San Jose 3, Nashville 2
Nightmares come in many forms. Being down 3-1 in a Stanley Cup Playoff series is one of them. The San Jose Sharks pushed the Predators to the brink of playoff elimination with solid fundamental hockey from everybody — and a dash of dazzling skill from Milan Michalek, who’s quickly becoming Nashville’s nightmare. Michalek scored two goals, Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves and the Sharks took a commanding lead in their first-round series with a 3-2 victory over the Predators in Game 4. “My game, I just try to use all the speed I can,” said Michalek, who has tormented Nashville with four goals in four playoff games. “We try to get the puck down low and make them work every minute. That pays off at the end.” Michalek did most of the offensive damage on assists from Joe Thornton and Jonathan Cheechoo, his higher-profile linemates. Rookie Joe Pavelski also scored his first playoff goal for the Sharks. Mike Grier and Curtis Brown were just as important killing penalties and making life miserable for the Predators’ vaunted offensive talent.
“Definitely, there was some misfortune for us today,” said Tomas Vokoun, who made 20 saves for Nashville. “I thought it was a pretty even game. They just got the breaks. (Our) puck bounces on the goal line and doesn’t go in. They throw the puck in from the back of the net, it hits a skate and goes in.” Jason Arnott scored his first goal of the series for the frustrated Predators, who are winless in seven road playoff games in franchise history. Scott Hartnell scored with 2:52 left when the Predators pulled Vokoun.
Paul Kariya hasn’t scored a goal in four games for Nashville, and Bill Guerin hasn’t found the net for San Jose. Game 5 in the best-of-seven series is Friday in Nashville.
New Jersey 4, Lightning 3
This is how champions are made and how they respond. Turns out the New Jersey Devils didn’t need a stellar performance from Martin Brodeur to climb back into their first-round playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Another big game by Zach Parise and Scott Gomez’s overtime goal kept the Atlantic Division champions from falling to the brink of elimination in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference with Tampa Bay by winning 4-3. “It’s a big momentum shifter for us. You lose that, you’re down 3-1. Now it’s 2-2; it’s a new ballgame,” Brodeur said. “We’ve got home-ice advantage now, so we’re definitely happy about the situation we’re in.” Brodeur had 30 saves, but squandered a two-goal lead in the second period. He has given up 12 goals in four games after entering the postseason with a career 1.89 goals-against average in 153 playoff games.
Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Eric Perrin scored for the Lightning, who rallied from a 3-1 deficit Johan Holmqvist stopped 33 shots after making 64 saves in Tampa Bay victories in Games 2 and 3. Parise scored his fifth and sixth goals of the postseason. Scott Gomez blocked a shot nearly 13 minutes into the extra period, then chased down the loose puck and skated in to blow the winner past goalie Holmqvist.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion hasn’t delivered the kind of performance New Jersey is accustomed to getting this time of year. But when the need is there, someone usually steps up. This time it was someone other than Brodeur.
NY Rangers 4, Atlanta 2
With the score 2-2 last night at Madison Square Garden, the New York Rangers were scrambling for a goal to sweep the Atlanta Thrashers and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Thrashers were fighting to survive and send the series home. The Rangers’ Thomas Pock flipped the puck to center ice and Matt Cullen was skating, trying to settle it down. “It was on its side and I just had a little space and wanted to get a quick shot off,” Cullen said. He wound up and fired, and the puck spun like a knuckleball toward Thrashers goaltender Johan Hedberg. “I saw it hit the crossbar and lost sight of it for a second, so I just assumed it hit the crossbar and went out,” Cullen said. Play continued for 16 seconds before a whistle and a video review. “The longer [the review] took, the more hopeful I got,” Cullen said. “I was trying to tell myself not to get too excited.” After a lengthy review, referee Mike Hasenfratz ruled that the goal counted, and the Garden exploded. Cullen’s fifth postseason goal and first in New York lifted the Rangers to a four-game sweep with a 4-2 win.
“To me, the biggest difference [between the Rangers and Thrashers] was the games before the playoffs,” Jagr said. “They clinched before us and we had to fight until the last game. The last 20 games were practice for the playoffs. I’m glad it’s over, especially the back-to-back games. I’m glad we got a week off.” Last night was far different than the 7-0 drubbing the Rangers administered Tuesday. In the second game of the back-to-back, the Garden crowd was decidedly quieter. There were no tomahawk chops or chants as the Thrashers abandoned their reckless play to skate rather than slash, and the Rangers responded with a sloppy, uneven effort for two periods.
Keith Tkachuk and Greg de Vries scored for Atlanta while Michal Rozsival, Brendan Shanahan, and Cullen answered for the Rangers. Jaromir Jagr ended it with an empty net goal.
Buffalo 4, NY Islanders 2
With the best record in hockey for the regular season, the Buffalo Sabres are one victory away from eliminating the pesky New York Islanders and advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Sabres on Wednesday night defeated the Islanders, 4-2, to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. Islanders winger Jason Blake drew first blood and center Mike Sillinger scored late in the first period to tie the game, but the Sabres were too much to handle. Chris Drury netted two goals, including his 14th career winner, and Thomas Vanek scored for the second straight game to overcome two successful first-period Islander power plays. Jason Pominville iced the game with 72 seconds left in regulation. Drury converted it for his fourth postseason goal 39 seconds after the intermission. Brian Campbell took a low slap shot from the point that Drury redirected unsuccessfully, but he banged in the rebound to subdue the Nassau Coliseum crowd. Drury also scored the winning goal in Game One. Of his 39 playoff goals, 14 have decided games.
He established a reputation as a clutch player with the Colorado Avalanche, demonstrating a knack for the crucial goal. He scored 11 in four postseasons with the Avalanche and helped it win a Stanley Cup in 2001.
Nassau Coliseum erupted with 1:42 left to play, when it appeared the Islanders had tied the score after a long stalemate. Former Sabres winger Miroslav Satan plunged head-first into a pileup and bowled over goalie Ryan Miller. The puck slid over the line, but referee Mike Leggo waved it off. After a video review, the call stood.
The series will return to HSBC Arena for Game Five on Friday night.
