2011 NHL Playoffs: 5 Guys Who Must Step Up To See Round 2

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing, and we are currently locked into a very intense first round.

Only one team has managed to have an easy go of things in the first round, and the Red Wings are now sitting at home waiting to see who they will be playing next while everybody else stays in the heat of battle.

In the playoffs you obviously need to play as a very solid team. At the same time, your team really needs to have somebody step up and be that go-to guy that gets the job done no matter what the situation.

Guys like Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy elevated their teams by the way they elevated their play.

These are five players in the playoffs that need to step up their game if they even want to make it to Round 2, let along the Stanley Cup Final.

Honorable Mention: Marian Gaborik

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NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 20: Jason Chimera #25 of the Washington Capitals celebrates after he scored the game-winning goal in the second overtime period to give the Capitals a 4-3 win against Marian Gaborik #10 (2nd L) and goalie Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the

Marian Gaborik has struggled greatly in the playoffs but managed to find the net against the Capitals for the first time during the last game.

He also managed to perform one of the most boneheaded defensive plays of the season when, rather than clearing a puck from in front of the goal mouth, Gaborik punched it back past his own goalie right onto the stick of a waiting Capitals player for the loss.

That play gave the Capitals a 3-1 series lead, and now Gaborik has to really step things up to not only get the monkey off his back, but also to get the Rangers back into the series.

Milan Lucic

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BOSTON, MA - APRIL 14: Milan Lucic #17 of the Boston Bruins is hit by Travis Moen #32 of the Montreal Canadiens in Game One of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 14, 2011 in Boston, Massach

Milan Lucic is a true power forward in the NHL. His regular-season stats were astoundingly good this year, as he powered his way to 30 goals and 60 points.

Lucic actually lead the team in goals scored and tied for the team lead in scoring.

Thus far in the playoffs, to say that Lucic has been a disappointment is a rather large understatement.

In the four games Boston has played so far, Lucic has yet to tally a single point, sits at a minus-two and has only gotten five shots on goal.

The Bruins have been one of those teams that perform well in the regular season but never seems to know what to do with themselves once they get into the playoffs.

If they want to go about changing that image, then players like Lucic are really going to have to step their game up and start making a difference in their series.

Mike Richards

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BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 20: Mike Richards #18 of the Philadelphia Flyers falls to the ice after being hit by Mike Weber #6 of the Buffalo Sabres in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HSBC Arena at HS

Mike Richards is a huge difference maker for this Flyers team, which is what earned him his captaincy.

He's not a flashy player and rarely scores pretty goals, but they all count in the end.

During the regular season, Richards tallied 23 goals and 66 points. Many of those goals that he scored came in big moments.

So far, Richards has only managed one assist against the Sabres, though he has managed to get 11 shots on goal.

Richards' offense is not really where he makes his biggest difference. Richards has a knack for making big hits in the open ice that change the momentum of games. 

During the regular season, Richards collected 104 hits. So far in the playoffs, Richards has only three hits to his credit.

If the Flyers hope to return to the Stanley Cup Final, Richards will need to up his physical play and his offensive production. Otherwise, we could be looking at one of the biggest disappointments in Flyers history.

Dustin Penner

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SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 16: Dustin Penner #25 of the Los Angeles Kings is tripped up by Dan Boyle #22 of the San Jose Sharks in Game Two of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the HP Pavilion on April 16, 2011 in

The L.A. Kings acquired Dustin Penner at the trading deadline in order to provide their roster with some secondary scoring so that Anze Kopitar wouldn't have to do it all himself.

With the injury to Kopitar, the Kings have been looking for somebody to be that person who really steps it up and makes up for the lost offense.

Penner is another prototypical power forward—the type of guy who goes to the dirty spots and nobody can move out because he's so big and strong. Yet he has fizzled in the playoffs this year.

At 6'4", 245 pounds, Penner is the type of player that should be a huge difference maker in a long playoff series, but so far he has been anything but.

He has one assist, is minus-four and only has six shots on goal. When compared to his 23 regular-season goals, this could very well be the big reason why the Kings get knocked out.

Penner can't sit back and wait for somebody else to be that guy anymore. The Kings are now down three games to one to the Sharks, and Penner needs to remember how to be that immovable force that made him so coveted at the trade deadline.

Roberto Luongo

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - APRIL 21: Goalie Roberto Luongo #1 of the Vancouver Canucks watches the third period of Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Chicago Blackhawks from the bench with Alexandre Burrows #14 during the 2011 NHL Stan

Luongo started off the playoffs in fine form, as he helped the Canucks jump out to a quick 3-0 series lead over the defending Stanly Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.

The last couple of games have been quite a different story. Luongo has been lit up for consecutive nights and was chased from the net in both games as a result.

We are all aware that there is no safe series lead in hockey. After the Flyers knocked out the Bruins last year after being down three games, nobody needs to be reminded of that possibility.

Luongo has really been the reason that the Canucks have faltered in the playoffs the last few years, and he must regain the form that has made him a Vezina Trophy finalist if the Canucks are to get anywhere near their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Luongo is a big-time goalie, and I think he knows how important this year is to the Canucks. I think he can bounce back, but will it be too late?

Joe Thornton

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SAN JOSE, CA - APRIL 16: Jack Johnson #3 of the Los Angeles Kings checks Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks to the ice in Game Two of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the HP Pavilion on April 16, 2011 i

Jumbo Joe has always had the reputation of being one of the best players in the NHL during the regular season who just never seems to be able to put it together in the playoffs.

Unfortunately for Joe, it is possible that this might be another one of those years. 

Thornton led the Sharks in assists with 49 during the regular season. He was also second on the team in scoring with 70 points.

Yet once again, the playoffs seem to keep his production down. Through four games he has a goal and an assist.

What is good for Thornton is that he has a supporting cast that is stepping up at the moment, but if they lose their scoring touch and he isn't there to pick up the slack, the Sharks may be the victims of another series comeback.

Thornton is the captain of this team and has been one of the NHL's premier power forwards ever since he came into the league. If the Sharks are to ever get over their image of playoff chokers, Thornton is going to have to shed his own stigma first.