After what seemed like a bit of a ho-hum start, the NHL playoffs have delivered in a big way the last week or so. And while our Senators may not be around, there is still plenty to talk about in the hockey world over the course of the last week.
The Collapse of the Canucks– Despite jumping out to a 3-0 lead, I really couldn’t shake that feeling that the Hawks still had a shot. I`m sure deep down Canucks fans felt that same lingering feeling. The way the Hawks came out in Game 4 you could just tell they weren’t going to make things easy of the league’s top team. Now Luongo and the Canucks return to Vancouver with the pressure of an entire city weighing them down. Can’t wait to see how they respond.
Preds Moving On– Not only did it solidify an extra pick for the Ottawa Senators, it was just nice to see the Nashville organization get over that first round hurdle. The Preds/Ducks series featured some of the best hockey of the first round.
Habs Feel the Heat– Despite jumping out to a shocking 2-0 series lead (I had them pegged for a sweep) the Canadiens will now face elimination on home ice tomorrow night. The Habs are definitely in trouble but I have a hard time counting them out based on what we’ve seen from them in the playoffs the last couple years. Would love to see a seventh game in that series.
The Headshots– I’m glad the actual hockey is finally starting to overshadow the headshot talk that dominated the first week of the playoffs. Obviously there are some issues the league needs to address but it was a shame to see it dominate the headlines during playoff time.
Playoff MVP– There are a few good candidates for the first round MVP including the recently eliminated Teemu Selanne and Corey Perry. Datsyuk was amazing, Weber has been dominant and Dave Bolland has been fantastic in his three games. My vote goes to Marty St. Louis. Has scored big goals, leads the playoffs in scoring and has been a leader for that Tampa team. Can his Bolts force Game 7 though?
Officiating An Issue– It’s nothing new but the officiating has been a question mark in the playoffs so far. I can’t believe some of the soft calls that are being made in what seems like every series. I remember the days when a 5 on 3 in the playoffs was nearly impossible. Now it seems like each team gets one every game.
Pool Update- And a shout-out to the SensChirp pool leader jric. He’s holding down a three point lead but could be in trouble with the Ducks being eliminated and the Canucks on the brink. Good luck to all the competitors
So what do you think of the NHL playoffs so far? Favourite storylines/moments? Who are you rooting for?
