For the first time ever, the Phoenix Coyotes are going to the Western Conference Finals, after beating Nashville 2-1 in Game 5. This defensive oriented team will have its hands full when they open the series in Phoenix against LA. But it’s not like the Predators weren’t close to beating the Coyotes.

Mike Smith was great as usual, stopping 32 shots, but the defense also gets a huge amount of credit. Phoenix was able to keep the shots to the outside and were able to block and clear the rebounds out of harms way. Even with Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn in the lineup, the Preds could only beat Smith once. If only the Predators could capitalize on their chances, maybe the series would be different.

The Change in Momentum
Martin Hanzal’s wristshot put Nashville in a bigger hole and this came after Roman Josi finding the iron. That was their best chance of the night to get a goal and they missed the chance to tie the game. After being down 2-0, the Preds would not get the same quality chances like they had in the second, and ended up coming up short in the third. Smith even tried for the empty net and nearly hit it. That would have been crazy.

Unsung Hero
Derek Morris had quite the game, potting a geno and finishing with three blocked shots and three hits. Morris led all Coyotes players in ice time and was a big part for stalling the Predators comeback.

Notables
This is Shane Doan’s first time being past the first round and he’s clearly leading by example. Doan had a huge assist on Morris’ goal after ringing the puck off the post. The captain finished the game with four hits and has been a big reason why they’re off to the next round.

Colin Wilson had another good game and scored the lone goal for the Preds, after tipping David Legwand’s pass by Smith. Wilson played hard along the boards and shows he can compete at a high level. He will be good for Nashville for years to come.

On the Horizon
Phoenix has exceeded everyone’s expectations and has an owner ready to buy the club. They’ve eliminated two very good hockey clubs, Chicago and Nashville, and LA is going to be a big test. Obviously Smith has to be on top of his game, and he has been all playoffs. Most will expect it to be a goalie battle as Smith will face Vezina nominee, Jonathan Quick. If LA eliminates Phoenix, they will have eliminated the number one, two, and three seeded teams.

This was a game that Nashville let it slip away. Being down 1-0 by a fluky goal, they stormed out of the gate for the second period, but it wasn’t enough as Phoenix held on to win 1-0. Mike Smith was a wall; making 25 saves for his second postseason SO. The Predators came into the game sloppy and played with hardly any desperation. And for the second straight game, Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn were healthy scratches.

In total, the Predators missed the net on 14 shots, with most of their excellent opportunities to tie the game in the second.  And in the third period when the game was on the line, the Preds failed to generate anything by Mike Smith. The closest thing to a goal, came when Patric Hornqvist crashed the net, and the refs waived no goal for pushing Smith in the net. After that, Nashville just tried to jam the puck in to no avail.

The Change in Momentum
Hornqvist had the best chance, as Smith misplayed the puck, but he shot it over the net. Nashville had Phoenix in the second period but failed to capitalize on their opportunities. That gave the Yotes confidence heading into the third and with that disallowed goal, it seemed like nothing was going to beat Smith. The penalty kill for both teams were perfect and that could have been the difference for the Predators. For the most part, the game was even, but Nashville just missed the net too many times.

Unsung Hero
Shane Doan gave it his all and was rewarded with the GW. He fought off Hal Gill most of the night again, and even dumped him in the corner before he scored. The captain played hard, finishing the game with three hits. Everyone knows their role on this Phoenix team, and everyone knows how they should play. Doan is the leader and coming up big when it counts.

Notables
Boyd Gordon, who blocked Shea Weber’s slapshot with his hand in Game 3, was on the ice for the third, taking key faceoffs and winning most of them against David Legwand. Even with a taped hand, it didn’t matter, as he played very gritty during the last five minutes of the game.

Colin Wilson was all over the ice with Brandon Yip and Nick Spaling. This was by far the Preds best line tonight and they nearly potted a few genos. Wilson’s game was great on the forecheck and was rewarded by taking Sergei Kostitsyn’s spot on the top line late in the game. He only finished with one shot and one hit, but there’s no doubt he played a solid game.

On the Horizon
The mistakes made by both teams are limited. When they do happen, you got to make sure you capitalize. Nashville had many opportunities but couldn’t cash in. Now they’re on the brink of elimination and it will take a better effort to beat Smith. The Yotes will try to move onto the Western Conference Finals for the first time in their team history. Game 5 do-or-die. Go big, or go home.

After suspending two key players, Nashville came out with a lot of jump and were able to capitalize on Phoenix’s mistakes. The Predators were able to play the kind of hockey that they are known for, and won 2-0. Pekka Rinne returned to Vezina form and made 32 saves for the SO. Despite the win, discipline nearly cost them the game late in the third period. Luckily for the Preds, they had Rinne in net.

With Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn out of the lineup, Matt Halischuk and Jordin Tootoo were inserted on a line with Paul Gaustad. Tootoo played his game, checking and grinding out the Yotes, and ultimately frustrating them. Game 3 was tighter defensively than the previous games and both teams had their fair share of chances.

The Change in Momentum
After scoring two quick goals, the Predators were able to limit the Coyotes chances, making Rinne’s job a lot easier. Both teams’ penalty kill were perfect tonight and that’s a testament to their defense. Third period, with Phoenix on a five-on-three powerplay, Rinne made sure to they’d win. After killing that, there was no way the Yotes were going to get a goal.

Unsung Hero
Martin Erat was all over this game. Erat was the best Predator on the ice and that was because he was forechecking hard, making plays, and getting pucks to the net. He ended the game with one assist, but his line was just making all the right plays. I don’t think Barry Trotz will break this line up, since it was the best line.

Notables
David Legwand rebounded from a bad night in Game 2 and was on a line with Patric Hornqvist and Gabriel Bourque. Legwand had the GW and nearly had another geno if it weren’t for a disallowed goal on the play. This line showed more jump with Hornqvist on the wing instead of Radulov.

Shane Doan was trying so hard to lead to Coyotes to victory but couldn’t. Doan finished the game with five shots, five hits, and a minus-1. His line of Antoine Vermette and Mikkel Boedker couldn’t generate enough offense and were shut down by the big Hal Gill.

On the Horizon
With Nashville winning Game 3, this puts them back in a good spot heading into Game 4. We saw some great defensive hockey from both teams and it only took one mistake by Mike Smith for the eventual GW. The crowd in Tennessee was electric and the players were definitely feeling right at home. Game 4 should be another great game of defensive hockey and we’ll see if Trotz will sit the two again. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it right?

Wow if Phoenix played like this every game, they wouldn’t have participated in six overtimes already. They simply outplayed the Nashville Predators and frustrated them to win 5-3. The Coyotes, a team known for their defensive game, turned it up a notch and recorded 39 shots on goal. Every time the Preds got on the board, the Yotes would answer with a goal of their own. The most frustrated Predator on the ice was Alexander Radulov, who has done absolutely nothing so far in this series, and was forced to watch from the bench during the last minute.

This was the best 60-minute of hockey played by Phoenix in this years playoffs. They made sure that Nashville couldn’t get the time and space to generate their offense and Mike Smith made the key stops when needed. Pekka Rinne hasn’t shown the level of play we saw against Detroit, but to be also fair, the defense has not been that great either. It’s a team game and there’s plenty of blame to go around, but it looks like Dave Tippett’s squad loves the pressure and everyone is contributing on all lines.

The Change in Momentum
Heading into the second, the game still tied at one, until a misplay by Rinne and David Legwand. Both plays cost the team hard and were now down 3-1. Radim Vrbata, from behind the net, was able to slip the puck though Rinne’s legs out to Martin Hanzal for the easy tap in. Just a few minutes later, Legwand caught the puck behind the net, and threw it over right in front of Rinne. Hanzal would bump Rinne and Vrbata would capitalize on the open cage. That should have been goalie interference, but sometimes the calls don’t go your way, just ask Martin Brodeur. Patric Hornqvist would tip Ryan Suter’s shot on the powerplay to get within one. Just when we thought Nashville woke up, Taylor Pyatt cleans up a juicy rebound and Phoenix never looked back.

Unsung Hero
Antoine Vermette lead the Coyotes to victory tonight, posting a geno and an apple. Vermette was also the best faceoff man for Phoenix and ended up being plus-2 on the night. His line of Shane Doan and Mikkel Boedker were ready to play and brought their A-game.

Notables
Oliver Ekman-Larsson continues to impress me. Night in and night out, Larsson is one of the best, if not the best, Coyote blueliner on the ice. He didn’t register a point but finished the game plus-3.

Kevin Klein played a decent game despite being on the losing end. Klein made a beauty pass to Andrei Kostitsyn for his only point of the game. He also jumped into the rush to try and score numerous times. There wasn’t a lot of positives for Nashville, but Klein was a bright spot on the blue line.

On the Horizon
The Rinne vs. Smith battle is far from over, but the edge clearly goes to Smith. The story of this series is slowly shifting away from that and being how the Phoenix defense is able to shut down Nashville’s offense. If the Yotes can bring the same level of intensity to Game 3, they should be in good shape. Nashville needs to adjust and play with more desperation if they don’t want to be on the brink of elimination.

The second round of this exciting playoffs has begun! I’ve chosen to watch the Nashville and Phoenix series, in what should be, a battle of the goaltenders. Well, Game 1 wasn’t what I expected from both goalies, but I expected Nashville to dominate, which they did in the third and into overtime. Mike Smith would stand on his head and help the Coyotes beat the Predators 4-3, thanks to Ray Whitney in overtime.

After some fluky goals, both goalies started to settle down in their crease, and we’d see some very exciting hockey. This wasn’t a typical game for the Preds/Yotes, as both teams have had a bit of a layoff due to their finishes in the first round. Rust showed early for the Predators in the first, but they slowly took over the game and the Coyotes went into their defensive mode. We’ve seen this defensive mode all too well in the first round against the Chicago Blackhawks, and it eventually led to all those overtime games.

The Change in Momentum
The momentum switched a lot in this game, but after Mikkel Boedker’s beauty goal, it was all Nashville in the third. Smith would stand on his head, but Nashville would tie the game, sending it to another overtime game. In the extra frame, Smith again, doing all he can to keep the Yotes alive, and a big save off Bouillon would give the team the boost they needed. One problem for the Predators was their faceoffs. Phoenix absolutely dominated and Whitney’s goal was off the faceoff. The Preds need to do a better job in that area.

Unsung Hero
Mikkel Boedker was an absolute stud in this game. Boedker’s come a long way since being drafted in ‘08 (8th overall), and the offensive production is starting to come. He’s peaking at the right time and has scored big goals for the Coyotes.

Notables
Rostislav Klesla played a good game. Klesla had two points (1 G 1 A) and finished the night with six hits, three blocked shots, and a plus-2. He played very well in his defensive zone, and was rewarded on the scoresheet.

Patric Hornqvist was trying to make life miserable for Smith all night. Always parked in front of the net, Hornqvist finished the game with two assists. He did good job of screening Smith and that’s how you’re going to beat him. Those greasy goals are needed and Hornqvist is providing the Holmstrom presence up front.

On the Horizon
This was Phoenix’s sixth overtime game in this year’s playoffs and we can expect more due to Smith’s ability to keep them in games. Pekka Rinne wasn’t as sharp as we’ve seen him, but we know his skill and he’ll be ready for Game 2. Also we can expect next game to be more structured as both teams don’t want to play a run-and-gun kind of game. Defense will improve on both ends so we may end up seeing the scoring go down. If Phoenix wants to keep up with Nashville, they can’t shutdown in the third period, like they’ve done all playoffs. Third period they were outshot 16-1 and definitely need to change that if they want to win three more games.

The series that took the hockey world by storm ended with Philadelphia winning 5-1 over Pittsburgh to be the third team to advance to the next round, and boy do they need the rest. This series can be summarized as over 50 goals scored, lethal special teams, and emotions running back and forth. What an amazing series. For Pittsburgh, a lot of people picked them to contend for the cup, but with the quick exit to their rivals, it could be considered a failure of a season. And for Philadelphia, Claude Giroux proved he is a big time performer and that a leader has emerged.

The Flyers played great defense tonight, limiting the Penguins second and third chance opportunities. A couple of bounces went their way and suddenly the lead was too great for the Pens to come back. Ilya Bryzgalov, who was lost in the woods for most of this series, played a good solid game. From the moment the puck dropped, Giroux and Bryzgalov were on their A-game. G scored 32 seconds into the game, setting the tone for Game 6.

The Change in Momentum
Fleury didn’t have a bad game; he was just on the wrong end of some bad bounces. The game slipped in Philly’s favour after Scott Hartnell’s goal. Fleury should have covered the puck before Hartnell dove and poked it through the wickets. Then the game was out of reach when Erik Gustafsson’s snapshot beat him glove side, even though he just had to take one little step to the side. Danny Briere’s goal went off Michalek and past Fleury, and by that time, there was no come back. But the Penguins fought and fought. Almost every shot was blocked or deflected and they just couldn’t generate enough pucks on net to score some goals.

Unsung Hero
Erik Gustafsson for his great defensive play, and he was rewarded with his first ever playoff geno. On the defensive end, he played up against Evgeni Malkin, who just couldn’t muster up anything. Gustafsson finished the game with seven blocked shots, two hits, and a plus-3.

Notable
Evgeni Malkin did all he could and maybe a little too much. Malkin finished with a goal and six shots on net, but tried to do everything on the ice at times. The solo play of the Art Ross Trophy winner came out and it was easy for the Flyers to isolate him and shut him down.

Braydon Coburn played a great game. Coburn finished with six blocked shots, three hits, and a plus-2. He was a big reason for the Penguins anemic offense. No second or third chance opportunities were there and that was a big reason why Philly only let in one goal.

On the Horizon
This concludes one of the most exciting series in recent memory. The series had a little bit of everything, goals, saves, fisticuffs, and a whole lot of hatred for the other squad. The NHL may want to think about changing their playoff formula because this would have made a great Stanley Cup Final matchup. I’d like to see the NHL order the teams from most points to least points and match them up with 1 with 16, 2 with 15, 3 with 14, and so on. That’s a rant for another day though. There’s still plenty of hockey left and some good ones at that. Philadelphia needs to play aggressive like how they did against Pittsburgh and Bryzgalov has to be much better if they want to go far. When this team is at their best, they’re pretty hard to beat.

This WAS the playoff game everyone thought this series would be. No one would expect such a high scoring affair that has the series shattering numerous NHL postseason records. Though in Game 5, both goalies have something to be proud of. For Marc-Andre Fleury, he was incredible to say the least. In the third period when Philadelphia was pressing hard, Fleury shut the door as Pittsburgh hung on to win 3-2 and avoid elimination for the second time. No overtime, no double digit scoring, this was a must-win game for the Penguins that turned out to be a real playoff game.

Emotions ran high throughout the game, with both teams seeing action in the Sin Bin. Evgeni Malkin was in the box numerous times for his recklessness and unnecessary play. Jordan Staal continued his strong play and scored a big goal to help give the Pens life. Once again, the Flyers powerplay was lethal as they went 2/5 and have the highest powerplay percentage in a series by a mile away (OVER 60%!!). Ilya Bryzgalov played well in the net and made some good stops, but in the end, coughed up the lead and let Pittsburgh slowly climb back into the series.

The Change in Momentum
The Flyers led 2-1 after the first period, thanks to the Penguins serving time in the box. In the second however, the Flyers were asleep at times, and the Pens were able to capitalize on their mistakes during even strength play. Poor defensive play hurt the Flyers in the second, but in the third, Fleury was the difference maker.

Unsung Hero
Tyler Kennedy scored the GW (1 G 1 A) and now has six points in this series. His line of Staal and Cooke was just great tonight as they were on the ice for both the goals in the second. This line that does not get much credit, should be getting their due now.

Notables
Kris Letang had a great game, from his fake slapper to Steve Sullivan, to his end-to-end pass to Staal, he was the offensive quarterback for Pittsburgh. Letang is the driving force to the offense on the backend, but his defensive play was also pretty sound tonight.

What else can you say about Claude Giroux? He’s usually on the score sheet (1 A), he has 11 points in this series alone, just one away from tying the franchise record for scoring in a playoff series (Daniel Briere in 2010 and Bill Barber 1980). Giroux continues to be Philadelphia’s best player.

On the Horizon
So what have we learned through five games? Well, whichever team has scored first, that team has gone on to lose the game. We also know that spending time in the box is very costly. And there is at least three goals being scored in the first! Philadelphia will try in Game 6 to end Pittsburgh’s comeback short. Both goalies need to be on their A-Game once again and staying discipline is key. This series just continues to be the talk of the hockey world and becomes more and more interesting as Pittsburgh wins.

On the brink of elimination, players’ true colours come out. The former Stanley Cup Champions find themselves in a big hole and they made a statement it’s not over by beating Philadelphia 10-3. Jordan Staal recorded a hat trick including the GW to help keep his team’s hopes alive. The last time the Flyers gave up 10 goals in a playoff game was April 25, 1989 against Mario Lemieux’s Pittsburgh Penguins, where he recorded five goals and three assists.

The first period lived up to the hype as both teams fired pucks into the back of the nets, but costly penalties would ultimately decide the Flyers fate. Both teams talked a lot about being disciplined in tonight’s game, but when the puck dropped, Steve Sullivan got his stick up in Claude Giroux’s mid section, putting the lethal Flyer’s powerplay to work. Giroux would tally his 5th of the series and then the question marks to Marc-Andre Fleury began. Tonight the Penguins won because of their defensive play. Fleury had help and made 22 saves. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough to hopefully build some confidence heading into Game 5.

The Change in Momentum
In the second period, the Flyers started being undisciplined and it would lead to three powerplay goals for Pittsburgh. The third powerplay goal by Sullivan would be the hammer as Fleury passed it to him and he rushed to the top of the circle and unleashed a huge slapshot that would beat Sergei Bobrovky’s glove. It was like Steven Yzerman doing it all over again.

Unsung Hero
Evgeni Malkin was showing his true colours and showed why he captured the Art Ross Trophy. Talling two genos and an assist, Malkin made plays and drove to the net. This was his best game of the series, not because of the points, but because of his skating and managing the puck. They need Geno to continue to gain confidence and make plays in Game 5.

Notables
Steve Sullivan was not showing his age at all. From his sick clapper, he was skating really well. Sullivan finished the game with a goal and two assists and was a big part of Pittsburgh’s win.

Claude Giroux had a goal an assist, but couldn’t help the Flyers get back into the game after the first. Costly penalties would factor in and on the penalty kill, tried to set up Maxime Talbot for shorthanded goals. He was the best Flyer on the ice and they look for him to leading the team.

On the Horizon
There’s never been a dull moment throughout this series. It’s surpassed many expectations and became the highest scoring series through four games with 45 goals, one more than the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers produced back in 1985. Can we expect to see goaltending in Game 5? Both Fleury and Ilya Bryzgalov have struggled and it will take one of them to make a big save to help rally their team to win the next game. How will Breezy perform after being pulled? And how will Fleury perform after having a subpar game? Game 5 is definitely going to be an exciting game.

This game was just nasty. Just one day after other NHL series started to get dirty, the Pittsburgh Penguins were in Philadelphia. That smells trouble no matter which team is in the building. The Flyers would win this down and dirty affair 8-4 and it puts the Penguins on the brink of elimination. I doubt anyone would have thought that at the beginning of the playoffs.

This game had every bit of excitement like Game 2, with more haymakers and punches. Marc-Andre Fleury was nowhere to be seen in the net as he was out to lunch. The two biggest stars of the series, Sidney Crosby and Claude Giroux, also dropped the mitts and fought one another, proving they’ll do anything to win. The Penguins showed more vulnerability this game than any other game in the season. They were legitimately roughed up and couldn’t stay composed.

The Change in Momentum
If there was one moment where Philadelphia took a strangle hold, it was after Daniel Briere’s second goal. What a beauty! Briere’s goal was off a three-on-two rush and this goal just sent the fans into a frenzy. If Fleury needed to make a save to give the Pens life, it was now. After this goal, we saw the dirtiness that we haven’t seen in this series. The Penguins got off their game and were suddenly playing into the Flyer’s hands. Philly would run with this and before the period was over, it was 4-2.

Unsung Hero
It was Matt Read’s turn to shine as he scored two goals including the GW. Peter Laviolette has full confidence in his rookies but to make things worse for the Penguins, every line seems dangerous on the ice. Laviolette has four good lines that wear down the Penguins while also putting points on the scoreboard. Giroux and Briere are still rolling, can you imagine if Chris Pronger was playing?

Notables
The “Real Deal” James Neal was by far Pittsburgh’s best player. He played hard and physical, ending the night with two genos (2 G 1 A), including a highlight reel goal. His line mate, Evgeni Malkin is still getting shutdown by Sean Couturier, but it’s not like he didn’t have his fair share of chances. Most of Malkin’s shots actually missed the net and the Penguins need him to get the ball rolling if they want to stay alive.

Wayne Simmonds was absolutely a stud in this game. Before the end of the 2^nd, Simmonds was sprung on a breakaway and dangled Fleury to put the Flyers up 6-4. That was it for Pittsburgh as they couldn’t get anything started in the last period. Simmonds was doing everything tonight (1 G 1 A), he was hitting, forechecking, and he stood up for his teammates. He’s just an all-around good player.

On the Horizon
With Marc-Andre Fleury set to start Wednesday, the team needs more from everyone if they want to stay alive. Pittsburgh also needs to stay away from the sin bin because the Flyers are lethal on the powerplay. The Flyers are built to be tough, but they can also score. It seems like everyone is chipping in, but the same can’t be said for Pittsburgh. It’s very clear the scoring depth on the Flyers may be the best in the league and we haven’t seen much of a fight from Pittsburgh. Alive or Die, will they capture or just let it slip?

If you missed last night’s game between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, you missed out. This game reminded me of Game 1 between Philadelphia and Chicago back in 2010, but this game was a bit different. Sidney Crosby opened the game in spectacular fashion. 15 seconds to be exact! Was there any better way to open the game than that one time shot by Crosby? I thought not. I also thought, here we go again.

8-5 Flyers was the final score of this wild affair, but it had plenty of dramatics. For one, the Penguins lost their lead again….and Sean Couturier would not only shutdown Evgeni Malkin line’s again, but also register a hat trick! (3 G 1 A). The former Penguin, Jaromir Jagr, would get the eventual GW.

The Change in Momentum
It was almost like watching déjà vu in the first period. The Pens jump out to a lead forcing Flyers coach Peter Laviolette to call a timeout, and then the Pens score a really late goal. In the second frame, we see the Flyers come back from that other universe and tie the game. The momentum really swings in this game, but the shorthanded goal by Claude Giroux and Couturier’s second goal, would be the two changes in momentum. For one thing, there is no way you should be giving up a shorthanded goal in the playoffs, let alone two. On Couturier’s second goal, Ben Lovejoy gets his pocket and he makes the Penguins pay. Pittsburgh’s turnovers and Philly’s aggressive forecheck proved to be too much.

Unsung Hero
We know about Couturier and G (3 G 3 A) and their great performances, but Max Talbot deserves a lot of credit. He scored the first goal, which was shorthanded, and assisted on Giroux’s shorthanded goal. Two big spurts of momentum that gave the Flyers a way back in the game. Among else, Talbot would end up being a plus-5 on the night. He played with a lot of heart and tenacity and was a big spark plug for Philly.

Notables
Pascal Dupuis played a pretty good game. Dupuis hit every chance he could and finished with two points (2 A) on the night. He was creating chances every time he was on the ice and ended up staying a plus-2.

Braydon Coburn also had a good game. Shot blocking, and hammering guys into the boards. He stayed aggressive and kept the puck in for Couturier’s first goal of the night. That was a big play that could have had an impact on the end result. He finished with one assist while being a plus-4.

On the Horizon
Pittsburgh finds themselves down two in the series and travel to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Sunday. The Flyers have been able to comeback in games all season long and imagine if they actually play a good first period. The momentum has definitely switched. We’ve seen both teams play well at different times in the game, but have yet to see one play a consistent 60 minutes. This is a crucial game to win for Pittsburgh; we’ll see how they respond.