Eighteen months ago….I professed my love to my darling wife who is a Ducks fan….as the West Coast merged with the East Coast. So it feels appropiate that today, there are 13 games….YES 13 GAMES!!!! So get your food, snacks, and beers ready…..unbutton the top button, sit back and enjoy THE HOCKEY ROUNDUP!!!!
The Hockey Roundup — April 3rd
As I uncrack a Woodchuck Cider….time to go thru the best of the best today…..
HEADLINE GAME
Carolina Hurricanes @ Tampa Bay Lightning 7:30pm EDT FSS,SUN
Will Ward be singing “Someone saved our playoff lives tonite”?
Tampa has 90 pts….Carolina has 86….the last two Stanley Cup champs face off again to see who has more life left in their tank tonight. In the last meeting…Tampa tallied twice in the third to take it 4-2 and put Carolina in this very precarious position. As Cam Ward has said…”We put ourselves in this, we have to dig ourselves out.” Vinny Lecavlier has 39 points in 45 career meetings against the Canes…second most against any opponent (40 — Caps). The Canes have to do a better job of playing defense in the third period…they are 8th worst in the league giving up goals in the third. When they play better D late….the offense can take over like it did against Florida. Tampa leads the season series 4-3….whoever wins this tonight will gain a crucial two points that may springboard one team in the playoffs. Ward vs. Denis tonight more than likely. Grab a cold one….and watch your eyes bounce back and forth like a ping pong ball at the GDT.
THE CRITICAL CONDITION GAME
Colorado Avalanche @ Calgary Flames 9pm EDT ALT2,FPPV
Mikka Kiprusoff has a chance to send the Avs home for the playoffs tonite.
That beeping sound you hear tonight is the playoff hopes of the Colorado Avalanche who despite the brilliant play of goaltender Peter Budaj are pretty much one loss from the golf course. Budaj in his last 14 starts is a staggering 11-0-2 with a 2.22 GAA. Then well counter that with Mikka Kiprusoff who has a 1.47 GAA and .938 sv percentage in his last six contests and you get the makings of a goalie duel ….right???? Not so fast there. Throw numbers and stats out the window with these two….you can get a 7-5 game or a 2-1 game just as easy. Sakic and the Avs youth go up against Iginla, Phaneuf and company tonight. This would be a Duffman special no doubt….let the suds fly with the pucks and the hits….this one is going to be a barnburner…and you can see all the words exchanged only at the GDT.
RIVALRY GAME
New York Rangers @ New York Islanders 7:30pm EDT MSG,FSNY
Its dooby dooby D’OH! if this guy is in net for the Isles tonite.
The Islanders would pretty much need a miracle to make the playoffs…what they don’t want is the Rangers to clinch a berth of their own tonight as the two meet at the NVMC. Since Rick Dipietro went out with symptoms similar to PCS….the Isles haven’t won…and at times haven’t been competitive. That has to have Ted Nolan seething from every part of his body. Since Sean Avery has come to the Rangers…the Rangers are 15-5-5…say what you want about him…he has this team playing with more grit than it has showed since last year….before that little collapse. Avery can score, play defense, is good on the PK, and can make life hell for an opposing goalie. Dunham’s mission tonight will be not to get rattled by the seemingly endless amount of traffic in front of him. The Rangers will try to crash the net as Buffalo and other teams have against the Isles of late. The Isles may be low on morale but high on pride for this one. Henrik Lundqvist going up against his old teammate, Mike Dunham in this hot matchup on Long Island…don’t miss a second of what is one of the most bitter rivalries in all of sports, tonite on the GDT.
CHASE FOR HISTORY???
Ottawa Senators @ New Jersey Devils 7:30pm EDT SPPV,FSNY2
Lou is back on the bench and may see something historic tonight.
Martin Brodeur needs one win to tie Bernie Parent for the goaltender record for most wins in a season but the Devils need the two points so much more as they face another 102 point team in the Senators. The Sens are on an impressive 8-2 stretch, including a dominating 5-2 performance on Long Island Saturday night. Dany Heatley is chasing a little history of his own…as he is two goals from becoming the first Sen to ever have back to back 50 goal seasons. The Devils lead the series 2-1 after back to back 3-2 wins. This is Lou Lamoriello’s first game on his second stint as coach. Gomez is questionable for tonight with a sore thigh. If he plays, it would be the first time the Devils have been healthy since the beginning of the season. So who reaches their milestone tonight…and who holds off the Penguins in the standings???? Find out this evening as the Sens face the Devils on the GDT.
CLINCHING THE EAST????
Buffalo Sabres @ Pittsburgh Penguins 7pm EDT VS.
Fleury has to really fight his own demons and the Sabres tonite.
The love affair with Sidney Crosby and VS. continues as the Pens entertain the Sabres tonight who have clinching home ice thru the Eastern Conference playoffs and more on their minds. With a win tonight or a Sens loss…the Sabres can clinch the East and set their sights on maybe the Presidents Trophy for most points in the NHL. These teams combine for high scoring games as offense is their M.O. The last meeting in Pittsburgh was a 5-4 win for Pittsburgh in the shootout…the Sabres rallied to tie the game after being down 4-2 midway thru the final period. Then Sidney Crosby won it in the shootout. Miller and Fleury will go at it again tonight…the first team to 5 may just win this one…with these high powered offenses. Sabres against the Pens tonite on the GDT where all the goals will be highlighted and maybe some saves too.
For all the rest of the hot action tonight…come check out The NHL Arena for scores and so much more.
