Bouncing around on the off day...
- Early Stanley Cup playoffs have been nuts, but what series has been the craziest? The Sharks fidning new ways to lose playoff games? The Capitals long predicted goalie/defense issues giving them problems? Philly holding a 2-1 lead against New Jersey? That no one gave Phoenix a chance against Detroit but they are very much handling their business there too, just as they have been all season long?
- So many storylines, so surprising. Especially when most observers saw a relatively predictable and peaceful first round with not too many bumps in the road. That's the beauty of hockey.
- Pittsburgh's injuries/illnesses really did a number on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Pens had to cherry-pick WB/S's top goalie and defensemen in Brad Thiessen and Ben Lovejoy, neither of whom played in the NHL. The Baby Pens have lost three really close games and are down 0-3 to Albany.
- With Jordan Leopold (who has a concussion history) out for the forseeable future, the Penguins are going to have to play Jay McKee more than the 13:28 they did last night. They can only lean on the Sergei Gonchar/Brooks Orpik pairing but so much, especially as the games go on.
- Think we'll ever see Ruslan Fedotenko again? Better question: have you even noticed Ruslan Fedotenko was not in the lineup these past two games?!
- April 28th, 2004. That was the last time Alexei Ponikarovsky scored a goal in the NHL playoffs. Of course, before last week 5/4/04 was the last game he had in the playoffs before last week, so maybe it's a little easier to understand why it's taking the UPT a little longer to make an impact in the second season.
- How's this for following the script: the Pens are now 22-5 all-time at home in Game 2 of a playoff series. And by virtue of last night's win they're 18-8 all-time in Game 3 on the road. From here there hasn't been as much historical dominance, Pittsburgh's just 12-12 on the road of Game 4's.
- Kris Letang has as many career playoff goals (5) as Sergei Gonchar does as a Pittsburgh Penguin. Just sayin.