Pens Points: ECQF Game 5

Good morning one and all,

The Pens will get their first chance today to close out the Rangers and move on to the next round. No time like the present, so let's show up at 3 (afternoon game, I know) and nip this in the bud. For his part, Mike Sullivan dismisses any parallels to the 2014 series. [PPG]

The Capitals found out just how hard it is to close out a desperate team and they ended up becoming desperate themselves. Michal Neuvirth is doing his best impression of Halak circa 2010. Despite the Caps outshooting the Flyers a ridiculous 43-11, nothing went past Neuvy and the series, now a 3-2, continues. [SI]

And that incredible thing may have been the most ordinary game last night. It was a wild and fun playoff melee. The Isles and Panthers played well into 2OT when an unlikely hero Alan Quine emerged for the Isles and helped them take the pivotal 5th game. Also the Panthers lost Nick Bjugstad to an ugly spill into the boards. [Miami Herald]

Out west things are even more wild. Minnesota didn't go quietly into the night, despite the Stars putting a ton of rubber on (and in) their net. They took it to OT, where Koivu won it, sending the series back to the Twin Cities. [Dallas Morning News]

The best was saved for last, as the Sharks took a 3-0 lead in LA, the Kings tied it in the 2nd and just when everyone thought "here we go", San Jose refused to let history repeat itself and eliminated their nemesis. Well done. [LA Times]

It's almost impossible to imagine that the Kings are out of the playoffs and the Flyers are still in it, but hey if you are the LA Kings and you play the elimination game and your best possession player is Rob Scuderi, you have no business being in the second round. [TSN]

Jonathan Quick is already out, and will Henrik Lundqvist join him? It would be a fun thing if we could make this happen, but it won't be easy. [New York Times]