Every year it seems the first round is arguably the most exciting phase of the NHL playoffs.

 

This year the opening round featured numerous suspensions, plenty of overtimes, home ice disadvantage, shocking upsets and memorable storylines. Here’s a “snapshot” of each series:

 

 

LA-Vancouver: The highlight, other than the Kings shocking victory in just five games, is the
changing of guard in goal for the Canucks with Cory Schneider taking over from Roberto Luongo. Dealing Luongo has been made considerably easier since he has publicly agreed to waive his
no trade clause.

Vancouver had too many passengers: Higgins, Raymond, Booth, Burrows and Kesler (who was
dealing with an injured shoulder) to name a few.

Virtually nobody in B.C. expected the Canucks to be bounced so quickly, but a defensive team
like L.A., with a very good goalie, is difficult to play against. After going 11 years without a playoff series victory, the Kings were due for some breaks and they got them, none bigger than Daniel Sedin’s absence during the first three games. Tell me again, what does that President’s Trophy mean?

 

St. Louis-San Jose: More new blood in the second round as it had been 10 years since the Blues had won a playoff series. This match-up really didn’t excite me. St. Louis is effective, yet certainly not offensive. St. Louis deserves the credit but I felt this was more about San Jose losing again. The Sharks should be embarrassed how awful they play in the spring.

 

Does Patrick Marleau (0 points) know the meaning of the word compete? It’s certainly time for a major shake-up in San Jose.

 

Nashville-Detroit.: I know this sounds simplistic but Nashville’s Pekka Renne (.944 save percentage)
was considerably better than his Detroit counterpart, Jimmy Howard (.888 save percentage). Generally, if you get the best goaltending, your team wins a series. A signature moment came when Shea Weber wasn’t suspended for grabbing the head of Henrik Zetterberg and slamming it into the glass at the end of game one. That started the mayhem around the NHL and parade of cheap dirty hits when Weber wasn’t punished. Its unfortunate a message wasn’t sent at that time with a suspension. The league ultimately paid a price by the parade of incidents that followed.

 

Phoenix-Chicago: It’s hard to comprehend that the first five games in this series were decided in overtime. This series will be remembered for the Coyotes first playoff series win since moving from Winnipeg, the stellar goaltending of Mike Smith (Phoenix) and for that Raffi Torres hit that sent Marian Hossa to the hospital on a stretcher.

 

I understand Torres is a repeat offender and has developed a reputation as a head hunter, but 25 games were excessive compared to other suspensions. Duncan Keith received five games for putting out Daniel Sedin for 12 games. Torres received five times that amount, including much more crucial playoff games, for his late hit that did not result in a penalty with two referees that were on the ice. I am not defending Torres, but the league made itself vulnerable for criticism by not taking a harsher stance earlier. It is the inconsistency in the suspensions that is the most difficult to deal with.

 

 

Philadelphia-Pittsburgh: This series attracted the most broad appeal and certainly lived up to
its billing because of the unpredictably, nastiness and competitiveness. Teams often say they hate each other; in this case both meant it. I doubt I will ever see again such disgraceful defensive play and goaltending from both teams in the first four games of a series. Penguins goalie Marc-Andre
Fleury was a major reason for the loss with a shameful 4.63 GAA and .834 save percentage. Claude
Giroux (14 points in six games) took charge like a superstar.

 

NY Rangers-Ottawa: I certainly did not envision the Senators putting up such a battle in the seven game series but sometimes lunch pail bucket guys can rally as a group. I mean, Zack Smith, Erik Kondra and Jim O’Brien of the Senators certainly don’t put a scare into the opposition. Throw in superb goaltending from Craig Anderson and timely overtime goals and that’s when a one-eight series becomes interesting.

 

Boston-Washington: This may sound like a stretch but this series may have been as good as the NHL has ever seen, especially in the first round. Never before has all seven games been decided by just one goal and four of them went into overtime, including game 7 where Joel Ward ended the drama slamming home a rebound past Tim Thomas, who won’t have to worry about a Whitehouse visit this year. This was Braden Holtby’s coming out party for the Capitals as he played anything but like a third string goalie. This is the beauty of the playoffs as the Bruins were supposed to win hands down because Thomas was considerably better than the untested Holtby. It was just the opposite. Holtby had a .940 save percentage and Thomas was .923. Holtby had a goals against average of 2.00 while Thomas was 2.14. It appeared that Washington was more at ease playing under the radar as the underdog. Funny how that works sometimes.

 

Florida-New Jersey: I’m sorry, but did they actually play? I know it went seven games but I
believe there is more interest in the Tour De France than the Panthers against the Devils? Mr. Irrelevant will be selected last in the NFL draft on Saturday. This was the hockey equivalent.

  

The top seeded Vancouver Canucks were out in the first round? Who do they think they are, the San Jose sharks?

How old is Jamie Moyer? Instead of a bobblehead, the Rockies plan to honor him this year by a game where they offer the first 20,000 fans a pair of reading glasses.
(Moyer’s doing so well the Rockies’ biggest worry is that he will want to retire to spend more time with his grandchildren)

Contributor Janice Hough of Palo Alto, Californiawww.leftcoastsportsbabe.com

Now he just needs Jamie Moyer to finish the set.

 

 

Comedian Torben Rolfsen, on a New Jersey man paying $1.2 million for a 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card

The first long-distance call from Boston to New York occurred March 27, 1884. Unofficial transcripts have the first words being, "What’ll you give me for Jamie Moyer?" 

Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com      

 

Former Washington Senator Conrado Marrero, the oldest living former Major Leaguer and now living in Cuba, just turned 101. He says that when he and his friends were in Little League, they called Jamie Moyer ‘El Almonte’.

When Raffi Torres was asked what he was going to do during his suspension, he said he was going to pray for World Peace

Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

 

LA Lakers forward Metta World Peace (Ron Artest) was suspended for seven games by the NBA for delivering an elbow to the head of an opponent.
I fear for public safety; at least when he was on the court and in uniform we knew where he was.

Comedy writer Jerry Perisho http://monologuewriter.blogspot.com/

 

Gisele Bundchen says, You can’t expect the Canuck goalies to stop the pucks and score too.

1st line of riot police in Vancouver: Na Na Na Na… hey hey Goodbye.

 

Comedy writer TC Chong of Vancouver

 

The Rest of Canada was asked what they thought of the Vancouver Canucks losing out and most agreed. “What a riot!”

University students in Quebec are rioting, destroying property and clashing with Police. The Rioters say they have no real grievances they just want to stay in shape in case the Montreal Canadians reach the playoffs next year.

 

Contributor Derek Wilken of Calgaryhttp://smacksport.blogspot.com

 

 

The Canucks got eliminated so early from the playoffs, rioters complained that they didn’t even get a chance to finish training camp.

 

Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sidelinechatter/

 

Hartley Miller is the sports director for radio stations 94X and the Wolf@97fm. He also writes for the PG Free Press. Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to hmiller@94xfm.com.