NHL playoffs round one update: Reaper’s busy weekend and Blackhawks stayin’ Alive
Wednesday night in Arizona, hockey’s Grim Reaper made his way into Jobing.com Arena and departed with the souls of the Phoenix Coyotes’ playoff aspirations. He then made his way up to Vancouver Thursday where for the second time this week he looked to harvest the Chicago Blackhawks hopes to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
However, as was the case Tuesday evening in Chicago, he once again left empty handed as the Hawks thumped the Canucks 5-0 to force a game six Sunday.
Roberto Luongo has given up 10 goals on 40 shots in the two losses to Chicago. Last night he departed after Marian Hossa’s goal 1:26 into the second period gave his team a 4-0 edge. Hossa finished with 2 goals, an assists and a +2 rating during 14:02 TOI.
Duncan Keith has a pair of goals and 4 overall points on the night while Corey Crawford stopped all 36 shots he faced to earn his first NHL playoff shutout.
Outscoring the Presidents’ Cup winners 12-2 in the past two games, the Blackhawks continue to dance to the Bee Gees hit, “Stayin’ Alive”. And once the game’s outcome was no longer in doubt early in the second period, even the Reaper was seen bustin’ a few disco moves with The Fat Lady over by the Zamboni.
He’s actually a pretty cool guy once you get a few drinks down him and he relaxes a bit. That, plus I think The Fat Lady has had a positive influence on him since the two began hanging out together this spring.
The NHL’s version of the angel of dark and light will get an evening off tonight as his services will not be needed in either of the games being played. The Buffalo Sabres are in Philly while the Nashville Predators find themselves back in Anaheim to face the Ducks. Both are game fives with the series tied at two.
But he’ll again be racking up the frequent flyer miles beginning Saturday.
At noon that day he’s schedule to be in Pittsburgh as the Pens look to finish off the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’ll then make his way over to the nation’s capital where the New York Rangers are clinging to their playoff lives. Given that they trail 3 games to 1 in their respective series, both the Bolts and the Rangers face having to win three straight.
Had Montreal been successful the other night and knocked off the Boston Bruins, they too would be on the brink of advancing. Instead they lost in overtime and game five Saturday in Boston will be to determine who’ll take a 3-2 lead into game six.
Later Saturday evening, the Reaper will head west where the Los Angeles Kings face postseason death after dropping game four to the San Jose Sharks 6-3 Thursday night. After blowing their 4-0 lead in game three, the Kings have been royally outdone by the Sharks as San Jose has notched 12 of the last 16 goals scored in that series.
He’ll then enjoy his Easter Sunday candy while shuttling between Buffalo, Nashville and Chicago as all three of the games played there will be game six situations.
We already know the Blackhawks will once again be looking to dodge his hockey stick scythe for a third straight time. But tonight’s games will determine whether the Preds, Ducks, Sabres or Flyers will be the ones left fearing the Reaper.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
77 comments Add your comment
Brendan
April 24th, 2011
12:10 am
I’ve got to say something, or it’ll bother me if I don’t. I can’t help but notice that laundry list of things that the Capitals have managed to check off since their President’s Trophy win, and subsequent 1st round bouncing last year. Let’s count them off.
The Capitals wanted to return to the playoffs. Check.
The Capitals wanted to win the Southeast Division, for the 4th year in-a-row. Check.
The Capitals wanted to be the # 1 seed in the East again. Check.
The Capitals wanted to hold to use their home ice advantage to their advantage. Check.
The Capitals wanted to win their 1st round playoff series. Check.
And, they did a bit more, too. They shaved two games of the total they’d potentially have to play … to win the Cup.
It’s never good to look too far ahead, but if the Sabres actually closeout the Flyers, the Capitals would play Buffalo next. And the Caps are gonna win that series. If true, what’s waiting for them in the CF is the winner between the Pitt/TB and MTL/BOS series. If it’s Pittsburgh, Crosby could be back. If it’s TB, that’s an inexperienced team. If it’s Montreal, that could be trouble, based on last year’s performance. If it’s Boston, that could be trouble, too. I think Ovechkin and the Capitals have to know … that the conditions for reaching the Cup Finals will not likely get much better than they are now, this very year.
Fan from Carolina
April 24th, 2011
9:28 am
The Caps sure did look like a potential Cup team but the Rangers offense was anemic. In Torts press conference he was quite correct that the Rangers held leads pretty late in the games but could not finish them off. If the Caps keep putting themselves in the hole against better clubs, then bye bye. By the way I am glad I was not in Vegas yesterday. I was sure the Lightning and Kings were going to be losers. Wrong!! That Lightning game was surreal. 8 goals and just dominant on the PP. Pittsburgh was the best PK team in the league. Can’t predict these types of results. Impossible.
World Be Free
April 24th, 2011
10:04 am
Tom, to me hitting is everything in playoffs. Even the Smurfs on the Canadians all hit, which is why the Habs went so deep in the playoffs last year.
Great game between Boston and Montreal. The game had everything that makes hockey great, I will be totally ready for game 6. “Fan”-Caps do look scary, they have the scoring talent to win the close games too. The fun has just begun.
World Be Free
April 24th, 2011
10:06 am
Looking for the Sabres to blow it today-the tradition contunies!
ZAvalanche
April 24th, 2011
12:41 pm
WBF – yeah, that 4th game is the most difficult to win.
Brendan
April 24th, 2011
1:18 pm
WBF, I picked Philly to win the series, but I don’t mind if Buffalo wins and advances. I’ll be happy either way. Either I win the series with Philly, or I lose it, and Buffalo, under new ownership, gets a big playoff series win, to make up for last year, when they won the NE Division, but lost to Boston in the opening round.
I am in the same boat with Nashville. I took Anaheim, but I really want the Predators to win. I’m covered, either way. Can’t believe Montreal has lost 3-straight games to Boston, since taking Games One and Two in Boston. Their media must be eating them alive. Don’t pin it on Carey Price, though. That’s normally what I’d do, but I don’t think Price is the problem. And I was highly critical of the Canadiens for trading away Halak last year, simply because he held arbitration rights. The series isn’t over. Montreal can still win Games Six and Seven. I picked Boston in the series. And, I want Boston to win, truthfully.
WBF, look at all the teams that failed to close:
– Vancouver, twice now, hasn’t closed vs. Chicago.
– Pittsburgh, got whupped, in their ‘closeout’ game with the Lightning.
– San Jose Sharks … gave up 3 early, couldn’t recover. They’re now running extra miles in the marathon.
Will Nashville be playing more games? Can Buffalo closeout? Can Boston end this in six? We’ll soon find out. And the very best part is this. We won’t have some sharing of points. The game will either be won or lost. And there will be consequences for failure. It’s about winning, not a nice effort.
I’m always a bit sad when the 1st round ends. It’s 50-percent less hockey to watch. There are fewer stories being written. It’s probably a very good thing that six of the eight (6/8) first round series will go a minimum of six games.
When do Phoenix and the NY Rangers find out where they’ll draft?
World Be Free
April 24th, 2011
2:17 pm
Brendan-has this been a strange playoff year or what? Teams can’t close the deal, low seeds battling it out with higher seeded teams. Nobody has been bowled over so far. Sabres are lucky to not have to deal with Pronger, who could have made a real difference in this series with his physical play. Zavs-Brenden, Sabres have new owners but this is still largely the same linup that went into the tank against Boston last year. Maybe I am just negative being a sabres’ fan that has been them buckle too many times. Today’s performance will tell us if they have the right stuff to close the deal and get ready for Ovechkin and company. Miller needs to be the difference today.
Pulling for the Preds big-time, if for no other reason to tick off the Canadian media.
4 real good games yesterday, didn’t get out of my chair for 10 hours other than to fetch the necessities!
ZAvalanche
April 24th, 2011
3:56 pm
I am going to say the obvious, but since the cap was instituted the parity in the league as lessened quite a bit. This, I believe, is why low seeds are able to give top seeds a good challenge. I will add though – I LOVE it!
Red Light
April 24th, 2011
8:46 pm
Way to go Predators! On to the second round.
goose
April 24th, 2011
9:35 pm
The Preds knocked out my favorite team after Le Thrash but, if I have ever felt good about a lose this was it. Now I’m pulling for the Preds all the way.
Alan R.
April 24th, 2011
9:35 pm
First time in franchise history for the Preds to make it to the next level. Congrats!
One day, this will be us. I just hope we don’t have to wait 12 (more) years for that to happen.
Hoof Arted
April 24th, 2011
10:22 pm
Congrats Preds! I still have my fingers crossed for a Nashville-Tampa Bay SCF!
Brendan
April 24th, 2011
10:52 pm
Wow! Blackhawks win! Force Game Seven.
Brendan
April 24th, 2011
11:04 pm
Hoof, that’s a Gary Bettman nightmare! Two southern teams without any following outside of their respective markets. Well, at least Bettman already has his TV deal with NBC firmly in his pocket, if it’s a TV-ratings stinker.
Congrats to the Predators! Sixth time is the charm! I picked Anaheim, but I’m glad I lost. To be sure, for the Ducks and their fans, Jonas Hiller has vertigo and they go to go with Ray “The headcase” Emery, but Emery played relatively well for them. No Giguere and no Bryzgalov there anymore, in Anaheim. I’m so very proud of the Nashville Predators for getting the monkey off their backs. That’s good for Barry Trotz. It’s good for GM David Poile.
Vancouver, and it’s media, is probably panicking right now. The Canucks have never blown a 3-0 series lead before. They’re the President’s Trophy Winner. And right now, they’re facing elimination, just like Washington did last year, in the 1st round.
WBF, indeed, strange playoffs. Vancouver, even if they do escape this, just ran three extra miles in their marathon quest for the Cup. If the Canucks and Canadiens lose again in Round I, then Canada will not have any teams in the hunt, from this point forward.
Red Light
April 24th, 2011
11:16 pm
Truly amazing display by Joe Friday’s Blackhawks. And by the ways, Sedins have been on the ice for 8 of the Hawks last 16 goals. What’s the Swedish word for soft?
Joe Friday
April 25th, 2011
12:04 am
Luongo! Luongo! Luongo! You suck!
Most over-rated goalie in the NHL. The rebounds he was giving up in that OT were ridiculous. Niels rocked, knocked three of their guys out of the game. Woot!
hockeymom92
April 25th, 2011
6:04 am
After yesterday’s games, I am not feeling so bad about my earlier picks. Really wanted to see the Preds game yesterday, but could not find it in our U-verse lineup. I still hold the belief there is a bit of a curse on the Pres trophy winner. Perhaps in that race it is better to come in 2nd! At any rate some great hockey watching these days.
World Be Free
April 25th, 2011
7:20 am
Sabres not ready for primetime. Maybe next year when they can use their cap space to bring in a play maker. Chicago showing why they are the defending champs, Duncan Keith raising his game. I TiVo-ed last night’s game, looking forward to watching tonight.
Red Light- looks like the Canucks have been reading their press clippings. And what changed this series? Torres’ cheap shot on Seabrooke, this will be defined as the series-changing moment regardless of wins game 7. Maybe the Black Hawks should be thankful Colin Campbell had a brain fart and failed to do the right thing with Torres.
Congrats to the Preds!
Fan from Carolina
April 25th, 2011
8:10 am
Could all the Canadian teams be out by the start of the 2nd round?? It is possible, Even Montreal south (Tampa Bay – Boucher, Vinny, Marty, Simon, etc..) may be long gone. Who will they root for?
Nate
April 25th, 2011
8:14 am
Red Light – Yo dude! The ‘Hawks belong to more fans than just Joe Friday. They’re my ‘Hawks too! lol My g/f looked at me like I was crazy last night when I jumped up screaming for the game winning goal by Smith.
World Be Free
April 25th, 2011
8:21 am
“Fan” rooting for Nashville, along with Chicago and a efw others. Washington really impressed me Saturday, though I still think they are a little short on the back end.
Tom
April 25th, 2011
8:38 am
Finger’s crossed that the Blackhawk’s do the impossible… My 11 year old came down this morning and immediately turned on the NHL channel to see the results. Needless to say a big cheer erupted in the other room.
Oh, and the NHL network had the Top 10 goals of the season. Buff got #9 for his OT end to end rush, and Burmy got #2 for his amazing goal against the Caps.
World Be Free
April 25th, 2011
8:44 am
Tom-I think we will see more of that from Burmie in the future.
Tom
April 25th, 2011
9:03 am
WBF – I am actually very excited to see a beefed up Burmie and a smarter Kane working together next season. The creativity and skill those 2 share are pretty impressive.
I truly think that one of the Thrasher’s biggest mistakes this season was keeping Stewart with Kane for so much of the season. Stewart is a big body without much hockey sense and it seemed to make Kane feel like he was on an island. Andro could not keep up and Stewart would never be in the right position to capitalize on Kane’s efforts. The path of least resistance was the full speed rush and the wrap around attempt.
Not Blind
April 25th, 2011
9:58 am
If Buffalo bombs against Philly does Ruff’s tenure end ? The Sabres have looked TERRIBLE . It’s looks like these guys have never played together. If Philly had goaltending the Sabres would have gotten swept.
Joe Friday
April 25th, 2011
9:59 am
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/hockey/blackhawks/ct-spt-0425-haugh-blackhawks–20110424,0,955245.column
What a great picture, Luongo laying there flat on his belly after flailing at the puck that he threw right back out in front for the winner. Corey Crawford outplayed ya, Lou. At the start of the 1st round, I could have picked 10 goalies I’d choose in a pick em over Luongo, now there’s 16 of them, including his teammate. What a choker, this is gonna be fun tomorrow. I don’t see how Vigneault can start him, Hawks are gonna be chirping him from the warmup on . . .
Rawhide
April 25th, 2011
10:32 am
I have a question for you all today…do you know what an orca sounds like when choking on a feather?