So last night had some crazy games, double overtimes, a team got swept, there were some high-scoring games and oh yeah, Ryan Miller came to play! While I didn't catch the games, I can tell you why each team won. It's just a numbers game.
#1 Washington Capitals vs #8 New York Rangers (4-3 2OT)
The Rangers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second period and going into the final period, it seemed as though the Rangers would be going back to Washington with the momentum and the series tied 2-2. Not so fast, Semin scored to start off the third period and Marcus Johansson broke out and scored a pair of goals to take it into overtime for the Capitals. The real reason the Caps came back? The Rangers went 0-for-7 on the power play and only four shots on goal. You let a team hang around like that, and they're going to make you pay. The Capitals need to show better defense, but they can rev it up whenever they want. Also, the Caps got 53 shots on goal against Lundqvist, with that many shots, some are bound to go in, right? I think this series is over, there's no way New York can come back from that.
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs #5 Tampa Bay Lightning (3-2 2OT)
The Pens finally scored on the power play! Now we wonder if they'll finish against Tampa Bay. The Pens went up 2-0 on goals by Tyler Kennedy and Arron Asham (really?), but Martin St. Louis was instrumental in getting the Bolts back in the game and tying it. Shame that James Neal had to end the party for the Bolts and send the Pens back to Pittsburgh with a 3-1 lead. This is a tough pill to swallow for the Bolts, but at least they didn't blow a 3-0 lead. By the way, it seems as though the lucky number for double overtime is 53. If you can get 53 shots on goal, that 53rd will go win and you will win. Dwayne Roloson faced 53 shots on goal, same with Henrik Lundqvist. Can't expect to win if you don't keep shooting on net!
#2 Philadelphia Flyers vs #7 Buffalo Sabres (0-1)
One name. Ryan Miller. Stonewalled the Flyers once again. Danny Briere, the man that makes the difference for the Flyers, could not score wide-open, in front of the net with nobody on him and a great chance to score. Mike Richards will likely be hearing from Colin Campbell at some point. There's no way he's getting away with the elbow on Patrick Kaleta. He received a five-minute major for it, but the Sabres were unable to score on the ensuing power play. Ryan Miller is going to have two more games like this if the Sabres are to advance to the conference semi-finals.
#4 Anaheim Ducks vs #5 Nashville Predators (6-3)
Wow, like I said earlier, whoever scores first will win this game. I predicted the Preds to score first, I was wrong, it was the Ducks. Cam Fowler scored on the power play and pushed the Ducks ahead early, but the Preds scored two goals in the second to tie the game at 3-3. Then the Ducks went nuts in the third period. Corey Perry short-handed, Ryan Getzlaf and some dude named Brandon McMillian scored in the first 7 minutes. Rinne was yanked and that was the end for the Preds. The Ducks got three goals on special teams, two power play and one short-handed. But the worst part for the Preds was the injury to Martin Erat after Jarkko Ruutu collided with him in the neutral zone while no one was looking and took him out for the rest of the game. Colin Campbell might also be talking with Ruutu at some point tomorrow as well. Expect Rinne to be phenomenal from here on out, he's given up way too many goals and getting pulled should put his head back on his shoulders.
#3 Detroit Red Wings vs #6 Phoenix Coyotes (6-3)
I thought it'd be 5-3 Detroit, but no, it's 6-3. Phoenix tried, but Detroit is just too good. Bryzgalov played well for the most part, but he let in a weak one for the Red Wing's fourth goal. I really think that there's no more hope in Phoenix, they got wrecked by Detroit and the talk of moving back to Winnipeg hangs over this franchise. Just watching this game, it honestly looked like a home game for the Red Wings, there were a ton of Red Wings fans and Phoenix looked like they had gotten the crap beaten outta them and were running on fumes... yea, they gave their crowd some hope, but alas, it was not meant to be.
Now there's only 15 teams left in the hunt for Lord Stanley's Cup
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