PLAYOFFS, BABY! PLAYOFFS! YIPEE!

 

I realized one score into the first game last night that I'd entered too many pools/made too many bets. I had no idea who or what to root for. But I also realized how much I missed playoff hockey. How fatiguing were the last couple of weeks of the regular season?

 

The Habs-Lightning game was a thoroughly entertaining affair. I thought Montreal played a dominant game, winning the shot battle 44-25. Every single mistake was a scoring chance for Tampa Bay though. What a dangerous team. They jump on turnovers like a fat kid on an Oreo.

 

Steven Stamkos, was the fattest kid of them all, scoring two goals, including this beauty:

 

 

This, my friend (and betting partner) reminded me, is why we took Stamkos in our box pool. Even if he gets eliminated in round one he could be a top-20 scorer.

 

Ondrej Palat left early in the third period and did not return. No word on his status but it looked like a knee. That would be a really sad way to end a fine rookie season.

 

Anders Lindback had a lot of work to do and made some solid stops but I was unimpressed. He has too many holes and about as much rebound control as a pinball bumper. If Tampa Bay wants to keep playing this way, they'll need to get Ben Bishop back. Lindback just isn't a starter.

 

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I really enjoyed the game Tomas Plekanec played. He made a lot of noise despite frequently drawing the Stamkos line. Granted, he went minus-two but that'll happen when you take on the opposition's best. That's why you won't see Plekanec scoring huge totals (same goes for Patrice Bergeron, Jonathan Toews and Anze Kopitar to name a few) but he's still a very solid player. He kept Montreal in the game early when it looked like Tampa Bay might be ready to start dominating.

 

Brian Gionta played a serious role in that as well scoring a short-handed goal to even things up late in the second period – another point when it felt like Tampa Bay might take hold.

 

The Thomas Vanek – David Desharnais – Max Pacioretty line struggled a bit but they got a lot of rubber on net combining for 17 SOG. They did manage one goal, a pretty give-and-go between Vanek and Desharnais. They quite nearly clicked for the overtime winner as well but Pacioretty found iron.

 

I think that Montreal needs to bring Vanek back. I don't think Vanek would be a great fit for every team but on this team he brings top-end offensive ability, which is a necessity.

 

Dale Weise scored the OT winner. You took him in your pool, right?

 

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If you are Columbus, how do you react to last night's narrow loss to the Penguins?

 

Does it fire you up that you can play with this team? Or is it a gut shot to blow the 3-1 lead?

 

I'm leaning towards gut shot.

 

Despite all the changes the franchise has made bringing in solid veterans this is still the league's youngest team. I can see losing a game in that fashion being incredibly deflating. Winning Game One could have meant all the difference. Now I'm sensing a short series.

 

Their captain, Jack Johnson, stepped up with a nice game, opening the scoring and adding an assist. I am far from a fan of Johnson's game but I'll give him credit for being a playoff warrior. Give him 14 points in 13 career NHL playoff games. Small sample size to be sure but that's part of the battle – rising to the challenge in a short series.

 

Note: Johnson is also minus-seven in those games and has never made it out of the first round. You're shocked, I know. It's little surprise that the Kings took off for their Cup run the year they traded him away.

Brandon Dubinsky was in full pest mode shadowing Sidney Crosby all game and managing nine hits.

 

That's why Evgeni Malkin is the best bet in playoff pools if you want to ride the Penguins. Crosby will face all the shutdown pairings while Malkin will see friendlier matchups. And of course they are both out there on the power play and any desperation moment. Too late to act on this now but file it away for next year.

 

I'll tell ya, Matt Niskanen is headed towards some pay day. Give him two more points last night, both on the power play. As if he hadn't already had a great season, a long playoff run could make him a heavily sought-after free agent. Niskanen has grabbed a chunk of Letang's minutes, including the spot on the top power play unit and that's the $7 million man. Can Pittsburgh afford to bring him back? Can they afford not to?

 

I don't think they will. Someone is probably going to overpay him, it's how the free agent market works. Look at the huge deal the Flyers just gave to Andrew MacDonald – a guy fans of the defense-needy Islanders didn't even enjoy. The Penguins don't have the cap space. Not after that Letang deal.

 

I'm also not sure Niskanen is THAT good. How easy is it to skate the Penguins' top power play unit? One need only shoot right-handed and not be completely devoid of skill to man the point. It seems foolish to reward Niskanen for fitting those criteria. Though to be fair, only 14 of his 43 points this season came with the man-advantage so there was more to his game than that. I just think there are much more important players on the Penguins – for instance, Paul Martin.

 

Martin led all Penguins in ice time and notched two assists. Would be nice to see his skills translate to fantasy value one of these years.

 

So far Beau Bennett looks like a leading candidate for the playoff breakout overreaction. Give him two points last night. If he keeps this up everyone will be jumping to grab him way too early next year. Keep in mind that the Penguins aren't exactly flush with openings in the top-six. Pascal Dupuis will be back next year.

 

Props to Marc-Andre Fleury for hanging in there after the Blue Jackets went up 3-1. You could just feel the whole hockey universe ready to pile on top of him if the Penguins lost this one. He didn't let it get away and the team rewarded him with the come-from-behind win. My jokes about "the Flower" blooming every spring will have to wait for another time. Damn!

 

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I always said that the four-goal lead is the worst in hockey. The Ducks blitzed the Stars early to take a 4-0 lead only to watch the Stars slowly come back and ultimately make things interesting late. Final score: 4-3 Ducks.

 

I suspect the Ducks will win this series handily. The Stars' underlying numbers were pretty solid and obviously they can score in a hurry. It took a five-on-three power play to get them going though. I just think the Ducks are too deep.

 

Matt Beleskey and Nick Bonino were my two dark horses on the Ducks. Beleskey clicked for two points, one of which came skating with Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf at evens. Bonino notched an assist but was not in his usual spot on the top power play unit. Patrick Maroon and Mathieu Perreault were out there instead and they each notched a point. Like I said, lots of depth scoring on this team.

 

Does the win earn Frederik Andersen the next start? This is why I don't do goalies in my playoff pools. Too unpredictable.

 

Colton Sceviour is starting to get my attention on the Stars. Goal and an assist last night. He scored over a point per game at the AHL level and had eight goals in just 26 NHL games. Definitely some depth potential.

 

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Steve Mason is out for game one. Ray Emery will get the start. Not sure it much matters. I have little confidence in either goalie. To be fair, the Flyers once rode Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher to the Cup Final but Chris Pronger is nowhere to be found this time around.

 

Mason or Emery? That's like getting caught in a leaky boat with a lead life preserver.

 

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Henrik Zetterberg expects to return for round two. Possibly late in round one.

 

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Sabres GM Tim Murray on Ville Leino buyout: “Very good possibility.”

— John Vogl (@BuffNewsVogl) April 15, 2014

 

 

 

SHOCKED!

 

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I don't know why on Earth you'd have him in a pool at this point but Anton Belov has signed a four-year deal to return to Russia.

On the plus side that's one more reason to be optimistic about the Oilers tandem next season.

 

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Sean McIndoe previews each playoff series in four lines.

Line no. 1: The old-school narrative

The Blues are in free fall, collapsing under the weight of their season-long status as Stanley Cup favorites, and now face a humiliating first-round exit at the hands of the defending champs.

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More from Grantland, 121 things to love in the NHL playoffs.

 

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Elliotte Friedman names Getzlaf MVP in his latest 30 Thoughts.

 

I understand his reasoning but I disagree. It's Crosby. Unless there's a REALLY good reason I'm of the mind that you give the MVP to the best player in the world. That's unquestionably Crosby and he was finally healthy enough to prove it. You don't take that away from him. Are we really going to look back and see Alexander Ovechkin with more MVPs than Crosby? I don't want to live in that universe.

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Justin Bourne lists 23 players who should have made it in the NHL but didn't. Basically a who's who of fantasy busts.

 

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You can follow me on Twitter @SteveLaidlaw