With only so many hours in a day im afraid 2 games last night / this morning was my limit - so after taking in the highlights only of the remainding games i bring you this quick round up of them.
Washington Capitals v New York Rangers
Although being outshot 10-6 in the first, the Rangers held Washington in the first 0-0 then took the bull by the horns in the 2nd. They built themselves a 3 goal lead in this one, Anisimov getting the go ahead goal at 5.24. He banked it in off defenceman Hendricks from behind the net to set the Rangers on their way.
2 goals in 7 seconds then firmly put the Rangers in command. 13.40 saw Gaborik on the doorstep to stuff home a back hand feed from Fedetenko and then it was Dubinsky with the Slapshot from infront after another set up from the backhand of Fedetenko.
This sent the Maddison Square Garden fans wild and with their team 3-0 going into the final period it looked like the Rangers were tying this series 2-2 and heading back to Washington level.
Washington had obviously not read the script. They came out in the 3rd with 2 quick goals of their own to get this back to a 1 goal game. Semin got his 2nd of the series at 2.47, intercepting an attempted pass out of the zone and somehow squeezing the puck near post on a wrist shot. The puck seemed to hold up in Lundqvist's padding but not stick and it squirmed through into the net.
Less than a minute later Johansson had his first ever playoff goal. He tipped in after Laich had sent a hard pass right across the crease. Only 3.44 had gone in the 3rd.
There was 7.53 left when Johansson managed to find the net for the 2nd time in the game and level things up. This time he tipped a Carlson blast from the point, just as Avery returned to the ice after a slashing call.
The game was now poised evenly, with Washington having the momentum after a great comeback.
There were no more goals in this one in the 3rd and the game went into overtime for the 2nd time this series.
Neither team could get it done through 1 period of overtime, the Caps outshooting the Rangers 13-9 but it was the Caps who got it done 12.36 into the 2nd overtime period.
It was an ugly goal, Chimera sending a bobbling puck towards Lundqvist which really shouldn't have caused him any problems. It didn't look like it was going to as he moved his glove forward to cover it, only to find the stick of Gaborik had beaten him to it. His team mate, trying to clear to the corner somehow let the puck back onto Chimera's stick and he was now infront of an unguarded net and just had to make sure it crossed the line.
Heartbreak for the Rangers who through 5 periods over games 3 and 4 had dragged themselves back into this series, only to allow the Caps back in to steal a 3-1 lead going back to home ice. The Rangers were outshot 53-39 in this game and from the highlights only im not sure how well Lundqvist played, but he would certainly have liked a couple of these goals back tonight.
Philadelphia Flyers v Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres are heading back to Philadelphia after shutting them out for the 2nd time this series. I said in my preview they would need to be good defensively and Miller made 32 saves to blank the Flyers.
The only goal of the game came 9.38 into the 1st period, Ennis backhanding the puck infront to Neidermayer, who perfectly slid the puck through the crease and onto Pominville's stick for him to direct into an unguarded net.
Both teams had good chances through the 1st period and Buffalo were unlucky on a couple of occasions not to double their lead. They were outshooting the Flyers 13-11 at this point.
Both teams played hard in the 2nd period but neither team could find a way through. Defense was always going to be a major key to this series and it was proving so again. With 3 seconds left in the middle period Buffalo were given an exteded powerplay with Flyers captain Richards getting a 5 minute elbowing call.
They only mustered a total of 2 shots on this powerplay in the 3rd, leading to boo's and jeers as Richards returned after serving his penalty.
Briere had the Flyers best chance in the 3rd period. He found himself in on Miller one on one but after pulling a couple of deke's saw his shot go into the glove of his ex team mate.
Confrontations boiled over on the final buzzer with 2 players from each team taking minor penalties as a scrum ensued. This tension and edginess will no doubt continue back in Philadelphia in a couple of games time with this series now becoming one of the closest of this years round 1 match up's.
Anaheim Ducks v Nashville Predators
Anaheim needed a win tonight in Nashville to wrestle back home ice advantage and tie the series 2-2. They got off to the perfect start, shooting out into a 2-0 in just over 5 minutes.
It was a powerplay goal coming from the stick of Fowler from the left point. Perry had managed to get the pass to him and he was wide open to fire the puck in at 4.41.
Koivu's wrist shot at 5.14 made it the perfect start. He collected a rebound after Blake's shot had hit Rinne's pads and just lifted it in past the goalie. Nashville should have cleared the zone but failed to, gifting the Ducks this goal.
It did only take the Predators 31 seconds to cut the deposit to 1, Hornqvist going to the back door on a 3 on 2 to pick up a pass from Kostitsyn to put the puck in. Nashville had taken their time out after the 2 goals and it seemed to work.
Nashville had the game back tied 5.44 into the 2nd on a powerplay goal, Joel Ward getting the slightest of tips on a slapshot from Franson. It was Ruutu who was sat in the box on an interference call after a hit on Erat had sent the player straight to the dressing room for treatment. He didn't return.
Anaheim got their own powerplay goal at 11.41 to retake the lead, Selanne tipping a Getzlaf pass past Rinne along the ice. Predators soon had the game levelled up again. Halischuk entered the zone and got the puck over to Klein. He went in behind the net and fed it quickly back to Halischuk who got it up past Emery before he could get across.
The Ducks finally managed to break the back of the Predators with a short handed goal 1.17 into the 3rd period. A quick break out from McMillan and Perry saw Perry skate towards the net and shot a tame looking backhand towards Rinne. It went in on him gloveside, using 2 skating defencemen as shields to hide to shot.
2 more quick goals at 4.51 and 6.46 saw the Ducks take the score to 6-3. Firstly Getzlaf hit a wrist shot high stick side on a delayed penalty call then McMillan managed to get behind 2 covering Predators defencemen to wrist a shot through the legs of Rinne. At this point the netminder was pulled and Lindback saw his 1st icetime of the series.
There was no more scoring after that and the Ducks came out comfortable 6-3 winners, outshooting the Predators 38-22 in the process. Anaheim got the scoring they needed from Getzlaf and Perry and welcome Perry back in game 5 after his 2 game suspension. This win could have got the Ducks right back on track.
No comments:
Post a Comment