PLAYOFF BEARD, DAY 10-ISH

by Neate Sager, Out Of Left Field

A couple of inviolate playoff laws, Alex Ovechkin's greatness doesn't extend to defence, Dominik Hasek checks out early.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Red Wings and Predators tied 2-2 (Game 5 tonight): There's probably a good article to be written on which Red Wings goalie throughout history did more while being the most mercurial -- Dominik Hasek or the late, great Terry Sawchuk.

Detroit coach Mike Babcock has benched his goalie in favour of Chris Osgood (the guy whom everyone always forgets is still in Detroit, even though he's pretty good). Hasek has twice allowed two shots in a row to go in during the series so far and the Red Wings, like they seemingly always do, have blown a 2-0 series lead. Their annual unravelling is more fun every year.

Stars lead Ducks 3-1 (Game 5 tonight): Anaheim should have a reasonable shot at extending the Stars to a Game 6.

Avalanche lead Wild 3-2 (series tied 2-2): The rebirth of José Théodore -- he stopped 37-of-39 shots in a 3-2 win last night -- is kind of a big deal. Two years ago Théodore was being run out of Montreal and some merry pranksters were posting "washed up goalie for sale" on eBay. He's outplayed Minnesota's Nicklas Backstrom in the series.

Incidentally, the new definition of redundant was the refs adding a second and change -- from 1.4 to 2.5 -- after the Wild scored an all-but-the-crying goal last night.

Sharks lead Flames 3-2 (Game 6 Sunday): Being ousted on home ice for the third season in a row would put Calgary in dubious company. They've had the marvellous Jarome Iginla for his prime years and have got past the first round once, when they went to the final in 2004 (that was also the last season of pre-lockout, why-even-have-a-rulebook hockey, not coincidentally).

San Jose seems to have a vise grip on this series, even though it only won by a goal, 4-3, last night after Calgary scored twice late to make it interesting. The Sharks should get through and if Detroit cacks out, San Jose might end up with a favourable second-round matchup against Colorado.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Rangers lead Devils 3-1 (Game 5 tonight): Die, New Jersey, die. That is all.

Flyers lead Capitals 3-1 (Game 5 Saturday afternoon): It's not often two inviolate playoff laws come on the same play. As so often happens, overtime winner came from a player, Philly's Mike Knuble, who had get dial-911-robbed of a goal in the regulation. Knuble was open to poke the winner past the Caps' Cristobal Huet since Alex Ovechkin, frazzled after missing a gimme scoring chance, did what star scorers often do when they're not scoring and forgot to play defence.

Ovechkin wandered away from Knuble parked outside the Capitals' crease and instead tried to cut off Jeff Carter's centring pass, instead of leaving Carter to his goaltender. Just like that, Washington's season was on the brink.

(Alex Ovechkin's 163 goals is the third-best first three seasons in NHL history, by the way. The first two on the list are Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy -- and they played in a much higher-scoring era.)

Canadiens lead Bruins 3-2 (Game 6 Saturday night): No, Canadiens goalie Carey Price did not screw up a play that gift-wrapped Boston's go-ahead goal in a win-or-golf game because he's a nervous rookie. He understood that the Montreal media -- who make the London tabloids look like the Springfield Shopper -- would have nothing to talk about and would be bound to whip up a batch of their patented Fake Controversies. Price took a bullet for the Canadiens and they'll still close out Boston in Game 6.

Penguins sweep Senators 4-zip: It's all over but the Sidney Crosby beard watch. It also appears that only was Ottawa's effort to hype up the crowd lame, but they stole this guy's idea from last spring.



Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.