We are two games into the 2010 NHL Eastern Conference Finals. And the Montreal Canadians have as many goals in this series as me and you have. The difference is that the Flyers have nine goals, and thus have a 2-0 series lead. Nothing is working for Montreal. Halak has been shaky in net, especially in game one. Those guys who usually score are getting shut down by Philadelphia’s tenacious defense.

But as Philadelphia showed last round, anything is possible. With the series going back to Montreal, a win in Game 3 would put them right back in the series. A loss, and well, Montreal will have to repeat history that just happened last round. Montreal may have the most Stanley Cups in NHL history, but with the way they are playing, they won’t be adding another this year.

by David at the Sports Fan Blog Network

The Canucks signed Mikael Samuelsson as a free agent last summer largely because of his playoff experience in Detroit.

It paid off in his postseason debut in Vancouver on Thursday night.

Shortly after Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo swept a puck off the goal line, Samuelsson scored his second goal 8:52 into overtime to give Vancouver a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 of the first-round Western Conference series.

“If you’ve been around, you know what to expect. That’s what experience is,” said Samuelsson, who played 69 playoff games and won a Stanley Cup during four seasons in Detroit before signing for three-year, $7.5 million ideal with Vancouver.

“You stay calm because you know what to expect, and you are well prepared. … I just play my game and try to pick my spots.”

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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Alex Ovechkin didn’t have a shot on goal. Not a single one. The NHL’s best scoring machine got upstaged by a player who, in the spirit of the week’s bit of trash-talking, did his best impersonation of Jaromir Jagr.

On a night in which the two-time reigning MVP was neutralized, Tomas Plekanec was the perfect spoil sport for the Montreal Canadiens, scoring 13:19 into overtime as the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed beat the top-seeded Washington Capitals 3-2.

It was Plekanec who traded gibes this week with Washington goalie Jose Theodore.

Plekanec basically said that Theodore was no Martin Brodeur or Ryan Miller, and Theodore shot back that Plekanec wasn’t exactly Jagr. Just to add to the fun, Plekanec’s jersey number on the greaseboard in the Canadiens’ locker room was listed as Jagr’s 68 — instead of Plekanec’s 14.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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The Edmonton Oilers continue to be the NHL’s free spot on the bingo card.

They played infinitely better than in their previous two desultory losses in Denver and Phoenix, pouring 39 shots at Jonas Hiller and getting two short-handed goals within an eight-minute span in the middle period, but still fell 3-2 to the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night at the Honda Center.

Todd Marchant handed the Oilers their 11th straight road loss and gave the Ducks a franchise-record 11th straight home win by deftly tipping James Wisniewski’s long slapper past Jeff Deslauriers’ glove in the third period of a game that neither Oilers coach Pat Quinn nor Ducks coach Randy Carlyle will be using to reinforce how to play defence.

But the fans loved it.

“What can I say? Wiz was trying to hit me in the high slot for a tip and it found its way in,” said Marchant, who was matched most of the night against the Oilers’ top line of Ryan Potulny, Dustin Penner and Robert Nilsson.

Click here to read the full article – By Edmonton Journal

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Maple Leafs defenceman Mike Komisarek went under the knife Wednesday, while Christian Hanson and Fredrik Sjostrom are thankfully no longer under the weather.

Komisarek, who was shut down for the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder, was slated to be operated on by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Ala. His recovery period is expected to be 4-6 months, which should leave him ready for training camp in September, barring any setbacks.

Komisarek’s right shoulder has been wonky ever since he scrapped with Boston’s Milan Lucic back in November 2008. Komisarek was a member of the Montreal Canadiens at the time.

Meanwhile Hanson and Sjostrom were back at Leaf practice today, having recovered from a bout of food poisoning they acquired on Sunday. According to coach Ron Wilson, both players ate at the same restaurant.

“I’ve always told people: ‘Don’t eat seafood if it’s flown further than you to get there,’” Wilson quipped. “I know they don’t get that shrimp out of Lake Ontario.

“They just ate some bad shrimp.”

Both players were too ill to play in Monday’s 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks. They also could not accompany the team to Canton, Mass. Tuesday for the funeral of Brendan Burke. son of Leafs general manager Brian Burke.

After all that, each was upbeat at the opportunity to be back out on the ice again today and should be in the lineup when the Leafs meet the St. Louis Blues Friday in Missouri.

Click here to read the full article – By Toronto Sun

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The knuckles — especially on his right hand — tell quite a tale for Jamal Mayers.

“Occupational hazard,” Mayers said without even needing to look at his hands.

The Flames lead the NHL in fighting majors this season with 64 — 10 more than the Anaheim Ducks, who were No. 2 on that list prior to Wednesday’s play.

The first thought would be that trading away Brandon Prust would have cut down the club’s fighting majors. Prust, now a member of the New York Rangers, has dropped the gloves 21 times this season.

However, Mayers is keeping the Flames quota of fighting majors alive and well.

In five games since coming west from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mayers has fought three times. The rash of tussles has him at 11 this season.

Click here to read the full article – By Calgary Sun

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Lies, damned lies and statistics: Mark Twain made the remark popular as a list of the three kinds of falsehoods there are.

Outscored 10-1 in the first period so far after five games of an eight-game road trip. No lead to brag about except for the final 2:04 of the opening road game at Toronto 11 days ago. Seven straight games in which the other team scored first and 12 of the past 14.

“You can’t think in your mind what the stats are,” Roberto Luongo said after the Canucks fell 3-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. “Thursday’s game [against the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Fla.] has nothing to do with the last 12 of 14.”

Then what does?

Luongo thinks perhaps the players are thinking too much about that and, well, why shouldn’t they?

They’ve held meetings where the coaches point it out and the players talk about it among themselves.

And if Mikael Samuelsson finds twine instead of metal on his first shift, it’s a different game.

Instead, Martin St. Louis gets a break when Kyle Wellwood throws the puck away on a power play, and the puck gives a little jump just as he’s about to shoot and the short-handed goal stands up as the winner.

Click here to read the full article – By Gordon McIntyre of Vancouver Province

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Canadiens head coach Jacques Martin said there has never been any doubt about forward Sergei Kostitsyn’s skill level.

There was no question about his work ethic Wednesday night as he assisted on three goals, including the overtime winner in the Canadiens’ 6-5 win over the Washington Capitals.

Kostitsyn controlled the puck along the boards and then found Tomas Plekanec in front to set up the deciding goal with 7.5 seconds remaining in overtime.

“It wasn’t too hard to put it in,” Plekanec said.

“I think the other night against Vancouver he played a strong game. We all know he’s a great player and when his work ethic is there, we’re going to win a lot of games.”

The word character was tossed around a lot and Martin said he wasn’t going to dwell on the fact the Canadiens lost a 5-2 lead in the third period.

Click here to read the full article – By Pat Hickey of Montreal Gazette

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Dion Phaneuf made quite a first impression with his new fans in Toronto.

Physical on the ice and chatty in the dressing room between periods, the rugged defenseman helped lead the Maple Leafs to a 3-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.

Toronto snapped a six-game losing streak in Phaneuf’s debut.

“It was a great honor to put this jersey on and to be a part of this organization,” he said. “The fans were unbelievable. To be on this side and playing in front of them wearing this jersey, it meant a lot to me. It was a very special game in my career.”

Jean-Sebastien Giguere also made the most of his Maple Leafs debut. He finished with 30 saves and became only the second Toronto goalie to record a shutout in his first outing. Ed Belfour beat Pittsburgh 6-0 on Oct. 10, 2002.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

There were some nerves and maybe even a little jet lag. Also a clear lack of chemistry.

But the four newest members of the Calgary Flames, flown in late Sunday after a seven-player swap with the Toronto Maple Leafs, were just as disappointed with the result as the rest of the team following Monday’s loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

“Lots of nerves, actually,” smiled defenceman Ian White, who is now the owner of the No. 3 jersey after trading places with Dion Phaneuf. “It’s the first time I’ve been in this position and obviously first impressions are lasting.

“There was a lot of nervous energy but I think I managed to channel it into a positive.”

White was caught chasing the puck, maybe trying to be a little too aggressive on his first couple of shifts, but settled in as the game went on. As did forwards Niklas Hagman, Matt Stajan and Jamal Mayers.

Click here to read the full article – By Calgary Herald

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