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| Tim Thomas stopped 28 shots against the Habs on Thursday night, but it wasn't enough as Montreal took a one game lead in best of seven series. The postseason game was the first for the 33-year-old Bruins goalie. |
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| Bryan Smolinski scored for the Canadiens keeping the Habs winning streak over Boston intact, and helping the Montreal Canadiens defeat the Boston Bruins 4-1 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Thursday. Montreal won all eight regular-season meetings between the two long-time rivals. |
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| Carey Price made his playoff debut, blocking 17 shots as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins 4-1 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Thursday. Price was 24-12 on the season leading Montreal, which finished first overall in the Eastern Conference with 104 points, to home court advantage. |
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| Dan Ellis blocked 37 shots on Thursday night, but it wasn't enough as the Red Wings won Game 1 against Nashville. Ellis was 23-10 during the regular season and got the call for the Preds over Chris Mason. |
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| Johan Franzen found the back of the net in the first period of the Game 1 win over the Preds. The Wings center scored 37 points during the regular season in 71 games. |
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| Henrik Zetterberg broke a 1-1 tie at 6:54 of the third period helping the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night in the postseason opener for both teams. Zetterberg added an empty netter giving him two goals in an all important Game 1 win.
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| The Boston Globe reports that Patrice Bergeron is feeling much better but he's not ready to play, and he has yet to be told by his many consulting physicians when he will be able to return to the Bruins' lineup. Bergeron is 5 1/2 months removed from taking a hit that could have killed him, one that left him with a Grade 3 concussion that reduced him to living the life of a recluse from the end of October until early January.
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| Jason Smith practiced for the first time this week on Thursday, this according to the AP. The defenseman hopes to return from his upper-body injury for Game 1 of Philadelphia's NHL playoff series against Washington.
Smith, the team captain, missed the last game of the regular season and sat out a pair of practices this week as the Flyers prepped for Friday night's game. |
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| Marc Savard (back) will receive a pain-killing shot before the Bruins and Canadiens Game 1 battle, and he will likely suit up for the game, this according to the Boston Herald. “I feel ready,” said Savard. “I guess it’ll just come down to seeing how it reacts..." Savard was the teams offensive leader all year, and given that he totaled 63 helpers to lead the Eastern Conference, his presence in the lineup is vital for the Bruins. |
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| Updating a previous report, Anton Volchenkov will likely be in the lineup on Friday for Game 2 despite taking a puck to the head in Game 1 which required 15 stitches, this according to the Ottawa Sun. "Like a lot of us, he's got a huge head," said Senators GM/coach Bryan Murray. "If it was a normal human being, there wouldn't be a chance they'd play, but with him, there's definitely a chance." If the team ends up resting Volchenkov look for them to dress Luke Richardson on the blueline, but as of now, we expect Anton to play. |
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| Dan Ellis will start on goal for the Predators in Game 1 of their series against the Red Wings, this according to the Tennessean. "If you don't have great goaltending, nothing is really going to happen for you, no matter how good your team plays,'' captain Jason Arnott said. Ellis has clearly taken over the reigns as the teams top tender from Chris Mason, this after a 2.34 GAA and .924 SV% which led the league during the regular season. |
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| As expected, Dominik Hasek will start in goal over Chris Osgood for the Red Wings in Game 1 of their series against the Predators, this according to the Tennessean. Hasek owns an amazing 1.99 GAA in 115 career playoff games, and despite being 43 years old he managed a 2.17 GAA during the regular season this year. |
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| Sergei Zubov still has no clear cut date set for a return to the ice, let alone to the lineup, this according to TSN. Zubov flew to Germany last week to have a procedure that was designed to speed up his recovery from a sports hernia, but as of Thursday it is still not known when he will be able to return to the ice. Without Zubov running the power-play, the Stars could find it difficult to get pucks past Ducks in Round 1. |
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| Bruins HC Claude Julien believes that the struggles of goalie Tim Thomas against the Canadiens this year have more to do with the play in front of him than his own failings, this according to the Boston Globe. "We certainly don't have to point the finger at him as far as not being good," said Julien. During the regular season Thomas was 0-4-1 with a 4.21 GAA against Montreal, so let's hope that his teammates figure out how to play defense in front of him or this could be a quick series. |
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| Marc Savard, out with a back injury, practiced on Wednesday and will be a game-time decision for the Bruins in Game 1 against the Canadiens, this according to the Boston Globe. "If he can be in, it's because he's 100 percent," said HC Calude Julien. "If we put a guy like him back in, it means you're taking a healthy guy out." It would be hard to bet against Savard playing in Game 1 though there is no telling just how much he will be hampered by his injured back in the rugged world of playoff hockey. |
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| Anton Volchenkov picked up a head laceration in Game 1 against the Penguins and needed to be helped off the ice after taking an Evgeni Malkin shot off his head, this according to the Ottawa Sun. No word yet on whether or not he will play in Game 2, but given his toughness it might be a mild surprise if he doesn't suit up though he didn't skate at practice on Thursday. |
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| Michael Ryder, who sat out the final two regular season games because of a leg injury, will be in the lineup in Game 1, this according to TSN. Ryder will likely skate with Christopher Higgins and Sergei Kostitsyn in place of the injured Saku Koivu. Ryder had a very disappointing season with only 14 goals and 31 points, this after back-to-back 30 goals seasons, but if he can rediscover his lost scoring touch he could help to offset the loss of Koivu from the team's offensive game. |
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| Mike Komisarek is expected to return from his injured hip to play in Game 1 against the Bruins, this according to TSN. "I feel pretty good - strong and confident.," said Komisarek. "I'll give feedback to the doctor and then we'll make a decision from there." This is great news for the Habs who will be without Francis Bouillon on the blueline. |
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| Francis Bouillon will likely miss Game 1 of the Habs and Bruins series because of a sprained ankle, this according to TSN. A fine depth defensman, Bouillon hopes to return soon but he possesses no playoff pool relevance whatsoever even when he is on the ice. |
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| Saku Koivu will almost certainly be on the sidelines for Game 1 of the Canadiens series with the Boston Bruins because of his broken foot, this according to TSN. The original prognosis would be that Saku would miss 2-3 weeks, and he just reached the second week mark meaning that he could still be a week away. In his absence, Alexei Kovalev will wear the "C." |
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| Martin Gerber was hoping to put past playoff failures behind him, but he was unable to do so in Game 1 as he allowed the Penguins to score four goals in 35 shots. Gerber wasn't awful on the night, and it's clear that backup Ray Emery is completely out of favor with the club, but if Gerber struggles in Game 2 there would appear to be a shot for Emery to reemerge as the team's top option in net a year after he led the squad to the Stanley Cup Finals. |
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| Peter Forsberg didn't score a point in Colorado's first playoff game this season, but the good news is that he was able to skate 21:29 in the game which seems to signal that he is pretty much healthy for the Avalanche. Forsberg is a point-per-game scorer in the playoffs in his career, so look for him to put up his fair share of points against the Wild. |
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| Sean Avery may have been struck in the face by a puck in Game 1, but he returned to the ice and in the end he scored a goal, added an assist, and picked up a few stitches in the Rangers victory over the Devils. Avery is the type of skater everyone hates to face in the playoffs with his grating style, and throw in his offensive exploits and this might be the modern day Esa Tikkanen in New York. |
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| Stephane Yelle had a special night on Wednesday as he scored twice in the Flames 3-2 victory over the Sharks in Game 1. Yelle scored on a rebound in which he drove the net and on a puck he batted out of the air at waist level. For a guy who only scored three goals in 74 games on the season, this was quite a night. |
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| Jarome Iginla produced the defining moment in the Flames 3-2 victory over the Sharks in Game 1 as he battled down the ice with Brian Campbell and forced a shot to the net that was eventually put in by Stephane Yelle on the rebound. Iginla seemed to be involved with everything happening on the ice on Wednesday night, just what you would expect from one of the most dominating players to lace up the skates. On the night Iginla had two assists for the Flames. |
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| Ryane Clowe looked extremely solid on Wednesday in Game 1 as he scored a goal and created mayhem playing on a line with Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski, this according to the San Jose Mercury News. Clowe, a natural LW, played on the right side. "I had a couple talks with Ron and he said to start practicing on the right side," Clowe said. "I like to think we've got a good mix. I played the right side a lot last year with Patty and Joe." Clowe is exactly the type of rugged player that is so valuable in the playoffs, and in addition to his physicality he can also score as is evidenced by his five goals in 13 career playoff games. |
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| Matt Carle sat out Game 1 of the Sharks playoff series with the Flames, but he might find himself in the lineup for Game 2 on Thursday night, this according to the San Jose Mercury News. Kyle McLaren looked terrible in Game 1, and Alexei Semenov didn't do anything outstanding, so we would guess that the Sharks would sit Semenov and hope that the veteran, McLaren, bounces back. Devin Setoguchi could also find himself in the lineup at forward. |
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| Daniel Alfredsson is likely going to miss the first round of the playoffs against Pittsburgh, but he is riding a stationary bike and there is a slight chance he may be able to come back if Ottawa makes it past the first round, according to the Ottawa Sun. He will be gravely missed as he scored 89 points over 70 games this season, especially since Pittsburgh has Crosby back to 100% health.
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| Sidney Crosby's ankle is 100%, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Coach Therrion noted that his injured ankle is strong again, and commented, "Ottawa is going to try to play Crosby physically, there's no doubt." Crosby added, "There's not much I can do if somebody's going to go after my ankle. It's pretty much out of my control. Hopefully, it doesn't happen." Crosby scored 72 points over 53 games this season, and Ottawa will have their hands full with him in the first round for sure.
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| Martin Biron will play in his first playoff game on Friday, according to the Philadelphia Enquirer. The seven year vet has never made it to the playoffs in his career, and noted, "I feel like I'm entering the best years of my career. I've battled hard and played hard in the past and didn't get to the playoffs. It just didn't happen. I remember last year watching them on TV and I thought, I hope my time comes." Biron holds a 29-20 mark over 58 starts this season, with nine overtime losses.
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| Mikael Samuelsson is listed as a game-time decision for game one of the playoffs against the Predators, according to the Detroit News. He has been slowed by a groin injury, but still had a solid season over 73 games, as he scored 40 points, with a +/- of 21, and three power-play goals. |
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| Brad Stuart is listed as a game-time decision for game one of the playoffs against the Predators, according to the Detroit News. A broken finger limited him to 72 games this season, and he scored 23 points with 69 PIM, and has one game-winning goal to his credit. |
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| Tomas Holmstrom is listed as a game-time decision for game one of the playoffs against the Predators, but he will likely play, according to the Detroit News. He notably returned Sunday from a month-long absence but he still isn't 100%. Mike Babcock stated, "He's been excellent, there's not a reason he wouldn't play, but we have to be prepared." He is needed on the ice as he scored 40 points over 58 games, with five game-winning goals to his credit. |
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