Yesterday was a bit of a mixed bag. I actually forgot that game 2 in the Blue Jackets-Wings series was going at 6pm. Apparently, the Blue Jackets forgot as well. They are just so ridiculously overmatched and they look like the Thrashers when they made their only playoff appearance. At least they'll get two home playoff games which is more than our crappy team gave us. I watched Run Fatboy Run instead. Not, as someone noted yesterday, the Kyle Wellwood story but the Simon Pegg movie. It was the right choice.
I did catch the Capitals-Rangers game and the playoff debut of Simeon "Not Pogge" Varlamov. He did well for what little offensive danger the Rangers created. Unfortunately for him, Lundqvist was perfect at the other end. Some Theodore apologists suggested that Varlamov might lose his spot because of the loss. It's ridiculous to suggest that the loss had anything to do with Varlamov. The only goal came on a play where, apparently, every vestige of hockey knowledge was wiped from the minds of the Capitals.
First, Kozlov, covering for Green on the point, pinched at the blue line and was beat leaving a 2-on-1. Then, Tom Poti, rather than take away the pass tried to take away the shot. Predictably, the pass made it through to Ryan Callahan who, upon viewing the replays, was all alone because Ovechkin, Green, and Kozlov were all gliding back about 10 feet away. That play is exactly what epople are talking about when they say that every mistake is magnified during the playoffs.
Mirtle's taken a look at the odds of teams coming back from 2-0 deficits and the Capitals are running away with the poll looking at who is most likely to come back. They've been let down first by their goaltending and then by their offence in two games that they have dominated. They need a bit more desperation but if Lundqvist falters four wins in a row isn't exactly out of the question.
And that brings us to the best game of the day: game 2 of the Habs-Bruins series. The Bruins once again showed the big gap between the 1st and the 8th seed especially in goal as Jim Carey Price continued his slide from Franchise Saviour to run of the mill goaltender. He might have managed to lose his spot to Jaroslav Halak based on last night's performance. It's especially humourous because one of the reasons that Carbonneau got canned, like Claude Julien before him, is because Gainey didn't like the idea of seeing their franchise goalie warming the bench.
One of the big talking points was Lucic's apparent cross-check to the face of Maxim Lapierre. He picked up a major for high-sticking but if you watch the video I think it's safe to assume he'll come out of his hearing today unscathed. The funnier part is watching Mike "Moe" Komisarek rushing to face-wash Lucic. Luckily for Lucic his soft skin isn't wrecked and his spleen doesn't explode. If he thinks that is playoff hockey it's no wonder the Canadiens are going home down 2-0 and resemble a sacrificial lamb more than last year's Eastern Conference top seed.
Even funnier was the sight of Josh Gorges getting his lunch fed to him by Patrice Bergeron!
Bad: Losing a fight
Worse: Losing a fight to Patrice Bergeron
Worst: Losing a fight to Patrice Bergeron in four punches
Worstest: Losing a fight to Patrice Bergeron in four punches when he used his wrong hand
Worst Ever: Playing for the Habs while losing a fight to Patrice Bergeron in four punches when he used his wrong hand
I am sure that Josh Gorges did not go after a Bruins skill player knowing that he has a history of concussions right? It's not like the Habs to do anything dirty like that right Hunwick? This may be why Grapes told the Habs that they shouldn't try to play physical with the Bruins. After all, they are just a wee little team.
So two very different games (one was competitive and the other wasn't)and the outlook for the team trailing 2-0 couldn't be more of a contrast.