The Flyers managed to go into hostile territory on Friday night and stave off elimination. They were boosted greatly by the return of top line pivot, Sean Couturier who ended up potting the game winning goal with just 1:15 to play in regulation to stun the home crowd. 

 

It was an all around poor play by the Penguins as a weak clearing attempt ended up on Couturier's stick who launched a 50ft wrister that Matt Murray should've had.

 

The Penguins came out flat in this one and were lucky to get out of the first period down 1-0 as Claude Giroux potted his first of the playoffs to get the monkey off his back. The Pens outshot and outchanced the Flyers in last 40 minutes but Michael Neuvirth stood strong and made 30 stops in the 4-2 victory – including a five-bell save against Sidney Crosby with the net empty and under a minute to play.

 

Expect Neuvirth to start game six. 

 

**

 

Evgeni Malkin left the first frame after landing awkwardly as he attempted to dump (or maybe slewfoot?) Jori Lehtera. 

 

Malkin hurt after Lehtera falls on his leg pic.twitter.com/ZRZMVD3fNX

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 20, 2018

 

The big Russian returned to the game to begin the second frame and still managed to play over 20 minutes. That likely indicates he should be good to go back in Philidelphia for game six but we'll await word. 

 

**

 

For the first time (sort of) in their franchise history, the Winnipeg Jets are off to the second round. The city of Winnipeg hasn't celebrated a playoff round victory since 1987 and they had the barn rocking!

 

Connor Hellebuyck posted his second consecutive shutout to finish off the Wild in five games, however this one was never really in doubt as the Jets jumped all over Devan Dubnyk by scoring four goals on 10 shots in the first 12 minutes of the game to chase the Minnesota netminder. 

 

Already down Josh Morrissey due to his one game suspension, Nikolaj Ehlers was a late scratch on Friday evening. It was Bryan Little coming up from the third line centre position to play RW on the second line and replace the speedy Dane.

 

Jacob Trouba played a very strong game, potting the game-winner just 30 seconds into the game and stifling the Wild attack with regularity. Expect this man to get paid this summer after signing the two-year six million dollas bridge deal after the holdout two seasons ago. 

 

**

 

Nashville was back home and looking to match the Jets by dispatching their opponent in five games. It appeared that they were being afforded a nice boost by facing Andrew Hammond in net for the Avs – a guy with just one regular season start this season. 

 

However, Hammond and the Avs were up to the task in the first two periods, going blow for blow with the Preds. The Hamburgler made several big saves to keep the game scoreless after 40 minutes. 

 

With under 10 minutes to play, Nick Bonino redirected a juicy rebound off his skate and past the Colorado netminder. The play was originally disallowed for kicking but upon video review, was awarded as a good goal. 

 

Six minutes later, Nate MacKinnon displayed all the patience in the world to draw everyone and their dog to him before dishing over to Gabe Landeskog for the empty-net tap in. 

 

What a play by @Mackinnon9 to set up @GabeLandeskog92 and it's a tie game again. pic.twitter.com/3La8AvGePa

— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) April 21, 2018

 

The Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen line has a combined 17 points in the five games thus far. 

 

With a 90 seconds remaining, The Avs completed the comeback when Sven Andrighetto buried a rebound on a two-on-one past Pekka Rinne.

 

Andrew Hammond was the obvious first star of the night as he finished with 44 saves to record his first career post-season victory and his first NHL win since 2015-16. Game six goes Sunday back in Colorado. 

 

 

**

 

Your Lady Byng Trophy finalists are @Barkovsasha95, @WKarlsson71 and Ryan O'Reilly.

The winner will be chosen in @Vegas!  #AwardWorthy #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/nWnJLBYQCw

— NHL (@NHL) April 20, 2018

 

 

It's hard to really complain too much about these three, but it's difficult not recognize Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Just one defender (Brian Campbell 2011-12) has won the award in the last 54 years. You didn't misread that. Before Campbell, the last blueliner to take home the Byng was Red Kelly back in 1953-54. 

 

Random Lady Byng thought:

Marc-Edouard Vlasic played 1800+ minutes this season, over 1400 of which came at 5v5 going head to head with the other team's best players, and he only got called for 2 minor penalties.

😱😱😱

— Filipovic Forsberg (@DimFilipovic) April 20, 2018

 

Vlasic did have three misconducts which clearly took him out of the running, but maybe we need to start weighting the penalty minutes defenders compile vs forwards in this award category. 

 

**

 

Tough news out of Washington as Andre Burakovsky has been ruled out for the remainder of the first round. It was announced on Friday that he'll need surgery. 

 

You'd think this would mean more opportunity for Jakub Vrana, but with Burakovsky out last game it was Chandler Stephenson stepping up to the second line to flank Nicklas Backstrom and TJ Oshie. It sure appears that Barry Trotz is completely uninterested in giving the talented Czech winger a real look amongst the team's top six forwards.

 

**

 

For my weekly prospects dump, let’s just remind everyone how everything Elias Pettersson touches this year turns into a point. The lanky Swedish forward has continued to abuse the SHL as he now sits as the playoff point leader with 14 points in 11 games – this after leading the regular season in points and breaking the regular season U20 points mark. His Växjö squad leads Skellftea 2-0 and have outscored them 11-0.

 

Pettersson now sits in a tie for second all-time in U20 SHL playoff scoring with – surprise, surprise, Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Here’s hoping Skellftea can win a game and give him at least three cracks at breaking the record.

 

 

Pettersson should be considered an elite asset to own in keeper leagues and will be a frontrunner for what’s shaping up to be a terrific 2019 Calder class featuring: Miro Heiskanen, Rasmus Dahlin, Andrei Svechnikov, Eeli Tolvanen, Casey Mittelstadt and more.

 

Here’s a glimpse at what he’s been up to in the SHL playoffs thus far:

 

#Canucks prospect Elias Pettersson's goal from the second period pic.twitter.com/Jm3hR7qMNh

— Ryan Biech (@ryanbiech) April 17, 2018

 

 

Elias Pettersson 🙌 pic.twitter.com/G5BC6pA1hW

— C More Sport (@cmoresport) April 17, 2018

 

 

Elias Pettersson just took his team to the SHL Finals after this overtime beauty vs Malmö. 👀 #Canucks

(🎥 C More) pic.twitter.com/alwjg9u1cu

— Robert Söderlind (@HockeyWebCast) April 8, 2018

 

**

 

I was on Sportsnet650 Thursday evening digging into the 2018 NHL crop as well as some talk around the Canucks’ prospects whom I cover over on DobberProspects.

 

Have a listen

 

I chatted with @DanRiccio650 on @Sportsnet650 last night discussing #2018NHLDraft and #Canucks prospects. I come in around the 8 minute markhttps://t.co/pV7pv3O1jk

— /Cam Robinson/ (@CrazyJoeDavola3) April 20, 2018

 

 

**

 

In the lead up to fantasy drafts, it’s always important to begin mining for talent from various places. You don't need me to tell you that its paramount you hit on your first few picks. Miss in the first round and you’re usually destined for a less-than-desirable finish. However, it’s the work done in the middle to late rounds that often win a championship and the research throughout the offseason will help determine who and why you may select a player.

 

We at DobberHockey often speak of the value associated with the ‘post-hype sleeper’. These are players who fall into two categories:

 

1. A highly regarded prospect that hasn't taken off as expected after several seasons
2. A player who witnessed a ‘boom’ campaign then followed it up with regression.

 

These players, when targeted correctly, can be value picks that have the potential to propel your squad deep into the fantasy playoff season.

 

Here are a two names to keep an eye on:

 

Dobber’s surrogate son, Cam Atkinson has long been a player that people expected a breakout from. In 2016-17 that potential was realised as he blistered through the first half of the season at a point-per-game pace before steadily cooling in the back 40. He still finished with a very respectable 35 goals and 62 points in 82 games and after seeing his point-per-game mark improve in each of the previous four seasons, people were drafting him to replicate his performance or even improve on it.

 

As we know, 2017-18 wasn’t as kind. The diminutive forward limped out of the gate with just 13 points in his first 32 games and was waiver fodder for many leagues. If the cooling towards the end of 2016-17 was a warning sign for the following season, than what Atkinson has done down the stretch this year may be telling for 2018-19.

 

Atkinson was red-hot to finish his regular season, recording 14 goals and 25 points in the final 22 games and is keeping that spirit alive early in these playoffs. He managed to produce a ton of shot volume throughout the entirety of the season, landing ninth in the league with 3.6 shots-per-game and averaging over four shots per contest during the final quarter.

 

 

Some additional fodder for the fire is the familiarity he and his line mates will continue to build. Pierre-Luc Dubois had a terrific rookie season and has gotten better with each passing game. His potential to be a legitimate number one centre is palpable. Furthermore, Artemi Panarin may have just had the most quiet 82 -point season in recent memory  (although Mikko Rantanen could give him a run for his money in that regard).

 

Panarin was expected to see his production dip away from Patrick Kane but instead it grew. Players will often need a settling in period with a new squad so we may not have seen the height of Panarin’s greatness yet.

 

Those three should be viewed as a potential elite top line next season.

 

People will inevitably see Atkinson’s 46 points and expect him to be a borderline addition to a team, but as an astute manager, you’ll have read this and seen the warning signs that may indicate otherwise. Target him in the proper spot and reap the rewards.

 

 

The next player I want to discuss is Dylan Strome. Long has it been foretold that Strome would be a franchise pivot. His size, skill, pedigree and production at every rung on the developmental ladder has indicated as much. However, he’s yet to establish himself as an everyday NHL’er while those selected around him in the 2015 draft are thriving in the league. People lose patience on young players quickly, and at age 21, many folks are already writing Strome off.

 

Now, as a someone who fancies himself as having a keen eye for talent evaluation, the knocks on Strome are valid: He doesn’t play with enough pace at even-strength and can’t wheel back to make up for the odd mistake off the puck.

 

However, what he can do is distribute the puck like few players. His vision, reach and touch are splendid and if surrounded by the right players and the right systems, he still has an extremely high season.

 

Many people were quick to give up on Mark Scheifele after being returned to junior for both his draft-plus one and draft-plus two campaigns and his skating was questioned at the time as well. I’m not saying Strome is destined to end up as a Scheifele-level talent, but that’s the ceiling.

 

After producing 53 points in 50 AHL contests, Strome closed out the regular season with the Coyotes and put up eight points in the final 10 games while seeing just 13:30 of ice time – 1:39 of which came on the power play, while skating alongside Max Domi and Zach Rinaldo at even-strength.

 

Looking deeper into his even-strength numbers, Strome was a positive possession player with an iCF rating of 53 and had 11 takeaways to only two giveaways.

 

Arizona has invested a great deal in his development and the promising final months for the Coyotes' season illustrates a team that is ready to take the next step towards pushing for a wild card spot. Strome becoming an impactful pivot for them and allowing Derek Stepan to handle the heavy defensive minutes allowing Strome and Keller can run a bit wild would be the perfect breeding ground for success.

 

Strome’s draft stock will be low this year, but he’s a breakout player to watch.

 

**

 

That's all for this week. Thanks for reading and feel free to follow me on Twitter @CrazyJoeDavola3