Tonight marks a week since the NHL postseason began. There are three series in action with the Battle of Hudson continuing at The Garden for an all important Game Four between the Devils and Rangers. A New Jersey win would knot the series and give them back home ice. A Ranger win would put them up 3-1 one game away from Round Two. The road team has owned the series thus far. Will that trend continue?

Also, the second seeded Pens go for a sweep of a depleted Senator team. Last year, the Sens KO’d the inexperienced Penguins in five. This time, it looks like Pitt will turn the tables.

Out West, the Predators aim to tie their series against the top seeded Red Wings. Game Three saw them get two goals nine seconds apart including Jason Arnott’s slapshot winner to go from being on the brink to back in it. Now, they’ll try to duplicate that win and put some pressure on Detroit.

Here are today’s key info and articles courtesy of The NHL Today:

THE SCHEDULE
– Game 4: Penguins at Senators, 7 p.m. (RDS, CBC) (Penguins lead series 3-0)
– Game 4: Devils at Rangers, 7 p.m. (VERSUS, TSN) (Rangers lead series 2-1)
– Game 4: Red Wings at Predators, 9 p.m. (CBC, RDS, VERSUS) (Red Wings lead series 2-1)

THE SCORES
– Game 4: Canadiens 1, Bruins 0 (Canadiens lead series 3-1)
– Game 3: Flyers 6, Capitals 3 (Flyers lead series 2-1)
– Game 3: Ducks 4, Stars 2 (Stars lead series 2-1)
– Game 4: Sharks 3, Flames 2 (Series tied 2-2)
– Game 4: Avalanche 5, Wild 1 (Series tied 2-2)

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF MEDIA WEBSITE NOW LIVE
To assist media members covering the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the National Hockey League’s Communications Department has created www.stanleycupplayoffs2008.com, a ‘one-stop shopping’ website that provides story lines for each series, statistical previews and other features, including a fully searchable version of Total Stanley Cup, the 2008 NHL Playoff Media Guide. In addition to providing new information at the start of each round, www.stanleycupplayoffs2008.com will be updated on a regular basis.

THE STORIES

SHARKS BITE AT THE RIGHT TIME
David Pollak writes in the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, “For two days the Sharks had to live with the consequences of their Game 3 loss in enemy territory. Their physical and mental toughness was questioned. So was their heart. Then, on a deflection goal by center Joe Thornton with fewer than 10 seconds left in the game, they dramatically answered their critics Tuesday night by crafting a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames that sends their series back to San Jose tied at two games each. Thornton’s goal capped a stunning reversal for the Sharks, who trailed 2-1 with fewer than five minutes left, their only goal coming off a deflection by left wing Ryane Clowe. Then Jonathan Cheechoo tied the game at 15:06, giving Thornton the opportunity to win it.”

– Watch the highlights on NHL Network Online.

CANADIENS’ PRICE PUTS BRUINS ON THE BRINK
Pat Hickey writes in the MONTREAL GAZETTE, “A perfect blend of young and old has given the Canadiens a chance to clinch their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Boston Bruins on home ice tomorrow night. The young was 20-year-old goaltender Carey Price. The youngest player on the Canadiens roster added to his legend as he made 27 saves for his first National Hockey League playoff shutout in Montreal’s 1-0 Game 4 win over Boston. The old would be 37-year-old defenceman Patrice Brisebois. The oldest Canadien scored the game’s only goal, tucking the puck beneath the crossbar on a power-play goal at 19:18 of the second period.”

– Watch the highlights on NHL Network Online.

FROM THE STAT WIZARDS AT ELIAS SPORTS BUREAU
Carey Price is the first rookie to record a shutout in a 1-0 playoff game since Evgeni Nabokov did it for the Sharks in 2001, and he’s the fifth rookie in Montreal history to do it, joining Patrick Roy (1986), Steve Penney (1985), Gerry McNeil (1951) and George Hainsworth (1927).

FLYERS’ BRIERE LIVING UP TO EXPECTATIONS
Ed Moran writes in the PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, “So many times during the regular season, Daniel Briere could be found sitting at his practice stall quietly answering questions about his season. Why aren’t you scoring? Are you worried?…In the first three games of the opening-round series against Washington, the smallish French-Canadian center has been at all times a threat, a pest, a competitor and the linchpin to the Flyers’ offense. Briere had two goals and an assist in the Flyers’ 6-3 win over the Capitals in the Wachovia Center last night, bringing his total in the first three games to four.”

– Watch the highlights on NHL Network Online.

FROM THE STAT WIZARDS AT ELIAS SPORTS BUREAU
The Flyers’ Mike Richards scored his first career playoff goal last night on a penalty shot. Richards is only the second player in NHL history whose first postseason goal came on a penalty shot. Wayne Connelly did that for the Minnesota North Stars in 1968.

NO OVERTIME NEEDED THIS TIME FOR AVS
Adrian Dater writes in the DENVER POST, “No bounces in off their skates this time. No funny hops behind the net. No more blown leads and no more overtime. Just one big, long party at the Pepsi Center for the Avalanche and its fans Tuesday night. Dominating in all phases of the game, the Avs hammered the Minnesota Wild 5-1 in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series, tying the series at two games apiece. If only the Avs could spread out some of the goals or bank some of the ease by which they scored them. Because things don’t figure to come as simply as they did in Game 5 at the Xcel Energy Center on Thursday night.”

– Watch the highlights on NHL Network Online.

DUCKS TAKE FLIGHT IN DALLAS
Eric Stephens writes in the LOS ANGELES TIMES, “Two days of the Ducks’ answering questions about the horrid performances in their first two games of the Western Conference quarterfinals was too much to take without some kind of retort. The emphatic answer was on the ice in Game 3. Shaking off blowout losses to the Dallas Stars at home, the Ducks showed they would not let their defense of the Stanley Cup end without a fight in a 4-2 victory that pulled them back into the best-of-seven series.”

– Watch the highlights on NHL Network Online.
– Kostya Kennedy on the significance of the Ducks’ victory.

PENGUINS’ CROSBY AND MALKIN MAKE A STELLAR PAIR
Ron Cook writes in the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, “That is some game of Can You Top This? that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have going in these Stanley Cup playoffs. If you didn’t know better, you would think they are in a competition to be known as the best hockey player in the world.There are plenty of reasons the Penguins own a 3-0 series edge against the Ottawa Senators and can squash the last bit of life out of them in Game 4 tonight, but the greatness of Crosby and Malkin has to be near the top of the list.”

QUICK HITS
– Risto Pakarinen on the outbreak of ‘Ovechkin Fever‘ sweeping Moscow.
– Ross McKeon on the relationship between Jose Theodore and Avs goaltending coach Jeff Hackett.
– Milan Lucic answers fans’ questions on his playoff blog.

NHLPA & NHL AUCTION ALL-STAR MEMORABILIA TO BENEFIT HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hockey Fights Cancer, the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association are conducting a unique on-line auction of NHL All-Star themed memorabilia, with proceeds benefiting Hockey Fights Cancer. Autographed and game-worn items will be available for bidding through NHLPA.com and NHL.com beginning April 16, 2008 at 6:00 p.m., ET, and ending April 30, 2008 at 9:00 p.m., ET.

MEDIA BUZZ
Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller is serving as a special Stanley Cup Playoffs correspondent through a blog for Maxim.com and weekly radio segments for Maxim Radio on Sirius Satellite Radio (Wed. at 11 a.m. on Ch. 108).

ON THIS DATE IN PLAYOFF HISTORY
April 16, 1939 - Goaltender Frank Brimsek, alias “Mr. Zero”, allowed only one goal, his sixth in five Stanley Cup final games against Toronto, to lead the Boston Bruins past the Maple Leafs 3-1 to win the 1939 championship.

April 16, 1949 - The Toronto Maple Leafs swept the Detroit Red Wings to become the first NHL team to win three consecutive Stanley Cup titles (1947-49). The 3-1 series-ending victory also marked the Leafs’ ninth straight win in Final action.

April 16, 1953 - Assisted by linemate Maurice “Rocket” Richard, Elmer Lach scored the only goal in Game Five at 1:22 of overtime, and goalie Gerry McNeil blanked the Boston Bruins for the second time in three outings as the Montreal Canadiens earned the 1953 Stanley Cup championship.

April 16, 1954 - Tony Leswick’s Stanley Cup-winning tally was the second overtime goal ever scored in the seventh game of a Final series. Leswick, who notched the decisive goal at 4:29 of overtime in Detroit’s 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game Seven, matched the feat first accomplished by former Red Wings left winger Pete Babando in 1950.

April 16, 1961 - The Chicago Black Hawks earned their first Stanley Cup championship since 1938 and their third title since joining the NHL in 1926-27. The Black Hawks downed Detroit 5-1 to take the best-of-seven Final four games to two.

April 16, 2001 - Raymond Bourque set an NHL record for most years in the playoffs (21) by appearing for the Colorado Avalanche in Game Three of their best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final series against Vancouver. Bourque, who made his playoff debut in 1980 with Boston, passed the mark established by NHL great Gordie Howe.