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Wednesday, 27 April 2011 02:53

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

Playoff Stuff

Penguins - Lightning

(Note: For those asking, Versus will join tonight's game joined in progress.)

-"We know we can beat these guys." - Marc-Andre Fleury.

-If you drafted Deryk Engelland or Eric Tangradi for your playoff pool... good news. Maybe.

-If the Penguins win, they would play either the Capitals or Flyers in the next round. (PG+)

-Is Dan Bylmsa too set in his ways? (PG+)

-Bylsma speaks:

-Kris Letang speaks:

-Lightning forward Simon Gagne has had a pretty good postseason career against the Penguins.

-Lightning coach Guy Boucher still isn't ruling out a Sidney Crosby return. (PG+)

-"The fifth game was a do or die for us, the sixth game was a do or die for us, so the seventh game for us is a do or die and we just played two.'' - Boucher.

-Lightning forward Steven Stamkos declined to comment on allegations he was poked in the eye by Brooks Orpik.

-"When you're down 3-1 in a series, you better grow up fast." - Lightning forward Martin St. Louis.

Capitals

-After taking a slap shot to the head in Game 5 Saturday, Capitals defenseman Mike Green declared himself "fine, other than a bruise."

Flyers - Sabres

-A goal and an assist by Daniel Briere led the Flyers to a series-clinching 5-2 rout of the Sabres in Game 7. The Flyers won the series, 4-3. Claude Giroux recorded two assists for the Flyers while Brian Boucher made 26 saves in the victory. Tyler Myers had a goal and an assist for Buffalo.

-Hand shake time:

-Briere and former teammate Ryan Miller shaking hands:

-Miller had issues with this puck:

-Philadelphia's Sean O'Donnell and Buffalo's Brad Boyes kicked up some ice:

-Briere being popular:

-Boucher had issues with this puck:

-“Just look at guys like (Jason) Pominville and Jochen Hecht, two guys I had an amazing year there in Buffalo playing with, and now all of a sudden you have to play against them and slash them and finish your checks and not let them win any battles — (Paul) Gaustad, (Thomas) Vanek, (Derek) Roy, (Ryan) Miller. You go down the list, they’re all guys that I battled with, and we battled hard. Honestly, it was tough at times.” - Briere who used to be the Sabres' captain.

-The Flyers are now 6-1 over the past two seasons in games in which they can be eliminated from the playoffs.

-Phladelphia had a 16-2 advtantage in shots after the first period.

-After only appearing for power-play situations in Game 6, Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger logged a regular workload of 17:27.

-"It's disappointing to know that we had a good chance to win this series, and to be where we are now just sucks." - Sabres defenseman Chris Butler on having a 3-2 series lead.

-Miller was chased in the third period.

-"I don't know if I've played on a team that I've been more proud of. It would have been easy for the group to go the other way and get selfish. The guys stuck together and dug in. The coaching staff did a good job keeping us together. As a group, I'm proud. They played as hard as they could all year." - Sabres forward Mike Grier.

-After the game, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff revealed forward Jason Pominville suffered a sliced tendon in his right leg during Game 5. The injury is expected to keep him sidelined four to six months.

Bruins - Canadiens

-A goal and an assist by Mike Cammalleri led the Canadiens to a 2-1 win against the rival Bruins in Game 6. The series is tied, 3-3. Carey Price made 31 saves in the victory.

-Price and teammate Paul Mara having a moment:

-Boston's Tim Thomas made a save despite some snow:

-Bright times for Carey Price's rear end:

-Price and teammate P.K. Subban had a moment:

-Cammalleri thanked his dad for a pre-game pep talk.

-Price snapped a seven-game losing streak in terms of home playoff games.

-Bruins forward Milan Lucic received a five minute major and a game misconduct for hitting Canadiens defenseman Jaroslav Spacek from behind in the second period:

-Note: Spacek eventually returned to the game.

-"We've won three. So if we play the same way we played when we won three, we'll win the fourth." - Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas.

-Game 7 is tonight in Boston beginning at 7:30 p.m.

-The Penguins aren't even the worst black and gold team on the power play. The Bruins are a league-worst 0 for 18 with the man advantage.

Canucks - Blackhawks

-In one of the greatest playoffs games ever (yeah, we said it), Alex Burrows scored two goals, including one in overtime, and gave the Canucks an epic 2-1 series-clinching win against the rival Blackhawks. Roberto Luongo made 31 saves in the victory. Vancouver clinched the series, 4-3.

-Burrow's game-winning goal:

-“It was the greatest celebration I've ever been a part of in my life and I didn't know where to go. All I know is I have to get my teeth checked, I bumped my front ones on a Sedin helmet.” - Canucks defenseman Kevin Bieksa.

-“I just wanted to get it out and I didn't get it out. I didn't get it over him and he made a play. Those are the kind of turnovers you can't have. It cost us the game." - Blackhawks defenseman Chris Campoli on his turnover which led to Burrow's overtime goal.

-Goal of the Night: Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews tied the game and forced overtime with 1:56 left in regulation with a doggedly determined effort while killing a penalty:

“That’s why he won the Conn Smythe [and] the MVP of the Olympics. It was a massive play by him shorthanded and that’s why he's the leader of that team.” - Luongo on Toews' goal.

-Save of the Night: Chicago's Corey Crawford on Vancouver's Ryan Kesler:

-"It was one of the greatest goaltending performances in a clutch situation you're ever going to see." - Chicago coach Joel Quenneville on Crawford.

-Check out this pass by Kesler to set up Burrows for his first goal:

-Happy times for the Canucks. Not so much for Crawford:

-Toews and Luongo shaking hands:

-Luongo kept his eyes on this puck:

-"This one might be better than the Olympics." - Luongo.

-"I don't think they had any business being in the seventh game." - Canucks captain Henrik Sedin.

-The Canucks will meet the Predators in the second round.

Sharks - Kings

-The Sharks will face the Red Wings in the second round.

-Some of the Sharks players were upset Kings coach Terry Murray didn't shake their hands following Game 6 Monday.

Red Wings

-Detroit forward Johan Franzen (ankle) is expected to be availble for Game 1 of the Red Wings' upcoming series with the Sharks.

Predators

-Predators forward Martin Erat (right) practiced for the first time since suffering a head injury last Wednesday.

-Nashville forward Steve Sullivan, 36, is in the second round for only the second time in his career.

Kelly Cup Playoffs

-Doug Rogers had two goals for the Wheeling Nailers in a 6-3 loss to the Greenville Road Warriors in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference series. The series is tied, 3-3.

Non Playoff Stuff

Penguins

-Today would've been the 70th birthday of former Penguins and Pittsburgh Hornets forward Bob Dillabough. Claimed from the Bruins in the 1967 expansion draft, Dillabough spent parts fo two seasons with the Penguins. He appeared in 47 games and recorded 19 points in the Penguins'  innagural season in 1967-68. The following season, after 14 games and no points, he was traded to the Oakland Seal in exchange for Bill Harris. In 62 games with the Penguins, Dillabough recorded 19 points. He died in 1997 at the age of 55.

-Happy 55th birthday to former Penguins forward Anders Hakansson (right). Acquired early in the 1982-83 season along with Ron Meighan and a draft pick in exchange for George Ferguson and a draft pick, Hakansson, the first Swedish and European player in franchise history, spent part of only one season with the Penguins. In 62 games that campaign, he recorded 21 points. The following offseason, he was traded to the Kings in exchange for Kevin Stevens.

Atlantic Division

-Islanders defenseman Milan Jurcina (above) will play for Team Slovakia in the the IIHF World Championships.

Southeast Division

-"Obviously, it’s not as good as I want it to be right now. I missed a big portion of the season which was very difficult for myself, very frustrating. It’s one that I never want to relive again. It’s a matter of having a good summer, rehabbing to my normal self and moving on from here. I can’t do anything about it. Right now, it’s just one of those things that takes time. Time is critical." - Thrashers forward Jim Slater who missed the final 41 games of the season due to a concussion suffered in December.

Northwest Division

-The Flames fired assistant coach Ryan McGill.

Pacific Division

-As usually, Ducks forward Teemu Selanne will take a few months in the summer to make up his mind on potentially retiring.

-Ducks defenseman Toni Lydman and left wing Matt Beleskey will undergo offseason shoulder surgery.

-"We're not an organization that just believes in making the playoffs and that's OK." - Ducks general manager Bob Murray.

Norris Division

-Ducks goaltender Ray Emery (right), Flames forward Daymond Langkow and Flyers forward Ian Laperriere were named finalists for the Masterton Trophy.

-Penn State hired former Princeton coach Guy Gadowsky to become the first head coach in the history of their Division I men's program.

(Photos: Fleury-Justin K. Aller/Getty Images; Sabres/Flyers and Jurcina-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images and Tom Mihalek/Associated Press; Bruins/Canadiens-Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images and Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press; Blackhawks/Canucks-Jonathan Hayward, Rich Lam/Getty Images and Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images; Erat and Emery-Jeff Gross/Getty Images.)

Comments (8)

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written by out of town, April 27, 2011 - 10:06 AM

Does anyone know if NHL Center Ice will carry the game tonight. I have a feeling since this is considered a "Nationally Televised game by Versus" (even though not showing whole game) that Center Ice may not be permitted to show it which will suck.

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written by Boom Shaka, April 27, 2011 - 11:11 AM

Why is everyone making such a big deal about game 7 against Montreal last year? If the Pens win or lose tonight it's got nothing to do with that game from last May.

You know how cares about that game? The media trying to make a story where there isn't one and the fans who worry about inconsequential things like that.

I'd be willing to bet not one person in the Pens locker room is even thinking about that game and that they're alot more concerned with the team currently in the other locker room.

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written by eman41, April 27, 2011 - 11:34 AM

There are so many Penguins missing from that team last year. Crosby, Malkin, Gonchar, Guerin, Ponikarovsky, Goligoski, Leopold, Eaton. That's almost half the team turned over.

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written by NC Dave, April 27, 2011 - 11:52 AM

@eman - One could argue that Ponikarovsky was missing from last years team too.

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written by Boom Shaka, April 27, 2011 - 12:28 PM

Baaaa ZING!

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written by 85PKlima, April 27, 2011 - 12:52 PM

For those of you lucky enough to attend the game tonight...how about a Fleury chant before the game just like the Lightning game that turned Flower's season around back in November? If that happens I predict a shutout!

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written by ulfie5, April 27, 2011 - 03:23 PM

Just announced, the game will be on NHL network for out of network viewers.

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written by ruppasaurus, April 27, 2011 - 04:06 PM

ulfie5, thanks for the info, and thank god. I have been beside myself all day out here in wyoming thinking i would not get it on center ice because of versus and the other jagoffs at that station. thankfully someone figureed out the problem. i will toast a beer to nhl network and that person tonight.

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