NHL Playoffs Roundup: Blackhawks Draw Even, but Blues Won't Go Without a Fight
Sometimes you get the feeling that all the Chicago Blackhawks need on defense is Duncan Keith.
In his first game back from suspension, the 32-year-old reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner logged more than 30 minutes, earned a goal and an assist, and helped the Hawks even the first-round series with a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues in Game 2 despite being outplayed and outhit all night long.
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The defending Stanley Cup champions could have easily been heading back to the United Center in Chicago down a pair, as the Blues have made it clear they're in for a fight. They got solid goaltending again from Brian Elliott, used their forecheck to punish the Blackhawks defensemen and enjoyed an opportunistic offensive showing from their superstar Vladimir Tarasenko to rack up what looked like a 2-1 lead late in the third period before a pair of assists from video-replay judges saved the day for the Hawks.
First, what looked like Tarasenko's second goal of the game was waved off after a long (and grainy) look at center Jori Lehtera's skate seemed to prove he was offside on the play before the puck got to Tarasenko's stick.
Then, a power-play goal from Andrew Shaw was upheld after the Blues challenged the goal-mouth scramble by claiming Shaw interfered with Elliott on the play.
The fans at Scottrade Center were upset. But they can be happy knowing the series is not going to be an easy one for their opponents.
In the old NHL—before the coach's challenge—it likely would have ended with a big Blues victory.
The Blues have a different look this season than the team that lost to the Minnesota Wild in the first round a year ago. The confidence level is much higher. Maybe that starts with the way Elliott has played, allowing just two goals in the two games so far.
It might have to do with the fact Tarasenko has looked more elite than any of the Blackhawks stars, with Patrick Kane quietly gathering a pair of assists on Friday but looking nowhere near as dangerous as he did during the regular season.
Keith has already become the Blackhawks' most valuable player. Heck, he's already played more minutes than most of the guys on his roster. But he'll be tested just as he was last spring as teams attempted to take advantage of the thin Blackhawks blue line behind Keith, Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson.
The Blues used their size to inflict pain on the Hawks defensemen whenever possible. They dished out 30 hits by the halfway point of the game and finished with a 41-25 advantage in that category. Of course, the Blackhawks can argue they had the puck 56 percent of the time, but regardless of the possession time, the hits do take a toll and could ultimately force mistakes or cause injury.
So smothering were the Blues in the opening period that they kept the Blackhawks to a season-low two shots on goal in those first 20 minutes.
It almost paid off. Maybe it will in the long run.
No Steven Stamkos, No Problem for Tampa Bay Lightning
It's been a rough start to the postseason for Detroit Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk. Last week he told the media this might be his last season in the NHL. But he probably didn't think it would be a quick exit.
Not only did Datsyuk lose a tooth during a clash with Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman in Game 2 of their first-round matchup on Friday, but with a 5-2 loss in the game, it sure looks like Datsyuk and the Red Wings are overmatched.
Down by two in the best-of-seven series, they'll have a chance to return to Joe Louis Arena and get back on track on home ice, but so far they seem to have no answer for the Lightning trio of Nikita Kucherov, Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn. The Bolts' top line accounted for another four goals Friday, giving them seven in two games—and a combined 15 points.
Bolts captain Steven Stamkos is sitting out at least a month after surgery to remove blood clots in his chest late in the regular season, and the fear coming in was the Lightning would struggle to make up for his 36 goals and 64 points in the regular season.
Keep in mind, though, that the defending Eastern Conference champions did just fine without production from Stamkos last spring. Stamkos went the entire seven-game series against the Wings a year ago without a goal.
Johnson led the way last year—ultimately topping all playoff goal scorers and finishing tied with Patrick Kane in the overall-points race. It looks like Johnson's line is again going to lead the way for the Bolts. Kucherov has three goals, the big-bodied Killorn has a pair, and Johnson has two as well.
Hey, that Jonathan Drouin kid has been pretty good, too. If not for a mistake on an offside in Game 1, he would have two assists through his first two playoff games of the season after earning his first officially on Friday while setting up Brian Boyle to give the Lightning a 2-1 lead in the second period.
The Bolts did eventually need Stamkos to heat up and help them get past the Montreal Canadiens and, especially, the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final. Against lesser defensive opponents, however, one stacked line is enough. And that could take them all the way back to the Stanley Cup semifinals.
Panthers Even Series Thanks to Smith, Luongo
The rats were flying in Florida on Friday with the Panthers securing a 3-1 win in Game 2 against the New York Islanders to tie up the first-round series at one apiece.
The rubber rodents were made famous in 1996, the last time the Panthers won a playoff round, and thanks to Reilly Smith's strong night—his second in a row after netting a pair of goals in the opener on Thursday—the rats riddled the ice as the series was sent to Brooklyn for the next two of what's now a best-of-five.
Smith scored twice in a loss on Thursday but ensured the Panthers didn't fall behind by two games by opening the scoring with his third of the series and then setting up the winner for Nick Bjugstad in the second period.
From there it was up to goaltender Roberto Luongo to make sure the Islanders didn't make a comeback.
Looking every bit as good as he did way back in 2011 when he won his last playoff game with the Vancouver Canucks in Game 5 of a seven-game loss to the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final, Luongo finished with 41 saves.
Islanders captain John Tavares cut the lead in half late in the third period, but an empty-netter from defenseman Dmitry Kulikov ended it with about 10 seconds to play.
If Luongo can be the best goalie in this series, the state of Florida might want to invest in making more of those rubber rats.
Division-Winning Ducks Find Upstart Predators are No Easy Prey
The Anaheim Ducks stormed through the second half of the regular season to finish first in the Pacific Division and amass the same point total as the Chicago Blackhawks. Their reward was a first-round matchup against the Nashville Predators—the seventh seed in the Western Conference and well out of the Central Division’s top three.
Some reward for the Ducks. The Predators showed on Friday night they’re not to be mistaken for easy prey, upsetting the home side 3-2 in Game 1 at the Honda Center.
The Ducks probably couldn't have found a worse matchup for themselves in the opening round. They love to cycle the puck low behind the goal line. It’s how guys like Ryan Getzlaf, David Perron and Chris Stewart did most of their damage at even strength in the later stages of the regular season. As talented and quick as the group is, the team doesn’t score as much off the rush.
The Preds have an almost cycle-proof defense—one of the deepest squads in the league with Roman Josi and Shea Weber leading the way. That was on display on Friday, and the Ducks couldn’t keep the puck away from the Predators defenders. They scored just once at even strength when Ryan Kesler found the slimmest of holes past Pekka Rinne with a wrist shot on a harmless-looking zone entry.
The Ducks' only other goal came on a two-man power-play advantage, courtesy of Getzlaf.
The Predators, meanwhile, scored on their first shot when James Neal opened the scoring 35 seconds in.
They also received some fortunate bounces on centered pucks to change the direction of them on their last two goals from Colin Wilson and Filip Forsberg, getting the best of the inexperienced John Gibson—who did not have a spectacular night and is certainly not guaranteed to keep the starting job with last year's playoff starter Frederik Andersen healthy and ready to jump in any time coach Bruce Boudreau makes the call.
What might have been a short series on many hockey brackets looks likely to go much longer than expected. Especially if Rinne plays better than either of the Ducks netminders—which, given Rinne's history, is entirely possible.
