Sharks are Going to Get it Together
 

Out of their troubles BEFORE the playoffs this time....
:yes:

Finally!
 

The NHLPA approved the new rule this morning to ban blindside hits to the head, and it goes into effect immediately. Colin Campbell, the useless douchebag, can now hand out suspensions when a player hits an unsuspecting player where the head is the targeted. Will he? Who the hell knows, but it'll be tough for him to ignore the calls from teams demanding action. My Bruins lost Marc Savard for the season because of one of these ruthless hits.

All 30 NHL teams were sent DVD showing what is legal and what is not.

I guess we'll know shortly. David Booth of Florida was taken off the ice after being hit in the head with a shoulder. I don't think it was a dirty hit, and Booth is now prone to concussions(due to previous ones), but if it falls into the newly-banned hits it should be a suspendable hit. I have not seen it myself, so I don't know where it falls.

Speaking of falling....the Atlanta Thrashers fell to the Leafs 2-1 in overtime!:yes:

I saw the hit of Booth on replay, from several angles, and I don't think anyone would call it a dirty hit. Rather, it was an example of a hockey player forgetting that this is a game of hits, and he ought not to skate with his head hanging down so low!

By the way, Booth left the ice on his own two skates, albeit helped by his teammates. He did not require being carried.

That is good to hear. I was at work, so I wasn't able to see the hit(or the after-effects). I heard that the Montreal player wasn't a dirty player, so I thought it may have been one of the "head-down" hits. I don't know where that falls under the new rules, though. I guess we'll know soon enough I'm sure.

Rangers 4-3 Devils (SO)
 

:censored:, the Devils were leading 3-2 with only 17 seconds of the 3rd period to go. Officially half a second later it was 3-3 and we blew it in a shootout.:frown:

Not only are the Devils battling against the Penguins for #2 spot in the East, their recent poor form has let the Sabres close the gap and make it a three-team battle for 2nd/3rd/4th seeds.:frown:

If it's any consolation, Buffalo lost 4-2 to Ottawa tonight.;)

I thought our hockey fans would get a kick out of this. Kevin Paul Dupont, the Boston Globe's resident hockey columnist, suggested yesterday in the newspaper a solution to the Bruins' current woes when it comes to defending against the power play. (Remember that earlier in the season the Bruins were at the top of the NHL in this category; how great the mighty have fallen!)

Dupont's suggestion: use the "not-so-secret weapon" of Zdeno Chara and "park the big lug right at the top of the crease for the full two minutes."

He adds: "... and as those great old Habs teams would have said, 'Que sera sera, baby!'"

I love this idea. Chara is 6'9", the tallest player in NHL history. Dupont writes of "Trencin Tower of Power, parking his stretch-limousine 6-foot-9-inch self right in front of that piddly 4-foot-by-6-foot net."

Pretty nifty idea, eh?

Actually, it looks like the cure for the Bruin's ails is to play the Calgary Flames. Boston smoked them 5-0 this afternoon(Tim Thomas got the shutout)!;)

Damn! I was so busy working and ... well ... being distracted by thoughts of Connie (see other thread) that I forgot to watch. Nice that Thomas played for a change; he was so good earlier in the season.

You probably can't get tonight's New Jersey - Montreal game, dauls, so I'll give you a little spoiler right now. There's ten minutes left in the second period and New Jersey is up 2 - 1. Montreal is on a power play and they aren't doing a thing with it.

^ You're not missing much of a game. Both teams look like they are too tired to bother playing at all. I've seen more action in an oldtimers game and that was what was happening between periods.

You're right ila. It's Mixed Martial Arts and Ultimate Fighting through to 6am on ESPN-UK. :frown: Tomorrow more UFC and the NBA. No NHL until Monday night (starts at 3am Tuesday, Ducks-Stars, so I won't be watching that one).

As for the latest score... :) :cool:

And Boston winning 5-0 today. :eek:

Bit of action just now, NHL.com says it's 3-2 to the Devils.;)

Damn, I just changed the channel a couple of minutes ago because of the lack of movement on the ice.

It' not been a good for me. Early this morning I watch Munich lose to Stuttgart in what should have been an easy game for Munich and in Munich no less. Now Montreal can't win in their own arena.

My only hope is now for Vancouver to beat San Jose later this evening.

:cool: Devils win 4-2. However it went all the way down to the wire, the Devils only sealed the victory with an empty net goal at 19:50 in the 3rd.

Devils needed that win following wins by the Penguins and the Sabres today. It's turning into a close fight for #2 seed in the East.

:frown: I can't remember the last time ESPN-UK showed a Devils game, it must've been before the Olympics.

And :eek::eek::eek: Toronto managed to use a 2-0 deficit to their advantage, stealing it 3-2 in OT from the Rangers.
The Leafs are 8-2-0 in the last 10, surely they left it a bit late to start their run for the playoffs.:innocent:(sorry, shadows);)

^Even Ottawa managed to win tonight.

Unfortunately, prepare for your hopes to be dashed. Vancouver lost 4-2.

Montreal picked a lousy time to go on a losing streak.:eek:

At least my Leafs helped you and smc out tonight by beating the Rangers(one of the teams vying for Montreal's and Boston's playoff spots). Sorry that they allowed the Rangers to get a point, but at least they prevented them from getting two!:)

Flyers 5-1 Devils
 

:censored: The Flyers spanked the Devils 5-1 last night. Not too surprising though, that's the fifth time this season the Flyers have beaten us.

With the Sabres and the Penguins winning it looks like the Devils will probably head into the playoffs as #4 seed in the East.

At least as #4 seeds we will avoid drawing our bogey team the Flyers in the first round of the playoffs, Ottawa look set for the #5 spot.

Tell me about it! :censored:

3 questions
 

Three hockey questions for three of my hockey-loving friends on this board ...

shadows: Now that the school year is over, your Maple Leafs just signed Brayden Irwin from University of Vermont for the final six games of the regular season. Brayden played 39 games for the Catamounts this season, and led the team in goals (15), assists, (19), power-play goals (7), and ... wait for it ... penalty minutes (72). What do you think? A smart move?

ila: The Phoenix Business Journal reported yesterday (I believe) that a billionaire from Toronto named David Thomson has an agreement in principle to move the Coyotes from Phoenix to Winnipeg, if owners cannot be found to keep the team in Arizona (a place where, as I have stated in the past, hockey should not be played!). Thoughts? An NHL team in Manitoba again a good thing? Will you become a Coyotes fan? What do you think they'll call the team if it moves? The Winnipeg Jets? The Winnipeg Lake Monsters? (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

dauls: Our teams, the Bruins and the Devils, meet up tonight. What is the one thing you can say for certain about this game before it begins, other than that there is not a single player on either team who wants to be in Newark, New Jersey? :lol:

The rumour of moving Phoenix back to Winnipeg has been going around for some time now. Each resurgence brings the rumour on stronger. Each rumour makes the NHL headoffice waffle even more with their yes, Winnipeg, you will get it; no, Winnipeg, you will not get it. Then there is their famous denial and confirmation, all in one statement. I do not think Winnipeg will be the next city, in Canada, to get an NHL team. I do believe that Quebec City or Hamilton will get one first.

The good news is the David Thomson is supposed to be on-board with any franchise that moves to Winnipeg. David Thomson has very deep pockets, which he may need to get a franchise established.

If a team moves to Winnipeg I am sure that the fans will demand that the team be named the Jets.

Although I live in the west I will not change my loyalties to the team that I have supported since before I could skate. I will cheer for any team in the west, but my favourite will still be Montreal.

What?! My "Manitoba Lake Monsters" doesn't even get a chuckle?! :rolleyes:

Patrice Bergeron scored the winning goal with 0:19 left in sudden-death overtime. Bruins 1, Devils 0.

Sorry, dauls.

I could see them nicknamed the Sturgeons or the Catfish. Out west catfish would be an insult as no one in the west eats catfish.

Well, if you don't eat catfish, you are missing out on some might fine eating!

Before the game? Name one Bruins player that wouldn't jump at the chance to stay and play in New Jersey for the rest of the season. The Devils may be a bit up and down at the moment, but at least they have a reasonable chance of lifting the Stanley Cup. But in Boston, will they be packing away their hockey equipment early this season?

After the game? F:censored:kity f:censored:k-f:censored:k 18.3 seconds!!! F:censored:k.:(

Gutted for Brodeur, clean sheet for 64.41 and then just misses out on what sounds like a deserved shutout. But as we all know Attachment 156138.

I wish I'd seen the game.:frown::(

Even foreigners know better than to wish they were in New Jersey! (Sorry, Jen.)

It really was a superb one to watch. As long as you insist on living in England, you're going to have to miss out on good stuff like this. Oh, and edible food, too. :lol:

He's a young player so that fits with the current direction the team is going. He also has a physical presence which may help cut down on the "liberties" that opposing players like to take from time to time. As far as his offensive side will be? I guess we'll have to see next season, as 6 games isn't really an accurate measuring stick for his talent.

Bruins got the much need two points(since the damned Leafs decided to let Atlanta win!). The Rangers also won, so the Eastern race remains tight!:eek:

Blackhawks 2-1 Devils (SO)
 

Once again the Devils get those final 60-seconds blues.

F:censored:kity f:censored:k-f:censored:k 26 seconds from a 1-0 win this time!!!:( And then we lose in a damn shootout.:frown:

NHL.com trivia:
Friday night's Blackhawks-Devils game was the first penalty-free game in the NHL since March 28, 2001, when the Bruins beat Toronto 3-0.;)

Word around these parts is that the NHL is going to axe Colin Campbell as chief disciplinarian in favor of newbie Brendan Shanahan. I wonder: did Marc Savard and David Booth get a say in this?

This is the first I've heard about this. I thought him and Buttman were tight, so that would protect him no matter what!:confused:

It looks like Montreal has righted their ship at exactly the right moment. Two straight shutouts for Halak.

It looks like it is going to be down to the wire for the following teams: Boston, Atlanta, New York Rangers, Philadelphia(and to a lesser extent, Montreal). What a race!

And about time too. They had me concerned for awhile.

They will need Ottawa to lose the rest of their games, and Montreal will have to win the rest of their games, but if that happens Montreal could get into fifth position! Both teams have 3 games remaining. Here are the games:

Ottawa: Florida, Tampa Bay, Buffalo

Montreal: Islanders, Carolina, Toronto(dang!)

The only team that looks like it may be a challenge for either Ottawa or Montreal would be Buffalo(of course, Ottawa has owned Buffalo this year), so it will be a slim chance for Montreal to catch them.

Boston lost to Washington 3-2 in overtime. At least Boston got a much-needed point, which gives them 85. Philly is in 8th with 84 points and the Rangers have 82. The only other team that has a chance in the East is Atlanta, and they have 81 points.

The problem with this is that the Rangers have a game in hand, so that could be trouble.

:cool: Sat 3rd: Devils 4-0 'Canes
:cool: Tue 6th: Devils 3-0 Thrashers

Back-to-back shutouts for Brodeur and the Devils. Maybe our defence and veteran goalie have put their post-Olympic slump behind them in time for the postseason.

And the Devils knocked Atlanta from playoff contention!:cool:

The only good thing about Toronto losing to Philadelphia tonight is....well, I guess it helps out Jennifer's team, so I can live with the loss.:)

Montreal lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Islanders. They got a point, but they weren't going to be able to get any higher in the standings as Ottawa also won their game and there is now no way for Montreal to beat them in the standings.

There are only a few more days of hockey left. I am barely holding onto 2nd place(4 points up on 3rd). There is not enough time for me to catch up to 1st place(14 points behind), but I would like my fellow hockey fans to send me some good vibes so I can stay in second place(and win $40 rather than $10)!:hug:

I forgot to add that the Rangers lost 5-2 to Buffalo, so they are now on the brink of elimination. Boston and the Rangers each have 3 games left to play and New York is 3 points back.

Here are the games remaining for both Boston and New York(as I mentioned above, Atlanta was eliminated).

Rangers: Toronto, Philadelphia, Philadelphia

Boston: Buffalo, Carolina, Washington

Philadelphia only has 2 games remaining, but since they are both against the Rangers they are in control of their own fate. They beat them once and they are in the playoffs.

I should also mention that Calgary was eliminated today. Colorado got the final Western playoff spot.

Smc, the darned Maple Leafs couldn't help Boston out last night! They lost 5-1 to the Rangers, and now New York is only 1 point behind Boston!:eek::no:

I guess a silver lining can be found in the fact that Boston has a game in hand, which can be the difference maker.

Yeah, thanks a lot Toronto!

Actually, the silver lining can be found in the fact that I can take something else in hand and forget about hockey for a while. ;)

Oh, yeah! Bruins 3, Sabres 1. Boston now has 87 points, and the playoff hopes have improved exponentially!

And on the flip-side, Montreal lost 5-2 to Carolina and New Jersey lost 3-2 to Florida. All Montreal needs is a single point to get into the playoffs, but they did not show up for this one!

And Vancouver is currently losing 4-0 after two periods to the San Jose Sharks. If Nabokov gets the shutout I will be severely pissed off! I doubt Vancouver can come back and win it, but if Nabokov gets the shutout he will get 7 points rather than just 2 points for a win. I am currently in second place in the hockey pool, and I NEED Nabokov to NOT get the shutout!:censored:

Unfortunately the Sharks won, but at least Nabokov lost his shutout. Now the other person in the pool only gained 1 point on me rather than 6. I still have a 6 point lead with many opportunities to get points tomorrow night(since I have a lot of players that he doesn't).

Thankfully the Sharks only have one more game(he has Thornton, Heatley, and Nabokov)!

:censored: Losing to the Panthers when the Devils out-shot them 44-18.:frown: And the Penguins beat the Islanders 7-3.:(

Now the Devils and Penguins are tied on 99pts with two games left.

If only they played each other...;)

The West
 

In the west, there's three teams tied on 98 points.

Oh, they do play sometimes, but it's not always hockey.

It looks like Montreal is trying their hardest to stay out of the playoffs.:censored:

I don't know which team I'm more angry at tonight: the Flyers for losing, or the Rangers for winning.

That is a conundrum. I'd like to have seen the Flyers win for Jen.

:eek: Just be grateful that the Rangers didn't win in OT or by SO. That extra point for the Flyers would have made it an even more nervous final two days for the Bruins (and the Habs).

:yes: You'll want to confirm postseason play against the Hurricanes tomorrow, because I don't give the Bruins much hope on their trip to Washington on Sunday.

Ila, if by some miracle Toronto beats Montreal tomorrow, I hope that we will still be friends.:eek:

I think that Montreal will be in a little trouble, as Toronto has nothing to play for(and would relish a chance to play spoiler and knock another team from playoff contention) and Montreal has to win! They will be playing a very tight game and not taking many chances. Toronto may try and take advantage of that.

Unfortunately, I think that the Rangers will pull off the victory. The Rangers will enter the game with all the momentum and they also have the advantage in net. I would take Lundqvist over Boucher any time! Losing Leighton to injury hurt the Flyers quite a bit.

Boston is in the best shape of them all. They are in 6th right now and just need a single point to get in. If they get past regulation they are golden.

In either case, anger would have been allayed by a Flyers victory, so Jen would have been covered.

If by some miracle Toronto wins you are going to have prove your friendship by sitting down with me and enjoying a big bowl of pea soup followed by a cold Canadian. ;):lol:

I think Toronto would find it especially sweet to knock out Montreal.

And I'll buy the winning fan this t-shirt. :lol:

The Bruins just scored THREE short-handed goals in a minute and four seconds against the Hurricanes. The first two were 49 seconds apart, and the third came after another 15 seconds. OMFG!!!!

Go Boston! Teach those southerners that hockey belongs where there is ice and snow and not in the subtropics.

And that tending the net is a full-time job, including when your own team is on the power play!

The Hurricanes got two goals back in the second period, and the Bruins were robbed of a goal when the ref called off what was an obvious goal in every replay from every angle. That ref will need to be but in protective custody to leave the Garden today if the Bruins happen to lose!

It's confirmed: the Bruins set an all-time NHL record this afternoon by scoring three short-handed goals in the same shift. (see post above)

My final Bruins-related post for today:

The Bruins sewed up a playoff spot with a victory today against the Hurricanes, 3-2. It's always nice to head to the playoffs by winning a game, rather than as the result of what other teams do.

After the game, the Bruins held their traditional ceremony of giving some fans the shirts off their backs. Literally. Some fans are selected randomly during the game and come unto the ice after the game. Each player is announced and takes off his stinky, sweaty hockey jersey and gives it to the fan. Injured players are there, too, and walk onto the ice in their business suits. Savard was last, off course, and was treated to a massive ovation.

On to the playoffs!

The Bruins scored just three short-handed goals in the first 80 games of the season followed by three more in 64 seconds of game #81.:eek::eek::eek: Amazing!

That steals all the thunder from the Devils 7-1 rout of the Islanders. Game 82 is the #2/#3 seed decider with the Devils hosting the Sabres.

AMAZING is definitely the word. I'm so glad I was watching on a Saturday afternoon.

We can both be happy, my friend!:cool:

While Toronto may have won the game, Montreal got a point due to the loss occuring in overtime! So the Leafs won and Montreal got into the playoffs!:yes:

So, you think Henrik Sedin wants to win the Rocket Richard trophy? He had 4assists in the game against Calgary and now has 112 points. Ovechkin has 109 points, but he still has one more game to play.

Daniel Sedin had 3 goals and 1 assist in the game. He now has 85 points in 63 games! Can you imagine if he had played in all 82 games? He would likely be in the hunt for the same trophy that his brother is trying to get.

Steve Stamkos got his 50th goal today, tying him with Ovechkin for league-lead. They both play their last games tomorrow, as does Sidney Crosby who has 49 goals.

Tuukka Rask is leading the league in both Save Percentage(.931) and Goals Against(1.97). I wonder where Boston would be if they did not have him in the pipes for the majority of games this season?:eek:

Boston would still be where it is today: on the Atlantic Coast, in eastern Massachusetts, in the northeast United States. Its coordinates would still be 42?21′28″N and 71?03′42″W.

The Boston Bruins are another story. Today they would away, playing the Capitals. Tomorrow, they would be back in Boston, cleaning out their lockers. After that, they would be traveling to disparate places around the country, and to Canada, and the Czech Republic, and Germany, and Finland to sit out the off-season wondering why Claude Julien kept playing Tim Thomas when Tuukka Rask was right there on the bench waiting to get in.

What a cheap way for Montreal to get into the playoffs. They should have won the game to at least demonstrate that they deserved to be in the playoffs. Oh well, I don't think that they will make it past the first round.

On another note, shadows, are we still going to sit down together for a bowl of pea soup and a cold Canadian. We could always throw some cabbage into the soup in honour of Toronto.

Smart ass.:p

Well, the Bruins played well today(they rested Chara, along with other players). They beat the Capitals 4-3 in the shootout. Boudreau elected to not use his main guns in the shootout to allow players that have never really gotten a chance before(or not too many) to give it a go. Ovechkin was held pointless, and since this was his final game Henrik Sedin will now win the Art Ross trophy(I mistakenly called it the Rocket Richard trophy in an earlier post).

That also means he stays at 50 goals for the season. Steve Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning(50 goals) and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins(49 goals) have yet to play their games today, so there is a chance that Ovechkin would lose out on that trophy as well(I am pulling for Stamkos to win it, to be honest. I would also be happy if Crosby ended up winning it.:)).

The second period of the Rangers/Flyers game has ended. The Flyers have outshot the Rangers 30-13 so far and yet the Rangers are ahead 1-0. Bad time for the Flyers to run into a hot goalie!:eek:

And the final team for the East is in. Congratulations to the...

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.Philadelphia Flyers! They won 2-1 in the shootout. They honestly deserved to win this game, and the score would have been a lot higher had it not been for the stellar play of Henrik Lundqvist in goal for the Rangers. The Flyers ended up out-shooting the Rangers 48-25(they had 18 in the first period!). Parenteau will probably end up being the goat for this game as it was due to his Interference penalty in the third period that allowed the Flyers to get the tying goal(the only one they got in regulation).

Now all that remains for the East is jockeying for playoff position.

It now looks like Montreal will face the Capitals in the first round(the Flyers and Habs both have 88 points but the Flyers have more wins). If only the Habs had won last night...:eek:

Boston solidified 6th and they will face either Buffalo, Pittsburgh, or the Devils. I am not certain who it will be at the moment.

Currently the Penguins are beating the Islanders 3-1 after 1 period of play and Buffalo holds a 1-0 lead over the Devils with about 13 1/2 minutes left in the second period. Whoops! Just as I am typing this, the Devils tied it at 1 apiece.

Well, it is now official. Ovechkin has been punted from the race for the Rocket Richard trophy. Crosby has just scored his 51st goal of the season. The only other person that can match him is Stamkos, and he is currently being held pointless in his game.

Here are the playoff matchups for the first round of the 2010 post-season!

EAST:

(1)Washington VS (8)Montreal

(2)New Jersey VS (7)Philadelphia

(3)Buffalo VS (6)Boston

(4)Pittsburgh VS (5)Ottawa

WEST:

(1)San Jose VS (8)Colorado

(2)Chicago VS (7)Nashville

(3)Vancouver VS (6)Los Angeles

(4)Phoenix VS (5)Detroit

I'm still in shock that the Bruins came in 6th! I'm still in shock that I saw the team score 3 short-handed goals in 64 seconds!

Boston was the most consistent of the bottom three teams the past few games and they won when they had to. I feel bad for Montreal as they are in for a very tough series against Washington.

Boston has the best chance of the three bottom seeds as they can definitely beat Buffalo. True, Buffalo has Ryan Miller to rely on, but Boston has Rask to rely on as well. I don't expect any high-scoring games, but I do expect some exciting hockey!

Young Rask has become a Bruins favorite. Sales of this poster are off the chart at the Bruins team store.

And the freaking Leafs trading him away to get Andrew Raycrap.:rolleyes::censored:

I was glad to see Montreal get the single point they needed on Saturday. Then it was nice to catch the Bruins final regular season game of the year. :)

And both of those teams are in the playoffs. I'll bet that you are quite happy that they don't play each other in the first round.:)

This isn't a pie-in-the-sky moment, but Montreal can beat Washington if they play the proper kind of game. They need stellar goaltending(obviously) and they need to make sure they do not take any unneccessary penalties. Oveckin and Semin were pretty much invisible in the Olympics as they did not get a lot of PP opportunities and they were facing a great defense.

Montreal has the goaltending(when they are on, they're on), but they need better discipline and they need to improve the defense. If they can do this, they have a chance to upset the mighty Capitals. It won't be easy be any stretch of the imagination, but it can happen. That is one of the things that is so great about playoff hockey. One moment, one momentum shift, and the entire series can change. You never know what can happen.:yes:

Boston plays Buffalo. I think Boston can beat Buffalo, but they have to make sure they shoot as many pucks as they can towards Ryan Miller. He wasn't the MVP of the Olympics for nothing, after all.

Well, then, I guess it's a good thing that it's pucks that are used in hockey games. That way, if the Bruins do any shooting, they'll be shooting the right thing.:)

They don't always use pucks. They sometimes like using beach balls so that crappy goaltenders like Toskala can have a sporting chance to make a save. Alas, he tends to let them in more often than not.:eek::no::rolleyes::lol:

Oh, sorry, I meant real hockey, not whatever it is you play in Canada. Sorry for the confusion. :lol:

Is this what you meant?

http://ezinearticles.com/?Beach-Ball...ity&id=2046593

I will let our resident Bear take care of you.;):lol:

I'm shaking in my boots with fear.

Well, after he finally awakens from his drunken stupor, you'll be in trouble.:p:lol:

No, I'll simply invite him to our Jameson-drinking party (how about that for a cross-thread reference, eh?) and win him over.

Well, you've certainly won me over.;)

You're right about one thing shadows, I'm very glad that Montreal and Boston aren't facing each other in the first round. I'd love it if Montreal could beat Washington, but I'm not going to count on it.

Question-- in the playoffs, how many games do teams play against one another? Is it a one and you're done? Or do they play a series of 3 games?

They are best-of-7 series, so at least four games for each playoff matchup.

Ahh, so the playoffs will last a little while. I know in the college playoffs, it was a best of three series. Thanks for the info, as this is my first year following the NHL.

More like an eternity, unless the team you're rooting for keeps going.

Montreal has to learn how to score when they are on a powerplay. I don't think they scored one powerplay goal against Toronto last Saturday and Toronto certainly gave them the opportunities. I think it was because Toronto was feeling pretty confident because Toskala wasn't in the net or even in the arena. ;)

Was he at the beach with a ball? :lol:

It only seems like an eternity sometimes, depending on whether or not your team keeps advancing. Eternity this year should end about mid-June which will still be before the NBA playoffs are finished. :lol:

You picked a good year to start! There are going to be some exciting series this post-season, that is for sure!:yes:

Pre-game shenanigans are not going to be tolerated!;)

From tsn.ca:

DREGER: NHL WARNS OF STIFF PENATIES FOR WARMUP INCIDENTS

On a pre-playoff conference call on Monday, Colin Campbell, the NHL's director of hockey operations informed coaches and general managers of what the league views as potential postseason hot spots.

The threat of any confrontation in the pre-game warmup is of particular concern to the league. To the point, Campbell warned the 16 teams, if an altercation mars the series, the offending team could lose a roster spot on the night the incident takes place, meaning the disciplined team would be forced to play the game with 17 skaters and two goalies.

In light of a recent incident, the Flyers-Devils series has the potential to turn nasty. Philadelphia forward Dan Carcillo was suspended two games for crosschecking Devils forward David Clarkson in the head late in a game on March 28th. The two teams haven't played since.

In a regular season game in Toronto in 2007, Rangers forward Sean Avery enraged Darcy Tucker and a collection of Maple Leafs, sparking a pre-game skirmish.

Fines and, or suspensions will be handed out if something similar occurs this postseason.

Late game ?message sending?, namely a fight or a seemingly deliberate intent to injury when the game is out of hand was also strongly discouraged by the league on Mondays call with threats of suspensions and fines.

A year ago, Philadelphia's Dan Carcillo was given a one game suspension for an apparent butt-end to Pittsburgh's Max Talbot's face as time expired in the Penguins 4-1 series opening victory. Flyers coach John Stevens was also fined $10,000.

Finally, coaches and general managers were also told goaltender interference will be watched closely.

The Phoenix Coyotes are sure to remind round one officials of this on a game by game basis as Detroit's Tomas Holmstrom has mastered the art of screening, deflecting pucks, and generally agitating opposition goaltenders.

The NHL intends to watch Holmstrom and all ?crease crashers? closely, and Colin Campbell suggests it's best to stay out of the blue paint to avoid a penalty.

The National Hockey League understands it's an intense and emotional time of year. However, the tolerance for what the league considers unnecessary, as per usual in the playoffs, will be minimal.

Here are two pieces of good news for smc and any other Bruins fans

SAVARD MAY BE READY FOR SECOND ROUND IF BRUINS ADVANCE

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli says that injured forward Marc Savard may return to the Bruins lineup if Boston advances to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Savard completed what Chiarelli describes as a "brisk walk" yesterday and felt fine afterwards.

Savard is still experiencing intermittent headaches, but has experienced steady progress over the past two weeks. Savard was diagnosed with a concussion after being nailed with a blindside hit by Pittsburgh Penguins' agitator Matt Cooke in March.

Before Savard is cleared, he will have to go seven days symptom free, plus pass an exertion test before he is able to return.

Late second round is considered the best case scenario.

The Bruins could certainly use Savard's offensive talents. While injuries limited him to 10 goals and 23 assists in 41 games this season he is one of the best playmakers in the league.

During last year's post-season, Savard had six goals and seven assists in 11 Bruins playoff games.

The Bruins open their playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.

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OILERS WIN TOP PICK IN NHL DRAFT LOTTERY, BRUINS TO PICK 2ND

TORONTO -- The biggest win of the year for the Edmonton Oilers came two days after the regular season ended.

The NHL's 30th-place team retained the No. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery Tuesday night, giving GM Steve Tambellini an opportunity that none of his predecessors has ever enjoyed. And the timing couldn't be better.

"This is a huge opportunity for this organization going forward," said Tambellini. "I think it perfectly fits the moment of where we are as a hockey team, as an organization. We're in a rebuild type of phase with this group. This is a huge building block."

Barring an unlikely trade, the Oilers will have the final say in the debate between Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin when the draft kicks off June 25th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The two OHL stars have gone back-and-forth in the eyes of scouts all season, with Seguin getting the No. 1 nod from the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau in its final rankings last week.

The Oilers haven't made up their mind.

"That question has not been answered yet," said Tambellini.

Edmonton entered the draft lottery with a 48.2 per cent chance of earning the No. 1 pick and Tambellini admitted to feeling some nerves while awaiting his team's fate. He and executives from the four other teams with a shot at landing the top pick gathered at the TSN studios in Toronto.

It played out exactly as the odds dictated: Boston received the No. 2 selection (acquired from Toronto in the Phil Kessel trade) and was followed by Florida, Columbus and the New York Islanders.

The Bruins' pick will be the highest for the franchise since it made Joe Thornton the No. 1 overall selection in 1997. When GM Peter Chiarelli sent Kessel to Toronto in September, he never imagined he'd find himself in position to land either Hall or Seguin.

"No, not really," said Chiarelli. "We had a range in mind, we had to choose between the Leafs and a couple other teams, and we kind of had a range in mind. But not this high, no."

The high picks are especially important this year because Hall and Seguin are considered can't-miss-prospects and the talent level drops off from there. Seguin is a gifted playmaker whose value is increased by being a centre with a right-hand shot; Hall is a big, fast winger.

They tied for the OHL's scoring lead this season with 106 points and will likely be given the chance to leap straight into the NHL next season. The offensive flair certainly appeals to the Bruins, who went from being the NHL's second-highest scoring team last season to its lowest-scoring squad this year.

"First and foremost, it'll give us some more goals, which is nice," said Chiarelli. "It adds youthful energy, youthful enthusiasm. It adds to our forward group."

The Bruins GM says he already knows which player he'd like to end up with -- something he wouldn't share publically -- and will likely call Tambellini to inquire about potentially moving up to the No. 1 spot via a trade. It probably won't be a long conversation.

Edmonton finished with a league-worst 62 points this season and Tambellini is eager to right the ship quickly. He was beaming after winning the draft lottery.

"It's such an important step for us to have the ability to take the first overall pick, especially where we are with our cycle of development," said Tambellini. "We're more into a reshaping, a rebuilding mode right now. Everybody's clear about that. This will be a wonderful building block to add on to some of the other draft choices we have in place now.

"(I'm) very, very excited for us and the city of Edmonton."

Who can blame him?

With the NHL playoffs about to begin, several recent No. 1 picks will be playing starring roles: Alex Ovechkin (2004) in Washington; Sidney Crosby (2005) and Marc-Andre Fleury (2003) in Pittsburgh; and Patrick Kane (2007) in Chicago, to name a few.

"Where else can you attain those high impact players?" said Tambellini. "If you look historically at the top end of the draft, those are players (where) you can argue who's better from year to year, but most of them are impact players that play in the NHL for a long time.

"You know you're going to get a good player and it's very important in this (salary-cap) system."

Where in the hell was Colin Campbell when Marc Savard was lost to the Bruins? Or any number of other times that he did nothing? What a waste of space at the NHL offices!

This series could see one of the upsets. My Flyers have a great record against the Devils this season, five wins and only one loss. I expect the regular season dominance of the Devils to continue.:)

Campbell was too busy blowing up Gary Buttman, as Gary's hot air kept on leaking out every time he opened his trap.