With this year’s Conference Semifinal picture merely brush strokes away from being completed, here is a rundown on what has been hot, and not, in the NHL playoffs thus far.
Hot Team from the West:
The Anaheim Ducks
Their sweep of the once-mighty Colorado Avalanche Thursday night caused a few eye-popping headlines as the Ducks were the first of four teams to advance to the conference finals. Anaheim will have at least a week before they face their Western counterpart, the survivor of the Edmonton and San Jose series, and whoever emerges will undoubtedly be in for a rough time.
Mind-Numbingly Hot:
The Duck’s Flying D
As any NHL historian can attest, a good defense held by stalwart goal-keeping is the first ingredient in a championship team. Headed by streaking rookie goalie Igor Bryzgalov, the Ducks negated Colorado’s power-play 24 times and have reached a staggering total of 36 consecutive penalties killed in the playoffs. Bryzgalov’s outstanding performance, two shutouts to add to his 249 minutes of scoreless playoff hockey, two road wins, and 40 shots saved in the series clincher, echoes the replaced Jean-Sebastien Giguere’s unconsciously solid net-minding in Anaheim’s 2003 postseason. A little offense helps too, and thanks to winger Joffrey Lupul’s four-goal night in game three’s overtime victory, the Ducks can sit and await the opposition.
Not Hot Enough To Trot:
The San Jose Sharks
After going up two games, the Sharks lost the following two at Edmonton in gut-punching fashion. Oiler Shawn Horcoff buried the winning goal in the third period of overtime in game three, and the Sharks gave up three goals in the third period of Edmonton’s 6-3 win Friday to even the series at 2-2. San Jose had to be disheartened after playing 42 overtime minutes with nothing to show for it, and then let game four get out of hand in a big away. The Oilers are riding the momentum train and it might be too strong for the Sharks to derail.
Player Too Busy Icing Groin To Be Hot: Dominick Hasek
With Hasek in between the pipes, pre-season prognosticators pegged the Sens as the top team in the Eastern Conference. Hasek was unable to return from a groin injury suffered in February’s Olympics, and the series with Buffalo showed how valuable he could have been. Each of the games played were decided by one goal, three of them in overtime, and Ottawa lost all of their home games. In the end bad luck, coupled with Buffalo’s speed in Daniel Briere and Maxim Afinoganov, foiled the Senators run for the Cup.
Hot Team from the East:
The Carolina Hurricanes
While the New Jersey Devils took game four because they were able to exploit Carolina’s sloppy play, the Hurricanes have been doing it all series. Falling prey to a bevy of bad bounces, the Devils lost their first round lustre and looked nothing like the team that disbanded the New York Rangers in four. The Hurricanes have been getting production from their stars Rob Brind’Amour and Eric Staal, and back-up goalie Cam Ward has garnered an incredible 1.87 goals against average in the postseason. With the Hurricanes putting New Jersey to bed last night, I reckon they will squeak by the Sabres to face Anaheim in the final.
