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NHL Notes 4/11
AND WE'RE OFF!...
The NHL's second season will open with Game 1 action in four locations to kick it off. In the Eastern Conference, the Pittsburgh Penguins, led by NHL leading scorer Sidney Crosby, will visit the Ottawa Senators and two-time 50-goal man Dany Heatley. There are also three Western Conference tilts on the first day of the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs: The San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators tangle in Opryland in the other 4-5 match-up of the night; the Dallas Stars head to the Pacific Northwest for a date with the Vancouver Canucks; and the Anaheim Ducks host the Minnesota Wild at the Honda Center in Orange County.
WEDNESDAY'S MATCH-UPS
Penguins @ Senators
Game 1, 7:00pm ET
Two of the NHL's best offenses will go head-to-head throughout this series. However, goaltending may wind up being the deciding factor. While Ottawa's Ray Emery has just one year of postseason experience, which occurred last spring, Pittsburgh's Marc-Andre Fleury will be making his Stanley Cup playoff debut on Wednesday. Several of Fleury's teammates will also be inaugurating their postseason career, including center phenoms Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal.
Notes: Ottawa defenseman Anton Volchenkov re-signed with the Senators on Monday for three more seasons worth a reported $7.5 million... Tuesday saw the Sens ink Volchenkov's defense partner, Chris Phillips, to a four-year, $14 million contract. Phillips would have become an unrestricted free agent this summer... Pittsburgh boasts five natural centers (Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Maxime Talbot and Erik Christensen), so one of them will play wing. Malkin, Staal and Christensen have all taken turns playing out of position in recent weeks...
Sharks @ Predators
Game 1, 8:00pm ET
The only rematch of last year's first round pits two of the Western Conference's deepest teams. San Jose enters the match-up healthier than the Preds, who have two key forwards still on the sidelines: Left wing Steve Sullivan (back) and right wing Martin Erat (sprained knee). Both teams are also deep between the pipes, but expect Evgeni Nabokov (Sharks) and Tomas Vokoun (Predators) to get the nod on Wednesday in the series opener.
Notes: Aside from Sullivan and Erat, two other Preds forwards are questionable for Game 1: Vernon Fiddler (arm) and Jerred Smithson (leg). As a result, the club has recalled journeyman winger Patrick Leahy from the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals... Look for the Sharks' youthful third line of Ryane Clowe-Marcel Goc-Steve Bernier to play a big role in this series. They'll likely play opposite the Scott Hartnell-Peter Forsberg-Alexander Radulov unit... Sharks forward Mark Smith (groin) hasn't played since February 1, but there may not be any room for him anymore even if he's healthy enough to play...
Stars @ Canucks
Game 1, 10:00pm ET
The Stars and Canucks meet in the postseason for the first time since 1994 in a tussle that figures to be defensive minded. Both clubs have what it takes to shut the opposition down. Therefore, don't look for a lot of goals to get by netminders Marty Turco (Dallas) and Roberto Luongo (Vancouver)--who will finally get the opportunity to participate in the playoffs for the first time in his career. The keys to the offense on both clubs may lie in veterans Mike Modano (Dallas) and Markus Naslund (Vancouver).
Notes: Canucks defenseman Willie Mitchell, who skated for Dallas in last spring's first-round upset loss against the Colorado Avalanche, should play a big role in this series. He'll likely match-up against Stars captain Brenden Morrow... Finnish winger Jere Lehtinen (lower body) is expected to play for the Stars in Game 1, but veteran forwards Matthew Barnaby (IR--concussion) and Eric Lindros (groin) are questionable... Fourth-line center candidates Ryan Kesler (IR--hip surgery) and Josh Green (sprained knee) are the only Canucks currently sidelined with injury. If neither can suit up in Game 1, Finn Tommi Santala will dress...
Wild @ Ducks
Game 1, 10:30pm ET
The first and only time the Wild and Ducks previously met in the postseason, Anaheim goalkeeper Jean-Sebastien Giguere surrendered just one goal in a five-game series victory in 2003. That isn't likely to occur again, since Minnesota's offense is much improved in 2007. However, this series will be a match-up of speed (Minnesota) versus brawn (Anaheim). Giguere's opposite number in Game 1 will be Finn Niklas Backstrom, who has come from behind to secure the starting gig away from Manny Fernandez.
Notes: Anaheim will be without veteran center Todd Marchant (lower body) for the entire first-round series with Minnesota. As a result, recent minor-league call-up Mark Hartigan or rookie Ryan Shannon will be asked to center the fourth line with veteran Brad May and either Shawn Thornton or George Parros... The Ducks will also be without defenseman Richard Jackman, who has been out of the lineup recently because of back spasms... Fernandez has been battling a knee issue, and is not likely to dress in Game 1. Wild rookie goaltender Josh Harding will probably serve as the backup to Backstrom...
ELSEWHERE AROUND THE NHL...
- The Colorado Avalanche wasted no time in keeping captain Joe Sakic in the fold. On Monday, the club announced the re-signing of No. 19 to a one-year contract for the 2007-08 campaign. Sakic, who turns 38 in July, is coming off a monster performance in 2006-07. In fact, his 100 points were the most since the 2000-01 season when he produced 118 and won the Hart trophy. He also led the Avs to their second Stanley Cup triumph that year. There won't be any parades for Sakic this time around, since the Avalanche missed the playoffs this year for the first time since the team relocated from Quebec City, Quebec (1995).
- The Montreal Canadiens signed top goalie prospect Carey Price to an entry-level contract on Tuesday. They immediately assigned him to the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs for the rest of the season. The No. 5 overall selection in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft recently completed his fourth campaign with the WHL's Tri-City Americans, but he earned his contract when he led Canada to a gold medal at the 2007 WJC in Sweden. Price is expected to take over as the starter in Hamilton next season, since Jaroslav Halak appears to have earned a place with the big club for 2007-08. However, Price will challenge for playing time at the big-league level as early as next year. He's arguably the best goaltender outside the NHL right now.
- Outspoken veteran center Jeremy Roenick, who finished up his one-year contract with the Phoenix Coyotes at the end of the regular season, would like to play again in 2007-08. He told various media outlets on Tuesday that he'd accept the league minimum in order to play one more season. 'J.R.' even mentioned the possibility of returning to Chicago, where he began his NHL career in 1988-89. Hopefully, another go-around with the Blackhawks would turn out better than his reunion with the Coyotes this past year. Roenick produced just 11 goals and 28 points in 70 games under Wayne Gretzky. He was also a healthy scratch on a few occasions. The 37-year-old Roenick totals 495 goals and 1,170 points in 1,252 NHL games.
- The Chicago Blackhawks, who finished the regular season with the fifth-worst record in the league, won the NHL draft lottery on Tuesday. As a result, the 'Hawks will have the opportunity to select first overall in the NHL Entry Draft in Columbus this coming June. Chicago will be followed by the Philadelphia Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes, Los Angeles Kings and Washington Capitals at the top of Round 1. Since the inception of the current entry draft in 1969, the Blackhawks have never made the No. 1 overall selection before. In fact, theyÙve never chosen second overall, either. This year, look for them to take a forward with the first pick. One of Patrick Kane (OHL's London Knights), Jakub Voracek (QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads) or Kyle Turris (BCHL's Burnaby Express) should wind up going to Chicago with the first selection.
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