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NHL Playoff Observations -- Wednesday Night

Just a few things that caught my eye:

  • It's almost impossible to fathom that the great sniping Steven Stamkos had zero shots in over 30 minutes of ice time.
  • Watching Tampa Bay defend was liking watching Groundhog Day -- they just kept using Guy Boucher's 1-3-1 formation when Pittsburgh attacked. And the Pens just kept walking unfettered into the Bolts' zone over and over and over...
  • It's Miller time! Ryan Miller had been "holey" in the previous two games but not tonight. The Sabres are only going as far as he can carry them. But that could be far if he keeps this up.
  • How successful was the one-armed gunslinger? About as successful as Ryan Malone when he tried to shoot, pass, fire dump-ins, body check, back-check, fore-check. You get the point; so should Guy Boucher. Then again, he should have gotten the point on the 1-3-1, too.
  • Remember when I asked if Kyle Turris would ever become the player the Yotes thought they were getting draft day? It looks like it's his coming out party, too.
  • Guy Boucher shortened his bench in the first period; Dan Bylsma never really did. And in the St. Pete's Sauna. Then again, it doesn't look like it's going to matter much over the rest of the Bolts' playoffs.
  • Goat or hero? Fifty saves but three bad goals. Dwayne Roloson was the only reason the Bolts got to OT but he's also the reason they got there in the first place. And the reason they lost. He'd like every one of those goals back, particularly the woof on the 53rd shot of the night.
  • It's still weird to see Mike Modano wearing the winged wheel. Some things just don't go together.
  • Weird night for the great Pekka Rinne. Two goals in 33 seconds in the first and then three in 5:29 in the third. When he collapses, he really collapses. Then again, it was a night for mental mistakes...
  • I get it that Montreal is a city with incredible temptations and distractions. But Lake Placid? Claude Julien and Peter Chiarelli put their children on a bus and sent them to middle earth where there's probably one bar open and the girls all have moustaches. And ones that aren't even as nice as Brandon Dubinsky's pornstache. Those poor Bruins. Road trips are supposed to be fun...