatch the Stanley Cup favorite San Jose Sharks. They bring a 2-0 series lead back to Dallas tomorrow night. Marty Turco is the man.... and he is finally getting his due..... take a page from his playbook Joe.
The sleeping giant has awoken in Detroit. After an amazing regular season, the Detroit Red Wings were tested in round 1 by the Nashville Predators, but now head to Denver with a 2-0 series lead, and look to continue their dominance over an injury depleted Colorado Avalanche lineup. The Red Wings have brought Avs goaltender Jose Theodore back down to earth and have made him look like the Theodore of old (not the MVP old Theodore... last years Rogaine Junkie Theodore). Rumors are abound that back up goaltender (formerly number one) Peter Budaj may start game 3 for the Avs. There is also a chance that Forsberg may return from the groin injury that has hampered him this round. Either way, the Avs better pulll something out of their hats.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers
Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche
San Jose Sharks vs. Dallas Stars
The New Jersey Devils got an early 1-0 lead off a Brian Gionta goal early in the first period and looked to take game 6 in commanding fashion. The New York Rangers immediately responded by scoring less than half a minute later to tie it 1-1 on a goal by Michal Rozsival, and captain Jaromir Jagr and Scott Gomez added two more in the first.
The Washington Capitals experienced a lot of firsts last night. The franchise first playoff appearance in the post lock-out era and the first playoff game for many of it's participants. 
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators
Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche
The Calgary Flames stunned the San Jose Sharks last night taking game 1 and home ice advantage.
New York Rangers forward Scott Gomez stung his former club the New Jersey Devils last night by setting up three goals enroute to their Game 1 victory.
Washington Capitals vs Philadelphia Flyers
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers
Look at them now!
The Penguins set themselves up for a possible matchup with the Washington Capitals, if they can deliver. Ovechkin vs. Crosby sounds awfully nice!
It's almost time to put the razors away folks. In case you are need of a refresher, check out the 
