2010 Playoffs: Round 2 Preview

The first round of the playoffs saw many surprises, as top seeded teams were ousted from the playoffs early. The President Trophy winning, Washington Capitals looked lost in the final three games of their series against the Montreal Canadiens, who made history by being the only team to defeat a number one seed after being down 3-1 in a series. Washington was heavily favoured, but now are subjected to watching the rest of the playoffs on TV. The Montreal Canadiens now face the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in round two.

The Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins almost failed to make the playoffs at all this season, but still managed to beat the second and third seeds in the east to advance. The Philadelphia Flyers made short work of the New Jersey Devils, taking the series in five games, while the Boston Bruins won a hardfought series against the Buffalo Sabres. The Bruins and Flyers will now face one another in a bid to make the Conference Finals.

In the west, the three top seeded teams managed to advance to round two, but it was not an easy task for any of them. The San Jose Sharks barely beat the surprising Colorado Avalanche in round one, but still managed to get the job done. They will now face the Detroit Red Wings in game one tonight. The Red Wings were the only team in the west to "upset" a top four seed. Although, in my opinion, the Red Wings can hardly be looked at as a fifth seeded team. Especially with the way they are playing now.

The other series in the west features the high flying offense of both the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks. This series should be highly entertaining, with both teams loaded with offensive talent. The only concern for both teams will be goaltending. If Roberto Luongo can play the way we know he can however, then the advantage must go to the Canucks in this series.

Here is what the round two matchups look like:

EASTERN CONFERENCE
(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens
(6) Boston Bruins vs. (7) Philadelphia Flyers

WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings
(2) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (3) Vancouver Canucks

*My picks to win are in bold italics

Playoff Update

In an amazing upset, the eighth seeded Montreal Canadiens defeated the Washington Capitals in game seven last night. This is the the first time that a number one seed (Washington) was ousted from the playoffs after carrying a 3-1 lead in a best of seven series. With Montreal's win, all playoff matchups for round two are set. I will have another more detailed update later today, but keep in mind that round two begins tonight with Detroit and San Jose squaring off for game one. You can watch that game at 9:00pm EST on TSN.

Top Seeded Teams Shine

The defending Stanley Cup Champion, Pittsburgh Penguins, ousted the Ottawa Senators from the playoffs last night in game six of the best-of-seven series. It was a close game, but Pittsburgh's talent, experience, and depth was there to pull them out of trouble in the end. The Pens came back from a 3-1 deficit to take the game into overtime, where Pascal Dupuis scored the winning goal. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby currently leads playoff scoring with 14 points.

The San Jose Sharks, top seed in the Western Conference, also advanced to the second round of the playoffs, after a shaky start against the Colorado Avalanche. Many were withdrawing their support for the Sharks after losing game one, as many thought they would once again bow out of the playoffs early.

The young second and third liners, however, were the ones that came through for the Sharks, with Joe Pavelski and Devin Setoguchi leading the way. The Sharks now need to step it up in the second round to prove their critics wrong. Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, and Patrick Marleau must begin to put up points for the Sharks to compete in the second round.

The Detroit Red Wings can move to the second round of the playoffs today, with a win over the Phoenix Coyotes. The series stands at 3-2, and the Red Wings will hope to shut down the Coyotes early. That game start at 2:00pm EST today, on TSN.

Second seeded, Chicago Blackhawks also come out on top with an exciting win over the Nashville Predators yesterday, with Patrick Kane tying the game with a short handed goal in the dying seconds. Marian Hossa, the recipient of a five minute major, had just come out of the penalty box in overtime to score the winning goal. It was by far the most exciting game of the series, and Chicago now leads 3-2.

There is also a big game in Los Angeles tonight, as the Kings face elimination in game six against the Vancouver Canucks. This has also been a hard fought series, however game five was a blowout for the Canucks, where they scored seven goals. The young Los Angeles Kings will need to show confidence and not let that loss get the best of them. It should be a great game to watch. CBC is covering this game with a start time of 9:00pm EST.

Flyers Take Out Devils In Five Games

The Philadelphia Flyers are the first team to advance to the second round, after eliminating the #2 seed, New Jersey Devils. Flyers goalie, Brian Boucher outdueled Martin Brodeur, and collected his second career playoff shutout. Despite having lost forwards Simon Gagne and Jeff Carter to injury, the Flyers simply outworked the Devils in every aspect of the game. The Flyers now have a few days to rest as they await the results on who they will face in the second round.

Eliminations Tonight?

The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to wrap up their series against the Ottawa Senators in five games tonight. Pascal Leclaire will get his first start of the playoffs for the Sens, while the Penguins will counter with Marc-Andre Fleury. You can catch this game tonight at 7:00pm EST on CBC.

The Philadelphia Flyers are also one game away from staging an upset over the New Jersey Devils. This should be a rough and tumble game, and it will be aired on TSN at 7:00pm EST tonight.

Playoff Update: The West

Over the past week, things have opened up a little in the Eastern Conference, with all series sitting at 3-1 (out of seven). In the west however, there are three series tied at 2-2 and one at 2-1. This makes for some exciting hockey out west, and hopefully a game seven or two. What we have seen in the Western Conference so far, is a bit of seesaw action. Just when you think one team has the momentum, the other storms back. This is what many expected out of the highly competitive Western Conference.

San Jose Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche
The young Colorado Avalanche have been one of the best stories this season, greatly exceeding expectations and rallying behind the stellar goaltending of Craig Anderson. Despite their playoff woes of the past, many expected the San Jose Sharks to wash this series in a hurry. The Avalanche however, have a different idea.

With the best of seven series tied at 2-2, there is a sense of panic surrounding the Sharks. Heading into game four, the Sharks knew they needed a big win heading back to San Jose for game five. It was an uninspired effort by both teams, but the Sharks eventually came out of top with a Joe Pavelski goal in overtime, to tie the series.

Heading into game five tonight, the Sharks need to shut down the young high-flying Avalanche and restore some of the confidence that has been lost among the group. It is also imperative for San Jose's top players to stand out and make a difference. So far Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, and Patrick Marleau have combined for four points in the series. Considering these three are premier scoring threats in the regular season, more must come from them if San Jose has any chance of defeating a confident Avs squad.

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators
I'm not going to lie, this has to be the most boring series in this years playoffs. Down 2-1 in the best of seven playoff, the Chicago Blackhawks seem to be somewhat unprepared for the playoffs this year, looking very different from the high flying offensive team we became used to seeing. Saying that, the Nashville Predators have done an excellent job of shutting the Blackhawks down, their greatest weapon being goaltender Pekka Rinne.

Despite not a whole lot of playoff success, the Predators do have some experience in the playoffs. Led by veteran, Jason Arnott, the Predators have shown that the Blackhawks are beatable. Tonight's game carries significant implications for the Blackhawks, as a win ties the series, and a loss gives the Predators a 3-1 series lead. Chicago's young stars must shine through in game four tonight if the Blackhawks want to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive.

Vancouver Canucks vs. Los Angeles Kings
Last night the Vancouver Canucks stepped up their game against the Los Angeles Kings, in a high scoring affair. The Sedin brothers seem to have woken up, which bodes well for the Canucks if they stay that way. This is another series that many thought the Canucks could easily win, but the Los Angeles Kings have proved that they too are a top young team.

The series is now tied 2-2, heading back to Vancouver for game five tomorrow night. There were fears that goalie Roberto Luongo was suffering from injuries, but he did start last night for the Canucks. Game five of this series, will be huge for Vancouver if they hope to keep some momentum going forward.

Phoenix Coyotes vs. Detroit Red Wings
The best series in the 2009-2010 playoffs thus far. A veteran Detroit Red Wings team, facing a young very inexperienced Phoenix Coyotes. Both teams have shown moments of both dominance and weakness in this series, which has led to constant momentum swings. With the series tied at 2-2, tomorrows game five in Phoenix should have an electric atmosphere.

After shutting out Phoenix in game four on Tuesday, the Detroit Red Wings will try to once again shut down the Coyotes offense. Phoenix goalie, Ilya Bryzgalov has been nothing short of amazing in goal for the Coyotes, and will need his defense to clear the front of the net from pest, Thomas Holmstrom, if he wants to keep the puck out of his net. You can catch game five on Friday night at 10:00pm EST on TSN.

Playoff Update

Less than a week in, the 2010 playoffs have so far delivered upsets, surprises, some amazing hockey, and also reassured us that being a top seed guarantees nothing. Some new teams are showing what they've got, and some old demons have also been hanging around.

Some things seem to never change. The San Jose Sharks have been heavily criticized for their lack of success in the playoffs after repeatedly finishing the regular season in a top seed. This year seems to be no different. Last night both the Sharks and Avalanche, played a tight game that went into overtime with a 0-0 score. Just 50seconds into the first overtime period, the Colorado Avalanche came out on top to take a 2-1 series lead.

Without sniper Dany Heatley, and seemingly crushed under high expectations, the San Jose Sharks are continuing to frustrate their fans. Last night was a game that could have gone either way, but with the skill and talent that the San Jose Sharks possess, another first round exit is completely unacceptable. If the Sharks fail to come back in this series, something major needs to happen with this club.

This series has undoubtedly been one of the most entertaining, with the Philadelphia Flyers giving the New Jersey Devils a run for their money. Flyers captain, Mike Richards has had an inspiring series so far with six points, while veteran defensmen, Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen have been solid on the blueline. Goalie, Brian Boucher has been good enough for the Flyers thus far, while Brodeur can hardly be faulted for being down 2-1 in the series.

Here's a look at the other series:
With the series tied 1-1, the Washington Capitals hope to keep some momentum after Friday's overtime win. Halak is a lock to start in goal for the Habs, but word is Caps coach, Bruce Boudreau has yet to announce his starter for tonight's matchup. You can watch game #3 tonight at 7:00pm EST on TSN.

With the series tied at 1-1, the Boston Bruins will head home for the next two games against the Buffalo Sabres. Both teams hope that they can find some offense heading into game #3 tonight. Marc Savard is reportedly inching closer to a return, which would greatly help Boston's chances of pulling off an upset. Puck drop is 7:00pm EST on CBC.

The Pittsburgh Penguins dominated the Ottawa Senators in game #3 with superstar, Sidney Crosby scoring the winning goal. Ottawa has played fairly well against the defending Stanley Cup champs, but will have to find a way to contain Crosby if they hope to win this series. Game #4 is tomorrow night. Pittsburgh leads the series 2-1.

Another series was tied up at 1-1 yesterday, with the Chicago Blackhawks shutting out the Nashville Predators. Antti Niemi stopped all 23 shots that were fired his way, while Dave Bolland and Patrick Kane scored both goals for the young Blackhawks. The series moves to Nashville tomorrow night for game #3.

With the series tied at 1-1, the Vancouver Canucks will try to come back in Los Angeles after a tough overtime loss Friday night. This has been one of the more exciting series, and if you can stay up late enough, you can catch game #3 tonight on CBC at 10:00pm EST.

In my opinion, the best series thus far, has been the Phoenix Coyotes against the Detroit Red Wings. After a hard fought game yesterday afternoon, the resilient Coyotes skated to a 2-1 series lead. Game #4 takes place tomorrow night in Detroit.

Playoff Update

The last two days of hockey has reaffirmed to us that just about anything is possible in the playoffs. So far, game one has proven to be difficult for some of the higher seed teams. The eighth seed, Montreal Canadiens took the first game against the first overall Washington Capitals. The seventh overall Philadelphia Flyers triumphed over the New Jersey Devils in game one. The fifth seed, Ottawa Senators, beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in a high scoring affair, and finally the Colorado Avalanche succeeded in shuting down the first seed San Jose Sharks.

The Chicago Blackhawks have yet to play their first game against the Nashville Predators, but that game will be on tonight. In other games, the Buffalo Sabres were victorious over the Boston Bruins in game one of that series, the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Los Angeles Kings in game one last night, and the Detroit Red Wings went down to the surprise Phoenix Coyotes in game on as well.

Tonight there are five games on schedule. The San Jose Sharks, already under the microscope heading into the playoffs, find themselves in a hole against the Colorado Avalanche. As its been said many times over, Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau and company need to find a way to score and becoming an effective unit in the playoffs. Goaltender Evgeni Nabokov did his part in game one, by standing tall and only allowing two goals.

Year End Report: Columbus Blue Jackets

So much promise and so much pressure to make the playoffs this season after losing four straight to the Detroit Red Wings in the first round last year. With Ken Hitchcock at the helm, a string of young talented players, and added veteran experience some predicted this to be a breakout year for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Despite finishing 27th overall this year, the Columbus Blue Jackets, like a few other bottom dwelling teams, still have a bright future ahead. There is no doubt that this team boasts some very important assets. However, a few more pieces will be needed to make this team whole.

THE OFFENSE

It is quite clear that the present and future of the Columbus Blue Jackets is left winger, Rick Nash. The combination of size, speed, skill, and raw talent are what make Nash one of the premier power forwards in the NHL. After scoring 79 points in 2008-2009, many predicted that Nash would take his game to the next level this season. He finished this season with 67 points, not a disappointment, but nowhere near what he is capable of.

Even though Nash is the offensive catalyst of the Blue Jackets, there are some other very talented forwards on this team. Centreman, Anton Vermette had a career year, collecting 27 goals and 38 assists for 65 points. While Kristian Huselius also scored an impressive 63 points from the second line. R.J. Umberger also showed a nack for scoring goals, finishing the season with 23.

Along with this group of talented veterans, the Blue Jackets also have a couple young forwards on the cusp of being legitimate offensive threats. Twenty-two year old, Derick Brassard should continue to develop into a premier centreman for the Blue Jackets. In 127 NHL games, Brassard has scored a respectable 63 points, and was having his best season in 2008-09 (25 points in 31 games), until he was injured.

Despite his move back to Russia after playing only 13 games for the Blue Jackets in the fall, Nikita Filatov is still considered a top prospect. The speedy left winger was said to have had issues with recently fired coach, Ken Hitchcock, and decided another year in Russia was best for all parties. His development has continued overseas, and he has scored 22 points in 26 games for CSKA Moscow in the KHL. He is expected to return to the Blue Jackets for the 2010-2011 season.

THE DEFENSE

The defense of the Columbus Blue Jackets is one that needs some offseason revamping. Too often this season, goalie Steve Mason, was left out to dry. Nothing speaks louder than the +/- of this defensive group. Stralman finished -17, Tyutin -7, Hejda a -14, the defensive minded Mike Commodore a -9, and Klesla ended the season at -8. In fact the only defenseman to earn a plus rating was a dependable Kris Russell, who was a +3 with 22 points.

In all fairness, it is difficult to rate a player based on +/- when their team is 27th overall, but this was a far cry from what is acceptable from this group of defenseman, especially with a defensive coach like Ken Hitchcock. In fact, team defense seemed to take a turn for the better after Claude Noel took over the coaching duties.

All in all, if the Blue Jackets plan to compete for the playoffs next season, management must make some moves to improve the defensive corps. Heading into the offseason, there are many capable defensemen available (through the trade and free agent market) that could instantly help this team. Any combination of Pavel Kubina, Paul Martin, Brett Clark, Andy Sutton, Willie Mitchell, Anton Volchenkov, and Dan Hamhuis would instantly improve this team.

THE GOALIES

The 2008-2009 NHL regular season was the breakout year for goalie, Steve Mason. That same year, he fought his way to a 33-20-7 record, a 2.29 GAA, and a .916 save percentage. These stats subsequently led Mason to win the Rookie of the Year Award. This year would prove to be a little more challenging to the sophomore netminder.

He has had some shining moments this year, but inconsistency from him and his team led to another lost season for the Blue Jackets. Despite shortfalls this year, Mason remains one of the NHL's best young goaltenders, and should provide Columbus with stability in net for years to come.

In the backup role, Mathieu Garon has proven himself capable once again. In 35 starts this season, Garon sports a 12-9-6 record, a 2.81 GAA, and a .903 save percentage. These are modest numbers to be sure, but good for a backup goalie on a team like the Blue Jackets. If management can keep this tandem together for a few more years, goaltending in Columbus will remain strong.

THE SCOOP

With the distractions of Hitchcocks firing, and the expectations to make the playoffs for a second straight season, the Blue Jackets seemed to crumble under the pressure. It was a tough season for the club, but they also have a bright future looking ahead.

Depending on which way management goes this summer with interim head coach Claude Noel, and shoring up the defense, the Columbus Blue Jackets can be expected to compete for a playoff spot in 2011. With young stars like Nash, Mason, Brassard, Filatov, and another top five draft pick in the mix, it can only get better for this club. In the extremely competitive Western Conference, however, it will take a lot more consistency than was shown this year.

2010 Playoffs!!!

Well, my favorite time of the year is almost here. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing, starting on Wednesday. This is a mini preview of what is to come. Three Canadian teams made the playoffs, with the Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and Edmonton Oilers all on the outside looking in. There are some very interesting matchups in this years playoffs, but my pick as the most intriguing is the Phoenix Coyotes vs. the Detroit Red Wings.

This is how the first round of the playoffs turned out:

EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Washington Capitals vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens
(2) New Jersey Devils vs. (7) Philadelphia Flyers
(3) Buffalo Sabres vs. (6) Boston Bruins
(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Ottawa Senators

WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) San Jose Sharks vs. (8) Colorado Avalanche
(2) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (7) Nashville Predators
(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (6) Los Angeles Kings
(4) Phoenix Coyotes vs. (5) Detroit Red Wings

*My pick to win each series will be in bold italics

Tonight's Probable Starting Goalies (April 11, 2010)

The biggest game of the season for both the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers takes place today, as both teams are tied in points and fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. The 2009-2010 regular season will wrap up today, with eight games. The Flyers/Rangers game is the only one with playoff seed implications, but there are other games that will determine first round matchups.

Boston Bruins (Thomas) @ Washington Capitals (Varlamov)

New York Rangers (Lundqvist) @ Philadelphia Flyers (Boucher)

Detroit Red Wings (Howard) @ Chicago Blackhawks (Niemi)

Los Angeles Kings (Ersberg) @ Colorado Avalanche (Anderson)

Buffalo Sabres (Lalime) @ New Jersey Devils (Brodeur)

Pittsburgh Penguins (Johnson) @ New York Islanders (Roloson)

Tampa Bay Lightning (Niittymaki) @ Florida Panthers (Clemmensen)

Edmonton Oilers (Deslauriers) @ Anaheim Ducks (Hiller)

Maple Leafs Win Matters Not

Despite losing in overtime, the Montreal Canadiens were still able to clinch a playoff spot in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In one of the most entertaining games of the season, the young Toronto Maple Leafs fought relentlessly to make sure their season ended on a positive note. Momentum went back and forth throughout the game, but with some timely saves from Giguere and furious speed from the Grabovski, Stalberg, and Hanson line the Leafs were pressing to win the game.

It was a tough season for the Leafs, but the new young roster assembled by Brian Burke has shown promise as they were given more opportunity. This is the fifth season in a row that the Leafs have now missed the playoffs. Montreal on the other hand, will face one of the top seeds in the first round. Playoff matchups will be decided today after the outcome of the Philadelphia Flyers/New York Rangers game.

Tonight's Probable Starting Goalies (April 10, 2010)

It's a big night in the National Hockey League, with eleven games on the bill and Eastern Conference playoff spots still to be decided. The Boston Bruins would clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Canadiens would do the same if they collect two points from the Toronto Maple Leafs. With both Boston and Montreal fighting for their playoff lives, they should be two very exciting games.
First round playoff matches are still being decided as well. The Pittsburgh Penguins and the New Jersey Devils are tied for first in the Atlantic Division, and both teams will fight for first overall tonight. The battle for "best in the west," is also still up for grabs, with the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks tied with 111 points for first.

Carolina Hurricanes (Ward) @ Boston Bruins (Rask)

Edmonton Oilers (Dubnyk) @ Los Angeles Kings (Quick)

Toronto Maple Leafs (Giguere) @ Montreal Canadiens (Halak)

Buffalo Sabres (Miller) @ Ottawa Senators (Leclaire)

New York Islanders (Roloson) @ New Jersey Devils (Brodeur)

Pittsburgh Penguins (Fleury) @ Atlanta Thrashers (Hedberg)

Florida Panthers (Vokoun) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (Niittymaki)

St. Louis Blues (Conklin) @ Nashville Predators (Ellis)

Dallas Stars (Lehtonen) @ Minnesota Wild (Backstrom)

Calgary Flames (Toskala) @ Vancouver Canucks (Luongo)

Phoenix Coyotes (Bryzgalov) @ San Jose Sharks (Nabokov)

Tonight's Probable Starting Goalies (April 9, 2010)

Five games tonight. The New York Rangers host the Philadelphia Flyers, with a playoff spot on the line. A Flyers win in regulation would solidify a playoff spot for the Montreal Canadiens.

Philadelphia Flyers (Boucher) @ New York Rangers (Lundqvist)

Atlanta Thrashers (Pavelec) @ Washington Capitals (Varlamov)

Detroit Red Wings (Howard) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (Mason)

Anaheim Ducks (McElhinney) @ St. Louis Blues (Mason)

Chicago Blackhawks (Niemi) @ Colorado Avalanche (Anderson)

Year End Report: Florida Panthers

The yearly pattern of the Florida Panthers is particularly maddening and consistent. Year after year the Panthers have had solid goaltending and a young supporting cast with potential. However, potential is all this team has shown.

Once again, despite showing flashes of brilliance throughout the 2009-2010 season, there has not been enough consistency for the Florida Panthers to make the post season. It has been a full decade since the Panthers last made the playoffs, leaving the lingering fanbase little reason to get excited about their team.

THE OFFENSE
The Panthers have some decent forwards in the mix, but the team is missing an all star scoring threat. However, there is some good depth up front, with six different players hovering around the 15 to 20 goal mark. Leading the team in goals, is Stephen Weiss with 27, followed by Michael Frolik, who has 19 goals.

The Panthers have severely missed goal scorer, David Booth, who has had an injury plagued season and some bad luck. Despite only playing 28 games all season, Booth still managed to score 16 points. Looking ahead to next season, a healthy David Booth will be an important factor in the Panthers looking to make the playoffs.

Leading goal scorer, Stephen Weiss, has taken the offensive load in Florida, tallying 58 points in 77 games. At only 27 years of age, more can be expected of Weiss looking forward.

Nathan Horton, selected third overall in the 2003 draft, has been good for the Panthers, but has not lived up to expectations just yet. The 24 year old has had a decent offensive season, but was hampered by a fractured leg in March, limiting his production. He has put up 18 goals and 34 assists for 52 points in 62 games. With his work ethic called into quesion this season, the Panthers will need him to perform at a higher level to justify passing over Eric Staal for Horton in the 2003 draft.

Youngster, Michael Frolik has been good in his second full season in the NHL. To his credit he is developing well for the Florida Panthers. He is pretty close to his offensive numbers from last season, but there are some other positives that have shown in his game this year. He is shooting a lot more (158 shots in 79 games in 08/09 and 212 in 79 games this season) and has somewhat toughened up collecting about 20 more PIM's this season compared to last. He is a creative young player, and will be important to the future of the Florida Panthers.

Filling out the rest of Florida's offense is veterans Steven Reinprecht (38 points), Cory Stillman (37 points) and Radek Dvorak (30 points). General Manager, Randy Sexton will need to find some offensive help for this team this offseason as the teams scoring veterans begin to fade out.

THE DEFENSE
Team captain, Bryan McCabe has had another strong season for the Panthers, leading the team's defense in scoring, racking up 81 penalty minutes, 159 shots, and a respectable -2 rating. Up to date, he has also played in every game for the Panthers this season. The 34 year old veteran has undoubtedly been a positive presence for the young Panthers, providing leadership and a booming shot on the powerplay. (18 of McCabe's 42 points have come on the PP).

Keith Ballard has had another decent season on the Panthers blueline. His offensive output remains about the same, but his +/- has taken a bit of a hit this season, sitting at a -10. Despite this stat, he is a steady, tough blueliner who can contribute some offense. At 27 years old, he still has some prime years ahead of him.

Rookie defender, Dimitry Kulikov has shown promise this season with 15 points and 84 shots on the season. This smooth skating Russian has a lot of developing to do, but has also shown ability to defend in his own end. If his development continues on the right track, Kulikov could turn into a very important part of the Panthers defense for years to come. The most important thing for him will be to bulk up and gain some physical strength on his competition.

Florida's defense needs to be shored up for sure, but they do have a good mix of veterans and youngsters. They also have some much needed toughness in 29 year old Bryan Allen, who came over from Vancouver in the Luongo trade.

THE GOALIES
What can we say about the goaltending in Florida? Blessed with having Roberto Luongo four years ago, and now Tomas Vokoun, goaltending has never been the issue in Florida. Heck, even backup Scott Clemmensen has been good for the Panthers this year.

Since being acquired from the Nashville Predators in 2007, Vokoun has shown every sports pundit and critic that he is the real deal and can consistently perform at a high level every game. Despite playing for the mediocre Panthers, Vokoun has incredible stats nearing the end of the 09/10 season. In 63 starts, Vokoun has a sizzling GAA of 2.55, a save percentage of .925 and 23 wins. There is no question that Vokoun is his teams MVP.

Scott Clemmensen has also been a positive presence in the crease for the Florida Panthers. In 20 starts, Clemmensen has 8-7-1 record with a .907 save percentage and 3.03 GAA. That's just about as good as a team can ask from it's backup goaltender.

Looking into the future, Florida has some decent goaltending prospects over in Europe. Jacob Markstrom (drafted 31st overall in the 2008 draft) has shown some promise as a starter, as has Alexander Salak. Salak, playing in his first two NHL games this year, failed to collect a win, but has shown promise playing over in Finland.

THE SCOOP
After much success coaching the Plymouth Whalers and the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL, Peter DeBoer made his jump to the NHL in 2008 with the Panthers. In his first year as head coach, DeBoer led the Panthers to a 93 point season in 08/09, preaching a more offensive approach to the Panthers players.

Along with a strong coaching staff, the Panthers do have some good young players, but top teir players are lacking on defense and offense. With star goalie, Tomas Vokoun is his prime, GM Randy Sexton's goal should be to win now. Adding a couple key players this offseason, and hoping the team can stay healthy next season, the Panthers have a good shot in making the 2010-2011 playoffs.

Mediocrity has been the pattern of the Florida Panthers for the last decade, they do however have the opportunity to take the next step forward in 2011. The overall health of the franchise will depend on the Panthers gaining momentum and making the playoffs. It's a big goal, but something this franchise is capable of.

Tonight's Probable Starting Goalies (April 8, 2010)

There are nine games tonight in the NHL. The only playoff spot still up for grabs is in the east, where the New York Rangers are still chasing down the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Montreal Canadiens. The Montreal Canadiens can clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Buffalo Sabres (Lalime) @ Boston Bruins (Rask)

Montreal Canadiens (Halak) @ Carolina Hurricanes (Ward)

New York Islanders (Roloson) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (Fleury)

Ottawa Senators (Elliot) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (Smith)

New Jersey Devils (Brodeur) @ Florida Panthers (Clemmensen)

Anaheim Ducks (Hiller) @ Dallas Stars (Turco)

Minnesota Wild (Backstrom) @ Calgary Flames (Kiprusoff)

Phoenix Coyotes (Bryzgalov) @ Los Angeles Kings (Quick)

Vancouver Canucks (Raycroft) @ San Jose Sharks (Greiss)

Tonight's Probable Starting Goalies (April 7, 2010)

Only five games in the NHL tonight, as the season continues to rapidly wind down. The Western Conference exhibited some excitment last night, as the final playoff spot was clinched following the outcome of two important games.

In order for the Flames to stay in the playoff mix, Calgary needed a win against the Sharks, and they needed Colorado to lose to the Canucks. Neither of those things happened for the Flames, and now they will sit on the sidelines for this years playoffs. The Colorado Avalanche on the other hand, have made the playoffs with an insanely talented, yet young and inexperienced, team.

The New York Rangers desperately need a win against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. If they fail to collect two points, they will be officially eliminated from competing in the playoffs. You can bet that the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, and Montreal Canadiens will be cheering loud for the Leafs, as they will all clinch a playoff spot with a Leafs win.

Toronto Maple Leafs (Gustavsson) @ New York Rangers (Lundqvist)

Columbus Blue Jackets (Mason) @ Detroit Red Wings (Howard)

St. Louis Blues (Mason) @ Chicago Blackhawks (Huet)

Colorado Avalanche (Budaj) @ Edmonton Oilers (Deslauriers)

Nashville Predators (Rinne) @ Phoenix Coyotes (Bryzgalov)

Tonight's Probable Starting Goalies (April 6, 2010)

Eleven games in the NHL tonight. The New York Rangers are in a must win situation against Buffalo if they hope to make the playoffs. The Philadelphia Flyers are being chased by the Rangers, and will need a win over the Toronto Maple Leafs to stay in a playoff spot. With Calgary two points behind eighth place Colorado, tonight is a must win for the Flames, against the west leading, San Jose Sharks. Colorado, on the other hand, can hold off the Flames with a win of their own against the Vancouver Canucks.

New York Rangers (Lundqvist) @ Buffalo Sabres (Miller)

Philadelphia Flyers (Boucher) @ Toronto Maple Leafs (Giguere)

Montreal Canadiens (Halak) @ New York Islanders (Biron)

New Jersey Devils (Brodeur) @ Atlanta Thrashers (Hedberg)

Ottawa Senators (Elliot) @ Florida Panthers (Vokoun)

Washington Capitals (Varlamov) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (Fleury)

Carolina Hurricanes (Ward) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (Niittymakki)

Chicago Blackhawks (Huet) @ Dallas Stars (Lehtonen)

San Jose Sharks (Nabokov) @ Calgary Flames (Kiprusoff)

Colorado Avalanche (Anderson) @ Vancouver Canucks (Luongo)

Los Angeles Kings (Quick) @ Anaheim Ducks (Hiller)

Tonight's Probable Starting Goalies (April 5, 2010)

Only three games in the NHL tonight. The Boston Bruins can help solidify their playoff spot with a win over the league leading Washington Capitals. The Columbus Blue Jackets face the St. Louis Blues, and the Minnesota Wild square off against the last place Edmonton Oilers.

Boston Bruins (Rask) @ Washington Capitals (Varlamov)

Columbus Blue Jackets (Garon) @ St. Louis Blues (Conklin)

Minnesota Wild (Backstrom) @ Edmonton Oilers (Dubnyk)

Tonight's Probable Starting Goalies (April 4, 2010)

Only four games in the NHL today. There are some games worth noting, starting with Philadelphia needing a win over the Detroit Red Wings to stay in the playoff hunt. The same goes for the Calgary Flames, who desperately need the win against the Chicago Blackhawks to snag the eighth spot. The same goes for the Colorado Avalanche, who are jostling with the Calgary Flames for the final playoff spot in the west. To get ahead of Calgary in the standings, the Avalanche will need to defeat the Western Conference leading San Jose Sharks.

Detroit Red Wings (Osgood) @ Philadelphia Flyers (Boucher)

Calgary Flames (Kiprusoff) @ Chicago Blackhawks (Niemi)

San Jose Sharks (Nabokov) @ Colorado Avalanche (Anderson)

Minnesota Wild (Backstrom) @ Vancouver Canucks (Luongo)

Today's Probable Starting Goalies (April 3, 2010)

Last night was pegged to be a big deal with steep playoff implications for a handful of teams. We were not disappointed to say the least. Tied in the standings prior to the game, the Montreal Canadiens and the Philadelphia Flyers were fighting for their playoff lives last night.

Amid accusations that both teams goaltending had been shaky over the last few weeks, the game turned into an outright goaltending battle. Jaroslav Halak stood on his head for the shutout (his fourth on the season) and Brian Boucher allowed only one goal. Despite some sloppy play by both teams, the final score of the game remained at 1-0, with le Habitants taking two points. Montreal has bought itself the slightest bit of breathing room by moving up two points on the trailing Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers.

The other important game, with similar playoff implications, was between the Calgary Flames and the Colorado Avalanche. Trailing Colorado by only two points for the eighth and final playoff spot heading into the game, Miikka Kiprusoff took things into his own hands, leading the Flames to its most important win this season...so far.

With only four games remaining for the Flames, and five for Colorado, every win is more important now than ever for both teams. Fighting for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference, both teams sit at 89 points. This is the race to watch heading into the playoffs.

It is a big night tonight, with more playoff position jostling and eleven games on the schedule. Atlanta will continue to fight for a playoff position against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Atlanta trails Boston and Philadelphia by two points for the final two playoff spots in the east.

The Boston Bruins will need a win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in order to stay in playoff position. The Bruins have played mediocre hockey as of late, while Toronto has settled into the spoiler role, winning ten of their last fifteen games.

The Montreal Canadiens are also looking for another win over the Buffalo Sabres. A win for the Canadiens tonight would greatly improve their chances of making the playoffs.

Atlanta Thrashers (Hedberg) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (Fleury)

Ottawa Senators (Elliot) @ New York Islanders (Biron)

Nashville Predators (Rinne) @ Detroit Red Wings (Howard)

Boston Bruins (Rask) @ Toronto Maple Leafs (Gustavsson)

Buffalo Sabres (Miller) @ Montreal Canadiens (Halak)

New Jersey Devils (Brodeur) @ Carolina Hurricanes (Ward)

New York Rangers (Lundqvist) @ Florida Panthers (Clemmensen)

Wasington Capitals (Theodore) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (Garon)

Dallas Stars (Lehtonen) @ St. Louis Blues (Mason)

Edmonton Oilers (Deslauriers) @ Phoenix Coyotes (Bryzgalov)

Anaheim Ducks (McElhinney) @ Los Angeles Kings (Quick)

Today's Probable Starting Goalies (April 2, 2010)

The 09/10 season is coming to a swift end, and with teams only playing a handful more games, there are still some playoff races still to be decided. There are seven games tonight, and a couple are big ones. The Montreal Canadiens will need to work hard for another win against the Philadelphia Flyers tonight, as they are only two points ahead of the ninth place Atlanta Thrashers. Montreal, Philadelphia, and Boston are all tied in the sixth, seventh, and eighth seeds with 82 points, so one can appreciate the importance of this game.

The biggest battle in the West is between the Calgary Flames and the Colorado Avalanche. Colorado currently holds the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, with Calgary sitting only two points back. Colorado had a game in hand on Calgary, but Calgary can put a dent in the playoff hopes of a young Avalanche team by taking the win tonight.

Montreal Canadiens (Halak) @ Philadelphia Flyers (Boucher)

Chicago Blackhawks (Niemi) @ New Jersey Devils (Brodeur)

New York Rangers (Lundqvist) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (Smith)

San Jose Sharks (Nabokov) @ Minnesota Wild (Backstrom)

Edmonton Oilers (Deslauriers) @ Dallas Stars (Lehtonen)

Calgary Flames (Kiprusoff) @ Colorado Avalanche (Anderson)

Vancouver Canucks (Raycroft) @ Anaheim Ducks (McElhinney)

Year End Report: Tampa Bay Lightning

Not very many sports pundits predicted a strong season for the Tampa Bay Lightning, but despite a bottom seven finish in the Eastern Conference, there is optimism heading into next season. There is little doubt that this team is on the upswing, but many factors will have to come into place for future success.

THE OFFENSE
Regardless of the presence of veterans, Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, Steven Stamkos is the present and future of the Tampa Bay Lightning. In only his second full NHL season, Stamkos has proven himself as an NHLer and shown his undeniable talent for scoring goals.

With only 156 NHL games under his belt, Stamkos has been able to tally 69 goals and 65 assists, totaling 134 points in two seasons. Despite Tampa Bay's overall lack of success the past couple of seasons, Stamkos has been able to score at a torrid pace, and is only getting better. At only 20 years of age, we can expect that Stamkos' best years are still ahead of him.

At 34 years of age, many would think that the offensive contributions of veteran Martin St. Louis would be in decine, however, he has silenced his critics for at least another year with an outstanding 90 points in 77 games. If St. Louis hopes to compete for the Stanley Cup with the Lightning again, he will need to continue to produce offense at a high rate for a least a couple more years.

Despite scoring 67 points in 77 games thus far, many have looked at this season as a failure for Vincent Lecavalier. Since breaking into the league as a rookie, this 29 year old centre has been the most important piece for his struggling franchise. Now with the emergence of Stamkos, it seems that Lecavalier's role with the team has diminished.

At a staggering $10,000,000 cap hit, and Stamkos becoming the teams number one centre, one wonders how long it will be before Lecavalier is seen as expendable. He is still a premier player, with the scoring ability and size that will entice a few teams if he becomes available, but his salary will be seen as a sticking point for other GM's.

Tampa Bay's offense has a couple other key players, like the impressive Steve Downie, who seems to have put his tumultuous past behind him scoring 46 points in 75 games since joining the Lightning. Ryan Malone has also put up another good season, collecting 44 points in 65 games.

THE DEFENSE
Tampa Bay's defense, like their offense, should be improved next season, especially as rookie Victor Hedman continues to develop his skills. This is, however, a group that could use some help in the offseason.

It is clear that Victor Hedman is seen as the future of the Lightning defense, but there are also some other pieces that have impressed this season. Curtis Foster, a twenty-nine year old in his first season with the Lightning, has been a pleasant surprise on the blueline. He has 38 points in 66 games with 40 PIMs and considering the only player on the roster with a + rating is Steve Downie, Foster's -5 isn't all that bad. The Lightning need him to repeat his success next season to move up in the standings.

Andrej Meszaros has been a failure this season for the Lightning, with only 14 points in 76 games and a -15, not many can defend his $3.5 million per season salary. Any improvement on his game for next season will be a positive for the team, as it would be tough for Meszaros to sink any lower.

Healthy seasons for Mathias Ohlund and Paul Ranger will also be important for the Bolts, as Ohlund has been a consistent defender for years, and Ranger has shown he can be a dominant presence in any game. If healthy, Ranger will need to duplicate the kind of season he had in 2007/2008, when he tallied 31 points in 72 games with 56penalty minutes.

THE GOALIES
Ever since the departure of Nikolai Khabibulin, following Tampa's Stanley Cup win in 2004, the Lightning have had a tough time finding stability in their crease. There is a glimmer of hope for the future now with Antero Niittymaki and Mike Smith filling out the goaltending duties.

With improved team defense, Niittymaki has shown he can help carry his team to a win. So far this season, Niittymaki sports a 20-18-5 record, with a 2.80 GAA and a .910 save percentage. These are pretty decent numbers considering the way his team has played in front of him for the majority of the season.

Mike Smith on the other hand, as also shown flashes of brilliance, but injury and inconsistency have been the major hinderance to his stats. As this team continues to improve, however, this might be a goaltending tandem that has potential for the Lightning.

THE SCOOP
This is a team that has somewhat underachieved this season. With a core of Stamkos, Lecavalier, St. Louis, Downie, Malone, Hedman, Ranger, and Niittymaki there is reason to believe that this team could compete for a playoff spot next season. Now that the ownership issue is being resolved, playing hockey can once again be the main focus for this team.

The team as whole must improve if it intends to fight for the Stanley Cup next season. However, focus should be placed on strengthening team defense and goaltending. Head coach Rick Tocchet has his work cut out for him, but he does have some important assets looking ahead.