Crunch time

The fact that the Montreal Canadiens won all eight games against the Boston Bruins during the regular season means very little in the playoffs, this is especially true now that their first round series has come down to a deciding Game 7. The Habs, heavy favourites at the start of the series, have seen a 2-0 slip away and at the chance of wrapping things up at 3-1 they lost two straight. Young Carey Price gave up five goals in each of those games, which were his first consecutive losses since being called up from the minors in February. Momentum is clearly with the B's even if stats still favour the Canadiens. The Bruins have never won a series in which they trailed 3-1. On the other hand, this is the first time they have forced a Game 7 in that situation. Be that as it may, I'm going to stick with my original pick. This will be the ultimate test to see if Price can perform at crunch time, I think he can.

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The Philadelphia Flyers don't have their backs against the wall, at leaste not yet. Though the Washington Capitals took home Game 5 and avoided elimination, the Flyers still have two shots at clinching their first playoff series since 2004. Ovechkin didn't have any goals or assists in Game 5 but he did play perhaps his best game in the post season. Question is if the Caps can win the next one as well without his contribution the scoresheet. The Flyers will have to do without forward Mike Knuble, but they are more than familiar to playing without their stars, they have gotten through most of the season without several of them. I'm not changing my pick here either, Philadelphia look way too tough and if they lose tonight they will win in Game 7. There is something special about these Flyers and, much like those Canadiens of 1993, they will surprise a lot of people on their way through these playoffs.

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Nice to see that Henrik Lundqvist got nominated for the Vezina Trophy. Early on in the season he carried the non-scoring Rangers on his back and, even though he lost his touch around the halfway pointone point, a late push by the Rangers saw him return to his old form. The nomination is his third in a row. Will the third time be the charm for The King?

The other two nominees are Martin Brodeur, who will try to win his fifth Vezina, and Evgeni Nabokov who posted a league leading 46 wins this season and was third in the league with a 2.14 goals-against-average and tied for third with six shutouts. Lundqvist, who despite his mid-season struggle, posted a 2.23 goals-against-average and a .912 save percentage, also led the league with 10 shutouts.

I would have to say that Nabokov looks like the favourite to win his first trophy as the best goalie in the NHL.

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The Flyers - Capitals game just started so I'll have to wrap this up now.