Day 8 – Open Playoff Thread

Busy night tonight with 5 games in the docket, enjoy, because this is the last time we will see this many games in one night for the rest of the playoffs.

Several series are far from over and I think we will see our share of Game 7s in the first round. Last night had two atypical high scoring playoff games. The Kings stormed to a huge lead and imploded as the Sharks came back to win. It was only the 4th time in playoff history that a team has blown a 4 goal lead in the playoffs.

The ‘Hawks came out looking like Champs and blitzed Roberto Luongo for a win. Can’t say I didn’t expect the ‘Hawks to take this one but not like this. Has to give Canucks fans a little pause this early on.

The lineup for tonight after the jump…

Penguins vs Lightning (Series 2-1 Penguins) 7:00 PM ET CBC (HD),RDS (HD),ROOT (HD),SUN (HD)

The Crosby and Malkin-less Penguins continue to prove they are not a one or two pony team. Taking a 2-1 lead in the series this one could go the Penguins way. Not what I expected but this team is clearly proving itself.

With Steve Downie and Chris Kunitz both taking one-game suspensions I am starting to wonder if this years playoffs might end up going down as the suspension playoffs.

Capitals vs Rangers – (Series 2-1 Capitals) 7:00 PM ET VERSUS,TSN,RIS (HD),CSN-DC (HD),MSG (HD)

Broadway Blue is staying alive and certainly not handing this one over. This is another good series that I catch as much of as I can. I really wish that Mrs.Staal had a few more children, there just is not enough of them to go around. Marc Staal has been impressing me in this series and these Staal brothers are the defintion of guys with a higher playoff gear.

The Rangers certainly didn’t lack for putting the shots on net last game to take the win. If they take a 2-2 series spilt back to Washington, well if I was a Caps fan I would start to get nervous because the Caps are looking beatable. In the playoffs this year there isn’t much doubt in my mind over whether I would rather have Marc Staal or Mike Green at this point.

Flyers vs Sabres (Series 2-1 Flyers) 7:30 PM ET TSN2,CSN-PH (HD),MSG-B (HD)

This series is still about Ryan Miller to me. He can potentially upset the Flyers. Huge game tonight for the Buffalo boys. If they can tie this one up going back into Philly they may surprise. Brian Boucher definitely showed that Philly has a few tricks in their bag though.

Stood on his head and made the two-goalie system look viable. Boucher fielded 37 shots in the last game and stopped 35 of them. The Sabres looked like the more dominant team to me in the last game, despite the loss but Miller has got to come alive.

Ducks vs the Predators & Carrie Underwood (Series 2-1 Predators) 8:30 PM ET

TSN,RIS (HD),KDOC (HD),FS-TN

Carrie Underwood’s husband did very well on the ice.

In fact her crew is stepping up. They have a decent shot at taking out the Ducks and this one very well may go to seven. My favorite part of this clip, along with the celebrity fan trying to mime Underwood, is the extremely annoyed and catty female sports announcer. “How many times did they show Carrie Underwood in this game” she snipes.

Meow all the way but to answer her question, not enough as far as I am concerned. The Southern Belle is more than a welcome addition to playoff hockey and it kind of makes you want the Preds to keep rolling doesn’t it?

Teemu Selanne already has his Cup, Bobby Ryan is a skate stomper and Ryan Getzlaf isn’t exactly a class act. Plus the Predators deserve it in my book, they have been a playoff team for awhile and dammit Nashville is a nice city, go there and see for yourself. It isn’t just country music, the Kings of Leon came out of there as well…

Red Wings vs Coyotes (Series 3-0 Red Wings) 10:30 PM ET

VERSUS,CBC (HD),RDS (HD),FS-D (HD),FS-A (HD)

The Motown massacre has commenced. The yelping Coyotes have been hit and flung into the air at Mach 1after game 1. They can’t get off the road. Pavel Datsyuk has expertly pulled a U-turn drift in the Motor City Machine and hit the gas again to bare down on the stunned Coyotes who are looking more like doey-eyed deers in the headlights than canines.

Who the heck is that guy riding shot-gun in the Motown machine with the big Goalie stick. Is that Jimmy Howard winding up with that big stick to crush a rabid Coyote trying to attack the shiny Red Machine? Boom – like mailbox baseball – the Yotes are down on the highway and can’t get up. Jimmy Howard posted a 0.933 SV% and is 0.923 on the series and this is the weak point of Motown? Will it be a sweep?

And am I the only one who felt awkward watching all those Wing fans jump up after goals when Phoenix was the home team?

Detroit is here to play, its playoff time and no one wants to match up with them in the next round. They can take out anyone this year, AGAIN…

by M Smith