Ottawa 3, Tampa Bay 2

The Ottawa Senators -- a perennial playoff disappointment -- knocked out the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-1. This was exactly how I predicted the series, so please wait a moment while I pat myself on the back. Okay, thanks for applause. The Senators are in the same boat as the Devils in that they get to rest up and watch their next opponent go at least six games. Overall playoff record: 2-0

New Jersey 4, NY Rangers 2

New Jersey sweeps the series against the Rangers, 4-0. I predicted the Devils to win in seven in a series I thought would be more contested than it was. The Devils rode good goaltending, a solid defense, and a white hot player -- Patrick Elias -- right through the Rangers. Now they can rest up and watch while their next opponent goes at least six games. Overall playoff record: 1-0

Bob Clarke, professional multi-tasker

Apparently, Philadelphia Flyers GM Bob Clarke doesn't have enough on his mind with his team trailing the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in the opening round of the playoffs. Here's what Clarke had to say about Toronto firing head coach Pat Quinn: "You look at what (expletive) happened there and you have to wonder: Who would want to work in Toronto? What's going to happen next year? Are they going to fire the new coach if he doesn't make the playoffs? "What the (expletive) is going on in our business with all these coaches and GMs being fired? A lot of good teams didn't make the playoffs this year. And by next week, a lot more good teams will be out, too." Um, what? Why are you even commenting on this, Clarkie? Don't you have more pressing matters -- like helping your team figure out a way to win a playoff series, or maybe even preparing for the draft in a couple of months? This is what you think you should be spending your time on?

News & Notes

Rich Hofmann on the goal that may save the series. Phil Sheridan and Sam Donnellon on the re-emergence of Peter Forsberg. Ray Parillo on what Buffalo thought of Game 3. Keith Primeau announces he will not be returning for this series. Do you understand, Ed Moran?

Recap

Well, Carolina and Philadelphia decided to show some signs of life, while Dallas and New York continued to roll over and play dead. I had to work last night so the only hockey I saw was the 1:09 of overtime played between Colorado and Dallas. Boy, did I get this series wrong. The Stars came out as flat -- and about as strong -- as a piece of plywood for the overtime. They never had control of the puck over the red line, and couldn't even dump the puck deep into the Avs' end for a line change. Simply put, they looked like they had no interest in even playing the overtime, let along actually winning it. And for you Stars fans out there, please don't give me that lucky bounce nonsense. Avalanche captain Joe Sakic -- yes, he of the most playoff overtime goals in NHL history -- missed a golden opportunity about 30 seconds before Alex Tanguay bounced the puck off Stars defenseman Willie Mitchell's skate and past Marty Turco. Speaking of Turco, does this guy run over a dog every year before the playoffs begin? What else besides a massive karmic backlash can explain the way he shrinks in the postseason? Click over to James Mirtle for a more in-depth look at last night's action.

Vancouver fires Crawford

The Vancouver Canucks yesterday fired head coach Marc Crawford after missing the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. Canucks general manager Dave Nonis also had some choice words for the players in announcing the firing. "I want to make it clear this does not absolve the players for their part in this season," Nonis said. "In no way does this mean there will be no further changes. No way. The fact is there is a lot of blame to be spread around and a lot of it falls on the shoulders of people that were in that locker room." Crawford, a Stanley Cup winner in 1996 with Colorado, will most likely have his choice of jobs if he wishes to return to coaching. Click here for Bob McKenzie's take and here for James Mirtle's.

Aftermath

Ray Parillo files a piece today about that which is glaringly obvious to anyone who has watched the first two games of the Flyers-Sabres series: the game is all about speed now, and the Flyers don't have it. Ed Moran chips in with another update on Flyers' captain Keith Primeau and his quest to return to the ice. Primeau has been pushing himself recently and appears close to returning. I don't know if this is a good thing. This is clearly not an easy decision for anyone to make, least of all Primeau himself. It would be great to see him back on the ice. However, knowing that this series is all but over and a long summer off would do Primeau some good, I would err on the side of caution here and not let him play.

Ruff to Hitchcock: Idiot!

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff took exception to the way the Flyers played after falling behind early in last night's game. "Use a different word if you want, but I thought they did," Ruff said. "The more they acted like idiots, the more we wanted to play." [snip] "That's Lindy's opinion," Hitchcock said. "I've seen his teams do the same thing. So he ought not to talk about that." Hitchcock took one more question before abruptly leaving the podium. On his way out, he used two profanities in muttering aloud that Ruff should mind his own business. "Tell Lindy to [expletive] off, to mind his own [expletive] business." I have to be honest -- I've never liked Ruff. I can't stand him, in fact. However, in this instance, I think he's absolutely right. I thought the Flyers -- captain Derian Hatcher, in particular -- embarrassed themselves with how they played last night. Hatcher took several runs at Buffalo players with play still going on around him. Rookie Ben Eager got into the act by taking a couple of cheap shots at Sabres forward Thomas Vanek. Kudos also go out to Flyers' announcer Gary Dornhoefer for cheering Eager on this play. (I'm sure the kids watching at home know how to play the game now, Dorny!!) Someone please tell Dornhoefer this isn't the 1975 Finals. The Sabres don't even have the same uniforms, for crying out loud.

RIP, 2005-06 Flyers

Is it okay to admit that I want the Flyers to lose as soon as possible? After last night's embarassment -- and that's exactly what it was -- I have no interest in an emotional investment with this team. I want them to be out so I can enjoy the rest of the playoffs without the inevitable heartbreak that comes with their loss. I'm also ready to do my post-mortem on this team, from the head on down.

Hold on a second there, professor

It's a good thing I didn't put any money on my playoff predictions. Many thanks to Detroit and Edmonton for ensuring that I'd be wrong about at least one thing this spring.

Game 2, Philadelphia @ Buffalo

The Flyers lost a heartbreaker Saturday night, 3-2, in double-overtime. I had to work and didn't get to see any of the game, but received periodic updates from my brother. He was calling from a DC-area sports bar where he and his brother-in-law -- who's from Buffalo, of course -- went after the Nationals' game was rained out. (Thanks again, C.) There are several things worth mentioning about Game 1: First, despite giving up 9 power plays to the Sabres, the Flyers were able to kill off all of them. Penalty killing has been a thorn in the Flyers' side all season long and to shut down Buffalo's power play -- which ranked number one at home during the regular season -- is a huge step to build on. Second, as I understand it, the play of Robert Esche was huge. Most reports cites Esche as the sole reason the game wasn't a blowout, let alone that it went into double OT. Three, the devastating hit by Brian Campbell that laid out RJ Umberger was absolutely, positively, 100% clean. I'd also like to give credit to both Umberger and Campbell for their goodwill about the hit. Umberger -- "It was a legal hit . . . I was going up ice and I didn't expect [Campbell] to step up there. He just caught me off guard." Campbell -- "He got a suicide pass. I stepped up and just hit him. I feel bad that he's hurting. You hope you make a hit like that and he pops up and gets going." Finally, with all due respect to Richie Ashburn, baseball is not the only game that's a matter of inches. An inch here or there is all that stood between the Flyers and a win in Game 1 when Sami Kapanen rang a backhander off the post in the first overtime. The puck proceeded to bounce off the post and over a prone Ryan Miller back out into the Sabres zone and play continued. An inch here or there and the game's over. Ed Moran's column today is about whether or not the Flyers can recover from such a crushing loss. He takes the obvious route and uses Umberger's health as an analogy for the team's psyche. Not once is there a mention about where Peter Forsberg was in Game 1 (25 minutes of ice time with 1 assist and two shots on goal is not enough for the "best player in the world"). There was nothing about how the Flyers need to starting playing a more physical game since Buffalo is so much faster. I think the one thing we can agree on is that it's imperative for the Flyers to step up their effort in tonight's game.

(6) New York Rangers vs. (3) New Jersey Devils

The Rangers lead the Atlantic Division for most of the season, despite faltering in the second half. The Devils became one of the league's hottest teams over the last quarter of the season, capping it off by winning their last 11 games straight to claim the division. This series will be bitterly contested, as these two teams have a hatred for one another that knows no bounds. If it boils down to goaltending, New Jersey clearly has the edge in Martin Brodeur. Henrik Lundqvist will need to get healthy and return to the form that saw him as a leading for the Calder Trophy early in the season for the Rangers to have a shot. Prediction: Devils in 7. Series home page.

(5) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (4) Buffalo Sabres

The Flyers have been inconsistent all season long, battling one injury after another. The Sabres pushed Ottawa for the Northeast Division title before cooling off in the second half. As with every other series, this one will most likely come down to goaltending. In that instance, the Flyers have a slight edge starting Robert Esche. Esche, some will recall, two years ago backstopped the Flyers to a miraculous run that saw them lose to Tampa Bay in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals*. The Sabres, meanwhile, will be starting rookie Ryan Miller. This is one series that could go either way, though I think it entirely depends on which Flyers team shows up. If the team that beat Ottawa and the Rangers at the end of the season shows -- henceforth known as the Good Flyers -- then I think Philadelphia wins in a slugfest. If the team that lost to Toronto and was embarrassed by the Devils shows up -- henceforth known as the Bad Flyers -- then it's a cakewalk for the Sabres. Prediction: Buffalo in 5. Series home page. *It has been implied by some around the blogosphere and in the print media that Esche led the Flyers during that run. This is a misnomer, I believe. That playoff run was all about Keith Primeau; Esche, as with the rest of the team, went along for the ride. The absence of Primeau will be a big factor in this series if Buffalo manages to sweep the first two games at home.

(7) Montreal Canadiens vs. (2) Carolina Hurricanes

Is this series really a matchup of a #2 vs. a #7? Carolina has been on fire all year long, challenging Ottawa for the Eastern Conference title (which wasn't determined until the last night of the season). Meanwhile, Montreal turned on the lamp in the second half of the season and rallied around improbable star Cristobal Huet. In another series that probably comes down to goaltending, will it be the mature rookie Martin Gerber for Carolina or the thrust-into-the-limelight-of-starting-in-Montreal Huet for the Canadians that dominates? It should be an interesting series to watch, with both teams boasting plenty of depth up front. Prediction: Montreal in 6. Series home page.

(7) Colorado Avalanche vs. (2) Dallas Stars

Colorado backed into the playoffs this year courtesy of Todd Bertuzzi and the Vancouver collapse. Dallas was one of the top five teams all season long. Jose Theodore will be looking to shake off the demons from Montreal, while Marty Turco would like to finally lead the Stars to a Cup win after several years of fantastic regulars seasons followed by playoff flops. Dallas has the depth and the defense. Colorado has Joe Sakic. The loss of Peter Forsberg will be too much for the Avalanche to overcome. Prediction: Dallas in 5. Series home page.

(5) San Jose Sharks vs. (4) Nashville Predators

Another fantastic first round matchup, this series yet again features two teams with goalies who have no playoff experience. Nashville will be relying on backup Chris Mason to replace injured start Tomas Vokoun, while San Jose looks to Vesa Toskala to replace slumping Evgeni Nabokov. If Joe Thornton can finally step up and be a playoff performer, look for the Sharks to make a deep run in this postseason. Prediction: San Jose in 6. Series home page.

(6) Anaheim Mighty Ducks vs. (3) Calgary Flames

This could very well be the best series in the entire playoff year. Both teams feature excellent goaltenders with not much scoring up front. Since Calgary made the finals the last time the Stanley Cup was contested, it would be very easy to give them an advantage. However, Anaheim is a plucky bunch that made the finals just a few seasons back and has been one of the hottest teams over the second half of the season. Prediction: Anaheim in 7. Series home page.

(8) Edmonton Oilers vs. (1) Detroit Red Wings

Edmonton had to scratch and claw after the Olympic break just to qualify for the playoffs. Detroit was the class of the NHL for almost the entire season. Edmonton has a recent history of monster first round upsets -- just ask Dallas -- but I think Detroit is too focused to let the Oilers have any chance. Prediction: Detroit in 4. Series home page.

(8) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (1) Ottawa Senators

Tampa Bay has had a serious Stanley Cup hangover this year, while Ottawa was at the top of the standings nearly all season. The Senators, on the other hand, will be starting a rookie in net while the Lightning has veteran Sean Burke between the pipes. The Lightning know what it takes to win, while the Sens have a history of playoff flops. This series is ripe for an upset, but I just don't see it happening. Ottawa is way too deep up front and way too good defensively to lose a seven game series to Tampa. Prediction: Ottawa in 5. Series home page.

Matchups and schedule

Click this link for the schedule for the entire first round. Also listed is the national broadcast schedule -- American and Canadian. Thank you, Yahoo. Update:ESPN.com's Scott Burnside files a piece today on the "10 dark-horse players of the playoffs." Lo and behold, the Flyers' RJ Umberger makes the list. Think Flyers and you think Derian Hatcher, Peter Forsberg, Mike Knuble, Simon Gagne, Eric Desjardins. The big guns. But if the Flyers are to make good on preseason predictions that they are a Stanley Cup threat, they need someone to step out of the shadows, especially if Forsberg continues his pattern of intermittent play. Well, how about Umberger? A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., who spent three years at Ohio State University, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound center fits the Flyer mold of being larger than life and tougher than nails, but he has also surprised with his offensive contributions. The 23-year-old, taken with the 16th pick in the 2001 draft, has 10 goals and seven assists over his last 21 games. The rookie finished the campaign with 20 goals and a plus-9 rating, centering a youthful but skilled line that includes Jeff Carter and Niko Dimitrakos. Umberger could figure prominently, if surprisingly, into any success the Flyers have against Buffalo and beyond.

My head is still spinning

Whew!! You take one day for yourself, don't even look at a computer and look what happens: Toronto fired head coach Pat Quinn after the Maple Leafs miss the playoffs for the first time in Quinn's eight years. Craig Patrick was fired as general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins. St. Louis won the lottery yesterday and will draft #1 in this June's NHL entry draft. There is no consensus top pick, though there are about 3 or 4 standout North American prospects. Flyers' coach Ken Hitchcock finally named his starting goalie for the playoffs. ESPN.com's John Buccigross checks in with his weekly column. This week he discusses the first round of the playoffs, some Ben Folds Five material, and Speed Racer, among other things.

Playoff preview #1

Before I sit down with the five minutes of free time that I have to sketch out my playoff preview, I suggest you stop by ESPN for their Eastern and Western Conference previews. Interesting predictions on both coasts.

It begins

One day after their season finale, the Los Angeles Kings have axed general manager Dave Taylor. TSN is reporting that Dean Lombardi will be named as his replacement. More on this later.

It all comes down to this

Isn't this the way it should be? The final night of the season and three -- three!! -- teams have a shot at the same division title and number three playoff seed, while the other two will wind up with the five and six seeds. A Rangers win clinches the divison; they are the only team that controls their own destiny. Both the Flyers and Devils need a win and help from Ottawa -- whom the Rangers are playing -- to win the division. It's a good night for hockey, friends. Today's tap of the stick goes to Penguins star Sidney Crosby who became the youngest player in NHL history to record 100 points in a season.

Season review

With just two days left in the regular season, ESPN.com's Scott Burnside files his season review today. I agree with most of his conclusions, and his final four thoughts under the "Who Knew" section are dead-on.

The GM carousel

Almost two weeks after TSN's Bob McKenzie listed some of the jobs that may or may not be available this summer, ESPN.com's EJ Hradek breaks down his personal top five list for the various GM vacancies that exist -- and for those that are expected. He also include a few candidates that don't gave any GM experience but deserve a shot at running a team.

Gotta be in it to win it

Stop by Off Wing for Eric's Stanley Cup Challenge. If your team wins, you get put into a drawing to have $50 donated to a charity of your choice. Good fun for a good cause -- what more could one ask for? I'm still not sure of my pick. It all depends on who makes the playoffs and what the matchups look like. I'll post about it later this week once the season is over.

Possibilities

Okay, so last week when I was suggesting the Flyers hang back a bit to rest up for the playoffs, I didn't mean for them to completely go in the tank. Last night's loss put the Flyers into a tie with the Devils for 5th place in the Eastern Conference, with each team now only three points behind the Rangers (thank you, Pittsburgh). The good news is that the Flyers control their own destiny as far as where they finish. The Flyers have three games left. If they win out then they win the division and probably get New Jersey at home in the first round of the playoffs. This is not something to look forward to. Staying where they're at gets them Buffalo on the road in the first round. The jury is out on this matchup; there's just no way to predict how a rookie goalie will handle the playoffs. If they manage to fall to 6th in the Conference, then they draw the Rangers on the road. This might not be as bad as it sounds. They've played the Rangers well this year, and a Flyers-Rangers first round playoff matchup will be an emotional one. Hopefully, the players feed off this emotion, put the Rangers away early and then use the confidence from one playoff win to take on Carolina or Ottawa in the second round. Anyway, all of this is nonsense at this point. There are so many possibilities still to be determined. For crying out loud, there are still two playoff spots up for grabs in the Eastern Conference!! It's going to be a great weekend of hockey with all of the playoff jockeying going on. The Flyers face the Rangers on Saturday and the Devils again on Sunday. Who could ask for anything more on the last weekend of the season? I, of course, will be at work and get to see none of it.

Game #79

The Flyers travel up the Turnpike to take on the New Jersey Devils in the Meadowlands tonight. Up for grabs is 5th place in the Eastern Conference. A Devils win knots up the standings, while a Flyers win could edge them closer to the Rangers in the standings, pending the outcome of their game in Pittsburgh. In injury news, Peter Forsberg will be a game-time decision tonight.

NHL, OLN announce playoff broadcast schedule

The National Hockey League and its television partner, OLN, yesterday announced the broadcast schedule for the upcoming playoff season. Highlights include about six hours of hockey programming every weeknight up to the Stanley Cup Finals (this includes games, original programming, movies, and classic games) and the availability of several series in HD.

Game #78

The Flyers play yet another game on OLN tonight as they host cross-state rival Pittsburgh Penguins. Click here for a preview of the matchup.

101. Best. Screenplays. Ever.

Check out The Last Reel for a quick hit on the Writer's Guild of America's best screenplay list. Somehow, I've only seen 5 of the top ten (Casablanca, The Godfather, Citizen Kane, Some Like It Hot, and The Godfather II). Honestly, though, I have no burning desire to see the other five (Chinatown, All About Eve, Annie Hall, Sunset Boulevard, and Network). I will say, though, that I can't recommend Casablanca enough. This is one of my favorite films of all time. Each time I watch it I find something new to laugh at. For any of you that have never seen it, please, do yourself a favor and rent it one Friday night. Bogie playing the man's man, Bergman looking absolutely gorgeous, and one of the best supporting casts ever -- you'll come back here and thank me. I promise.

Number two, sir

This weekend's tap of the stick goes to Al MacInnis. MacInnis, one of the best defensemen to ever play in the NHL and probably the best all-around defenseman ever, had his #2 retired by the St. Louis Blues on Sunday in a pre-game ceremony that was arguably the highlight of their season. He retired third all time in goals (340), assists (934), and points (1274) for defenseman, and fifth in games played (1416).

Weekend update

As noted in the comments section below, this weekend passed without an update on the standings section on the left. I offer many apologies. Suffice it to say, this weekend was very busy. (I know, someone call the wha-mbulance.) Anyway, full updates for all leagues through Sunday's games are now up.

Call Detroit "butter," cause they're on a roll

James Mirtle, a sports journalist for The Globe and Mail, takes a brief look at which teams are on a hot streak heading into the playoffs. The Red Wings hold the best record since both January 1 and the Olympic break. The smart money is on them to win the Stanley Cup, which probably means they have no shot. (And I have no problem with that.)

Sobering reality check

While most of Philadelphia is focused on the Phils' opening series debacle and the Flyers playoff charge, there are some in town who have more pressing matters to attend to. The Flyers' Brian Savage yesterday revealed that his brother has been diagnosed with cancer. He has already undergone one operation and will soon begin chemotherapy. Our thoughts are with the entire Savage family during this difficult time.

Rangers win; division lead now 5 points

The Rangers beat the Islanders 3-1 last night, distancing themselves even further from the Flyers. As I mentioned Wednesday, it's time for the Flyers to stop playing for the division and start preparing for the playoffs. Resting some of your key players who are dealing with injuries might be the prudent thing to do. Coincidentally, news from the Flyers is that Peter Forsberg is now dealing with a lingering groin injury. Hitch, please, rest your big men. You're not going to catch the Rangers. You're in front of New Jersey by four points with a game in hand. You're going to finish 5th in the conference and play Buffalo in the first round. Right now, you have absolutely nothing to play for. Rest some players and let them recharge for the playoffs.

NHL musical chairs

TSN's Bob McKenzie's most recent article is all about the expected avalanche of hrings and firings at the end of the season. What should concern Flyers fans in this article is the mention of head scout Dean Lombardi as being targeted by the Islanders and the Bruins. Lombardi was previously GM of the San Jose Sharks and is credited with drafting and developing several solid players including Patrick Marleau and Brad Stuart (since traded to -- yes, you guessed it -- Boston). In my dream world, Bob Clarke is finally put out to pasture and Lombardi is given control of the Flyers. This, however, will never, ever happen until either Clarke or team president Ed Snider dies. Since that's the case, if I were the Flyers, I would offer Lombardi however much money it would take to make him stay and give him the promise that whenever Clarke steps down he'll be next in line.

Rangers edge Flyers in shootout; time to embrace 5th seed

Well, that certainly wasn't the outcome I was looking for. While I'm no Robert Esche fan, he played a fantastic game last night -- as did the Rangers' Kevin Weekes. The shootout loss puts the Flyers three points behind the Rangers with seven games to play. While not completely out of the race for the division, it will be very tough for them to catch the Rangers. The Flyers are now a virtual lock for fifth place in the conference, garnering them a first-round matchup on the road against Buffalo (whom the Flyers just happened to play on Friday night). My suggestion would be for the Flyers to accept their fate and rest some players for a couple of games before the playoffs start. The two Peters -- Forsberg, who has been coasting a bit anyway despite what Rich Hoffman thinks, and Nedved -- immediately spring to mind with their various ailments. Nedved especially, considering how nagging groin injuries can be. Regardless of whether or not Forsberg is rested -- and my money says he isn't -- he will definitely show up to play once the playoffs start. With 154 points in 133 career playoff games, this is a player who rises to the occasion when the games matter most. Keep in mind, Forsberg has already given up his spleen to help his team win in the playoffs.

Just win, baby

Well, here's the article that all of the phloggers will be linking to and commenting on today. I've been saying for a while now that, from top to bottom, the organization either doesn't know how to win or doesn't care about winning. I also know that I'm not the only one who has been talking about this. Shallow Center has been the main proponent of this argument for quite some time now. It's nice to see that the media -- you know, the people who actually get paid to do this for a living -- is finally catching up with the rest of the world. Also, please check out the Phloggers Pheeds to get the scoop on what the phloggers think of the article.

Oh, Yeah

I caught this review/preview on the front page of philly.com and was instantly intrigued. I confess to know nothing at all about the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. A friend of mine is going to the show tonight at the Trocadero. I'll get her take on it and hopefully a burned cd or two (shh, don't tell the RIAA) and see what al the hub-bub's about. Until then, if anyone has any thoughts, I'm all ears.

Deuce's wild

There are 2 weeks left in the NHL regular season and the Flyers are two points behind the Rangers in the standings with two games left between the two clubs. The first of those two is tonight in New York. If the Flyers can win the game in regulation, they will move into a tie with the Rangers for the division lead with just 7 games to go. If the opposite happens, the Rangers will have an almost insurmountable 4 point led with 7 games remaining. To say tonight's game is huge is an understatement. I wonder if anyone in Philadelphia even knows about tonight's game and it's importance.