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The Bruins have just acquired hard-hitting defenseman Shane Hnidy from the Anaheim Ducks for Brandon Bochenski. I'm sad to see Bochenski have such a rough year after things were so promising last season. Maybe a change of scenery will do him well.

By the way, do the Bruins only make trades with the Ducks these days? Since the last season, a host of players have changed places. Few are memorable faces or names, but the likelihood that Brian Burke and Pete Chiarelli are in each other's speed dial are certainly pretty high. Take a look...

Today - Acquired defenseman Shane Hnidy and a sixth round draft choice in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Brandon Bochenski.

9/25/2007 - Acquired defensemen Brett Skinner and Nathan Saunders from the Anaheim Ducks for center Mark Mowers and assigned them to Providence of the American Hockey League.

7/2/2007 - Signed right wing Shawn Thornton, who had been with the Anaheim Ducks, to a multi-year contract.

11/13/2006 - Anaheim Ducks traded Stanislav Chistov to the Boston Bruins for a 2008 third-round draft pick.

Again, few memorable names or trades, but you get the idea.

One of the other interesting aspects to this trade is Hnidy's place in Boston history. Need I recall Stock/Hnidy rounds 1 & 2? Well, Youtube remembers...

The Bruins could certainly use another quality D-lineman and this gives the team another bruiser (and gets Bobby Allen off the ice). The only drawbacks to this trade are A. it gives the team one less scorer and B. It means less ice-time for the Marks brothers (Stuart and Lashoff). But I'm pretty pleased with the trade overall and we'll see what happens. The B's battle the Caps tomorrow night.

Princes Look to Seize Throne
by David Carty

Remember how sick we all got of SportsCenter's "Who's Now?" competition this summer? One day of ESPN parading it's panel of celebrity experts in what was akin to a high school popularity contest was too much for many sports fans to digest. For all the wonders Jessica Biel so generously provides a society of drooling men, sports talk is not one of her greatest assets. And I'm not too sure Keyshawn Johnson is good for anything, on the field or off.

In the court of public opinion, the Anaheim Ducks are the "Now" team of the NHL and their Golden State counterparts, the Los Angeles Kings, are "Next," about 27 miles separating today's Stanley Cup contenders from next year's crop of Championship hopefuls.

Well, guess what? The Kings are sick of the "Who's Next?" competition. Shoved into the spotlight far from home in the 02 Arena in London, England, the Kings were intent on proving the league and the world that this year counts too.

Michael Cammalleri opened up the scoring with a one-timed snap from Lubomir Visnovsky. The 25 year-old's power play tally will be the first of many to come on a growing special teams unit. Los Angeles finished tenth in the league with the man advantage last season, but boast a staff that could easily improve upon those numbers. Anze Kopitar may be the league's best kept secret, notching 61 points in his rookie campaign and two assists in the season opener. Combined with Cammalleri and yearly Norris contender Visnovsky running the point, the Kings can hurt you from anywhere on the ice.

The Kings took advantage of every power play opportunity so generously given to them by the sometimes foolish Ducks, peppering Ilya Bryzgalov with 11 shots on net during the power play and recording three goals, two by Cammalleri, in the 4-1 upset over the defending Stanley Cup champion Ducks.

The Kings' abilities weren't just evident on offense. Keeping up with the Ducks from a physical standpoint proved particularly difficult for opponents last season en route to the franchise's first ever championship. There must be something in the water. Kings franchise defenseman Jack Johnson stood toe-to-toe on several occasions with George Parros, who recorded more fights than three NHL teams last season. While there are lessons to be learned for the 20-year old, his play in the defensive end was solid in his 18 minutes of ice time.

Also stealing a line from the Ducks, the line of Murray, Ivanans, and O'Sullivan were not afraid to throw their weight around playing a physical game all day.

But it is perhaps the Kings offseason acquisitions that will put them over the top. Michal Handzus played very effectively on the penalty kill and collaborated very well with fellow Czech Ladislav Nagy. If Handzus can avoid injury and Nagy has finally found an organization into which he can gel, the Kings will have a tremendous secondary attack when Kopitar's line is off the ice.

A season of stability will also do wonders for Kyle Calder, who has looked excellent in his efforts thus far with the Kings. The blue line acquisitions of Brad Stuart and Tom Preissing have silently turned the Kings defensive corps into one of hockey's best. If Rob Blake continues to drink from drink from the fountain of youth (of which Chris Chelios and Nicklas Lidstrom frequent), the Kings will have the perfect cast to help along Johnson's development.

Between the pipes, of course, is what has Kings fans grimacing. Dan Cloutier looked like, well, Dan Cloutier last season. He will start the season in Manchester, leaving Jason LaBarbera and top prospect Jonathan Bernier to fight for the starting job. Bernier was not expected in Los Angeles for another season or two, but played magnificently in his first career NHL start. Bernier held Anaheim scoreless until fellow top prospect Bobby Ryan scored his first NHL goal just past the halfway mark in the third period. If Bernier continues to play this well in net, look for the Kings to surprise everyone and make a run at the Pacific Division crown.

With the NHL opener come and gone, the Kings may just be ready to take the California throne with their impressive performance across the pond. All the pieces are in place for a deep playoff run for the Los Angeles Kings. Despite whatever projections exist for this core of youngsters down the road, the Kings look to create a much more interesting "Who's Now?" competition. And they won't wait 'til next year.

Has the Salary Cap Helped?
by David Carty

On the eve of the Stanley Cup Finals, columnists Jake Duhaime and David Carty take a look at the impact of the NHL's salary cap, and debate whether it's had a positive—or negative—impact on the game...

JD: Well Mr. Carty, the Stanley Cup Final is here! Canada’s Team, the Ottawa Senators and the (Not Mighty) Ducks. I know we’ll be watching, but will those outside of Canada tune in? That is, if NBC decides to even show the games.

DC: Let’s see. We have a warm-weather U.S. team favored to beat a non-original six Canadian team. Buffalo had the fanfare, but at least Ottawa has the star power with guys like Alfredsson, Spezza, Heatley and the vivacious Ray Emery.

But, to be honest Jake, I’m not sure there are any two teams that would have North America enthralled with the Stanley Cup, unless you live in an area where law enforcement wears red and rides around on horses.

JD: I may have to agree with you on this one Dave. Would a best-case scenario, Toronto-Chicago series captivate the casual sports fan? I don’t know. I just don’t think it would have the necessary sex appeal.

Here’s the problem with this series and the league right now. Since the NHL implemented a hard-cap economic system following the lockout, even a team like the Red Wings the Western Conference's top seed, seems rather mediocre, especially when you compare it to the Red Wings teams of five or six years ago.

I know they’re awfully excited for this series up in Ottawa, where tickets sold-out in four minutes on Thursday morning. But elsewhere? I think we’re going to need seven games to see a blip on the ratings screen. The talent pool has become far too diluted under this new system. And with each passing day, I think more and more people will yearn for superstar-based teams, and by that I mean the Gretzky, Orr, Roy, Messier types, winning consistently, as opposed to the team with the best third and fourth line.

DC: I think Hockeytown, USA may take some exception to that….

JD: Well, could we agree that the last two seasons play out a bit differently under the NHL’s old capitalist system, instead of the league’s new found love of communism.

DC: Let me quote the Gipper on this one, "Mr. Duhaime! Tear down this wall!" Has the league really changed that much?

JD: Take the Red Wings and Avalanche, two of the biggest spenders under the old system. Does Detroit go into the 2005-06 Playoffs with the goaltending tandem of Manny Legace and Chris Osgood? Does Brendan Shanahan end up in New York? Peter Forsberg in Philadelphia? Rob Blake in Los Angeles?

I'm not trying to diminish the accomplishments of Carolina and Edmonton, who treated us to one stellar Stanley Cup Final last season. But revisionist history leads me to believe that under the old system, there's a three-way trade deadline bidding war for Dwayne Roloson's services. Chris Pronger doesn't end up in Edmonton. And Doug Weight certainly doesn't end up in Raleigh, but did so because the Hurricanes could absorb his salary at the time.

It wasn’t too long ago, where an owner like Mike Illich or Tom Hicks would open up the vault and grab that aging superstar for a Stanley Cup run. This is how a guy like Brian Leetch can end up in Toronto. And you can't tell me that the league couldn't use another Ray Bourque story to generate interest.

DC: It sounds like parity to me.

Are you telling me that you'd rather have Detroit and Colorado stockpiling these players? I understand the sentiment towards these powerhouse franchises, but this system saved hockey, Under the old system, the Ottawa Senators, by now, would have gone the way of the leisure suit (except on Don Cherry) How many millions of dollars down the drain does it take to convince you that a change needed to be made? The league risked everything, including its niche fan base, to shut down for a year in order to change things for the better.

Now, do I want to see Carolina and Anaheim winning championships? I don't know. Does it help a league trying to expand its fan base? Or does it hurt the loyal fans that already exist? But, this was the correct decision. The National Football League thrives in its salary cap policy and is widely regarded as the most effectively operated league in all of sport.

JD: On the surface, a salary cap seems like the right idea. But the reality is a different story. Hockey, like baseball, has been plagued by labor and visibility problems the last two decades. But unlike the NHL, Major League Baseball has been blessed recently by having successful high-profile markets competing on the sport's biggest stage. New York, Miami, Boston, Houston, San Francisco, Detroit and Chicago have all been home to a World Series team the last five years. In the NHL? Anaheim, Ottawa, Raleigh, Edmonton, Tampa Bay, Calgary, New Jersey and Detroit have made up the last five Stanley Cup Finals. That alone addresses some of the television woes.
Under MLB's current economic system, which uses a competitive balance tax, the New York Yankees can spend a quarter-billion dollars on talent alone. (Not that it's getting them anywhere.) But they must also pay a price to do so. That money goes to small market clubs like Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh so they can invest in their own talent and other free-agents, equaling the playing field… somewhat. This system penalizes teams financially, while still giving them a chance to compete year-in and year-out.

DC: Well, I'm pretty sure that last year's World Series was a collective yawner for all sports fans and your precious TV ratings will prove it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're saying that giving teams an unfair advantage is a good thing? Why is that?

JD: It’s easy to overlook the financial gap in a league where half its teams make the playoffs.
Your point would hold more validity if the 82 game regular season was of greater importance and only four teams (three division winners and one wild card) make the playoffs. A high payroll certainly helps teams get to the second season (unless we’re talking about the Rangers) but by no means is it a guarantee. Come April, you still have 16 teams in a crap-shoot playoff format in which a hot goaltender or a few lingering injuries can be the difference between Lord Stanley and a first round exit.

DC: Well Jake, under your system those potentially hot goaltenders are going to be making serious money in free agency, so it's more complicated than that. This system better allows a team to find their franchise players and lock them down. I understand what you are saying with players like Forsberg, Shanny, and Pronger changing location, but that was a simple result of the unfair (and unsuccessful) system that was previously in place. It happens in the NFL all the time.

JD: Goaltenders and defenseman have always been paid at a premium. Always have, always will. As for the league’s hard cap and comparing it with the NFL, it doesn’t work because one league has TV money, public interest and team fan bases already well-established and the other doesn’t. One is a simple once-a-week commitment that is television-friendly. The other isn’t. One has plenty of well established superstars who get arrested (The Bengals), call each other out (Terrell Owens), sleep with supermodels (Tom Brady), host Saturday Night Live (Peyton Manning) and host illegal dog fights in the comforts of their own backyard (Michael Vick).
The NFL is part-sport, part-spectacle, with something for everybody. Now I’m not saying that Sidney Crosby should be doing lines of cocaine with Lindsay Lohan or knocking up Britney Spears. But if you need some idea of where the league should start, go look at the Super Bowl, which isn’t a game but an event, where the food, commercials, halftime show, pregame show, parties and the anthems all play a part. I might not have enjoyed watching Cirque du So Lame do its thing before Super Bowl XLI in Miami, but the three women in the room, who only watch the Super Bowl, thought they were fantastic.

DC: Well then why can't the Stanley Cup be a spectacle? I'll give you a hint, it has nothing to do with salary caps, it has to do with the game. It just doesn't appeal to most American fans. And it has nothing to do with longer series either.

The NBA thrives every year on story lines that often involve small market teams. Not Boston, not New York, not Los Angeles, but the San Antonio Spurs have been the most consistent team of the last two decades. Everyone talks about the NBA. Look what happens when Robert Horry throws a hip check on Steve Nash. It is plastered on ESPN for days while other Canadians throw themselves around the ice with reckless disregard. Who makes the news? The NBA and their small market teams. So don't say that small market success can't mean large national draw, because it can and it often does.

JD: The NBA’s interest and TV ratings have dropped off dramatically since Michael Jordan’s second retirement in 1998. And I don’t see many out there too excited over another San Antonio-Detroit NBA Finals. In fact, I think the right word is dread.
I’ll freely admit, I did watch more of the Spurs-Suns series than I did either of the NHL Conference Finals. One, because I believe the winner of that series, San Antonio, will win the NBA title. Two, with the NHL's instigator rule, there might have been more fighting and checking. Three, Steve Nash is Canadian and one can only dream of the passes he'd pull off with a hockey stick.

DC: I'll tell you what would help the most in this salary cap era, a Larry Bird exception. Allowing teams to exceed the salary cap to re-sign franchise players would allow some of those big names to return to their teams. Of course, it would have to be limited. I wouldn't mind seeing the NHL put some kind of exclusion like this in the next CBA. I also wouldn't mind seeing a "franchise" kind of rule like the NFL has to lock down their players. These are just a couple of ideas to try to keep players in their own uniform, but with a salary cap, you have to understand that there will be turnover. It's a part of the agreement and it's a part of parity.

JD: Would it help? It certainly would help out Buffalo who must decide between Briere and Drury in a few weeks. And it would benefit Pittsburgh in a few years, when they’ll be faced with a tough decision to trade a Jordan Staal or Marc-Andre Fleury because they’ll want to keep Crosby and Malkin around.

But even with a Bird exception in place, how do you build a TEAM around two guys cashing a huge paycheck? The Bird rule works in the NBA because two or three superstars is all you need to win an NBA title. But it takes a team of talented players to win the Stanley Cup.
Now I know you’re a huge Celtics fan Mr. Carty. Why was the NBA Draft Lottery so important this year? Because Greg Oden is the next in a line of can’t miss, superstar centers in a league where seven of the last eight teams to win the title have had either Shaquille O’Neal or Tim Duncan.

DC: Why are ping-pong balls so cruel?

JD: I don’t know. But I’ve got to believe those ping-pong balls got some high ratings. Superstars sell. Teams don’t. Unless you’ve got five or six of them on a roster. Which doesn’t happen anymore in the new NHL.

Devils On Brink With 3-2 Loss
by David Carty

For Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils, it’s the tale of two seasons. Throughout the regular season, the Devils proved resilient. Surviving and even flourishing despite injuries to its top line, New Jersey came into the playoffs with the same agenda it had throughout the Lou Lamoriello era, championship or bust. Unfortunately for Jersey fans, the Devils may be cashing in their chips.

The Devils lost Wednesday night 3-2, putting the under-seeded Ottawa Senators one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals. In the midst of a Devils collapse, the Senators stuck to what got them to the postseason: star power.

Daniel Alfredsson opened the scoring for the Sens, netting a perfectly placed pass from Dany Heatley four and a half minutes into the first period. Ottawa gave New Jersey three power-play opportunities in the first period alone, but strong blue line play shut down the EGG line. Anton Volchenkov played brilliantly on the penalty kill, disrupting the Devils scoring attack and breaking up several chances. Patrick Elias struggled on the man advantage, giving up the puck twice on one of the power-plays.

From early on, it was obvious that this was a different Devils team. They were getting pushed around; they looked lost. Ottawa pounded on Brian Gionta early and took no prisoners. One hit on Colin White resulted in a game delay while they fixed the glass.

The Devils did, however, crack the code early in the second period. They took advantage of a Volchenkov penalty to get on the board. Elias connected with Gionta to even the score 1-1. Then Martin Brodeur accomplished a rare feat in his storied NHL career - he proved he was human after all.

Off a face-off in the Devils zone, Heatley tossed the puck from near the blue line at the net. The shot, which Brodeur never reacted to, deflected off his right heel for the score. Brodeur allowed an unacceptable garbage goal; it should have been stopped easily. It was a postseason blunder and Brodeur’s poor performance wasn’t over.

Four minutes into the third period, Mike Fisher lit the lamp after weaving through a suddenly porous Devils defense and beat Brodeur to the glove-side from the top of the circle. Can you believe the Devils’ defense was so weak and Brodeur’s reactions were so slow?

A Jay Pandolfo tally brought it to one, but the Devils got no closer despite some of their best action with Brodeur on the bench late in the game. A Colin White high sticking penalty killed the New Jersey momentum and the Devils fell again.

New Jersey’s sudden shortcomings have been the difference in the series. While the Devils offensive attack looked strong at times, their defensive deficiencies have left them reeling; leave it to the Sens to steal a page from the Devils’ playbook. Strong defensive play and domination in the neutral zone led one team to victory and that team was not the Devils.

Heatley and company lead 3-1 in the series and will look for the deciding win at the Continental Airlines Arena on Saturday afternoon. No word yet on which Martin Brodeur will be in net for the Devils.

Mellanby Hangs 'Em Up
by David Carty

Scott Mellanby was a trail blazer of sorts. The Montreal native probably never envisioned becoming an NHL star. Mellanby certainly never imagined becoming the face of two expansion teams, nearly losing an arm in a barroom brawl, or being dubbed “the rat guy” after an incident that probably resulted in a few nasty letters from PETA.

Yet this is the legacy Thrashers captain leaves behind after announcing his retirement on Tuesday.

Mellanby entered the league as the 27th overall selection in the 1984 NHL Draft. The Philadelphia Flyers second-round pick was selected higher than future stars Patrick Roy, Brett Hull, and Tom Glavine. Yes, that Tom Glavine.

It was during Mellanby’s tenure with the Flyers that the devastating and nearly deadly injury occurred. On August 20th, 1989, Mellanby and friend Jeff Frazier stopped for drinks at the Muskoska Sands north of Montreal. At some point in the night, 44-year-old Frank Chapple started a fight with Frazier and allegedly tried to cut his throat with a broken beer bottle. Chapple slashed Mellanby’s arm instead, severing five tendons in the process. Doctors almost had to amputate the arm, but instead Mellanby returned to action on November 22nd, three months after nearing having his arm sliced off.

It takes some time to heal, you know.

Mellanby was later traded Edmonton in a deal to bring hockey legend Jari Kurri to Philadelphia. After two decent seasons, he was left unprotected in the 1993 NHL expansion draft. At one time, Mellanby was considered a better prospect than guys like Roy, Hull, and Luc Robitalle. Now, he was considered the 30th best player amongst the league’s scrap heap.

Mellanby packed his bags to play hockey in Florida, and he never looked back.

The first goal in Florida Panthers history belongs to Scott Mellanby scored in the inaugural 1993-94 season. He’d score many more before the season was up. Thirty goals and thirty assists capped Mellanby’s career year. Still unfazed by pain, Mellanby broke his nose and orbital bone on as Larry Murphy cleared the puck on February 1st of that season against the Penguins. He was back on the ice a week-and-a-half later.

Despite the gritty play Mellanby become known for, his fandom reached its peak in the 1995-96 season. After finding a scurrying little creature in the Panthers locker room before the Panthers‘ home opener, Mellanby decided to get in some early practice for gametime. He one-timed the rat with his stick, saving exterminators a little extra work. Mellanby then proceeded to score two goals with the very same stick in what John Vanbiesbrouck dubbed a “rat trick”.

From then on, fans littered the ice with plastic rats in the midst of the Panthers Stanley Cup run. The Panthers’ miracle season was stopped just shy of a Stanley Cup after being swept by the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche goaltender is reported to have said, after allowing two goals in the first period of game three, that there would be “no more rats.” That prophecy proved to be true, and the Panthers were held scoreless for the rest of the series. Of course, that goaltender/fortune teller was none other than Patrick Roy, selected 24 picks after Scott Mellanby.

The NHL would ban rat-throwing the following year, saying that in caused too much of a delay on the ice. The Florida Panthers have only made the playoffs twice in the ten years since rat-mania, and they have not once gotten past the first round.

Mellanby ended his Panthers tenure after he was traded to the St. Louis Blues in February, 2001, but he still ranks first in Panthers history in goals and points scored. After a short revival with the Blues, Mellanby signed with the Atlanta Thrashers following the 2004 lockout. He was named team captain in his two seasons with Atlanta, and Mellanby’s third-seeded Thrashers fell in a sweep to the New York Rangers in what would be his last playoff series.

Only Phil Housley and Mike Gartner have played in more career games without hoisting the Stanley Cup, but Mellanby’s most dedicated efforts have actually come off the ice.

In honor of his autistic son Carter, he founded the Mellanby Autism Foundation in 1998 and co-founded Athletes Against Autism with Byron Dafoe and Olaf Kolzig. Mellanby’s foundation alone has raised and granted more than $300,000 dollars to autism related organizations.

While Scott has not yet decided where his life will go from here, one can be sure he’ll keep following the trail, living life the Mellanby way.

First Look: Devils-Senators
by David Carty

The Devils and Senators had similar roads to the postseason. Both teams pounded through the regular season finishing with over 100 points. (Only two points separate the teams.) Injuries stole ice time from each team’s top personnel: the entire EGG line of the Devils, and Jason Spezza and Mike Fisher of the Sens were just a few of the skating wounded. Each squad even had its own challenge in former #1 overall picks to square off against in the first round to reach this point.

Sidney Crosby and Vincent Lecavalier are stars of the game; they both provided strong offensive production against the Devils and Senators, respectively. While similarities between the two teams exist, their style of play couldn’t be more different. In what could be the best second-round match-up the NHL has to offer, it will be a classic battle of offense versus defense.

Forwards

When healthy, New Jersey’s EGG line of Patrick Elias, Scott Gomez, and Brian Gionta is a tactful well-oiled machine that can do as much damage as any line in the NHL. Just look at how they performed against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Gomez leads the NHL in postseason points heading into round two with nine. Elias and Gionta aren’t far behind with six apiece. Zach Parise’s breakthrough season featured the 22-year-old as a determined player with tremendous leadership skills. In other words, Parise was built for Lou Lamoriello’s system. Backed by specialists Jamie Langenbrunner (postseason wizard) and John Madden (perennial Selke contender), the Devils boast solid play up front that is not to be overlooked.

Yet the edge stays with the Sens. Dany Heatley is too skilled a player to fall into the trappings of the New Jersey defense and will make his presence known. Jason Spezza, paired with Heatley, has developed into one of the game’s better table-setters. Daniel Alfredsson still has some postseason demons to answer to, but no need to call an exorcist. Outstanding ability will always find its way.

Advantage: Senators

Defense

Richard Matvichuk missed 81 games during the NHL season with a back injury. But since his return he hasn’t missed a beat. In Sunday’s clinching Game Six, Matvichuk logged the second most ice-time on the team (22:34) and that was after being cross-checked by Vincent Lecavalier and missing the final minutes of the first period. Brian Rafalski has been as active on the offensive charge as any Devils player with seven postseason points. Paul Martin compliments Rafalski by logging a ton of minutes and playing a solid two-way game.

Anton Volchenkov has taken it upon himself to try to replace every inch of Zdeno Chara’s 6’ 9” frame. That’s mission impossible, though Volchenkov is effective in his role when staying disciplined and not getting behind the play. The yin to Volchenkov’s yang, Wade Redden, answers the call whenever needed. He possesses all the offensive ability Volchenkov lacks and the leadership abilities to command a blue line. In the end though, New Jersey has built its franchise on defense. This year’s Devils may not strike fear into opponents (that job was previously occupied by Scott Stevens); they still finished with the Eastern Conference’s best defense.

Advantage: Devils

Goaltending

Does the question need to be asked? Martin Brodeur’s accomplishments, postseason or otherwise can be rattled off by even the most casual Devils fan. If not for a kid named Sid, Martin Brodeur would be walking home with the Hart Trophy. Instead, Martin will have to settle for another Vezina trophy. If anyone was worried about Brodeur slowing down, setting the single-season record for wins with 48 did enough to silence the doubters.

After winning the starting job in November, Ray Emery has done more than a serviceable job in net for the Sens. His progression this season has reassured those who have said he could use more seasoning. But in the playoff season, Brodeur is about as close as you’ll get to perfection between the pipes.

Advantage: Devils

Special Teams

In the regular season, both squads finished in the middle of the pack on the power-play. Neither team was inspiring or disappointing, but the postseason has been a different story. The Devils and the Senators rank first and second respectively in power-play goals in round one. With the EGG line clicking on all cylinders, it appears that special teams will indeed be where the damage is done.

But not so fast; the Devils enjoyed the East’s best penalty kill unit and will not make things easy for Ottawa. The Senators themselves played strongly down a skater, but nobody can match the Devils’ ability to neutralize threats in their zone.

Advantage: Devils

Coaching

It’s the house that Lou Lamoriello built. The only problem has been trying to find a coach (not named Jacques) who he can trust behind the wheel. The other obvious solution is to handle it yourself. For the second time, Lamoriello fired his head coach with just weeks left in the regular season as he begins his second tenure as Devils coach. The players only had three days to work with Lamoriello, but the nucleus of the team is well familiar with his system and played for him in his first coaching stint.

Meanwhile Bryan Murray faces the challenge again. Murray is comparable to Marty Schottenheimer of the NFL, except that Schottenheimer has actually made it to the big dance before. With this talented a squad, pressure will be placed squarely on Murray’s shoulders to deliver results. Another second round postseason loss, albeit to the Devils, are not the kind of results Senators’ brass or fans will accept. And we know what happened to Marty Schottenheimer this off-season.

Advantage: Devils

Summary

An edge on defense means an edge on the tempo of a game. The New Jersey Devils have been reinventing the same formula for years under Lamoriello’s leadership and this year is no different. It’s hard to call Brodeur’s 2006-07 season a career year, but he set career highs in wins, games played, minutes, and shutouts; a scary thought. Heatley and company are plenty capable of squeaking a few past the stingy Devils defense. But when push comes to shove, the Devils resiliency and experience will win out in the end.

Prediction: Devils in five

Game Schedule
Thu, April 26 7:00 p.m. at New Jersey
Sat, April 28 8:00 p.m. at New Jersey
Mon, April 30 7:00 p.m. at Ottawa
Wed, May 2 7:00 p.m. at Ottawa
Sat, May 5 8:00 p.m. at New Jersey
Mon, May 7 7:00 p.m. at Ottawa
Wed, May 9 7:00 p.m. at New Jersey

Devils Dispose of the Lightning
by David Carty

In New Jersey, it has always been about the system. Lou Lamoriello is the longest-tenured NHL GM for good reason. Whether it was playing the trap in the pre-lockout, middle-aged time hockey, or simply controlling the pace of the game, the Devils never waver from the course Lamoriello sets.

Throughout all of the player retirement and turnover and coaches either quitting or getting the axe, there has always been Martin Brodeur. Largely overshadowed by Patrick Roy and Dominik Hasek for half of his NHL career, Brodeur is and has been the face (or the mask) of the New Jersey Devils since winning the Calder Trophy in 1994. And as he’s developed, he’s become the backbone in a Devils franchise predicated on defense.

Thirteen years later, Brodeur is as good as ever. Brodeur, who will turn 35 in two weeks, stopped 32 of 34 shots to win a deciding Game Five against the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2. Brian Rafalski netted his second power-play goal of the postseason and added an assist to bolster New Jersey’s strong special teams play.

But it was the Devils’ E-G-G line that amounted for most of the damage. Brian Gionta netted his fourth playoff goal on a short-side snapshot high over Johan Holmqvist’s glove. Gionta struck again in the second period beating Holmqvist with a hesitation wrist-shot from the left circle. Lightning defenseman Filip Kuba looked shaky on both scores. First, getting beat on Elias’s feed to Gionta while on the back-check; then, knocking over Holmqvist on Gionta’s second goal.

Patrick Elias assisted on all three Devils goals, controlling the offensive charge throughout the duration of the first two periods. And Scott Gomez added two assists of his own, as the Devils’ entire offensive production came down to the E-G-G line (plus Brian Rafalski, who also added an assist). All in all, New Jersey’s top line amounted for 14 of the team’s 26 shots and conspired to send the Lightning packing.

Brad Richards tallied Tampa Bay’s only two goals on the afternoon; both were on the power-play, and came within a span of six minutes. The Lightning entered Game Six with a pedestrian 2-for-20 success rate on the power-play against the Devils’ stingy penalty kill unit. Richards’ goals riled up the capacity crowd and served as a breath of fresh air for the struggling Lightning.

Unfortunately, it would be their last breath.

The same feisty play that marked (or marred) the Lightning’s first period effort was not evident in the third period. Brodeur played through screens and heavy traffic in the crease in the game’s first two periods and made the third period look no more difficult than a speed bump en route to the victory. On New Jersey’s rare defensive lapses, Brodeur was waiting to steer clear any offensive opportunity provided by the Lightning. In the third, Brodeur stopped the Lightning’s period-low ten shots on net and faced only a single unsuccessful power-play to begin the period.
Brodeur’s 93rd career postseason victory served to send home the league’s most dynamic duo, Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier. The duo’s frustrations were evident early in the first period. Lecavalier and St. Louis even spent a romantic two minutes in the penalty box together. The penalties occurred after Brodeur denied a Lecavalier offering on the doorstep. Lecavalier cross-checked Richard Matvichuk in the back after the play, sending Matvichuk to the locker room for the period. Matvichuk, who missed all but one game of the regular season after undergoing back surgery, returned for action in the second period. St. Louis argued with the officiating crew and received matching unsportsmanlike conduct penalties with Devils defensive specialist John Madden.

In the end, St. Louis and Lecavalier couldn’t crack the league’s likely Vezina trophy recipient. The duo combined for nine shots and only one point, an assist by Lecavalier on Richards’ second goal; the Lightning’s final goal of the 2006-07 campaign. The Devils will face the fourth seeded Ottawa Senators; Game One is reportedly set for Tuesday night.

Wings Dominate in Motown
by David Carty

The Calgary Flames knew they’d have to defy the odds to come away with a win Saturday afternoon. Riding high after evening the series at home 2-2, a first class ticket back to Hockeytown was the last thing the Flames wanted. With an abysmal thirteen road victories staring them in the face, the Flames resorted to what they know best. Being physical.

However, the pure talent of the Red Wings was not to be denied. The somewhat maligned Henrik Zetterberg found his stride to the tune of two goals and one assist. Captain Niklas Lidstrom added four assists on his own en route to a 5-1 stomping of the Flames.

Dion Phaneuf mixed things up early with Todd Bertuzzi, amongst others, in what was Bertuzzi’s first home playoff performance in Detroit. Bertuzzi looked sluggish at times, allowing a dangerous giveaway to Alex Tanguay in the Detroit zone two minutes into play. But luckily for the Red Wings, some of those old bones found a little extra spring in their stride.

Dominik Hasek’s stop on Tanguay was a sign of things to come. The Dominator played a near perfect game, and matched Miika Kiprusoff save-for-save early in the game. Later in the period, Hasek stymied Jeff Friesen on a 2-on-1 caused by an ill-advised hit by Danny Markov in the attacking zone. Hasek stopped all eight efforts on what was, at best, a spotty power play effort for the Flames.

Nevertheless, the Flames came out of the gate with a chip on their shoulder. Calgary’s eleven shots nearly matched Detroit’s fourteen as the two squads fought to a scoreless stalemate after one. Daymond Langkow played strong on the forecheck and helped to create several Flames opportunities. Langkow and Tony Amonte each contributed two shots on net and made Dominik Hasek work throughout the duration of the period.

And that’s when the wheels fell off the Flames' wagon.

After Tomas Holmstrom pushed Brad Stuart into Miikka Kiprusoff earlier in the game, the officials opted to crack down on goaltender interference. The Wings' first goal was waved off after tagging Kirk Maltby with a goaltender interference penalty. Maltby appeared to be led into the net by Mark Giordano, but instead Detroit got the goal waved off and Calgary went on the power play.

After more brilliance in net by Hasek, the Wings began the damage.

Dan Cleary beat Kiprusoff with a backhand on his first career penalty shot to break the scoreless tie. The shot came after Cleary was tripped up by Roman Hamrlik on a short-handed breakaway, and it was one of many opportunities the Red Wings created for themselves while on the penalty kill. The Red Wings went back to peppering a dazzling Kiprusoff, and held the Flames without a shot on net for the first ten minutes of the second period.

Five minutes later, Zetterberg lit the lamp, burying a feed from Lidstrom to put the Wings' lead at two.

The second period was also one of rejuvenation for Chris Chelios. After stopping two shots on one Calgary power play opportunity, Chelios netted his first goal of the 2006-07 campaign, putting Detroit up 3-0. Detroit capped an outstanding defensive effort by blanking the Flames on a late 5-on-3 and kept the three goal lead heading into the third.

The third period capped the Flames’ downward spiral. While the Wings added to their lead, Calgary continued the physical play, often after the whistle. Not surprisingly, the Flames were responsible for eleven of the fourteen penalties called in the third period.

Phaneuf and Bertuzzi dropped the gloves, and Phaneuf was slapped with the instigator penalty. Later, Stephane Yelle was slapped with a slashing penalty and a five minute major for attempt to injure.

The most notable offender was backup goaltender Jamie McLennan, who received a grand total of eighteen seconds of ice time in relief of Miikka Kiprusoff. His shift consisted of poking a battling Johan Franzen in front of his net, then hitting him with his stick after play had stopped. McLennan received a game misconduct and will face suspension from the NHL.

The Flames brutishly concluded the game using every opportunity at their disposal to throw in a little extra pain, including a double minor to Jerome Iginla that sent the captain to the shower before time expired.

Calgary's self-destruction now sends them back home trailing 3-2. Detroit simply manhandled the Flames, leaving them looking foolish and thuggish by the game’s finish. Calgary’s offense clicked in the first period, before degrading and collapsing as the game progressed. And in order for Calgary to extend their playoff life, they’ll have to control their emotion and play to their strengths.

Of course, that’s not quite so easy when you’re up against dominance and The Dominator.