Author: puckblog

CHICAGO — Patrick Sharp couldn’t believe his luck when he grabbed a turnover at the Nashville blue line in the first period of Friday’s playoff opener between the Predators and Chicago Blackhawks. It was the end of a shift, but Sharp took the puck and bolted for the net. Waiting there was Nashville goaltender Pekka

It was evident in the Devils’ dressing room before Game 1 of their playoff series against the Flyers.Ilya Kovalchuk was not exactly himself.“He hasn’t been in the playoffs that much. With that first game it’s just good to get back into it,” Dainius Zubrus said. “He had a lot of emotions going on.”Kovalchuk, who has

Thursday’s Three Stars: Samuelsson, Plekanec OT heroesSean Leahy Puck Daddy Yahoo! Sports April 16, 2010 No. 1 star: Mikael Samuelsson, Vancouver Canucks The final game of the night needed an extra period to decide things and at 8:52 of overtime, Mikael Samuelsson’s shot beat Los Angeles’ Jonathan Quick(notes) for his second goal of the night

Antler Banter: Volume 24Hockey Blog In Canada April 15, 2010 The AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs start this evening, and the Moose will be in Hamilton, Ontario to battle the North Division Champion Hamilton Bulldogs. These two teams battled to even 4-3-1 records this season, proving that there wasn’t a lot of difference between the teams

Canucks work overtime to get 1-0 jump on Kings: Samuelsson nets winner in overtime as Vancouver slips past L.A.Canwest News Service April 16, 2010 The Vancouver Canucks had to work overtime to do so, but they struck first in their NHL Western Conference quarter-final series with the Los Angeles Kings. Mikael Samuelsson scored his second

Devils rather calm despite Game 1 loss to FlyersAssociated Press April 16, 2010 Ilya Kovalchuk, who probably was the Devils’ best player in the game, took a simple approach. He wants the Devils to shoot more, especially on the power play. The Russian also knows the Devils can’t lose the opening two games at home.

Senators’ duo stymies Sidney in openerAdam Kimelman NHL.com April 14, 2010 It’s no surprise, then, that the Ottawa Senators made slowing the Penguins’ captain a large part of their strategy going into the start of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series. The shock was that they were able to accomplish their goal. Every team goes into

Rick Gano The Canadian Press April 14, 2010 Nashville’s Pekka Rinne and Chicago’s Antti Niemi share a homeland. On Friday night, the two Finnish goaltenders will have something else in common when they make their debuts in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The six-foot-five Rinne went 32-16-5 this season and hopes to use his big frame

Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun April 14, 2010 There aren’t many Stanley Cup rings in the Vancouver Canucks’ dressing room and, given the team’s history of never winning one, obviously the jewelry has been captured elsewhere and been imported. Mikael Samuelsson won his ring two years ago while a member of the Detroit Red Wings and