Tim Thomas continues to prove he’s no fluke. The Boston Bruins No.1 goalie has had a long road going from obscurity to sudden stardom turning the Original Six club into a playoff contender with his unorthodox style which befuddles opponents.

The 34 year-old Flint, Michigan native once was a Quebec Nordiques ninth round selection back in 1994. However, he never made it to the NHL playing all four years at the University of Vermont where he teamed with Martin St. Louis, who ironically also didn’t really get his shot until years later winning league MVP and leading the Lightning to the Stanley Cup.

But while St. Louis eventually found a home in Tampa after a brief stint with Calgary, Thomas’ road was more difficult going back and forth playing with HIFK Helskinki in the Finnish Elite League to playing witb Birmingham of the ECHL, Houston of the IHL along with Hamilton of the AHL along with a few other teams before winding up with Boston affiliate Providence in 2002-03.

After making only four appearances with the Bruins, Thomas finally got his shot in 2005-06 appearing in 38 games winning 12 games while posting a 2.77 GAA and .917 save percentage with a shutout. The next season, he played double the amount winning 30 games but saw his GAA rise to 3.13 with a .905 save percentage.

It was last season that he became Terrific Tim beating out Manny Fernandez for the No.1 job finishing with a mark of 28-19-6 with a 2.44 GAA, .921 save percentage and three shutouts getting the Bruins back to the playoffs where they fell in a hard fought seven-game first round series to the Canadiens.

So far in 2008-09, Thomas is off to a gigantic start going 5-2-2 tied with Alex Auld in GAA (1.85) and ranks first with a .944 save percentage. Yet somehow he was left off the NHL All-Star Ballot. How ridiculous can you get?

TSN’s James Duthie wrote a nice piece called, “No Doubting Thomas” for The Ottawa Citizen. It’s a fascinating read detailing Thomas’ meteoric rise from barely even playing to suddenly making a name for himself.

Here’s an excerpt:

He grew up in Flint, Michigan, around the time Michael Moore made “Roger and Me”, a movie about the town dying. His Dad, Tim Sr., was a used car salesman at a time when no one in Flint could afford a car. So he sold apples door-to-door. He’d sell ten bushels, use some of the money to buy seven more, and give those to Tim to sell. That’s how Jr. raised his money to play hockey.

When things got really bad, his parents pawned their wedding rings to pay for Tim to go to a goalie school. The son didn’t find out until his Dad bought his Mom a new one many years later.

He wore the same beaten up pads for years, repairing them over and over until they… well… disintegrated.

“I was playing for the Lakeland Jets and (former NHLer) Joe Murphy was skating with us while he was holding out with the Oilers,” Thomas says. “He took a shot and it literally went right through my pad and out the backside.”

Murphy would do more for the young goalie than give him a great story for beer-night. Thomas was a never-see-the-ice third stringer on that Lakeland junior team, so he started playing forward. But right after the Christmas break, the starting goalie missed his flight back from Alaska and the back-up got in a car accident. So Thomas took all the shots in practice. As he was skating off the ice, he heard Murphy say to the coach: “Why aren’t you playing that guy?”

What a great story.

Figuring something should be written about the Islanders’ preseason to date, yesterday I couldn’t help but notice a blurb about their schedule.  Tomorrow they play the Devils at Nassau Colliseum for their only true home game of the preseason, and considering they have a seven-game schedule that suggests they’re doing a lot of traveling. 

And they didn’t just play their first three preseason games on the road, they played them in - get this - Moncton (New Britain), London (Ontario, not England) and Summerside (Prince Edward Island)!  What gives, the Islanders can’t sell tickets at home so they think people in Canada will give a darn?  At least it’s a break for the season ticket holders they do have I suppose, only having to pay for one preseason game.  And god knows, any excuse not to play at Nassau Colliseum is generally a good one…but geez.

As far as their results go so far, last Tuesday they opened against the Boston Bruins as the ahem, home team in New Britain and wound up with a 2-1 overtime win on the strength of a second-period goal by Jon Sim and the overtime winner by the immortal Trevor Smith.  Dennis Wideman had the only Bruin goal as Islander goaltenders Joey MacDonald and former Canadien farmhand Yann Denis combined to stop 18 of 19 shots, while the Isles dominated throughout tallying 38 shots against Boston goaltender Tuuka Rask.

Two nights later, the Isles suffered a 4-0 beatdown at the hands of the Flyers in Ontario at the John Labatt Centre (couldn’t resist typing out the name).  Apparently this was a case of the Isles’ B team going up against the Flyers’ A squad, though I suspect one could hardly tell the difference between the Isles’ A and B teams this season - sorry, couldn’t resist!  Mike Richards, Mike Knuble, Jeff Carter and Joffrey Lupul scored the Flyers’ goals.  On the plus side for the Isles, there were a couple of fights in the game and first-round pick Josh Bailey made his debut, finishing with two shots on goal.

For their second - cough - home contest on Saturday, the Isles were off to Prince Edward Island to take on the Florida Panthers.  I guess wearing the home uniforms helps, as the Isles beat the Panthers 4-2, upping their preseason record to 2-1.  Frans Nielsen and Trent Hunter (pictured above) each starred in the game with two goals.  Nielsen added two assists for a total of four points, while Hunter would finish with three points on the night.  MacDonald stopped 18 shots, still subbing for the recovering Rick DiPietro.  Michal Repik and Drew Larman scored the Panthers’ goals.

And one more Isles note that will amuse Derek: I noticed ex-Ranger Thomas Pock is their latest roster addition.  Well I guess they can use help anywhere they can get it.

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If you love great hockey, then most of this first round has been riveting. We had one Game Seven tonight between Original Six Northeast rivals Boston and Montreal. Thanks to another Flyer-esque collapse, there will be a couple of more deciding series later tonight!

Had the Bruins completed the comeback from 3-1 down against Les Habitants for the first time in franchise history, it would’ve been a no brainer to lead with that. However, that didn’t transpire as a more focused top seeded Montreal squad had what it took getting splendid netminding from rookie Carey Price and inspired play by the Kostistyn brothers and Alex Kovalev to eliminate Boston 5-0 before an electric Bell Centre towel waving crowd.

More on this later.

For much of the first round, the Flyers had bottled up Alex Ovechkin limiting the league’s leading scorer to just one goal. The 22 year-old Russian responded by ratcheting up his physical game helping the Caps stay alive the other day with a 3-2 Game Five home win. Having been shutout four consecutive games, Ovechkin finally came through when his desperate team needed it most tallying twice in the third period putting an exclamation point on four unanswered goals by his team in a 4-2 Game Six win before a stunned Sea of Orange at Wachovia Center.

The Flyers built a 2-0 lead thanks to power play goals from Mike Richards and series leading scorer Daniel Briere. Down a couple, the third seeded Caps never panicked. They started to carry the play in the second and got rewarded. First, rookie Nicklas Backstrom finished off a nifty passing play from Alexander Semin to slice the deficit in half with 10:26 left. Less than nine minutes later, Semin tied it at 18:03 when he easily put home a John Erskine rebound.

With the Flyer crowd becoming a little more edgy, (wouldn’t you be given their recent history?) their worst fears were realized when Ovechkin beat Martin Biron on a clean breakaway 2:46 into the third. The deciding tally was made possible by some excellent defensive work by <gulp> Viktor Kozlov. The lanky Russian enigma broke up a good Flyer opportunity and then made a perfect stretch pass to spring Ovechkin. He broke in from the Flyer blueline and went to his bread and butter deking Biron going forehand top shelf to give his team their first lead.

“All year I didn’t have a chance to score on a breakaway,” the 65-goal regular season scorer told the AP.

“I probably had one goal on a breakaway, I did what I always do and thank God it worked.”

“It’s Hollywood here and the script said he wins the game,” pointed out pumped Caps owner Ted Leonsis.

Philly tried to get back in it but ex-Hab netminder Cristobal Huet was solid turning aside all eight of their shots to finish as the game’s Second Star with 33 saves. An undisciplined Flyer bench minor for too many men proved costly when Sergei Fedorov and Brooks Laich combined to setup a laser of a one-timer from Ovechkin which made it 4-2 with 9:19 to go.

From there, the Caps would hold on to force Game Seven which is Tuesday night back in the nation’s capital. Washington will attempt to become the 21st team to rally back from a 3-1 deficit. Oddly enough, the only time in franchise they history they turned the trick was 20 years ago against those Flyers back when each was in the Patrick Division with Dale Hunter netting an OT goal.

That can’t be too comforting for Flyer fans.

“We just got away from our game,” Richards lamented . “Now, tomorrow night’s desperation time.”

“There is still another chance,” a philosophical Briere noted. “We have to forget what happened and leave it all on the ice over there. We know we can win there, we did it earlier in the series. That is all we have to think about.”

The Flyers will try to have short memories later tonight in the first of two Game Sevens which concludes the First Round. The Sharks will play host to the Flames in the second game which decides who moves on and who books tee times.

As for the Bruins, they tried hard but just couldn’t find that first goal on Price which might’ve made all the difference. Despite a decided edge in play (11-8 SOG edge), they trailed after 20 minutes 1-0 on Mike Komisarek’s goal 3:31 in from Kovalev and Saku Koivu which deflected off a Boston player past Tim Thomas.

Price thwarted attacking Bruins including a crucial stop from in close on Phil Kessel which kept his team ahead. He got more support from Mark Streit in the second when the two-way threat made Boston captain Zdeno Chara look like a traffic cone before opening up Thomas five-hole for a two-goal Habs’s lead more than halfway thru.

It only got worse for Chara who took a penalty which led to Andrei Kostistyn’s tally from in close as the big defenseman stepped out of the box. Taking a tough pass from brother Sergei, he was able to get his shot off between two defenders beating Thomas for 3-0 at 15:13.

Game. Set. Match. Sure, Claude Julien’s Bruins had exploded for eight goals (four each) in the third of the past two wins to extend this series and give themselves a 21st shot at finally coming back triumphant from a 3-1 hole.

But any rational person knew that wasn’t happening before rabid Habs fans who I’m told by my good Montreal buddy rioted in the streets. Apparently, one series win did a little too much to their brains.

Goals by both Kostistyns late in a game they dominated put the stamp on Montreal’s 5-0 deciding game victory. The top seeds live for another round getting quality performances from all their best players including Chris Higgins, who despite no points was a beast along the walls on a reconstructed line with Koivu and Kovalev. They had chemistry because they played together last season. The Kostistyns worked with Tomas Plekanec, who notched a primary helper on Sergei Kostistyn’s third with eight seconds left.

The Kostistyns combined for three goals, two assists and a plus-four rating. Kovalev, who also was quiet last game with a minus-three responded with two helpers and a plus-two rating in improving to 6-0 lifetime in Game Sevens.

Price recorded his second shutout of the series stopping all 25 Boston offerings. Now it’s onto Round Two.

With the Caps and Flyers going seven and Montreal winning, the Rangers will play either the Canadiens or Penguins in the Eastern Conference Semis which won’t get underway till Thursday or Friday.

If Washington wins, then all three top East seeds advance which would setup another Original Six battle between the Canadiens and Rangers. The Caps would start on the road at second seeded Pittsburgh.

However, if the sixth seeded Flyers prevail tonight, then they’d visit Montreal leaving an all Atlantic battle between the fifth seeded Blueshirts and No.2 seeded Pens.

Get all that? We’ll see how it plays out later tonight.

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I said the other night that it wouldn’t shock me to see a seventh and deciding game between the Bruins and Canadiens. With a four goal third period explosion in a wild Game Six last night at TD Northbank Garden, Claude Julien’s pesky club did just that by pulling out a 5-4 home win.

Plenty will be riding on the line Monday night at the Bell Centre. Can the top seeded Canadiens recover from blowing a 3-1 series lead to force the first ever Game Seven in their proud history. According to the Associated Press, no Montreal team had ever led a series by that margin and needed a deciding game.

The Habs have played 18 Game Sevens in their history. They better hope No.19 doesn’t comeback to haunt them. The Bruins are looking to make some history of their own. They’ve never comeback to win a series after trailing 3-1, going 0-for-20. Will No.21 be one to remember avenging a devastating First Round loss to the same opponent four years prior? Oddly enough, Julien was the Montreal coach when his club rallied from that deficit to eliminate the B’s.

The Bruins had trailed the Canadiens 2-1 after 40 minutes last night. However, they showed plenty of resolve outscoring Montreal 4-2 to force Game Seven. I wish I had been around to see this but was instead in Brooklyn Heights picking up stuff for Passover cause the stores where we live are lame. Haha.

I still was able to get plenty of texts from my Dad who concluded that these teams had no defenses. Maybe it was just one of those nights. What has to be alarming for Guy Carbonneau’s Habs is that rookie Carey Price has allowed eight goals in the last couple of third periods against their Original Six bitter rival.

Unlike the other night where his gaffe led to the Habs’ demise, Price couldn’t be blamed for the lackluster D his team exhibited. Well, both teams weren’t exactly putting on a defensive clinic. Montreal had led thanks to a Tomas Plekanec breakaway goal at 7:43 of the second. With their rookie netminder turning aside 19 of 20 shots including 12 of 13 in a busy middle stanza, it looked like the East’s top seed were poised to close out Boston.

But then the third came in which the Bruins exploded for four goals on 16 shots. First, Vladimir Sobotka tallied at 3:13 to tie the game at two. Following a Francis Bouillon goal which deflected past Tim Thomas, Boston rookie Milan Lucic answered the bell 2:09 late to make it 3-3.

Phil Kessel’s second of the night in which he buried a Marco Sturm pass gave the Bruins their first lead with 4:15 left. However, Montreal replied only 11 seconds later when Long Island native Chris Higgins was left all alone to tap-in a Saku Koivu feed for his second of the topsy turvy contest.

When I received that text as I headed into the Key Food in Park Slope, I figured the game was destined for overtime. Maybe I’d luck out and get home in time to see part of it. Instead, here came another text telling me Sturm had put the Bruins back in front with 2:37 remaining. At that point, I guessed that would be enough to get Game Six and force an always riveting Game Seven.

A couple of minutes later, there was a message which read, “7th Game.”

Maybe it’s not so great if you’re a Habs supporter. Let’s face it. You have to be extremely nervous about this. So much is working against them. They’ve never even had to go seven after leading a series 3-1 which is stunning in itself. But then again, speaks volumes about how amazing Montreal’s playoff history is. The thing with Boston having never comeback with an 0-20 record also is probably not a good sign.

One of these times, they’re going to come through. So, will this be it? Can a team which dropped all eight regular season meetings including the first two in Montreal suddenly comeback and pull the upset in front of rabid Canadien fans?

Let’s not forget that in 2004 during the same round, the Bruins were the heavy favorite who had a great regular season only to fold up like a cheap deck of cards after building a 3-1 lead. Alex Kovalev and Glen Murray sure remember it quite well. That’s for sure. Hey. They’re still both around for their respective clubs. A rarity. If I’m correct, only the much overlooked P.J. Axelsson is also left from that Boston team which choked.

On the Montreal side, you got Kovalev, Koivu, Bouillon, Andrei Markov, Patrice Brisebois, Steve Begin and maybe Mike Komisarek.

So, how can a team which has that many players still around blow a 3-1 lead with two games in their own building? Just ask the 2004 Bruins or the 2000 Flyers. Or how about the Todd Bertuzzi 2003 Canucks? The symbol of choking.

Usually, when these comebacks take place, it’s all about momentum. If a team suddenly rises up, they have nothing to lose as most usually are busy writing their obituaries. Pressure mounts on the opponent who had a strangle hold on the series and failed to close it out.

Anything can happen in a seventh game. The good news for Montreal is that they have arguably the best fan support around. That place will be rocking. However, all it takes is an early Bruin lead to make a few of their players start having doubts. Most crowds can be taken out of it if their team falls behind. If you were fortunate enough to catch the Habs’ four-goal comeback in a 5-4 win over the Rangers, then you know that shouldn’t happen tomorrow night. Those fans BELIEVE in their team and will support them to the very end.

The Canadiens need more inspired play from Kovalev, who finished Saturday night a dismal minus-three with no points. AK27 must deliver or there won’t be much to celebrate for Canada this postseason.

There will be immense pressure on Price. It should be intriguing to see how such a poised kid handles the adversity. All in all, it should be fun.

In the other two playoff games yesterday, the Avs eliminated the Wild 2-1 with Ryan Smyth’s second period tally holding up as the difference. Ex-Hab goalie Jose Theodore made 34 saves to backstop Colorado to the Second Round. 

Meanwhile, the Capitals fended off elimination by hanging on to edge the Flyers 3-2. Cristobal Huet was strong in the third making 20 of his 30 saves. Sergei Fedorov notched a goal and assist while Alexander Semin’s power play goal held up as the winner.

It is kind of odd how former Montreal netminders are having an impact on other playoff series. If the Caps do comeback against Philly, it will be because of Huet, who’s elevated his play the past couple of games.

Later today, the Red Wings attempt to close out the Predators in Music City. The Sharks will also look to advance when they visit Calgary. Dallas also needs a win on home ice to eliminate the defending champion Ducks. So, there shall be plenty of action today out West.

Enjoy the games!

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Martin Brodeur didn’t have much to say. Aside from the predictable handshake snub of Sean Avery, the normally unflappable Devil franchise netminder handled questions in odd fashion after the Rangers had eliminated his team with a 5-3 Game Five win at The Prudential Center Friday night. 

To say it was awkward would be an understatement. Or maybe as he’d term it, ”Weird.” 

Aside from the unusually brief Brodeur postgame reaction, several other teammates took it in better stride analyzing what went wrong. I watched a vast majority of both sides of the Battle of Hudson MSG postgame coverage and came away impressed with how other Devs handled the crushing defeat. Particularly John Madden, who almost was the hero.

It was a rough night for Brodeur, who didn’t have a good showing allowing another questionable goal in what amounted to another high scoring game. If there was a turning point in this game, it had to be after the Devils got on the board first courtesy of a Brian Gionta goal from Travis Zajac and Dainius Zubrus. Wonder where that line combo came from?

Oddly enough, all four of Brent Sutter’s lines were exactly what was written here. Did someone spread the word to the first-year coach? I just found it totally amusing. 

Anyway, Gionta finally solved Henrik Lundqvist and it came early. You had to figure that boded well for the Devs as the team who scored first had won the past four games. Plus the percentage had been fairly high thus far in these playoffs.

Instead of keeping momentum, the Devs allowed the Rangers to come right back 18 seconds later when the series’ best player Jaromir Jagr got to a loose puck behind the net and centered for teammate Michal Rozsival, who beat Brodeur upstairs for his first of the series. Not long after, Jagr notched his second of the series while on the power play when for some reason the Devils backed off allowing him enough time to setup and wrist one five-hole on Marty.

MSG-Plus (that’s the best name they come up with? Geez.) Devil analyst Ken Daneyko had it right when he said that the Devs’ PK needed to be more aggressive there against Jagr. You don’t let a skilled player like that get so much space. It was just way too much time for what was a stoppable shot.

The turnaround continued thanks to a great shift by Avery. With a target on his back all period where Devils hit him often including a few illegally, the Ranger pest took the abuse during one shift coming out with the puck forcing Brodeur to make a save. Instead of taking their former teammate, the Madden line was preoccupied with Avery allowing Scott Gomez an early Christmas present which made it 3-1 Blueshirts with 1:59 left in the first.

That goal really categorized why the Devils came out on the wrong side in this series. There were just too many instances during this heated series where they were going for the big hit and forgot about their defensive assignments. Not the kind of disciplined hockey one would expect from New Jersey.

Another glaring example of this was Chris Drury’s series clincher. The Devils had a solid shift in the Ranger end but couldn’t make a dent on the scoreboard. Somehow, Nigel Dawes came out with the puck during a two-on-three and made a perfect cross feed between Mike Mottau’s legs to a cutting Drury, who buried it for his second in two contests at 5:35.

At the time, it looked like a knockout blow because the Devs didn’t have much life. However, hockey’s a weird game. Sometimes, you’ll get a couple of bounces to get back in it which was precisely what happened when a Bryce Salvador dump-in from his bench deflected off Brandon Dubinsky’s back past a stunned Lundqvist which suddenly cut it to 4-2 with over 30 minutes still left in regulation. Maybe one of the oddest goals I’ve ever seen.

A few minutes later, a loss of discipline from Dubinsky (offensive zone- interference) and Marc Staal (slash) led to a Patrik Elias five-on-three tally at 13:50 making it a one-goal contest. During a siege in front, Elias threw a puck which caromed off a Ranger past Lundqvist. Suddenly, it was the Devils with all the momentum and plenty of time on their side.

Ultimately, the game came down to Madden, who was pulled down by Ranger defenseman Dan Girardi leading to the first ever penalty shot in Stanley Cup playoff history in the third period. He made a strong move opting to go to the backhand but Lundqvist got just enough of a pad on Madden’s five-hole stuff attempt to keep it out with 7:08 remaining.

With the Rangers playing more conservatively (more on this in another column) trapping, the Devs only got one more quality chance to tie it but a wide open Gionta one-timer similar to the one he scored on was foiled by Lundqvist, who got enough of his goalstick to push the puck over the net.

An inspired shift by Ryan Callahan where he controlled the puck deep in Devil territory for roughly 40 seconds seemed to take the wind out of Sutter’s club as they never threatened again.

A Dubinsky empty netter was the final nail in the coffin with exactly a minute to go, allowing the Rangers to become the second team to advance to the Eastern Conference Semis- joining possibly future opponent and division rival Pittsburgh.

That all depends on what happens with the two remaining series. The Flyers will try to wrap up a spot in D.C. later today while the top seeded Canadiens look to do the same tonight in Boston. If the Habs prevail, they’ll get either the Rangers or Flyers. That’s if the Caps don’t mount a 3-1 comeback. There are other scenarios. So we’ll just have to wait and see how it all shakes out.

In the other two Western Conference series, the Red Wings got a Johan Franzen OT goal at 1:48 to edge the Predators 2-1, taking a 3-2 series lead back to Nashville. Meanwhile, the Ducks responded to adversity getting a goal and helper from veteran Teemu Selanne and 42 saves from Jean-Sebastien Giguere while getting the better of the Stars 5-2 to force a Game Six back in Big D.

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Normally, one wouldn’t think an eight seed has a shot at coming back. Especially from the 3-1 hole ex-Montreal coach Claude Julien’s Bruins entered last night in before outscoring the home Habs 4-0 in the deciding period to post a 5-1 Game Five road win.

Given how well Boston played while facing elimination along with how shaky 20 year-old rookie netminder Carey Price was, it’s hard not to like the Bruins’ chances of forcing a seventh and deciding game over the weekend. Have you ever seen a goalie come apart quite like that? Oh. It’s happened before. Just usually by more experienced ones than the kid who earlier in the third had supporters chanting, “Car—ey, Car—ey, Car—ey” before his unreal gaffe led to Montreal’s demise.

As Price made a fine glove stop to foil a Boston chance in a 1-1 game, for some reason he decided to play the puck with two attacking Bruins close by. By the time he realized his folly, it was too late as an opportunistic Glen Metropolit got just enough of the disc to put it by the scrambling goalie for a 2-1 Boston lead before a stunned Bell Centre.

Metropolit’s big goal opened the floodgates. There would be no signature, “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants on this night. More like ole ole for how unglued the Canadiens became. An undisciplined Sergei Kostistyn penalty in the offensive zone led directly to Boston captain Zdeno Chara’s first of the series coming 2:18 later which gave the B’s a 3-1 lead.

The Habs would also squander a couple of power play chances to get back in it. Once again, the Bruins had the right recipe in killing off all four Montreal power plays. In fact, the league’s highest ranked PP during the regular season gave up a crushing shorthanded goal to Marco Sturm, who beat Price from 40 feet out with a perfect wrister off the far post.

A Vladimir Sobotka tally from an awful angle in which he just threw a softie on net showed just how fractured Price was. Why did Guy Carbonneau even leave him in? There was just 2:12 on the clock. May as well have let the kid get the rest of the night off and regroup.

Instead, plenty of questions will arise during the off day by the crazy Montreal and Canadian media. How will Price respond Saturday night in Beantown?

Don’t be surprised if there’s a Game Seven. These B’s have fared well and are playing with confidence. Tim Thomas also finished a stellar night in net making 31 saves earning the game’s Second Star.  

In the other Eastern Conference series, Mike Knuble’s double overtime winner put the Capitals on the brink. Despite some highlight reel stops including a strong denial of Knuble’s wide open one-timer from in front, Cristobal Huet couldn’t save his rebound which made the Flyers 4-3 comeback winners in Game Four before a screaming sea of orange.

Washington played better than in Game Three but ultimately were done in by a mistimed bench minor for too many men on the ice which red hot Flyer Daniel Briere cashed to tie the game with 9:59 left in regulation.

Both teams had golden opportunities to take the lead but didn’t have what it took to beat either goalie as both Huet (diving glove stops) and Martin Biron (big glove save from in tight) were up to the task.

Neither team budged in the first OT forcing it to a second leading to Knuble’s heroics. Setup by linemates Jeff Carter (two goals, helper) and Scottie Upshall (2 A), the ex-Ranger got two whacks at it before burying his second past a helpless Huet with Alex Ovechkin standing around.

Not quite what the league’s leading scorer had in mind for his first playoff series unless the suddenly ice cold Russian’s planning a miraculous comeback. Sure. AO assisted on two of the Caps’ goals but one shot in 28:00 isn’t cutting it. He better start hitting the net by Saturday or his team is likely going home for good.

There were three games out West. I only caught the majority of Flames-Sharks. San Jose got two Jonathan Cheechoo goals 3:30 apart early in the third to hold off Calgary 4-3 in Game Five moving them within a win of the second round.

Calgary did rally for two goals including David Moss’ first on a stuff in which sliced the deficit down to one with 77 seconds left from Jarome Iginla with Miikka Kiprusoff pulled. However, they were unable to get another quality chance on Evgeni Nabokov, who finished with 33 saves.

Very questionable was Mike Keenan’s decision to only play Kristian Huselius sparingly including just a few shifts in the third while giving veteran Owen Nolan nearly eight more total minutes of ice-time. I like Nolan but come on. There’s not much margin for error in the playoffs.

Huselius needs more ice-time and Alex Tanguay must score if the Flames are to extend the series a seventh game.

Wojtek Wolski and Paul Stastny’s goals in a 79 second span lifted the Avalanche to a 3-2 Game Five road victory over the Wild, who now must win in Denver to force Game Seven.

The difference was Jose Theodore, who turned back the clock making 38 saves to stone the host Wild in a game which saw them limit Colorado to just 17 shots. The Avs are a skilled team and went two-for-three on the man-advantage. With Minny sniper Marian Gaborik again shutout, his teammates couldn’t overcome it. Brian Rolston’s goal and helper weren’t enough.

Unless Gaborik finds his offense, this series is likely over.

Also moving within a win of Round Two were the Stars, who got a superb effort from Marty Turco (27 saves, 1st Star) to shutdown the Ducks 3-1 in Game Four. Joel Lundqvist, Stu Barnes and Steve Ott tallied for Dallas before Mathieu Schneider broke Turco’s shutout bid with eight seconds to go.

The defending champions have their backs to the wall. They did get leading finisher Corey Perry back. They’ll need more offense to stave off a disappointing first round elimination on home ice.

It’s Day Six of these NHL playoffs and already we’ve had some very exciting games featuring unpredictable finishes. Last night saw three such contests take place with a couple requiring sudden death before the more desperate team which trailed 2-0 in their respective series found ways to prevail and get back in it.

The John Madden bizarre winner off Ranger defenseman Marc Staal has been covered plenty. However, Marc Savard’s heroics last night up in Beantown has not. In case you missed it, one of the game’s best playmaking pivots finally notched his first career playoff goal doing so in dramatic fashion to lift Boston to a 2-1 OT win over Les Habitants in Game Three. 

On a delayed call, the former Ranger came off the bench and took Dennis Wideman’s no-look backhand feed and beat rookie Carey Price to give the Bruins a measure of revenge before an energized Boston crowd which saw their team finally get a ‘W’ against the Habs. Montreal had taken the first 10 including all eight regular season meetings. But that no longer matters cause with one victory, the Bruins are alive and know one more win tomorrow can knot their series against a bitter Original Six rival.

For more on Savard’s big goal in only his third career postseason game, I highly recommend the Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dumont’s piece on how truly special that tally was and why it took on extra meaning for Marc dating back to childhood.

That wasn’t the only other game quite a few of us might not have paid close attention to. If I weren’t so preoccupied posting my thoughts on last night’s tough OT loss once I got home, I might’ve checked out what was a stirring comeback win for the Flames at The SaddleDome.

When the WFAN update person said the Sharks led by three, I figured I’d just write instead. Little did I know that San Jose got the game’s opening three in just 3:33, the fastest such start nearly eight years to the day since Detroit did it in 3:32 on Apr.15, 2000.

Inspired by a lethal dirty clean hit by defenseman Cory Sarich on San Jose captain Patrick Marleau in the offensive zone, the Flames fought valiantly back after seeing franchise netminder Miikka Kiprusoff pulled in favor of veteran Curtis Joseph. A Jarome Iginla redirection of a Dion Phaneuf shot got the Flames within two before the first period concluded. Daymond Langkow’s second period power play tally got them within one. Phaneuf tied it when his shot went off San Jose’s Marc-Edouard Vlasic early in the third. It was just a matter of time before ex-Shark Owen Nolan scored with 3:45 left in regulation to complete the dramatic turnaround.

For more on this stirring comeback, Calgary Herald’s Jean Lefebvre had an excellent recap on Sarich’s inspiring hit which woke up his team in time to take a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-seven Western quarterfinal.

While the other three series Game Three’s were on tap, the second game between the Flyers and Caps took place yesterday afternoon. Philly had blown a 4-2 lead to lose Game One 5-4 on Alexander Ovechkin’s third period winner. This time however, they got the first two on Cristobal Huet off the sticks of R.J. Umberger and Jeff Carter. Martin Biron was much better in denying strong Cap opportunities stopping all 24 shots his way for a Game Two 2-0 blanking to level the series as it shifts back to Philadelphia. 

Biron’s big day postponed his wife’s procedure where his third baby was expected to be born earlier this morning. For more on the ex-Sabre’s happy time, Phil Sheridan of the Inquirer had a nice story on the proceedings.

The Devils knew they needed to take Game Three if they were to stand any realistic chance of winning the Battle of Hudson series. For Madden, just sitting in the hotel and watching playoff hockey coverage on the tube helped his team’s cause last night.

For more on that and what was an eventful night at MSG, Rich Chere of the Star Ledger had a good piece summing up the Devs’ hard fought 4-3 OT win well.

Here’s some more info courtesy of The NHL Today thanks to the very friendly nhlmedia site:

 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF MEDIA WEBSITE NOW LIVE
To assist media members covering the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the National Hockey League’s Communications Department has introduced 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.com/

WHATS NEW ON THE STANLEY CUP MEDIA WEBSITE
The Stanley Cup media website is a good resource for regularly updated interesting facts, milestones and NHL statements on game events. Below are two examples from last night that were posted in the “Latest News” section:

– April 13, 2008 11:05 PM ET
The San Jose Sharks’ three goals in 3:33 is the fastest three goals by one team at the beginning of a playoff game since April 15, 2000, when Detroit did it in 3:32 (Shanahan, Lapointe, Draper). The record is 1:48 held by the Pittsburgh Penguins against the New York Islanders on May 10, 1993.

– April 13, 2008 07:19 PM ET
Video Review (New Jersey at NY Rangers, 3:01, 1st period) – Good goal. New Jersey goal. Goal counts as puck went off NY Rangers (#15 - Blair Betts) stick into net. Goal was reviewed under Rule 39.4 for a kick.

ALL IN THE NUMBERS FOR WILD’S LEMAIRE
Michael Russo writes in the MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE, “When the Wild visited Calgary three weeks ago, Jacques Lemaire hitched a ride to the game on the media bus. ‘Want to see my lines for tonight?’ the Wild coach asked. Lemaire pulled out a legal-sized piece of paper, folded in half. He then flashed what looked to be 30 line combinations: 17-38-10; 12-9-96; 24-67-10; 17-38-96; 11-15-24; 19-9-92; 12-15-10 — to name a few! There were so many numbers, the sheet could have doubled as Lemaire’s Powerball picks.”

STARS’ MODANO FEELING A DIFFERENCE
Mike Heika writes in the DALLAS MORNING NEWS, “Mike Modano has noticed something different about the Dallas Stars recently. They’re loose, they’re happy, they’re confident. It’s a twist on a team that has a history of playing nervous in the postseason, of trying too hard to live up to expectations, of not enjoying itself.”

ON THIS DATE IN PLAYOFF HISTORY
April 14, 1928 - In only their second season as an NHL franchise, the New York Rangers captured the 1928 Stanley Cup with a 2-1 triumph over the Montreal Maroons in the final game of the best-of-five title series. The Rangers became only the second American team in history to win the Stanley Cup, joining the 1917 champion Seattle Metropolitans of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association.

April 14, 1931 - Goaltender George Hainsworth blanked the Chicago Black Hawks 2-0 as the Montreal Canadiens became the second NHL team to win Stanley Cup championships in two consecutive seasons. The Ottawa Senators first accomplished the feat in 1920 and 1921.

April 14, 1942 - Brothers Don Metz (3-2-5) and Nick Metz (1-2-3) led the Toronto Maple Leafs to a record-tying 9-3 victory against the Detroit Red Wings in the 1942 Final. The Leafs’ nine-goal outburst matched the Final scoring mark for an NHL team set by Detroit on April 7, 1936, in a 9-4 win against Toronto.

April 14, 1948 - The Toronto Maple Leafs repeated as Stanley Cup champions with a 7-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings, thus completing a four-game sweep of the 1948 Final. The game marked the end of a career for Toronto captain Syl Apps, who punctuated his stint in the NHL with a goal in this series-ending victory.

April 14, 1953 - Maurice “Rocket” Richard became the second NHL player to register two hat tricks in Final history, joining Howie Morenz in achieving the feat. Richard, who led Montreal to a 7-3 win against Boston, later added a four-goal performance to his record on April 6, 1957.

April 14, 1955 - Right winger Gordie Howe scored the winning goal in Game Seven of the 1955 Stanley Cup Final to lead the Detroit Red Wings past the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. The goal gave Howe a 5-7-12 scoring mark in the series, setting a new individual mark for Final competition.

April 14, 1960 - Goaltender Jacques Plante blanked the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0 as the Montreal Canadiens captured their record-setting fifth straight Stanley Cup championship. The victory marked the end of a career for Maurice “Rocket” Richard, the NHL’s all-time leader with 34 goals in the Stanley Cup Final.

NHL AND PARAMOUNT PICTURES PARTNER ON MIKE MYERS FILM ‘LOVE GURU’
The National Hockey League and Paramount Pictures have entered into a strategic marketing alliance supporting the new Mike Myers comedy film “The Love Guru,” due out June 20, which features the Toronto Maple Leafs’ pursuit of the Stanley Cup under the guidance of the Guru Pitka, a self-help spiritualist played by Myers. The marketing alliance includes co-branded and co-produced spots featuring Myers and content from the film to air during NHL game broadcasts on NBC, VERSUS, CBC and TSN, online and in NHL arenas, exclusive NHL.com content and retail activations, all designed to promote the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the June 20, 2008 nationwide theatrical release of the comedy.

– View the ‘Love Guru’ commercial spot.

STANLEY CUP FINAL PLAYOFF ACCREDITATION APPLICATION NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
The NHL Public Relations department has launched an online media accreditation application to help streamline the credentialing process. Please click here to submit your credential request for the 2008 Stanley Cup Final.

– Credential applications sent via e-mail and fax are still being accepted. The application may be downloaded by clicking here. The deadline for the Stanley Cup Final media accreditation application is FRIDAY, MAY 16.

For story ideas, suggestions or comments, please e-mail the NHL TODAY

THE SCHEDULE
– Game 3: Penguins at Senators, 7 p.m. (CBC, RDS) (Penguins lead series 2-0)
– Game 3: Red Wings at Predators, 7:30 p.m. (VERSUS, TSN, RIS (Red Wings lead series 2-0)
– Game 3: Wild at Avalanche, 10 p.m. (VERSUS, CBC, RDS) (Series tied 1-1)

All Photos Copyright Getty Images 

I just didn’t have a good feeling about this game. All day, I was tenative for many reasons:

1.The Devils had way too much experience to go so quietly.

2.Both the first two games could’ve easily gone the other direction just showing how closely matched these bitter Hudson rivals are.

3.I just couldn’t envision being up 3-0 on the Devils even with home ice at what was an electric Garden. Truthfully, it was a fun atmosphere even if the team I root for lost. They have only themselves to blame.

4.You just knew the Devils would come with their best effort. They played with more edge and got the desired result to make this a series.

I could probably think of even more reasons but you can pretty much catch my drift as to why the Devils had what it took to win Game Three. Even if it was decided on one of the flukiest goals you’ll ever see. Stephane Matteau ring a bell? Sure did for myself watching from Section 411 as suddenly off a draw rookie Brandon Dubinsky won- outstanding all night- John Madden snuck in and centered the puck and got the break which his more desperate club was looking for with the puck taking a Devil-esque bounce off rookie Marc Staal’s skate past a stunned Henrik Lundqvist who never saw it coming.

If you were a diehard fan sitting or standing like myself watching it, you just couldn’t figure how the puck went in. But that’s what happens when your team plays like a bunch of wusses. It was all Devils in sudden death. And that’s what these sort of games come down to. NHL overtime is about who wants it most. On this night, Brent Sutter’s club did. They had the desperation and attacked with vigor also hitting three posts including a brilliant outside-inside move by Brian Gionta which rang off the crossbar.

Maybe that should’ve sounded off the alarms at the Ranger bench but the message never got to Tom Renney, who saw his team sit back more than the old style Devils used to. Hello? It was playoff OT! What the hell were they waiting for?

From my perspective, they basically said to the better goalie Marty Brodeur and his team:

“Here. You take it.”

That might’ve worked in the regular season against these guys but it sure won’t get it done now.

I give the Devils credit. They could’ve caved in when it was tied 3-3 late in regulation but wouldn’t mostly thanks to their future Hall of Famer in net, who saved his biggest stops for those final frantic minutes with his team’s first round hopes sinking as fast as sand in an hour glass. Brodeur’s best save had to be on Michal Rozsival, who jumped in and rocketed one labeled for the far right corner but the veteran netminder slid across and just got his stick on it to push it wide.

If that goes in, that could be it for the Devils. Maybe they go away for good. Instead, it allowed his team to regroup and play a much superior six minutes of OT before Madden’s prayer was answered with help from who’s maybe been the Rangers’ best defenseman Staal.

Go figure. Dubinsky, who netted his first two career NHL postseason tallies including the tying power play goal and Staal, who’s played like a veteran would impact the winner at 6:01.

Sometimes, hockey’s a stange game. Either way, the Blueshirts now know it’s a series and there will be a lot more riding on the line following two days off before Wednesday’s Game Four on Garden ice. By now, they realize how tough a task it will be to put these Devils away. They also to a man never thought they’d be up three zip. They’re still in an enviable position.

If there’s one thing I’d worry about from a Ranger fan perspective, it’s that usually when a series is dictated by the road team and then the road one gets an OT victory, it tends to shift the momentum. I still can recall the 2000 Flyers down 2-0 against the Pens. Keith Primeau. Once, there were the Pens trailing the Caps by the same deficit needing to turn it around on the road. With help from Petr Nedved, they did.

Will the Rangers get sucked up and have the same kind of fate or will they bounceback and show the sort of character this team’s had when their backs were up against it.

I’m calling out a few players now:

A.Paging Chris Drury. You weren’t brought in to lose every faceoff to Madden and make fans nervous. You were brought here to win those all draws and score the all important goal which changes the tide. That zero next to your scoresheet is looming larger and larger buddy. So get it in high gear. Time to find your game!

B.Paging Nigel Dawes. Yes, you scored that gimme in Game One but you’ve not been as good as you can be on the forecheck. Win some more pucks and get open for your shot which Brodeur even with perfect 20/20 has problems with. We need you also to make that key defensive play which sets up the transition and that extra pass which creates the kind of scoring chance which will have our opponent very concerned over. You and Drury have not done the job while your grittier linemate Ryan Callahan has won every battle and done so much more.

C.Paging Marty Straka. You freaking missed on a textbook give-and-go with your very inspired Czech butt buddy Jaromir Jagr. Score there like you have in the past when setup by that same great pass by No.68 and there’s a good chance we’re not talking about a loss. You are a good skater and have backed up the Devils a few times but stop overpassing the puck and shoot it already! Jagr needs you to be a threat.

D.Paging Fedor Tyutin. For whatever reason, you aren’t playing up to capability. While your partner Dan Girardi covers for your every mistake, you have been too tenative. That penalty didn’t help either buddy. Even if it was a crap call which speaks volumes about how abysmal the two-ref BHL crew really was. That doesn’t matter because you were in the box while the Devils found a way to score on the power play and get back in the game.

E.Paging Henrik Lundqvist. You were brilliant the first two games but tonight, weren’t as razor sharp as needed. In particular, that Zach Parise PPG was about as soft as a marshmallow. There was no excuse for letting that low backhand to sneak through like that. And the first goal early on wasn’t a good one either and allowed the Devils to establish themselves and gain more confidence. You must be better come Wednesday or people are going to start questioning you including this fellow blogger. It’s happened before.

F.Paging Scott Gomez. It was nice that you dominated Game One and were good again in Game Two but you were basically invisible tonight. Even if you did get a primary helper on a Sean Avery lay-up during a five-on-three, you did little else. You didn’t battle hard and dogged it frequently when challenged by former teammates. You can’t always smile and want to hug your ex-buddies during a playoff series. Time to get hungrier and impact the game with your game changing speed. That’s what you get paid for.

G.Paging Gary Bettman. Your referees are an utter disgrace. It’s clear that most don’t know how to interpret the rules and make the wrong calls. I’m not just speaking about tonight’s game which nearly derailed what was a very entertaining playoff game. I’m talking in general. There have just been way too many poor judgments being used by these officials. We saw it rear its ugly head in Newark the other night and again Saturday in Montreal helping decide games. If that’s what you want, then your sport is never going to get the respect it merits. Right now, I sit here a little baffled. Is this what you want? If we took a poll, I’d be willing to bet the old regimen isn’t pleased with the standard of officiating. Either get guys who actually grasp it and won’t make tacky calls which have no business being in the game or go back to the one ref system.

Well, guess that’s all I can think of for now. There were other games. The Caps were shutout on home ice by a more desperate Flyer team 2-0 and the Bruins got an OT winner from Marc Savard to get back in their series against the Canadiens. Oh my god. I also see the Sharks somehow managed to blow a three-goal first period lead losing 4-3 to the Flames in Alberta. Adding further injury to insult, former Shark Owen Nolan potted the winner at 16:15 of the third. Wow. What a bunch of chokers. I sure hope my team doesn’t have that same label after this series. How could I have picked San Jose? What was I on?

Geez.

Four years later against a familiar first round opponent, Alex Kovalev nearly tempted fate again. Only this time a loss of discipline wound up with a much different result thanks to an assist from the refs.

The popular substitute Montreal Canadiens’ captain for the injured Saku Koivu atoned for a slashing penalty which allowed the Boston Bruins to force sudden death. It had been rookie David Krejci who notched his first NHL playoff goal with 10:26 left to help the Boston Bruins rally from a two-goal deficit.

Even to reach the overtime, they had to kill off a brief Montreal two-man advantage and then the first half of a high sticking double minor assessed to Shawn Thornton. On the verge of making it six-for-six on the vaunted NHL leaguse best Habs’ PP, the B’s then saw what had to be one of the most blatant late calls in playoff history with a BHL special phantom trip handed out to Jeremy Reich. Former Montreal bench boss Claude Julien couldn’t believe the call. Who could blame him?

Essentially, it handed the Canadiens Game Two when Kovalev bombed a slapper at the top of the left circle past a helpless Tim Thomas ending matters at 2:30 of OT. It came off a clean faceoff win by Tomas Plekanec in which AK27 switched sides and then used towering Bruins’ captain Zdeno Chara as a perfect screen to blast home his 39th career postseason goal sending a frantic sellout Habs’ crowd home happy. Their team now leads Boston in the 31st playoff series meeting 2-0 with Game Three slated for tomorrow night in Beantown.

For Kovalev, it was especially sweet after slashing Boston’s Aaron Ward during a reaction to the ex-Ranger’s extra rough with play continuing. It was a few years ago during sudden death when No.27 overreacted to a Glen Murray slash looking to draw a penalty with instead the Boston sniper winning that game to put Montreal in a 3-1 hole. He took plenty of criticism but made up for it by dominating the final three games along with teammates to comeback and win that series.

Fortunately for the talented Russian tonight, his loss of common sense didn’t cost his team a win. Kudos to my brother Justin for accurately predicting that Kovalev would indeed win it. He must’ve stated it at least four times.

He knew. The good news for the Habs is they’re now 10-0 against the B’s in command. For the Bruins, this was a very tough loss. Especially after fighting so hard in the third to claw back with goals from Peter Schaefer and Krejci to get to OT. Then to have the stripes decide it that way was even worse.

Boston outshot Montreal 11-4. Rookie Carey Price finished with 37 saves in winning his first NHL playoff OT game. Meanwhile, Thomas was excellent stopping 28 of 31 in a losing effort.

Can the Bruins bounceback from this? It’ll be a quick turnaround. We’ll see what they’re made of.

All Photos Copyright Getty Images

The home Original Six top seeds in each conference drew first blood in their respective best-of-seven quarterfinal series tonight.

Montreal jumped on rival Boston with two goals in the first 2:02 from Sergei and Andrei Kostistyn en route to a 4-1 home triumph to take a 1-0 series lead- improving to a perfect 9-0 this season against the Bruins.

Shane Hnidy got the B’s on the board but goals by depth players Bryan Smolinski and Tom Kostopoulos gave the Habs a final comfortable margin of victory in a game they controlled outshooting the Bruins 32-18.

As expected, Montreal captain Saku Koivu wasn’t back with instead leading scorer Alex Kovalev donning the ‘C.’ AK27 was dangerous all night in a high tempo game setting up teammates for quality chances and missing a lay-up off a great setup.

The thing which impressed me the most was the physical nature of the Canadiens as they continually pounded Boston booing target Zdeno Chara, who definitely looked to be feeling the effects of a late season injury. Mike Komisarek was pretty good in this one and the rookie Carey Price stopped 17 of 18 shots for his first NHL postseason victory.

Boston was outshot 22-12 the final 40 minutes. They’ll need to mount a better attack for Game Two Saturday night. Especially with a back-to-back the following day back in Beantown.

As for the other game, the Red Wings got a pair of third period Henrik Zetterberg goals to hold off the Predators 3-1 at Joe Louis Arena.

Johan Franzen gave the Wings the lead in the first but some solid netminding by Nashville’s Dan Ellis in a busy second in which he stopped all 17 shots gave his team a chance. Enforcer Jordin Tootoo got the Preds even at 17:47 when he neatly deflected home a Greg Zanon point shot past Dominik Hasek.

Undiscouraged, the Wings responded with a splendid final stanza outscoring Nashville by two and outshooting them 13-3.

Their leading finisher came through with the money goal off a nifty Pavel Datsyuk setup one-timing one past Ellis to convert a two-on-one to put Detroit ahead for good 2-1 with 13:06 left.

The Preds would pull Ellis for an extra attacker but couldn’t get anything close to a quality opportunity as the Red Wings played solid D. With the Nashville starter who kept his club in the contest with 37 saves on the bench during a draw outside the Detroit zone, Kris Draper won it right to Zetterberg, who didn’t miss to salt Game One away with 19 ticks left.

Game Two between the Central rivals is Saturday afternoon at 2 ET on NBC.

Dallas and Anaheim are facing off now for Game One on Versus while San Jose looks to even their series up against Calgary on Center Ice.