NHL playoffs round two update: Bolts and Sharks take 2-0 series leads
Detroit vs. San Jose (Sharks lead 2-0)
The Tampa Bay Lightning and San Jose Sharks find themselves only two wins away from advancing to the Conference Championships after last weekend’s Action. The Bolts are heading home after stealing a pair of games in D.C. while the Sharks held serve at home against the Detroit Red Wings.
San Jose took both games by the score of 2-1. Friday night required overtime to hang the first loss of the playoffs to Detroit while yesterday afternoon they built a 2-0 lead and hung on down the stretch for the victory.
Antti Niemi stopped 33 of the 34 shots he faced in the game-two win and has now tuned aside 57 of the 59 Wings attempts on his goal.
“He’s spectacular”, Joe Thornton said of his netminder. ““He’s the reason why we’re in this postseason and it feels like every time he’s in the net. He gives us a chance to win.”
Last spring the Sharks held a 2-0 second round series lead against the Wings and won in five games. But head coach Todd McLellan warns this series is far from over. “The two teams are pretty darned even,” he said. “‘I think you continue to see this.”
“But if anyone can let their guard down, whether it’s us or them, the other team is going to make them pay.”
Tampa Bay vs. Washington (Lightning lead 2-0)
Meanwhile in the nation’s capital, Vinny Lecavalier’s goal 6:19 into overtime gave the Lightning their second win in as many games against the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Te extra period was required after Alex Ovechkin tied the score at 2-2 with only 68 seconds remaining in regulation.
But the story of this game, and for the series so far, was Washington’s inability to…ahem…capitalize on the power play opportunities. They went 0-6 Sunday after failing on five man-advantage chances in the 4-2 game-one loss Friday.
“That was the difference right there,” Lecavalier said. “We gave them a lot of power plays—we were a little bit undisciplined with our sticks—but our penalty killing was phenomenal.”
But just as McLellan pointed out regarding his team’s situation against the Wings, Ovechkin promises that this series is far from over.
“Well, the series is not over.” He said after the game. “We’re going [to Tampa], and we’re going to win two games. It’s going to be hard, but right now in this situation, we have to win.”
Boston vs. Philadelphia (Bruins lead 1-0)
Tonight, the Boston Bruins will look to duplicate what the Bolts accomplished, winning games one and two on the road. Saturday the Bruins scored three goals in the second period and pounded Philadelphia 7-3.
Once again, the Flyers goalie situation took center stage with starter Brian Boucher allowing 5 goals on 18 SOG. Sergei Bobrovsky gave up a pair on 10 shots in relief. However Peter Laviolette wasn’t blaming the seven-spot solely on the play between the pipes.
“Too many easy goals, too many easy plays,” the Flyers coach said. “We weren’t strong enough right in front of our goaltender.”
Nashville vs. Vancouver (series tied 1-1)
Heading back out west, the Nashville Predators returned home after accomplishing the minimum mission they set out to do in Vancouver, gaining a split in the two games. They dropped game one Thursday night 1-0, then came back for a 2-1 double overtime win Saturday.
Pekka Rinne has kicked out 61 of the 63 shots he’s faced in goal for Preds.
It took the Preds 118:53 to final slip a puck past the Canuck’s goalie Roberto Luongo. But after Ryan Suter goal tied it, Matt Halischuk won game two with 5:09 remaining before a third OT period was required.
“Tonight we played Predator hockey”, Predator coach Barry Trotz said after the win. “We played with conviction. We played with discipline. Our work ethic was there. I thought in regulation, we had the majority of the better chances. We just couldn’t convert.”
Game three will be tomorrow evening back in Nashville.
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101 comments Add your comment
World Be Free
May 2nd, 2011
10:19 pm
van Riemsdyk has been incredible tonight, Flyers looking to come back in Game 2. Flyers need to win this game in OT or they are really up against it. Bogosian for JVR straight up?
Bettman will not allow an NHL team to leave a top 10 U.S. television market.
Red Light
May 2nd, 2011
11:23 pm
Those perky Bruins again make it 2-0, meaning Eastern Conference home teams are 0-4 in the conference semis so far. Ooops, and they are the 1st and 2nd seeds too!
Brendan
May 2nd, 2011
11:30 pm
WBF, I definitely don’t think the Thrashers are leaving. Which is why I don’t even engage the topic, really. But, if we’re going to structure argument over the size of our TV market in Atlanta, then we’ve all got to start watching these playoffs. And watching the T-birds during the regular season. It doesn’t matter how big our market size is … if we’re all watching American Idol instead of hockey.
The reason I believe the Thrashers won’t leave … is our attendance record we set back in ‘99-’00, before all the fans realized the clowns from the circus could probably run our team better. Bettman had to see that attendance record, and feel encouraged. If the Red Wings had our ownership, their building would be half-empty. Maybe two-thirds empty, since they really CARE about hockey. They’d never put up with a Waddell Administration in Detroit. At least, not past 3 seasons. Okay, that’s not fair. We’ll never really know what Waddell could do … with a decade’s worth of maximum cap space, and ownership greenlighting that kind of spending. But honestly, I’m still not filled with confidence, if Waddell were given a $70 million budget while the rest of the league could only spend $59.4. I just don’t think he’s got the stuff to be a great GM.
WBF, I think Commissioner Bettman knows … that all our market needs to be wildly successful … is ‘committed ownership’ to find proper management, to install quality coaching, and an excellent scouting department, with accountability over player development and results in the standings. That’s oversimplified, but there it is.
Brendan
May 2nd, 2011
11:32 pm
Rawhide, time for poll? May we see this question?: “Which team(s) up 2-0 in their series, will fail to reach the CF: SJS, TBL, or Boston.”
Alan R.
May 2nd, 2011
11:56 pm
They’d never put up with a Waddell Administration in Detroit.
Waddell was an assistant GM in Detroit before taking this gig. This should tell you everything you need to know about Waddell. After one year as an assistant, he came here to run this team.
(Now that I’ve put some blood in the water, let’s see if these sharks attack…)
World Be Free
May 3rd, 2011
5:22 am
Brendan-totally agree, 100% with your post. TV rating will come when people come back to the team and the fanbase is developed again instead of being abandoned as it has been for years. Any other NHL city would have suffered the safe fate if treated the way our fans have been treated overall.
Congrats to Rich Peverly for his playoff effort so far. I think Pevs has played very well for the Broones, almost had the winner in OT last night; Tim Thomas stood on his head.
And finally, a salute to Everybody’s Boy Braydon Coburn for his Zhitnik-like blind pass around the boards in OT to setup the Brunes game winner. Alex Zhitnik was watching somehwere, very proud!
Fan from Carolina
May 3rd, 2011
8:24 am
Sage, good post about the ‘bread’ man. I always thought he worked for the Thrashers in some capacity. The Thrashers could only wish to have had the ups and downs of the Lightning. Also don’t forget the ‘up’ year of ‘95-’96 (Bradley, Selivanov, Puppa) with the wonderful playoff series against Lindros and the Flyers. They have had 3 ‘up’ times in franchise history, not just two.
A2B
May 3rd, 2011
9:48 am
Thrashers should be staying in Atlanta… Forbes is a rather reliable source.
http://blogs.forbes.com/mikeozanian/2011/05/02/atlanta-thrashers-will-likely-be-sold-for-110-million/
Sorry for the change of subject just happened to catch that on the morning reading this AM.
Red Light
May 3rd, 2011
10:02 am
Fan from Carolina…No one remembers that year for the Bolts because they were overshadowed by the Rats in Miami, who somehow advanced to the Cup Finals. They finished 5th in the Atlantic Division and still made the playoffs with Terry Crisp behind the bench.
Ah, the marvelous Enrico Ciccone!
da'boomer
May 3rd, 2011
10:09 am
too bad this article doesnt say thrashers/wolves..ya think that could be part of the problem? duh!!!
http://tinyurl.com/3l7s9sq
R. Stroz
May 3rd, 2011
10:43 am
Waddell’s “contribution” to the Red Wings organization is analogous to the “contribution” of a third string quarterback to a Super Bowl winner.
Alexei Zhitnik
May 3rd, 2011
10:46 am
That Bruins goal made the donut I was eating taste that much better.
World Be Free
May 3rd, 2011
11:54 am
Red light-kinda like an average San Francisco Giant team winning the World Series last season? Sometimes teams just hit on all cylanders at once!
World Be Free
May 3rd, 2011
12:02 pm
You wonder how Danny Briere slept last night, having whiffed at the open net on a rebound with seconds left in regulation!
Here is my big observation about the Washington Capitals, similar to a post I made yesterday. Aside from the Ovechkin line, the Washington Capitals are a mediocre hockey team. They have very little quality and skill beyond the Ovie line. This is why they did not advance last season and why they will not advance this season. It’s another reason why Boudreau went to a defensive philosophy this season, he knew the team did not have enough talent alone to beat other teams. They are just not that good, not as good as we perceive they are. Goaltending is not the problem in Washington, as I believed it was earlier this year.
McPhee has to get more skill on the second line and backline. Alzner and Carlson are Washington’s best 2 all around defenseman. The rest of the Caps’ “D” is not special at all, Mike Green is a forward playing defense.
Red Light
May 3rd, 2011
12:58 pm
Brooks Laich had a tremendous year in 2010, not so this year. Backstrom has been a pedestrian in this series. Ovechkin complicates his own game, because like Kovy, he believes that he can do it all by himself, by carrying and stickhandling through an entire team. When Backstrom doesn’t play with him, he doesn’t perform. The fact that Knuble and Fehr have only played in 4 of their 7 games doesn’t help, but this is a club that tries to play “pretty” hockey instead of exercising a little patience and getting to the front of the net.
Three of their top forward are Euros, and Green plays like one. Enough said. Go Lightning!
And by the way, the other day my beloved Pierre Maguire (ahem) said that when Boudreau used Sturm on the Caps 4th line, that it is a huge advantage for Washington. Think again Pierre. Sturm took one shot and his career marks in 59 playoff games are: 8 goals, 13 assists, -4 rating.
They pay him for his insightful observations and he couldn’t carry Joe Micheletti’s jock or brief case.
Fan from Carolina
May 3rd, 2011
1:15 pm
Yeah I heard that comment about Sturm too. Baffling, especially the way the Lightning bottom 6 have performed. The entire broadcast was quite strange, even from Emrick, almost as if the feed was for Washington fans only. Normally they are pretty ‘neutral’. Maybe the home crowd got to them. I was looking for the Geico caveman
Red Light, not many remember Ciccone. Man, that guy could fight. I stood next to him once and he was extremely intimidating even though listed at 6′3″.
Fan from Carolina
May 3rd, 2011
1:23 pm
I had a feeling the Bruins would be one of the conference finalists but I wasn’t sure who would join them. Rawhide, I believe you picked them as one also. Who was your other team. I can’t recall.
AtlantaFlamesFan
May 3rd, 2011
1:23 pm
Speaking of Emrick, this guy is awful. His excessive use of ridiculous descriptive terms and clichés are more suited for an art show rather than a hockey game. And I am afraid with this new NBC/VS deal, we will be subjected to him even more.
World Be Free
May 3rd, 2011
1:27 pm
Joe Micheletti-so much better than Pierre “Mr Obvious” or “Mr. Oblivious” Maguire
Rawhide
May 3rd, 2011
1:28 pm
Fan from Carolina – I picked the Bolts and Bruins in the east and Vancouver and Detroit out west. So far the only one I’m really looking bad on is not going with the Sharks, but things could turn now that they play the next two in Motown.
ZAvalanche
May 3rd, 2011
1:43 pm
My picks are falling apart…..
Tom Lysiak
May 3rd, 2011
2:37 pm
“My picks are falling apart…..”
Isn’t that what Dan Marr and the rest of our “scouting staff” should be saying…..
Red Light
May 3rd, 2011
3:07 pm
One day, Emrick is destined to call the festivities at the Westminster Dog Show…
“This 86-pound Irish Wolfhound from Sheybogan, Wisconsin, once swam the length of Lake Michigan as a mere puppy, prompting his owner to nickname him “Spitz,” after the former mustachioed Olympic swimmer.”
Rawhide
May 3rd, 2011
3:37 pm
“My picks are falling apart…..”…Isn’t that what Dan Marr and the rest of our “scouting staff” should be saying…..
Tom Lysiak – Come on out and take a bow for that one! Very nicely played, sir.
Tom Lysiak
May 3rd, 2011
3:50 pm
Thanks Rawhide. You’re too kind sir!
ZAvalanche
May 3rd, 2011
3:53 pm
LOL @ Tom, good one! That is classic!
World Be Free
May 3rd, 2011
4:07 pm
We are missing some bloggers lately
Red Light
May 3rd, 2011
4:53 pm
WBF: We’re going to be missing a lot more until the NHL Draft because the 228 Thrashers fans in town aren’t necessarily hockey fans.
SomaAtl95
May 3rd, 2011
5:30 pm
People are still coming by (like myself) I’m just not posting unless I have something to add to the conversation. I just want the Canuckleheads out of the running, they could divide the championship among all other teams and I’d be fine with it. All I want is a US based team to win the cup, and would love if Tampa or Nashville did it, just to stick it to those relocationists who say “Non Traditional Markets” will never win the cup and “Don’t deserve the game”. With that attitude those “fans” don’t deserve the cup.
A$G still sucks too.
History will be made
May 3rd, 2011
6:07 pm
Sure do like that ad with Lanny winning the cup.
Alan R.
May 3rd, 2011
9:19 pm
Lightning poised to sweep, as they’ve now got a series lead of three games to none. Awesome!
Flagstaff
May 3rd, 2011
9:22 pm
Yuck… DET and WSH seem pretty stupid now. Who new?
Flagstaff
May 3rd, 2011
9:22 pm
*knew
Alan R.
May 3rd, 2011
9:24 pm
Flagstaff – Detroit plays tomorrow. Don’t count them out just yet.
Brendan
May 3rd, 2011
11:03 pm
Well, I don’t mean to sound jaded, but I was certain that Toronto would help out the Capitals on that Ryan Malone goal, that caromed in off his skate. Since no one can really define what a “distinct kicking motion” really is, any effort to redirect the puck into the net with the skate, ‘could’ be disallowed.
Let’s face it, folks. With no Crosby, No Malkin, no Staals remaining in the playoffs, the NHL’s TV ratings need Ovechkin in the Finals. That’s not lookin’ so good. I don’t mean to be negative on TB, because they’ve clearly delivered what they had to do this season. (1) Make the Playoffs. Check. (2) Win the division. Came close. Made a decent-run of it. (3) Win a playoff series. Check. They’re about to win two, and Lord only knows what will happen in the CF. Could be Philly. Could be Boston.
Segue, if you’re Commissioner Bettman and you want to show off your new, big TV deal with NBC and Versus, or whatever it will eventually be called, then you need NY/NJ, Detroit, Montreal, Boston, Chicago, Toronto, or star players like Crosby, Malkin, Staal, and Ovechkin … to be in the “showcase event” called the Stanley Cup Finals. Ummn, TV-ratings-wise, is Nashville vs. San Jose the best possible matchup? Who, outside of these cities, and puckheads like us, will watch it? If it’s Detroit vs. Vancouver, all of Canada will tune in, plus “Red Wing Nation” will be full effect, in every major U.S. city. That’s what the NHL needs.
Now, I’ll watch. I love the Predators and want them to win the Cup. I don’t have a love of the Tampa Bay Lightning, but I can and do appreciate that they were DEAD LAST in 2008 and could be back in the Finals by 2011. New ownership, and a GM like Steve Yzerman, tend to make such possibilities better than mere ‘longshots’ and ‘pipedreams.’ If it’s Tampa Bay and Nashville for the Cup, what’s that gonna look like, TV-ratings-wise? Again, I’ll watch it. I’ll be riveted by it. SJ vs. TBL is another series I’d certainly watch, with fervor, but what’s that going to look like, in terms of TV-ratings?
At this point, with Ovechkin and the Caps all but eliminated, the best bet for a TV-ratings winner … is Boston in the East. The best bet for a TV-ratings winner in the West … is Detroit. A Bruins-Red Wings Stanley Cup … would be a GOLDMINE for the NHL. Boston-Vancouver could still be pretty decent, as well.
Nashville 1, Vancouver 1, 3rd period. Legwand with the goal for Nashville.
Brendan
May 3rd, 2011
11:05 pm
Higgins scores for Vancouver. 2-1 Canucks lead. 16:30 left in 3rd.
Brendan
May 3rd, 2011
11:50 pm
Joel Ward for Nashville? It’s 2-2! Going to overtime. Go Preds! (Though I picked Vancouver in this series.)
Red Light
May 4th, 2011
12:00 am
Found it a bit humorously coincidental that the Caps took a 3-2 lead in the third period only to see it evaporate within the span of 24 seconds after Stamkos scored to tie it, and then Malone gets credit for the go-ahead, eventual game winner less than a half-minute later.
Remind you of any other Southeast Division team?
The Caps finished only four points ahead of the Lightning during the regular season, but the Bolts have demonstrated that team comes first, and for that you have to give credit to Boucher, Lecavalier and St. Louis. Nice story developing there, and I certainly wouldn’t mind watching a Boston-Tampa Bay Eastern Conference Finals.
Red Light
May 4th, 2011
12:16 am
Sadly, Kesler wins it in OT for the Canucks. Power play goal at 10:45.
R. Stroz
May 4th, 2011
12:18 am
What a BS call leading to the Canuckleheads winning goal. Kesler should have been called for holding Weber’s stick.
I’m blind, I’m deaf, I want to be a ref.
Brendan
May 4th, 2011
12:45 am
R.Stroz, very disappointing outcome, for all Preds fans. Vancouver played a decent game. Don’t lose hope. The Preds can still win this series. But now, they must win Game Four, or the ax could fall in Game Five, back in Vancouver.
hockeymom92
May 4th, 2011
5:32 am
Though I did not have time (busy graduation season) to post my picks for this round, I am doing pretty well, except for the Van-Nash series. I am still crossing my fingers for the Preds. Brandon you are definitely correct (but then again when are you not correct) that a final without some of the big names or teams could prove a ratings nightmare, but it could also prove to be great hockey for those of us that really care.
The hockey playing tax exemption said an interesting thing during the Bolts-Caps game last night – he thinks that if the Caps fail to win this series Ovi will, not immediately but within the next year or two request a trade to a team that does not “die” in the playoffs. Made me go hmmmm
World Be Free
May 4th, 2011
5:37 am
Boy the hockey has been great this post season. Caps proving what we all throught, that they are just a mediocre team with a few star players. They need to improve their top 6 forward and top 4 d-men if they are going to contend. Not Ovie’s fault, he just needs a better supportng cast.
Bolts’ fans-don’t booo Ovechkin because he likes that !
ZAvalanche
May 4th, 2011
8:29 am
Check this, you all will like this article. I don’t always like Adrian Dater but this is a good piece – and I totally agree: http://blogs.denverpost.com/avs/2011/04/29/the-nhl-playoffs-the-new-march-madness/7158/
Enjoy, and submit comments here.
ZAvalanche
May 4th, 2011
8:39 am
Brendan – I disagree a little bit. Yes, Bettman wants all the stars in the finals. But at the same time the CBA after the lockout was intended to provide diversity to the league. It worked.
AtlantaFlamesFan
May 4th, 2011
8:44 am
@ ZAv:
Thanks for the link. I posted it on Facebook to spread the word.
Our sport is the best, and the playoffs are the best of the best.
(I guess the finals are the best of the best of the best!)
ZAvalanche
May 4th, 2011
8:55 am
AFF, I couldn’t agree more, and LOL, I posted it on FB as well
Personally, and I understand if others disagree, the SC Playoffs destroy all other playoffs, including the Super Bowl. I have never been more nervous and riveted to the TV than the game 7 in 2001. Denver is a football town, but even the local casters said that it was the biggest game in Colorado history. They greased the lamp posts, covered the parking meters, etc. Nearly every single game in these playoffs has been amazing to see. And Adrian Dater totally NAILED it. The speed I am seeing is unbelievable.
ZAvalanche
May 4th, 2011
8:58 am
WBF – If the Bolts continue to boo Ovi, they are in trouble, as you said. Dude has some amazing talent and size – the only thing that separates him from Sid the Kid. He a steam train when he want to be one.
Moe
May 4th, 2011
9:20 am
The worst thing for Washington now is that Boudreau is actually considering sticking in Varlamov in Game 4. Neuvirth is not the issue, its Backstrom, Backstrom, Backstrom. If he sticks Varlamov in cold, the series will be over in 4.
Rawhide
May 4th, 2011
9:50 am
This is your 10-minute Ranallo Warning. New blog to be posted at 10:00 am.