All of the 7 playoff series outside of Nashville-Chicago have become locked at 1-1 as they shift to the lower-seeded teams' ice, so can the Predators buck that trend and take this evening's tilt at the United Center?
After the jump, we've got a look at last night's wild action, some news about the Blackhawks' plans to change things up for Game Two, and an analysis of how the Preds got the winning goal in Game One...
Last Night in the Playoffs
Boston 5, Buffalo 3: Boston tied up their series with a pair of quick goals in the 3rd to take the lead.
Washington 6, Montreal 5 (OT): This one was a wild ride for both teams, not the least because the refs made some bizarre calls and non-calls (and some Habs fans want to see coach Jacques Martin get riled up about it). The Caps pulled their starting goaltenderafter he gave up goals on Montreal's first two shots, and in the third period they came back from a 3-goal deficit to win in overtime, thanks to a Nicklas Backstrom blast. Tied at 1-1, the series now heads to Montreal.
Los Angeles 3, Vancouver 2 (OT): The Canucks took a too-many-men penalty in overtime, and Anze Kopitar made them pay, as the series heads to La-La Land tied 1-1.
Predators News
Check the whole "More Predators Blogs" box in the sidebar for recaps of Game One and previews of Game Two, but I wanted to note this one in particular:
Preds 101: Anatomy of a (GW) Goal: Getting the Puck in Deep
A great job breaking down the details on the winning goal from Game One.
Around the NHL
Black Dog Hates Skunks: The Sex Talk
This is probably one of the very best hockey articles I've ever read. These are dire times in Edmonton, and Steve Tambellini's post-mortem press conference didn't exactly inspire confidence.
2010 Beard Contest - NHL Digest
Get working on that playoff beard (or other visible show of support for the Preds) and you could win some cool gear from Molson Canadian...
Chicago Blackhawks’ Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook a pair again - chicagotribune.com
Joel Quenneville is apparently reuniting his top defensive pair for Game 2. As a Preds fan, I like the fact that this means their 2nd and 3rd pairing will be weaker as a result.
Worried? Who’s worried? Are you worried? I’m not worried! - Blackhawk Up
Sphincters are getting a little tight in the Windy City...
The Dark Blue Jacket: The season that had to happen: My thoughts on the CBJ, 2009-2010
The long, tortuous road for Columbus fans took another downward turn this season.
Video of Blake hit – that’s a suspension-worthy one all right | All Things Avs
Adrian Dater is trying to campaign for a suspension of Rob Blake for a hit he put on T.J. Galiardi, but he's way off base. He calls it a cross-check, but he only had one hand on his stick, for example. It really wasn't that big a deal.
Deal for Coyotes Raises Eyebrows - Slap Shot Blog - NYTimes.com
Some folks aren't happy about the deal Jerry Reinsdorf negotiated to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix, but the threat of relocation is very real here.