The final days….days that try men’s souls…..days that hockey players either put up or shut up….days where the fan is indisposed trying to digest all the hockey. Screw that!! Its time for the Hockey Roundup!!
Hockey Roundup — April 5th
There are 12 big games tonight….here are the three best….
FIRST STAR:
Colorado Avalanche @ Vancouver Canucks 10pm EDT ALT,CPPV
Is Luongo ready for a little history tonight??
The Avs again are on life support for seemingly the 50th time this week…..really it isn’t near that many but it sure feels that way. Well the play of their goalie has been almost as outstading as Luongo. Peter Budaj in his last 15 starts is 12-0-2. As for Luongo….a win tonight clinches the Northwest and a certain NHL Arena member can get his shirt without worrying (and something about a 47th win). Seriously, expect a raucous crowd at GM Place tonight for this huge tilt of two hot goalies….the Sedin twins and some guy named Joe Sakic who can still take over a game…just ask Mikka Kiprusoff. Come see all the action tonight….at the GDT.
SECOND STAR
Montreal Canadiens @ New York Rangers 7pm EDT RDS,MSG
Halak is throwing up a stone wall like Roy in ’93.
The goalie matchup is stuff of legend tonight…well not yet…but it makes you wonder how many times these two goalies will be dueling like this in the future. Halak vs. Lundqvist tonight. Halak has led the Habs from the dead….they seemed long buried after the Rangers shut out the Habs 4-0…the last time they played the Canadiens. Well right now …this is the 7 seed battling the 8 seed still for their playoff lives. Toronto is lurking right behind both teams and the Leafs face the Isles tonight who never win after beating the Rangers (at least its very rare). Don’t expect a lot of scoring with these two….as the goalies are in full playoff hockey mode….Jagr and Koivu will have a tough time getting their teams to score plenty. The GDT is the place where its at…with passionate fans and thrills to the chills hockey tonight.
THIRD STAR
Pittsburgh Penguins @ Ottawa Senators 7:30pm EDT FSPI, A CH
Can Emery clinch first round home ice for the Sens tonite?
The other two games seem to feature the goalies I know….well this will just feature who can stop enough to keep the other team off the board. Fleury and Emery will have their hands full all night trying to stop these high powered offenses. Ryan Whitney is expected back for the Pens so they should be pretty well at full strength. Alfredsson, Spezza, and Heatley were almost kept all off the scoreboard in New Jersey till Alfredsson got a bit of a lucky break off a patch of bad ice. Maybe the Pens have to turn the page a bit tonight and look at what the Sabres did to them Tuesday. Ottawa will play like it always does….loose and hard. This is the battle for the 4th seed though Pittsburgh has an outside chance at the 2nd still…with some help. Fleury vs. Emery tonight…let the shots fly from all angles as Sid the Kid tries to silence the Sens….all on the GDT.
There are so many really solid games tonight….just put some new batteries in the remote and let the pucks fly. While you’re at it….drinking and eating away, The NHL Arena will be full of puckheads just like you wanting to talk about all of the nite’s action and what it means as the days grow closer to the playoffs. Who knows you may see a little history.
