I know it was a loss for the ‘Hawks but I still think they played a very good game.  It was a tough one but, in the end, Mikael Samuelsson scored 5:14 into overtime to give Detroit the 3-2 victory.

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It just shows what kind of stamina a well-trained and disciplined team like the Red Wings can deliver despite the fact that their legs must be pretty tired at this point (they played for the fourth time in a week, including those last two hard-fought games against the Anaheim Ducks in the semifinals).

Obviously, the Blackhawks really need to step up their game and use that home ice advantage in these next two games (in Chicago) or they will be eliminated.  I would hate to see them get swept.  The entire team is going to have to put in a lot of extra effort and this is where experience and maturity can be a major factor.  This is a young team and, last night, only Jonathan Toews scored (twice!).

Game 3 takes place in Chicago on Friday night.

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I think both the Red Wings and the Ducks put a huge amount of effort into the game tonight but I do want to say that Detroit goaltender, Chris Osgood, didn’t seem to be on his game whereas Anaheim’s Jonas Hiller was spectacular.  Both of them were tested quite a bit but Hiller faced an whopping 62 shots (Detroit was definitely trying!) while Osgood dealt with 46.

I was riveted throughout the regulation portion of the game, anxious during first OT, on the edge of my season for second OT and pulling my hair out by the time third OT began.  Fortunately, it didn’t last very long since, after just about a minute, Anaheim’s Todd Merchant fired a wrist shot through traffic and beat Osgood, who never saw it coming.  I can’t really think of too many games that were won by Merchant so I’m sure the Ducks are pretty happy with him right now.

The teams meet again on Tuesday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

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The score was only 3-2 which signals, to me, that both teams had to really work hard.  Truly, I think that if Niklas Lidstrom had not played so well last night, Anaheim might have won the game.  Lidstrom came through for his team by scoring his second goal of the night with just 49.1 seconds left.  He also registered an assist.

I know it might not be the most popular thing for me to say (even I can’t believe I’m going to say it) but I want Anaheim to win.  I can’t deny the sheer talent of the Red Wings but I would love to see the Ducks upset yet another “big team” in these playoffs.  It makes it so much more exciting when it’s unpredictable.

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All Anaheim needs is one more win to eliminate the Sharks.  I can’t believe I’m even writing those words.  It’s not every day that the #8 seeded team takes out the #1 seeded team in the first round.  CRAZY!!!!

Again, Jonas Hiller was extraordinary between the pipes and you can be sure that everyone is taking notice of this barely-known goaltender.  I can’t believe how effective he’s been for his team under the pressure.  He shut the Sharks out completely tonight and I’m sure they are just as baffled and shocked as everyone else.

Meanwhile, rookie Bobby Ryan scored two goals in the 4-0 victory so it’s clear that the Ducks are pulling together and aren’t relying on “star players” to get the win. 

I can’t believe I’m saying this but… Go Ducks!!!!

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The Hurricanes definitely tried everything they could to score on Brodeur, who had to make 44 saves.  His counterpart, Cam Ward, also came up big (41 saves) but it just wasn’t enough to stop the Devils from skating away with a 1-0 victory.

The most amazing part?  Brodeur was way too far out of the crease (20 feet) when he collided with Chad LaRose whose skate caught him in the back of the ankle, leaving a 4 inch cut.  “It cut right through my sock,” Brodeur said. “It was more of a bruise. It’s not like it sliced. It just hit me. At first I wasn’t sure because I could see the blood. When you get cut by a skate, you don’t know what’s going on. I’m not that tough. I probably wouldn’t have continued if I had to take stitches.”

The Devils and Hurricanes face off again on Sunday, April 26, 2009.

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The Flyers beat the Penguins 3-0 last night and sent the message that they are far from being completely out of this series.  The only goal that the Pens scored was disallowed after it was determined that Evgeni Malkin kicked it into the back of the net.

Flyers goaltender, Martin Biron, stopped all 28 shots that he faced while Penguins netminder, Marc-Andre Fleury, only managed to turn away 23 of the 26 shots on goal.

No doubt, the Penguins are frustrated and possibly embarrassed by their performance.  I’m surprised with Malkin and Sidney Crosby being healthy that they allowed themselves to get shut out.  Especially since this was Game 5 and all they had to do was win this one to capture the series.

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