After scoring eight goals in their last six games and losing four in a row, the Devils badly needed to find the back of the net and put a W up on the board.

They did both, but man it wasn’t easy. 

In the wildest game I can remember in quite some time (the 7-6 home opener against Toronto a couple years back comes to mind), the Devils and Capitals played to a 5-5 tie in regulation that saw the Devils blow four leads, give up a goal in the final second of play and still walk out of the Rock with a victory thanks to the shootout. 

You could tell just 69 seconds after the opening faceoff that this game would break the mold, when John Madden’s centering pass found David Clarkson wide open in front of the net and he put the puck in for his fourth goal of the season.  But two familiar problems cropped up again in the first period - one being the lack of finish, as evidenced by a Jamie Langenbrunner shot when he had half the net open and somehow hit Jose Theodore right in the glove.  To his credit Theodore did the splits and stretched out to make the save but it should still have been an easy goal.  Later on Brian Gionta and Sheldon Brookbank (yes he was playing forward again, in place of Petr Vrana this time) both couldn’t convert on chances in close. 

The other reared its ugly head just six minutes later when the PK allowed yet another goal, a soft wrister from Tomas Fleischmann, his second goal in two nights against the Devils and his sixth overall.  There may have been a partial screen by Colin White but it still looked like a stoppable goal at first glance.  Adding insult to injury in a period where the Devils outshot and outchanced a Capitals team that looked half asleep for most of the first twenty minutes, the Caps took the lead in the final minute of the period when Alexander Ovechkin deflected a puck past Clemmensen, which was also his sixth goal of the season and second in two nights against the Devils.

Yet it seemed as if trailing only made the Devils more desperate, and finally Langenbrunner found the back of the net 41 seconds into the second period with a vintage slapshot of seasons past for his third goal of the season. 

Interestingly, he was first credited with his third goal in Wednesday’s game against the Rangers but lobbied the league hard to give the goal to Zach Parise, who deflected the puck.  Finally three days later upon review, Parise was given the goal.  For whatever I’ve said about Jamie as a player this season it was certainly a selfless act, especially considering his own slump and Parise’s already high goal total.

In any case, Jamie’s goal tonight increased the Devils’ confidence and they swarmed the Capitals, taking the lead on - gasp! - a power play goal a couple minutes later when Patrik Elias somehow swatted the puck in while falling down and almost prone on the ice (vaguely reminiscent of Ovechkin’s highlight goal against the Coyotes a couple years ago).  Elias’s goal was his sixth of the season and gave the Devils the lead which they held but could not expand on as the Devils returned to their crest-killing ways. 

Then came what could have been a back-breaker of a goal late in the period when Niklas Backstrom won the faceoff and one-time Devil Viktor Kozlov beat Clemmensen immediately off the faceoff win with a goal shortside, tying a game the Devils should have led by at least one or two.

Just over six minutes into the third period, Elias blew a slapshot past Theodore shortside for his second of the game.  But once again Dan Cloutier Clemmensen couldn’t hold the lead, allowing another god-awful goal to Backstrom a couple minutes later.  By now I was praying for Sutter to put in Kevin Weekes. 

Yet again however, a resilient Devils team grabbed the lead midway through the period during a sequence when Gionta hit a post then on the same shift fifteen seconds later deflected a puck past Theodore off a Johnny Oduya pass for his third of the season.  Somewhat miraculously Clemmensen made two key saves on Ovechkin in the final five minutes to preserve the lead, but couldn’t stop Ovechkin on a goalmouth scramble in the final seconds, as he put the puck in just before the buzzer sounded in a crazy sequence.  It was telling that Langenbrunner tried to play goal instead of covering Ovechkin on the play, which was set up by a pretty Backstrom cross-ice pass.

After a overtime that seemed like a cooldown period after a wild and wacky final twenty minutes came the shootout, the teams’ second of the season.  After a horrid game, Clemmensen had one final chance at redemption and he made the most of it by stopping shootout wiz Kozlov and Ovechkin, then poke-checking the puck away from surprise third shooter Boyd Gordon.  Parise’s leadoff goal proved to be enough to give the Devils a much-needed shootout win, and with a four-day layoff before the team’s next game against Florida on Thursday, the team can breathe a collective sigh of relief for a couple days before getting back to work.

BoNY Three Stars:

1. Alexander Ovechkin (Two goals, one assist, +3, 12 SOG)
2. Patrik Elias (Two goals, one assist, +1)
3. Niklas Backstrom (One goal, four assists, +3)

Get out the magic crystal ball. We’re about to embark on a long journey. Thirty teams get a fresh start where they can dare to dream of winning Lord Stanley. The most spectacular trophy in all of sports which arguably is the hardest to win.

It’s not just because you have to gut out an 82-game schedule which at times can be trying due to the tireless back to backs, three in four nights and even seven in 11 days the Rangers have beginning with tomorrow’s home opener versus Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and the Blackhawks following a hectic preseason concluding with a two-game sweep of the overmatched Lightning in Croatia.

Such can be life in a league which seems to be pointed for expansion towards Europe emphasizing just how global the game has become with the Penguins and Senators also splitting a series in Stockholm last weekend.

Finally, the other 26 get started including an improved Devils team who dialed up Doc Brown’s time machine and went Back To The Future literally to the year of their first Stanley Cup luring free agent centers Brian Rolston and Bobby Holik for one more run while Martin Brodeur’s still good enough.

For other teams like the Islanders, the immediate future doesn’t look so bright with new coach Scott Gordon behind the bench where returning leading scorer Mike Comrie had only 49 points on what’s a rebuild around Rick DiPietro and young former No.1 Kyle Okposo. They’ll try to overachieve in an ultra competitive Atlantic where the Flyers fresh off a run to the Conference Finals losing to the Pens appear to be the favorite while Pittsburgh lost Marian Hossa, Ryan Malone and are without top D Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar for at least the first three months.

Can the new look Rangers featuring Nikolai Zherdev, Markus Naslund and Wade Redden make fans forget Jaromir Jagr or did Glen Sather slip up?

Are the Panthers ready to qualify for their first postseason since Pavel Bure was the league’s best finisher or will their revamped blueline not be enough without departed captain Olli Jokinen? Can Alexander Ovechkin and the Capitals do it again even with Jose Theodore in net?

Meanwhile in Carolina, the injury bug has already hit infecting Justin Williams, Scott Walker and Rod Brind’Amour making the loss of Erik Cole big though Joni Pitkanen was brought into help anchor the D. Will Barry Melrose’s return to the NHL bench be ruined by the Lightning’s apparent weak blueline?

Should the Thashers even bother taking the ice? They’ll have company in Columbus, St. Louis and Los Angeles who all should be ticketed in the John Tavares sweepstakes. Are the Leafs going to be in this process too without Mats Sundin? Maybe Toronto fans should hope.

Can Carey Price recover from last Spring to lead what looks like an even stronger Habs roster into serious contention? Are Craig Rivet and the return of Teppo Numminen enough to get a talented Sabres team back to the postseason? Is Tim Thomas a fluke and will Patrice Bergeron be the same in Beantown? Can the Senators continue defying logic despite losing another key cog?

These questions and more will get answered in due time along with whether Hossa’s addition is enough for the Red Wings to become the first repeat winner since they did it a decade ago. They’ll have plenty of stiff competition in the loaded Stars, Sharks and Ducks with maybe a couple of newcomers sneaking into the parade.

This is how we see it:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

*1.Flyers- plenty of talent in Richards/Carter but can Biron build off last year’s run?

*2.Canadiens- adding Lang and Tanguay up front makes them scarier but it all depends on Price.

*3.Capitals- the game’s best player, a healthy Nylander plus Green and Backstrom should be enough.

4.Senators- best line in game plus deep forward corps and tougher D help despite questions in net.

5.Devils- Rolston and Holik should boost scoring, D remains question but can’t bet against Brodeur.

6.Rangers- Drury leads an improved transition game. could miss Jagr and Avery but Lundqvist helps.

7.Penguins- Crosby and Malkin get them in but we don’t like Satan or Fedotenko. Hard to take seriously.

8.Sabres- balanced scoring led by Pominville, Vanek, Roy plus better D and steady Miller in net.

9.Bruins- Ryder added to solid forward corps but it’s dependent on Thomas and system.

10.Panthers- love their new look with Ballard and McCabe but who’s scoring the goals up front?

11.Maple Leafs- Wilson will get them to play hard but there’s just not enough there to get in.

12.Hurricanes- injuries already taking toll. Laviolette’s a fine coach but Ward needs to be consistent.

13.Lightning- Stamkos should win Calder and they’ll score but the D is brutal and will tire out goalies.

14.Thrashers- Schneider was good addition but they’ll have to outscore teams until Lehtonen improves.

15.Islanders- they’ll work hard but they’re young and don’t have enough scoring even with Streit.
PLAYOFFS

Flyers over Sabres in 6

Habs over Pens in 7

Rangers over Caps in 6

Devils over Sens in 5

Flyers over Rangers in 6

Devils over Habs in 7

Flyers over Devils in 6

WESTERN CONFERENCE

*1.Red Wings- until proven otherwise, they’re the best team and add Hossa to mix. Conklin’s solid backup.

*2.Stars- play in top division but Avery, full year of B. Richards should be plenty. Need Zubov healthy.

*3.Canucks- scoring could still be tough but like changes and see Luongo bouncing back big time.

4.Sharks- Marleau with Thornton, Boyle, Blake plus Nabokov make them awfully tough.

5.Flames- nice additions including Bertuzzi/Keenan reunion but they’ll be hardpressed to win a round.

6.Ducks- Teemu’s back plus Getzlaf/Perry, Niedermayer/Pronger and Giguere make them lock.

7.Avalanche- Sakic takes one more shot with Tucker added but can Budaj or Raycroft do job?

8.Blackhawks- Campbell and Huet help young core led by Kane/Toews. Huet could get them in.

9.Oilers- bolstered scoring with Cole and Visnovsky. Lots of young talent but what about goalies?

10.Predators- Radulov’s departure hurts scoring. Solid D but can Ellis repeat? Trotz is a great coach.

11.Wild- possess nice blueline led by Burns/Zidlicky and Gaborik’s great but is there enough scoring?

12.Coyotes- Jokinen helps but D is thin past top 3 and they’re depending on too much young talent.

13.Blue Jackets- Umberger and Huselius boost Nash plus revamped D and Leclaire but who else will score?

14.Blues- Love Boyes and Kariya’s due for bounce back season but they’re extremely young.

15.Kings- top line of Brown, Kopitar and O’Sullivan will be fun but LaBarbera in net? They can’t be serious!

PLAYOFFS

Wings over Hawks in 5

Stars over Avs in 4

Ducks over Canucks in 6

Sharks over Flames in 6

Wings over Ducks in 6

Stars over Sharks in 5

Wings over Stars in 7

Stanley Cup Red Wings over Flyers in 7

NHL Awards

Conn Smythe- Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit

Hart- Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit

Vezina- Roberto Luongo, Vancouver

Norris- Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit (renamed The Lidstrom)

Calder- Kyle Okposo, Islanders

Selke- Mike Fisher, Ottawa

Byng- Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit

Adams- Denis Savard, Chicago

It’s June 14th, 2008. Alright. You can probably figure out where I’m going and to be quite honest, I don’t even know why other than I just don’t have much other thoughts regarding the Rangers offseason.

The season finally commenced officially the other night in Toronto and once again, no Ranger came close to taking home any hardware. It’s not like there were a bunch of candidates as only the team’s best player Henrik Lundqvist was actually up for something. Though you’d never know it considering how little love he got for the Vezina which was won by the opposite No.30 on the bitter rival out in Newark.

So, why do I feel like rehashing ancient history and mentioning that it’s 14 years later since that special night which most Ranger fans thought would never come at Madison Square Garden. Thankfully, this was before the worst professional sports owner Jim Dolan could get his hands all over the product and destroy every single aspect of what MSG used to stand for. Professionalism and two respectable contending franchises. Has anyone seen the Knicks lately? Never mind.

That hot June seems like a century ago because since then, the Blueshirts have managed to win just two playoff series. Remember when they “painted the town blue” according to MSG due to dismantling a garbage Atlanta team which had no chance? Exactly. More dopey Dolan propaganda. In order to paint a town blue, you have to do better than winning one round.

They sure had their shot against Buffalo last year. Then Chris Drury tied Game Five in the same 7.7 Valeri Zelepukin tied Game Seven of the ECF 14 years prior. Only with a much different and sadder end result.

When I look back on the end of that game and for all intensive purposes series on a phantom new NHL special which allowed Maxim Afinegenov to rescue the Sabres, why do I now believe that was the Blueshirts’ golden opportunity to win a fifth Stanley Cup and stop bitter rival fans from mocking an Original Six franchise which doesn’t have a good track record. Only the Chicago Blackhawks are worse. And these days, the Toronto Maple Leafs have no direction and don’t look to be winning any Cups making 1967 seem obsolete.

If one of our other contributors was reading this, he’d obviously take me to task as his beloved team has given him nothing but sweet sorrow. Maybe it’s something in the water at Niagara Falls. Though I know he’d at least take tremendous delight in Toronto’s continued misery.

When outstanding MSG broadcaster Sam Rosen uttered the words, “The waiting is over. No more curses. …,” at that time, if you rooted for the Rangers you believed anything was possible. Then Mike Keenan left for St. Louis and it really was all downhill after that even if the 1996-97 team featuring Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky somehow reached the Conference Finals before getting plastered by a bigger Flyer team led by Eric Lindros and Legion of Doom members John LeClair and Mikael Renberg.

We all know what’s transpired since. I’m not about to rehash the worst run of Ranger hockey. I’ll just cite some names instead. Valeri Kamensky. Theo Fleury. Stephane Quintal. Brian Skrudland. Mike Keane. Sylvain Lefebvre. Scott Fraser. Mike Dunham (Doneham). Petr Nedved. Heck. Even stars such as Lindros, Pavel Bure and former ‘94 hero Alex Kovalev failed miserably here.

Finally, the organization wised up and used the lockout year to retool. It helped that Jaromir Jagr was so motivated to prove the cynics wrong who all figured me including that the team would once again suck finishing near the bottom of the league. Sometimes, you get a reprieve. For this team, Lundqvist who once was a former seventh round selection was exactly that falling literally from the sky where he developed so well in Sweden playing for Frolunda that he soon became the heir apparent to Mike Richter. The first reliable No.1 goalie since No.35 went to the rafters in 2004. They couldn’t even win that night ruining a great Jagr game by letting the Wild skate circles around them.

Fast forward to the present and the team which got a measure of revenge against an overachieving Devil team bowed out in a close five games against the Pens. I could point out again how close that series was but once they blew Game One, the writing was on the wall even if a garbage call helped decide it. And by now, we all know Sidney Crosby was a stride offside on Marian Hossa’s series clincher. It is what it is. It happened so quick anyway. Truthfully, the Pens were a better team and that’s that.

So, what is there to celebrate these days? It’s so easy to reflect back and see Messier, a young Brian Leetch, Richter, Adam Graves, Kovalev and Sergei Zubov and wonder how the heck they didn’t win another Cup or two. That’s New York in a nutshell. The 1986 Mets were one of the most talented baseball teams but drugs, alcohol and other distractions ruined a potential dynasty which is why you see and hear a lot of bitter Met fans these days. Can you blame them?

So, is it going to get any better for the Rangers who ironically enough are a similar franchise which leaves their fans wanting more? I don’t see it getting any easier. Especially with the Pens now around getting ready to lock up Evgeni Malkin. Oh. And they’ll try real hard to bring back Marian Hossa, Ryan Malone and Brooks Orpik. Don’t just assume they’re coming to Broadway when our GM has his own issues needing to figure out what to do with Jagr and Sean Avery.

Remember last summer when they landed Drury and Scott Gomez subtracting Michael Nylander and how it was supposed to improve the club? How did that really work out in Year One? The team again struggled before making the playoffs and didn’t come as close to the third round as the Spring prior.

That’s what bothers me most. How is it going to get any better? Everyone assumes subtract Marek Malik and Michal Rozsival and the team is automatically better. Perhaps. But you don’t just replace guys who log important minutes. Even if Big Bird fell out of favor. We now know Rozsival played hurt and recently had hip surgery which might explain how much slower he looked in a bad postseason. He stunk against his former team.

The good news is Marc Staal played well and will anchor the blueline. Dan Girardi is the second best defender with enigma Fedor Tyutin either really good or really disappointing. When does the Russian who got a hefty raise play like he’s worth it? We’re talking about consistency here.

In a conference where the Pens will be around a while and have to be dealt with, you have the improved Flyers with a nice core in place along with the Canadiens who should be back. Plus the Senators are always a threat even if the overrated Wade Redden walks. There’s also the Capitals led by Hart winner Alexander Ovechkin who will only get better.

In other words, this conference just got even tougher to win. And you can’t discount the Sabres who still played well without Drury and Daniel Briere, narrowly missing the playoffs. They should be improved too.

The Devils always seem to invent a way to remain competitive.

So, when are the Rangers going to deliver another deep playoff run where a Cup actually is a realistic possibility instead of a classic tease?

I have no clue. Yeah. I’m definitely not picking a 1994 rematch again for next year. I learned my lesson.

Expect nothing. I’m officially down on this franchise until Lundqvist wins a couple of rounds and the team proves it can go deep into the Spring.

It’s time for the Rangers to take the next step. I’m waiting.

In case you missed us, last night I hosted a special New York Hockey Report show over at Blogtalk Radio. I was joined by Mr. Media himself Steve Lepore who chimed in on the Big Red Machine winning its fourth Stanley Cup in 11 years.

Plenty was discussed about the dynamic talents of Conn Smythe winner Henrik Zetterberg and Selke Trophy recipient Pavel Datsyuk. Plus Nick Lidstrom, Chris Osgood and the rest of what was an outstanding run by the Detroit Red Wings.

Also covered was the NHL Awards including Devil netminder Martin Brodeur edging Evgeni Nabokov for his fourth Vezina as well as Alexander Ovechkin sweeping the Hart and Pearson.

Plus I gave my thoughts on the retirement of The Dominator. How will he be remembered? Plus much more including coaching changes, etc.

To catch the show archive, here’s a link below:

NYHR 6-13-08

Copyright The Canadian Press

There was never any doubt. Alexander Ovechkin cleaned up at last night’s NHL Awards in Toronto sweeping both the Hart Trophy for league MVP and Lester B. Pearson for best player as voted by his peers.

The electrifying 22 year-old Russian who won the Rocket Richard with 65 goals and the Art Ross with 112 points as the leading point getter finally was presented with the hardware, rewarded for a brilliant season which saw him lead the Washington Capitals back from the worst record to Southeast Division winners with 94 points.

“I want to win everything,” the thrilled third-year superstar told the Canadian press. “So next year maybe the Stanley Cup.”

Ovechkin easily outdistanced countryman Evgeni Malkin for the Hart receiving 128 of 134 first place votes by the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association.

“Looking at Ovechkin, he’s had that kind of year,” Calgary star forward Jarome Iginla praised after finishing third.

“Sixty-five goals, leading scorer in the league, and their team made the playoffs. They turned it around pretty amazingly and everyone knows what a huge part of that he was. He’s very deserving. It was fun to watch him, too.”

Also taking home an award was Ovechkin’s coach Bruce Boudreau, who deservedly won the Jack Adams for coach of the year after taking over for Glen Hanlon and guiding the Caps to their first postseason appearance in five years.

Not surprisingly, Detroit captain Nick Lidstrom once again won the Norris Trophy for the NHL’s best defenseman. It marked the sixth time in the Swede’s brilliant Hall of Fame career that he’s received the Norris, trailing just Hall of Famer Doug Harvey (seven) and the legendary Bobby Orr (eight).

The 38 year-old paced all blueliners with 70 points (10-60-70 in 76 GP) and a plus-40 rating. All the more special, he also became the first ever European-born player to captain a team to the Stanley Cup, helping lead the Red Wings to a fourth championship in 11 years.

Lidstrom received 127 of 134 first place tallies easily beating out Zdeno Chara and Dion Phaneuf.

For American Patrick Kane, he took home the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie edging teammate Jonathan Toews and Caps’ pivot Nicklas Backstrom. He led all rookies with 72 points (21-51-72 in 82 GP).

The 19 year-old Buffalo native became the first Chicago Blackhawk to win the trophy since Ed Belfour in 1990-91. He’s also the first American to win it since Scott Gomez in 1999-00.

As reported last night, Martin Brodeur won his fourth Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender. The 36 year-old career New Jersey Devil had another outstanding season getting into 77 games which tied San Jose runner-up Evgeni Nabokov for most in the league. He won 44 of his team’s 46 games posting a respectable 2.17 GAA which ranked fifth best along with a .920 save percentage (tied for sixth with four others) and four shutouts to get to 96 on the all-time career list, trailing just Terry Sawchuk’s record of 103 by seven.

The Montreal native got 113 votes which were just seven more than Nabokov who finished a close second while Ranger netminder Henrik Lundqvist was third with only 13 votes.

Taking home his first ever Selke Trophy for the league’s top defensive forward was Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk. The 29 year-old speedy Russian who also doubled as the Lady Byng Trophy winner for gentlemanly conduct for a third time established new career bests in goals (31), assists (66), points (97) and plus/minus with his plus-41 topping all players.

He tallied one shorthanded goal and was one of Detroit’s best penalty killers teaming with Henrik Zetterberg to form one of the most dangerous shorthanded duos in the game. He also led the NHL with 144 takeaways and ranked first on the Red Wings with 42 blocked shots. Datsyuk beat out Zetterberg and former winner Devil center John Madden, who was nominated for a fourth time after a career season in which he tallied 43 points (20-23-43) along with a club-leading three SHG.

Congrats to Toronto Maple Leaf forward Jason Blake on winning the Bill Masterton Trophy for perseverance after battling leukemia which was diagnosed before the season but didn’t stop the former Islander from playing every game with his new club.

“I’ve been so lucky in life to play in the NHL, have three beautiful kids and be married to a wonderful woman,” an emotional Blake pointed out.

“I get to play the game I love at the highest level and I get to continue doing it as long as some team wants me.”

Vincent Lecavalier also won the King Clancy Trophy for leadership exhibited on and off the ice. The Lightning star pivot donated a $3 million pledge to help build a pediatric cancer and blood disorders center at the All Children’s Hospital in St. Pete.

The Battle of New York congratulates all players for fantastic seasons!

On a much sadder note, we regret to inform that NBC news anchor Tim Russert passed away at the age of 58 due to a heart attack. A familiar face to those who followed MSNBC and NBC’s Meet The Press, the Buffalo native had a distinguished news career hosting Meet The Press since 1991 and dominating his industry like few others.

Russert was also a senior vice president and head of NBC’s overall Washington operations. He was extremely knowledgable and had a keen sense of humor as well as a passion for sports where he rooted on the Sabres and Bills as well as the Yankees.

He is survived by his wife Maureen Orth and their son who just graduated from Boston College Luke. Our condolences go out to the entire Russert family. Everyone should say a prayer for them.

R.I.P. Tim Russert (1950-2008)

Copyright Getty Images 

It’s been a while since I did one of these but there was something on my mind while watching the French Open just now on NBC regarding the Stanley Cup Final. So let’s get to it.

-Could the media lay off how many minutes Sidney Crosby plays? He played over 22 last night yet there you had Pierre McGuire stirring it up during an NBC Sports Break about how the 2006-07 Hart winner could’ve played more. Gee wiz. Michel Therrien played his three best star forwards as much as possible and still is catching flak. That’s the Canadian press for ya. Never satisfied even when one of their teams isn’t even vying for the Stanley Cup.

I get that Sid the Kid is a great superstar who carries the weight of the league around with him but enough’s enough. Evgeni Malkin got 23:24 of ice-time and Marian Hossa saw 24:02. That’s plenty for the Pens’ dynamic trio who have been stifled by an excellent Detroit team defense. There’s a reason they’ve only scored four total goals and it’s got little to do with how much time Crosby and ‘mates are getting but rather how well schooled the Red Wings are. Led by captain Nick Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski, they really do a solid job keeping and moving the puck. Of course it helps to have one of the game’s greatest defensemen and two amazing players up front in dynamic duo Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, who receive little accolades despite how special they are. They control the tempo and are so multidimensional that Mike Babcock can put them out there in any situation.

The performance by Zetterberg while down two men with the game and probably the series hanging in the balance late in the third was astronomical. Nobody ever says much about how great a player the Swede is. He might not total as many points as the other Hart candidates or have the cult following of a Crosby but for my money, Zetterberg’s one of the best overall players in the game.

Last Fall, an older buddy of mine who sits in Section 411 at Ranger games and knows the game inside out pointed out that he felt Zetterberg was better than Crosby. Perhaps not in stature but here’s a question for all those Sid backers. How come he doesn’t play shorthanded? If he really was the best player, he’d be out there killing penalties. Zetterberg does it and quite well. So does Jarome Iginla. Datsyuk’s a pretty dangerous skater and is out on the PK too.

Why don’t Zetterberg and Datsyuk get as much attention from the media? Neither has the rockstar persona of an Alexander Ovechkin or the look of a Crosby yet they star for an Original Six franchise who plays in a big market and is on the cusp of capturing its fourth Cup in 11 years. Isn’t about time they got their due?

All Photos Copyright Getty Images

There were three other playoff games last night which bared watching. So, while there was an intense Game Two between the Hudson rivals, the other trio of games on Night 3 of the NHL postseason all had exciting and unpredictable finishes. That’s our main point of emphasis in this totally random Spring edition:

-Great game in the nation’s capital between the Flyers and Caps last night. It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t really get into it due to Rangers-Devils but just from catching the highlights, this looked like an unbelievable first game between two evenly matched teams. The Flyers led 4-2 after 40 minutes on the strength of a pair of goals from Daniel Briere and Vaclav Prospal. Trailing by a couple, the Capitals rallied back with three unanswered including two straight blueline blasts from the deadly Mike Green which tied it up.

For most of the game, the Flyers kept Alexander Ovechkin in check but the league’s leading scorer sprung to life when his team needed it most making an unreal play which resulted in the winner. In his first NHL playoff game, the 65-goal sniper forced a turnover stripping the puck away from Lasse Kukkonen. The electrifying 22 year-old Russian then patiently outwaited Martin Biron before wrapping the puck past the Flyer netminder for the deciding tally with 4:32 left. The certain Hart winner’s heroics helped the Caps overcome a two-goal deficit as they outshot the Flyers 12-3 in a dominant third to take a 1-0 series lead in what shapes up to be a great first round match-up.

-Another fun conclusion took place at Mellon Arena where the Pens withstood a good challenge from the Sens, getting a late Ryan Malone power play tally along with an empty netter to pull out Game Two 5-3- allowing the East’s No.2 seed to take a 2-0 series lead.

Early on, it looked like it would be just as easy as their dominant 4-0 Game One victory the other night. The Pens cashed in on a five-on-three when Evgeni Malkin setup a Sergei Gonchar bomb to go up 1-0. Another nifty passing play which saw Sidney Crosby and Malkin combining to setup Petr Sykora for a second power play goal 5:22 into the second. The dynamic duo hooked up yet again on an even better Malkin feed with the ex-Devil not missing for his third of the postseason.

Three goals down, the Sens could’ve packed it in. Instead, they came right back less than a minute later when Shean Donovan tallied in front to cut it to 3-1. A Cory Stillman PPG off a nice Dany Heatley pass gave them life headed to the final stanza. When rookie Cody Bass finished off a play in front, the game was suddenly tied at three with 11:09 remaining.

Discipline had been an issue all night for the Sens and came into play when Martin Lapointe hooked down Jarkko Ruutu with 1:14 to go in regulation. It took the Pens just 12 seconds to make Lapointe pay as Crosby and Marian Hossa helped setup Ryan Malone’s wraparound at 18:58. Malone also iced the game firing into an open net with seven ticks left.

Game Three is not till Monday in Ottawa.

-Perhaps the best game was Game Two between Northwest rivals Colorado and Minnesota. The two teams had battled hard in the first game with the Wild forcing sudden death only to see Colorado clutch captain Joe Sakic add to his playoff record with an eighth career goal in playoff overtime.

Jacques Lemaire’s club needed to level this series and found a way to do it requiring more than 60 minutes again with it going their way. Peter Forsberg got the Avs on the scoreboard first with a beautiful vintage finish off a Jeff Finger feed, wristing one by Niklas Backstrom at 17:06 of the first. The Wild cameback to knot it in the third when there was a Pavol Demitra sighting. A rarity this time of year as the Slovak fired a perfect wrister past Jose Theodore for a PPG 1:37 into the middle stanza.

It looked like all of St. Paul would celebrate a regulation come from behind win when Mikko Koivu stole a puck and then wired one past Theodore with 1:51 left. But the Avs drew a late power play and got even when Ryan Smyth deflected home a John-Michael Liles point shot with 44 seconds to go. The goal was credited to Milan Hejduk.

Either way, the same two teams once again went overtime but before I could get back to see it, it was over quickly thanks to out of all people Keith Carney. Off a broken play with some excellent grunt work by Koivu, who was the Wild’s best player, the American-born vet got to a loose puck and beat Theodore cleanly with a slapper from the left wall at 1:14 of sudden death.

Not surprisingly, it was Carney’s first ever OT winner. Good for him.

The series shifts back to the Rocky Mountains Monday and Tuesday for Games Three and Four.

-Maybe the Sens can build off a strong night in goal by Gerber, who made 49 saves. We’ll see what they’re made of starting Monday when the series shifts to Kanata, Ontario.

-That reaction by first-year Devil coach Brent Sutter where he slammed the stick after a dreadful icing call against his club was classic. He had every reason to be upset. Loved the intensity.

-He’s annoying to no end but Sid the Kid is still a great hockey player as evidenced by his four secondary assists. If he and Malkin are both in high gear, the Pens are going to be very tough to stop. Especially if they’re getting the benefit of the stripes as Ottawa coach Bryan Murray asserted to some missed stuff on Pittsburgh last night.

-Watching Forsberg in the first couple of games between Minnesota and Colorado, it becomes evident just how brilliant he really is. Even with all the injuries and foot problems, Peter The Great is still looking like an elite player. And if that’s the case, the Avs should be heard from this Spring.

-From listening to Lemaire about his young club after a vital OT win, you can tell how much the former Devil coach who guided that franchise to their first championship enjoys coaching his players. That enthusiasm is still there. He definitely seems to be having more fun these days which tells you he was a great hire a few years back for that franchise.

-They also have great fans. Boy. Do they make a lot of noise.

-Guess Jacques Martin just couldn’t push the right buttons to get it turned around in Florida.

All photos Copyright Getty Images

It’s finally the best time of year if you’re a diehard puck fan. That is unless you’re a Canucks’ fan still pondering if their choke was worse than the Memphis Tigers.

Only 16 of the 30 teams make the Stanley Cup Tournament. And that’s a good thing because there will be no more three-point games and shootouts impacting what happens. Now, it just comes down to who’s the most prepared and brings their A game.

Blink and your team could be gone faster than a BHL referee’s arm comes up when Sidney Crosby moves his chin. At least certain Hart winner Alexander Ovechkin plays the game like a real man.

There are many questions surrounding the 2008 playoffs which get underway later tonight. Will an NHL dream second round match-up between Crosby/Evgeni Malkin and Ovechkin happen? Which goalie donning a No.30 jersey will shine most in the latest edition of the Battle of Hudson? Marty Brodeur or Henrik Lundqvist. Will the President’s Trophy winning Red Wings go in the tank again? Can the Stars finally win a round?

Is Martin Biron ready for primetime or the latest goalie in a long undistinguished list to go belly up faster than you do after a cheesesteak? Is Carey Price really the heir apparent to Patrick Roy? Will Boston’s risky move bringing back Patrice Bergeron be a spark against an Original Six opponent who owns them?

Should the banged up Senators just head straight for the golf course? Can a Joe Thornton-led San Jose team finally win in the postseason or does ex-coach Mike Keenan have the right recipe for guiding the Flames into May? Are the Predators going to lose in the first round again? Will Peter Forsberg’s comeback lift the Avalanche past Jacques Lemaire, Marian Gaborik, and the Wild? Can the Ducks repeat?

All these questions and a whole lot more will be answered this Spring. Let’s take a look at our magic crystal ball. Shall we?

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Round One

(1) Montreal Canadiens vs (8) Boston Bruins- The Habs surprised many by rising to the top of the East after trading away Cristobal Huet to the Caps and relying on the talented Price. Now comes the true test. Can a rookie win 16 games to deliver Stanley Cup No.25 back to Montreal ending a 15-year drought for Canada? Why not? Cam Ward did it already. Alex Kovalev’s playing his best hockey. A supporting cast of Tomas Plekanec, Chris Higgins, the Kostistyns and Mark Streit is plenty good enough if captain Saku Koivu misses the first round. Andrei Markov should be up for the Norris and Mike Komisarek hits everyone and blocks seemingly every shot. Depth isn’t a problem for the fast skating Canadiens, who should make quick work of the Bruins much like a regular season which saw them win all eight meetings outscoring their Original Six bitter foe 39-14.

Bergeron’s back for Boston. Marco Sturm and Marc Savard are the offensive leaders for Claude Julien’s club. Glen Murray will need to have a big series and Zdeno Chara and Dennis Wideman must contribute from the blueline. Tim Thomas had a great season and is capable of keeping his team in games. But the Bruins should have trouble scoring.

Pick: Canadiens in 5

(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs (7) Ottawa Senators- Let’s see. A healthy Crosby heating up at the right time. Malkin dominating in all facets with Petr Sykora reborn and Ryan Malone a constant threat. Marian Hossa and the overlooked Pascal Dupuis. Jordan Staal coming around. Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney. Plus Marc-Andre Fleury razor sharp. All this plus antagonist Jarkko Ruutu against a banged up team who shouldn’t even be in the playoffs. They can thank the Buffalo Sabres.

A year ago in the same round, the Pens lost in five to a much healthier Senator club who had captain Daniel Alfredsson playing like a playoff MVP and two-way threat Mike Fisher. They also had a No.1 goalie as Ray Emery played extremely well. This time, that’s a huge question with probably Martin Gerber getting the nod. They still have dynamic duo Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley, who can score on any shift. Cory Stillman is a proven playoff performer. Antoine Vermette is playing his best hockey and a constant shorthanded threat who can change games. Unless the blueline plays better with the capable Chris Phillips, Wade Redden, Andrej Meszaros and shot blocking machine Anton Volchenkov, the Sens will get scored on early and often in this series. Mike Commodore also is a warrior and could be important if they’re to have any chance at an upset.

I just can’t see it.

Pick: Pens in 6

(3) Washington Capitals vs (6) Philadelphia Flyers- Everyone knows just how hot the Caps are entering their first postseason in five years with the best player in the game. This stacks up to be a very good series and a stiff test for Ovechkin and talented teammates Alexander Semin, Calder candidate Nicklas Backstrom and Cup-proven Sergei Fedorov. They’ll need the same contributions from Viktor Kozlov, overlooked Brooks Laich and even ex-Flyer bruiser Donald Brashear to play big. Mike Green is the most dangerous scorer for either D and Huet should give the Caps an edge in net.

The question is can they hold off a formidable Flyer team which boasts seven 20-plus goal scorers in team MVP Mike Richards, Daniel Briere, power forward Mike Knuble, Jeff Carter, Scott Hartnell, Joffrey Lupul and key acquisition Vaclav Prospal. Scottie Upshall is healthy and playing well too. As usual, it largely depends on how the latest Flyer netminder Biron fares in his first playoff series. His D isn’t the fastest but does boast veteran leader Jason Smith, Kimmo Timonen and the emerging Braydon Coburn (for Alexei Zhitnik-nice trade Don Waddell).

Will that Flyer D be able to keep up with Jack Adams choice Bruce Boudreau’s speedy Caps? They have the scoring to stay with them. This series is awfully hard to call.

Pick: Flyers in 7

(4) New Jersey Devils vs (5) New York Rangers- Perhaps this is the best opening round match-up pitting the two bitter Hudson rivals against each other. Both are mirror images depending largely on their goalies to win in airtight defensive systems which could put fans to sleep. Yes. I’m calling my own team boring. Especially if the scores are right on par with last year’s Stars-Canucks seven-game first round. That actually was a tolerable series.

Much has already been covered on the two locals hoping to break the other fans’ hearts. Logic says a Ranger team with the very clutch Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Brendan Shanahan, resurgent captain Jaromir Jagr along with spunky rookies Brandon Dubinsky, Nigel Dawes and Ryan Callahan could prove to be too much for a Devil team reliant mostly on Zach Parise, Patrik Elias and Jamie Langenbrunner. However, never underestimate John Madden or buddy Jay Pandolfo as both know what it takes to win in the second season. Brian Gionta also is a pest. Believe it or not, the Devils’ chances could hinge on how Mike Rupp performs along with Dainius Zubrus and rookie banger David Clarkson.

The bluelines are about even with Paul Martin getting the nod over Dan Girardi as the best in the series. There probably won’t be a whole lot of scoring from either D.

Brodeur versus Lundqvist is about as good as advertised. One proven winner at this time of year while the other with lots of recent success looking for a measure of revenge.

Pick: As stated before, I’m not picking a winner. It will go 6.

Beast Of The East

Conf. Semis: (1) Canadiens over (6) Flyers in 5

(2) Penguins over (4) Rangers/(5) Devils winner in 6

Conf. Final: (1) Canadiens over (2) Penguins in 7

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Round One

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs (8) Nashville Predators- Once again, the Red Wings finished with the most points. Will it matter? Well, they should have enough to get by a Barry Trotz’ club without a No.1 goalie. Figure super duo Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg to have a field day in this series. Key cogs Tomas Holmstrom and Dan Cleary are healthy coming in. Johan Franzen, Jiri Hudler, Valteri Filppula and Mikael Samuelsson fly under the radar. Both Mr. Norris Nick Lidstrom and ex-Devil Brian Rafalski are better than anyone Nashville has on the blueline. Chris Chelios should be in an old age home but yet logs big minutes and somehow gets it done. Keep an eye on Niklas Kronwall, who’s emerged into a solid player.

How far Detroit goes depends on Dominik Hasek’s health. Though Chris Osgood had his best season in quite some time.

The Preds do boast some dangerous offensive threats in Jason Arnott, J.P. Dumont and emerging star Alex Radulov. Martin Erat is overlooked and enforcer Jordin Tootoo can do more than beat up opponents. Odd stat on a team which was only minus-6. Veteran Radek Bonk managed to go minus-31. Believe it or not, Jan Hlavac played well for Nashville down the stretch. With David Legwand nicked up, they’ll need Hlavac to continue his renaissance.

Shea Weber’s been a disappointment this season on the backline. Marek Zidlicky is the Preds’ most potent weapon while Dan Hamhuis is a solid skating defender who won’t get much credit. How can you give them a chance with Chris Mason or probable Game One starter Dan Ellis in net? I can’t.

Pick: Wings in 5

(2) San Jose Sharks vs (7) Calgary Flames- Now this promises to be a good series featuring a pair of superstar forwards in Thornton and Hart candidate Jarome Iginla plus elite netminders such as Vezina hopeful Evgeni Nabokov and former Vezina winner Miikka Kiprusoff. Toss in future Norris winner Dion Phaneuf and Brian Campbell and you got an entertaining series. Plus the two coaches Keenan and Ron Wilson are always good for a few quotes.

This should be great. The Sharks have been on fire and much is expected. Revitalized leader Patrick Marleau is playing extremely well as is Thornton. They’ll need plenty of help from Jonathan Cheechoo, underrated Milan Michalek, Joe Pavelski along with the battle tested Jeremy Roenick and Mike Grier. Patrick Rismiller and rookie Torrey Mitchell can play a little too.

A D led by Campbell along with vets Craig Rivet, Christian Ehrhoff and Kyle McLaren should be strong. Maybe nobody was more valuable to his club than Nabokov, who started a career high 77 games winning 46 while posting a 2.14 GAA, .910 save percentage and six shutouts on a team which doesn’t score much. You can make a strong argument for Nabokov winning his first Vezina.

If Iginla is the Flames, then he’s got help from Daymond Langkow, Kristian Huselius, Alex Tanguay and Matt Lombardi. Key cogs Craig Conroy and ex-Shark Owen Nolan could come in handy in what shapes up to be a physical series. If the Flames do have an edge, it’s on the blueline with the very formidable Phaneuf who can do a bit of everything. Whether it’s a big hit or an end to end rush, he’s dangerous. Adrian Aucoin also has rebounded under Keenan. But after Robyn Regehr, who should see plenty of Thornton, it gets very thin.

Due maybe to all the work and a D which can wear down, Kiprusoff wasn’t as effective this season. While it’s tempting to take the Flames as fellow blogger Hasan did, I think they might run out of gas.

Pick: Sharks in 6

(3) Minnesota Wild vs (6) Colorado Avalanche- Five years ago in the old NHL, Lemaire’s Wild stunned the Avs coming back from 3-1 to win in the opening round. Though both rosters have changed, a few key players still remain including Forsberg, Joe Sakic, Milan Hejduk and Adam Foote on the Colorado side. They’ll be out for redemption against a Wild team led by Gaborik.

The game’s most overlooked superstar scored 42 goals including eight winners, which tied for the team lead with Brian Rolston. They’ll need strong support from Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Pavol Demitra, Mikko Koivu and Eric Belanger. Demitra’s been known to take the second season off. Bank on Koivu to show up.

Brent Burns might be the most underappreciated D in the tournament. He logs big minutes and can impact games getting plenty of power play time. He’ll need to step up along with vet Kim Johnsson with Nick Schultz and Kurtis Foster likely both out. That also means that No.1 goalie Niklas Backstrom better be ready for the onslaught against a potent Avs’ team which also includes Paul Stastny, gritty forward Ryan Smyth, Andrew Brunette and Wojtek Wolski.

Colorado will get offense from John-Michael Liles, Jeff Finger and key pickup Ruslan Salei. Their best defender is Scott Hannan, who brings experience. Foote is old and slow but knows how to play at this time of year.

Jose Theodore has rediscovered the form which won him a Hart but would you trust him in any series? Bet the over in the goal department as this promises to be a goal fest. Now watch every game morph into a Ranger-Devil struggle. Blame me if it does!

Pick: Avs in 6

(4) Anaheim Ducks vs (5) Dallas Stars- This shapes up to be a good match-up. Can the Stars finally win a round with Marty Turco in net? It probably won’t be his fault if they fall short. Believe it or not, it’s the Ducks that have a hard time scoring goals getting just 197 during the regular season.

They rely heavily on emerging star Ryan Getzlaf, who paced the club with 82 points and a plus-32 rating. He’s such a force down low but can’t do it alone. They better get Corey Perry (29 goals led club) back or they could be in trouble. Teemu Selanne has played well since returning and Chris Kunitz is such a solid player. After that, it gets sketchy with playoff choker Todd Bertuzzi, rookie Bobby Ryan and top checkers Sami Pahlsson, Travis Moen and Rob Niedermayer.

Good thing the Ducks boast the most lethal blueline featuring Hall-bound Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger and the ageless Matt Schneider. Along with Francois Beauchemin and less scrutinized Kent Huskins, they’ll provide Anaheim with a decided edge against anybody.

That guy in net Jean-Sebastien Giguere ain’t bad either despite what he’s been called in Devil parts.

So, do the Stars have a shot here or am I crazy? Probably the latter. Mike Ribeiro (27-56-83) has been awesome and even deserves a few MVP votes. Captain Brenden Morrow is a winner who netted career bests in goals (32), points (74), PPG (12) and game-winners (7). This is his team. It’s time for him to step up.

Vets Mike Modano, Jere Lehtinen and Stu Barnes always show for the playoffs. Deadline pickup Brad Richards must perform like he did in his Conn Smythe year in order for the Stars to advance. Don’t sleep on Niklas Hagman, who scored a career high 27 goals including four shorthanded and eight deciding markers. He’s been money all season.

So much of what Dallas does depends on the blueline where they’re hoping Sergei Zubov can return from Germany miraculously healed from sports hernia surgery. Philippe Boucher missed more than half the season but is healthy and must contribute. Stephane Robidas and rookie Matt Niskanen had nice seasons.

Turco had a very good season and might even get nominated for the Vezina. He usually comes up with key saves which keep his team in games. He sure would love to knock off the defending champs and get that monkey off his back.

This is a difficult series to call but it’s very difficult to go against that Duck D.

Pick: Ducks in 7

The Wild Wild West

Conf. Semis: (1) Wings over (6) Avs in 6

(2) Sharks over (4) Ducks in 6

Conf. Final: (2) Sharks over (1) Wings in 6

Stanley Cup Final: (1) Canadiens over (2) Sharks in 7

Conn Smythe: Carey Price, Mtl

“What the puck is a Canuck?”

That question was posed by a delirious Ranger fan 14 years ago during the Original Six franchise’s fourth Stanley Cup and first in 54 years coming at the expense of a dangerous seventh seeded Vancouver Canucks team led by Pavel Bure and Trevor Linden.

Over a decade later, it wasn’t supposed to end so quietly for the 2007-08 version of the Canucks. So, while a few of us including yours truly still has no freaking clue what the heck a Canuck is, one thing we’re scratching our heads over is what just happened to Vancouver down the stretch? Well, for starters, they collapsed by dropping six of seven to miss the postseason.

Even worse, they were officially eliminated from playoff contention by archrival Edmonton losing 2-1 on home ice the other night turning a much anticipated home tilt tonight versus Calgary into a meaningless exhibition. Well, maybe not for Mike Keenan’s club, who will be entering the NHL tournament as either a sixth seed or a seventh depending on what happens between Colorado and Minnesota tomorrow.

A Flames’ win would put them at 94 points- one better than the Avs who currently rank sixth. In the event the Northwest rivals finish tied, the tiebreaker would go to Colorado due to more wins (43).

While Calgary and Colorado fans are entertaining those possibilities of who will get Jacques Lemaire’s division-winning club in Round One, there are plenty of questions surrounding coach Alain Vigneault and Vancouver GM Dave Nonis to answer about their club to disappointed Canuck fans who expected a whole lot more than this.

How could a team which boasts one of the best goalies in the game in Roberto Luongo fold up faster than a cheap deck of cards?!?!?!?!?! Well, if there was a team flaw, it was that they didn’t score a ton of goals as evidenced by their 212 (2.62 GF/gm). On paper, that average doesn’t look bad. Especially when our metro area teams haven’t fared much better. The Rangers have one fewer goal in the same amount and the Devils have gotten to 203 with tomorrow’s home showdown against Henrik Lundqvist a tall task. What do they have in the previous seven against him? I think it’s seven total goals. Sorry. I don’t feel like looking it up.

In case you’re wondering, the banged up Islanders finished with 194. Only the Blue Jackets have gotten fewer with 192 but by the time they play out their remaining two this weekend, the Isles will likely rank dead last in offense. Yikes.

Well, at least they will probably have the Metro Cup. As brought to my attention by our newest blogger Hasan, the Rangers can still pass them if they get a win tomorrow. Hey. I jumped the gun. Truthfully, the Isles deserve that mug for how well they played against our teams. Welcome aboard!

Now if only fellow blogger and close friend Brian (grosek18) would come out of the woodwork to tell us about how the NHL hierarchy was extremely pleased that the Sabres missed. I’m sure he’ll have plenty to say once the regular season commences.

So, Vancouver is out with ironically the same 88 points as Buffalo. Just to illustrate the difference between the two clubs, the Sabres still have scored 252 goals (3.11 per-gm) with a chance to impact whether a second first round Battle of Hudson takes place in three years later tonight. And that was with Buffalo losing top two offensive centers Chris Drury and Daniel Briere to the Rangers and Flyers. Since he has been playing better lately, does Dainius Zubrus count?

The problem for the Canucks is they didn’t have Jason Pominville, Thomas Vanek or Derek Roy. Sometimes, styles make players. Just look at Carolina as Exhibit A. Peter Laviolette’s aggressive forecheck system based on speed allows forwards to flourish. Sergei Samsonov was nearly a point-a-game after looking like he’d wide up back home in Russia after the season. Had the Canes been healthier, they wouldn’t be praying to God that Alexander Ovechkin misses his shots tonight when the Caps host the Panthers. But hey. If you lose on home ice to a team that has nothing to play for despite outshooting them by 29, then you don’t deserve to make the playoffs. Especially if backup Craig Anderson comes in relief of Tomas Vokoun and stones you.

Honestly, Vigneault isn’t a bad coach. However, it’s obvious that his team relied way too heavily on Luongo and the Sedin Twins- Henrik and Daniel. Last season, on the strength of stellar netminding by the ex-Panther, they won 49 games edging out the Wild for the division with 105 points. During his first season in British Columbia, Luongo won 47 of the club’s 49 starting 75 of 76 while posting a 2.28 GAA, .921 save percentage and six shutouts. The gaudy stats got him nominated for the Hart Trophy alongside Martin Brodeur and league MVP Sidney Crosby.

With basically the same roster, the just turned 29 year-old Montreal native was asked to carry the load again. While his numbers (72 GS, 35 W, 2.35 GAA, .918 Save Pct., 6 SHO) were solid, the former New York Islander 1997 first round selection fizzled down the stretch posting an ugly 1-6 record with a 3.68 GAA and an .874 save percentage. That included four consecutive defeats including a couple in a row at Colorado and Minnesota in which he allowed nine total goals and was pulled in each.

Talk about coming up small. While it’s also true that he allowed two goals in a couple of those losses, the bottom line is Luongo who not long ago was considered the Vezina favorite didn’t come close to delivering for the Canucks. His poor stretch is the No.1 reason they’re making golf reservations instead of going deep into the Spring as I actually believed. Yes. I picked them to reach a 1994 rematch against the Rangers. Maybe I should’ve just left that one alone because the Blueshirts will have trouble even winning two rounds. Especially given how competitive the East is.

Luongo doesn’t even deserve to be nominated for the Vezina. I can cite at least four goalies who performed better down the stretch but we’ll save that for another day.

If the best goalie to never win a Stanley Cup (just one series win against Dallas in a great seven games) was sub-standard, then what about the rest of his teammates? How do they explain laying eggs the final couple of weeks when not too long before it looked like they could repeat as division winners and be a top three seed?

It’s hard to find fault with top scorer Henrik Sedin (15-61-76) but only one helper along with a minus-three rating in the last two losses in which his club was outscored 6-3 to Colorado and Edmonton wasn’t what the doctor ordered. Brother Daniel paced the club with 29 goals finishing with 74 points. His 12 power play goals and seven deciding markers also led the Canucks. Unfortunately, the top finisher remained stuck on 29 the final four games (three losses) while netting just a pair of assists.

The real question now is can a Sedin-led offense compete seriously for Lord Stanley. It’s not like the very gifted 27 year-old Swedish magicians got much support. Thirty-four year-old team captain Markus Naslund is still a decent player but has been finished as an elite scorer for a couple of years. His 25 goals and 30 assists for 55 points were five points down from last season.

The late bloomer has had a nice career scoring close to 400 goals (371) with 452 assists totaling 823 points in 1,034 NHL games. But it’s clear he’s not the same player and the Canucks can’t rely on the former Pittsburgh Penguins’ 1991 first round pick to be a consistent threat.

There in lies the problem. Naslund is still the team’s third most productive player behind his younger countrymen. Taylor Pyatt had a bit of a down season with his goal production suffering. A concussion didn’t help. Hopefully, the former Sabre will comeback healthy next Fall. As history tells us, those aren’t to be messed around with. Just ask Eric Lindros. All those Score subsets I have are now worthless. Wow.

Excluding tonight’s meaningless season finale, key cogs Brendan Morrison, Mattias Ohlund, Kevin Bieksa, Sami Salo, Alex Edler and Willie Mitchell have missed a combined 154 contests. Way too many- especially from a few core players which comprise one of the league’s most potent bluelines. That’s where the Canucks get a good chunk of their offense from as Ohlund, Bieksa, Salo and Edler are all capable of getting involved while Mitchell logs big minutes sacrificing his body all over the ice.

When you lose such vital players, it’s usually not going to help the cause. Even gritty vet Linden has missed over 20 games. Sadly, they’re a better team when the soon to be 38 year-old former popular captain is in the lineup because he still knows how to play the game and is effective in a supporting role. His two shorthanded goals are tied for second with Ryan Kesler for second on the club behind Alex Burrows’ three. Not bad for a grizzled vet.

If there are a couple of younger forwards on this Vancouver roster who should be an integral part of the club’s future, it’s Kesler and Burrows. In particular, the 22 year-old Kesler who the club took in Round One five years prior has developed into a solid all around pivot capable of more offense as his career best 21 goals and 37 points attest. They’ll need the kid from Michigan to build on that success next season.

As for Burrows, he’ll soon turn 27. The undrafted left wing from Quebec who Vancouver signed as a free agent three years ago has proven that he can be more than a goon. In his second full season, his 12 goals, 19 assists for 31 points along with a respectable plus-12 rating have to encourage Nonis and the organization.

Burrows has plenty of character and is very willing to mix it up almost to a fault. A recent cheapshot should’ve resulted in a suspension. He must tone it down so he doesn’t get a bad reputation around the league. He enters tonight with 179 penalty minutes which not surprisingly leads Vancouver. Figure that number to increase against nemesis Calgary. He’ll be needed more on the ice starting next October.

The Canucks also boast the promising Mason Raymond. In 49 games during his rookie campaign, the former 2005 second rounder tallied 21 points (9-12-21). He’s rehabbing from a bad knee and will be reassigned to Manitoba to compete for the Calder Cup. 

So, Vancouver does have a few young forwards who should help lessen the load on the Sedins. However, you can’t help but wonder if a crop which includes journeymen Brad Isbister and Byron Ritchie needs to rethink their philosophy.

Clearly, the Canucks need to dip into the free agent market and add a quality offensive player. Another finisher would fit the bill. The cap is once again expected to increase. Will they have enough space to go after an elite player such as Marian Hossa? It all depends too on whether Nonis decides this summer that the Sedins are worth hefty raises. As TSN’s Darren Dreger points out, each will enter their final year of their contracts.

Does Nonis commit tons of dollars to players who aren’t what we’d term franchise offensive guys? Both are very good but need help.

All questions which will be heavily debated in Western Canada over the next couple of months. If the look of the Canucks isn’t noticeably different next Fall, there could be a lot more explaining to do.

It was down to the nitty gritty in a shootout between a couple of bitter New York rivals. Bragging rights was on the line as was the stinkin’ Metro Cup which is presented to the local team with supremacy against their closest two rivals.

For the New York Islanders, that meant a chance to walk away with that nice trophy even if their golf reservations had been booked for some time. Possibly drawing inspiration from a very classy speech by former New York police officer Steven McDonald who presented the Ranger annual Extra Effort Award to rookie pivot Brandon Dubinsky, it was those younger Isles who skated harder and finished every check while finding the back of the net with regularity against Henrik Lundqvist.

Before I get to the game details, if I may for a second point out how well put together McDonald’s speech was. Mr. McDonald is a great example for all of us. Lately, things haven’t quite gone my way and I’ve dealt with a lot of internal issues. However, maybe the next time I’m feeling sorry for myself or anyone else is, we should look at what this true New York hero has to go through everyday being handicapped due to being shot in the line of duty. As I stood there next to my family applauding Mr. McDonald’s speech, my eyes started to well up. This man truly made all those in attendance at Madison Square Garden realize that there’s so much more to appreciate than the teams we root for.

The next time, you go for a walk, run, skate or do whatever this Spring, think of that speech. It really puts so much into proper perspective.

Maybe in some aspects, Ted Nolan’s little club that could was like what McDonald described about the grit and determination that’s on display because it wasn’t as much coming from a much healthier NHL team on Broadway tonight.

Let’s face it. The Islanders have been beaten up for quite a while forced to field an AHL team. The Rangers basically lost to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in that shootout 4-3. Something which wasn’t lost on one of the knowledgable and passionate True Blue fans in my section.

If the Islanders competed harder despite being outshot by a wide misleading margin (51-32), it wasn’t due to lack of effort as co-host Gary Harding’s orange, white and blue wanted it more for some reason. Was it the bad taste of having let a rejuvenated Jaromir Jagr (2 goals last night, 1-1-2 tonight) along with Lundqvist (25 saves for NHL best 10th shutout) wrap up a third straight postseason appearance the previous night on their home ice over by the Meadowbrook Parkway? Probably.

The one aspect of this rivalry which makes it one of the best is that no matter who are wearing those jerseys, there’s no such thing as a game being a virtual lock for the other due to talent. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, talent doesn’t always win hockey games. Especially ones played at the highest level with passion exhibited during each shift the way it always should during this fun time of year.

It was that sort of attitude from young guns such as Kyle Okposo, Blake Comeau along with pesky shorthanded specialist Richard Park which allowed the Islanders to not only come out with the extra point but also insure themselves of that nice mug. Maybe it doesn’t mean a whole lot but the pride they showed was why they’ve fared so well against both the Blueshirts and Devils this season edging the Rangers for that trophy.

“We always hear that there is nothing to play for. I strongly disagree with that,” Nolan later pointed out of how hard his lesser experienced club fought to send most Ranger fans with a sour taste in their mouths. Anytime you lose to that team, that’s how it is. Besides, Lundqvist was flat out PATH-ETT-IC in that shootout. Apparently, he forgot to take his B-12 as he also let in a couple of klunkers during regulation.

“We always have something to play for. … To just go through the motions isn’t the right thing to do, and we never did that, which is a great thing.”

I definitely have to concur with Nolan. There was his team still competing. They even were out on the bench for the pregame ceremony. A very classy move on their part and one which was a good lesson for their younger players getting valuable experience now.

Despite having a chance to get a win and tie the Devils, who got absolutely handled by a desperate Flyer club 3-0 in a game which was never close, the Rangers just couldn’t seem to get up for this one quite the way they would’ve liked.

Maybe that’s because like Jagr alluded to later that there really aren’t any weak teams left. So, if it’s the Devils in that first round, that’s a given. Or if the Bruins win later today against Buffalo and New Jersey finally figures out Lundqvist in regulation, then it will be either Carolina or Washington. With the Candy Canes somehow losing at home 4-3 to the Panthers despite nine power plays to none for their opponents (they did outshoot Fla 46-17), I’m betting the house on the Caps as there’s no chance Alexander Ovechkin will let his team miss at in the regular season home finale against those same Panthers.

I said two weeks prior that the Capitals were running the table. They now know that one point will be good enough to wrap up the Southeast and the No.3 seed plus the home ice which comes with it. By show of hands, who thinks they won’t at least get it to overtime?

The Isles went ahead on Okposo’s second NHL goal off a brilliant passing play with a nifty Comeau backhand setting up the former 2006 No.1 pick in the slot from 20 feet out. He didn’t miss giving his team a one-goal lead which they held thru 20 minutes.

Ranger defenseman Dan Girardi drew the MSG hosts even just 2:29 into the second setup off a three-on-two rush by Jagr and Marty Straka. He walked in and beat Wade Dubielewicz upstairs for his 10th. Not a bad output for the solid stay-at-home smooth skating defender who logs big minutes and can play in any situation.

Then, Lundqvist fell asleep on the Isles’ second goal, giftwrapping an easy rebound off the stick of rookie Jack Hillen right to Ranger killer Miroslav Satan, who deposited the loose change to hike his embarrassing goal total to 16. How’s that even possible? Can you say deported back to Slovakia this summer? I sure as hell can. In case you were wondering, no player has scored more goals against the Rangers since 1997-98 than Satan. I believe that’s now 25 dating back to his Buffalo days when he netted his first career hat trick.

Another odd goal allowed the Blueshirts to tie it for the second time 7:30 later thanks to a seeing eye shot from the top of the left circle by improving rookie Nigel Dawes. He got the puck from linemates Ryan Callahan and Chris Drury and just fired. It seemed to go off someone in front and get a piece of Dubielewicz before finding its way into the back of the net for his 14th to level it at two with 6:50 left in the middle stanza.

The game wouldn’t stay knotted for long. Somehow, the Isles were charged with two penalties giving the Rangers a full two-minute 5-on-3 advantage to work with. Given that they’d finally come in hot having scored seven times the past few games, you had to figure they’d at least net one and go ahead.

However, that’s not what transpired. After a TV timeout, they somehow managed to let Park get free off a faceoff. The speedy much overlooked pivot who once was a folkhero during the Wild’s run to the Western Conference Final was sprung by defenseman Radek Martinek. He made his move and floated a tricky wrister which Lundqvist got a piece of but not enough of as it trickled into the net for his fourth shorthanded tally of the season. It was only the third such instance this season a player had scored during a 3-on-5. Come to think of it, I think Park might’ve also turned the trick in a road game at Philly. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit.

Just awful! How could the Rangers allow that? They did have five forwards out there. Of course, Renney sent the same experienced guys back out after it and they failed miserably. Overally, they took a collar in eight chances which is where the game was lost.

Why didn’t the coach pull them off the ice and send out a Dawes or Callahan? That’s what I would’ve done. If you allow an opponent (especially one as hated as the Isles) to score down two men, you don’t deserve to play the rest of the power play. Have a seat on the bench!

The Rangers still managed to tie it up thanks to a nifty give-and-go with Jagr being setup for his 24th from perfect complement Straka off a two-on-one 4:24 into the third. Ryan Hollweg got maybe the cheapest secondary assist ever. He totally sucked during that shift in his own end almost allowing the Isles to score. God is he sloooow. I sure hope he’s not dressed for the playoffs. He makes Colton Orr look like the Road Runner.

In spite of a 31-17 SOG edge in the final 40 of regulation, the game required OT due to the Ranger ineptitude on the PP. It was during the four-on-four by which time I’d gone downstairs to listen to the game in Gerry Cosby’s that Ranger color analyst Dave Maloney absolutely trashed Bill McCreary’s soft hook on Scott Gomez with 107 seconds left which gave the Isles a 4-on-3. Must’ve been one of those Bettman specials because he really disliked the call. They