and how about ovy’s game winner the other night? this guy is just unreal. go habs! but really, i’m surprised game 2 went to OT.

how huge is tonight’s game at MSG?

20 yr old Carey Price nearly gets a shutout in his first ever NHL playoff game.

Hasek lets in all of one goal (and deflected at that) in his playoff debut this year (and possibly his last).

Anaheim and Brutuzzi take stupid penalties and Dallas capitalizes with a nice shutout win to open against the defending chumps.

San Jose-Calgary all tied up, as it will be two more times before the 7th game.

Rangers nicely trounce the NJ Swampthings, and Brodeur is looking positively half-man and half-goat.

The red-hot Pens make the non-existent Sens look like a pick-up sparring partner.

Poor old luckless Minnesota have their best defenseman go out with a frickin apendectomy! While the ghosts of springs-past show up in the body of Mighty Joe Sakic.

And tonight we’ve got the most exciting and anticipated playoff debut in 20 years with Alexander Ovechkin set to begin his second career at 7PM.

A playoff full of excellence, and it’s just 2 nights old.

I’m with you on Habs over Bruins; love the ‘gin 6 matchup, Gainey’s placed a lot of faith in Carey Price and i think he’ll outplay Thomas. Plus I can’t help admire how Kovalev’s developed as a true leader on that squad.

Pens – Sens: love this. I’m not a Fleury fan but i’m not sold on Ottawa goaltending situation either. And i think it’ll come down to the thing that’s bugged me about the Sens for years: heart. Croz, Malkin, Staal, Malone, my main man Gary Roberts, plus now Hossa and the rest have the passion to make it thru this round.

Caps – Flyers – another matchup i’m loving — led by the best player in the galaxy, and with an outstanding supporting cast including Semen, Federov, Cooke, and Greene on the blue line just to name a few, i expect the caps to pound the Flyers like Marciano did Louis (sorry to switch sports on ya’s like that). In net, Washington definitely has the advantage in my eyes, and they got a coach that has them believing. I have an image of bloody black and orange carcasses staining the ice with the Great 8 standing over carnage like Vlad the Impaler or something.

Rangers – Devils….so much for me to say here, for now ’nuff said that at its core this is about the end of the magic carpet Brodeur ride of the last 14 years and the solidifying of King Henrik’s reign. I’ll pass on the wings preds matchup and go with

Flames – Sharks….whatta matchup! The running joke is the Sharks are the Senators of the West; now’s the time for them to show they are legitimate Cup contenders. and despite that 7th place finish, they can’t sleep on the Flames. this is exactly the kind of team darth keenan can win in the playoffs with. kipper in goal, phaneuf on D, whatta squad!

‘lanche – Wild, gotta love classic Joe Sakic, Ryan Smyth, and now my Forsberg jersey is once again relevant!