Puck Podcast

OTTAWA – The dark cloud that has hovered over the Ottawa Senators since mid-season continues to bring the team down with Jason Spezza possibly the latest casualty.

MONTREAL – The Montreal Canadiens’ immense playoff expectations have whipped the city into a frenzy as fans dream of a Stanley Cup run that will raise another banner to the Bell Centre rafters.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – First-round flops the past three years, the Dallas Stars are on a roll against the defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks.

MONTREAL – The buzzword for the Boston Bruins throughout their first round series with the Montreal Canadiens has been discipline, but they didn’t show any when it mattered most.

MONTREAL – Alex Kovalev scored in overtime as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 Saturday and took a 2-0 lead in their opening-round playoff series.

MONTREAL – Alex Kovalev scored in overtime as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 Saturday and took a 2-0 lead in their opening-round playoff series.

DETROIT – At this rate, the Nashville Predators will soon be mumbling about bad bounces and officiating on a golf course.
Detroit’s Kris Draper scored the tiebreaker off an opponent, Nick Lidstrom had a goal when one of his teammates could’ve been called for a penalty and Nashville had a goal waved off.

CALGARY – The car flags can be seen flapping on every main road, fans in Flames jerseys are on every corner, and it seems the fans are just as fired up as the players going into Sunday’s third game between Calgary and San Jose Sharks.

MINNEAPOLIS – Pavol Demitra put one in. Now Minnesota needs Marian Gaborik to get going.The day after directing responsibility for leading the Wild attack toward him and his longtime Slovakian pal, Demitra scored a third-period goal in Game 2 of the Western Conference quarter-final matchup against Colorado to help propel Minnesota to an overtime victory that evened the series.

ARLINGTON, Va. – Having done just about everything else for the Washington Capitals – including win his first playoff game with a late third-period goal – Alex Ovechkin assumed the job of correspondent Saturday, taking a microphone and quizzing teammate Mike Green.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Ryane Clowe has a swollen, purplish right eyelid with a line of black stitches next to it. Underneath, his socket is yellowed and bruised.

OTTAWA – Pittsburgh stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have combined for 10 points in two games. Ottawa stars Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley have totalled one.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. – Everything about the New York Rangers’ first two playoff games has been familiar.The opponent, the results, the situations, and when the winning goals are scored.

MONTREAL – It was a sad year on the scoresheet for Bryan Smolinski, Tom Kostopoulos and Steve Begin, but the Montreal Canadiens checking line is starting to hit its stride.

OTTAWA – Without a victory or any sign of help on the way from the injury list, the Ottawa Senators were back home Saturday still hopeful of getting back into their playoff series with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

DETROIT – Chris Chelios was on the ice for his 248th playoff game, breaking the NHL record set by Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy.The defenceman played Saturday for the Detroit Red Wings against the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of the first-round series.

ARLINGTON, Va. – Philadelphia Flyers left wing Patrick Thoresen was released from the hospital Saturday after tests revealed no serious injury from a shot that hit him in the groin.

ARLINGTON, Va. – Philadelphia Flyers left wing Patrick Thoresen was released from the hospital Saturday after tests revealed no serious injury from a shot that hit him in the groin area.

EDMONTON – The Edmonton Oilers signed right-winger Robert Nilsson to a three-year contract Saturday.Nilsson set career highs in 2007-08 with 10 goals and 31 assists in 71 games.