Hype for April 22, 2010

Three very different players have been nominated for the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year.

Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene, Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard and Buffalo Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers were unveiled as the award nominees on Thursday. Voting was conducted by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.

Not only do the nominees play different positions, they are from different draft classes: the 19-year-old Duchene was selected third overall in 2009; Myers, 20, was taken 12th in 2008; and the 26-year-old Howard was picked in the fourth round in 2003.

Pascal Leclaire will be in goal as the Ottawa Senators try to avoid elimination in Game 5 of their quarterfinal playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Coach Cory Clouston said it's clear that Brian Elliott has struggled in the series.

Daniel Alfredsson didn't practise in the morning skate, so the lines were makeshift and may or may not reflect what they'll be in the game.

Nick Foligno was moved up to be with Jason Spezza and Peter Regin, Chris Kelly was still between Jarkko Ruutu and Chris Neil, Shean Donovan was on a line with Zack Smith and Jesse Winchester, bumping Jonathan Cheechoo, and Mike Fisher and Matt Cullen were together with an open wing, perhaps for Daniel Alfredsson.

Conspiracy?

“For anyone to suggest or use the word 'conspiracy' is simply absurd,” said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman who was here Wednesday night in his annual first round tour of Stanley Cup playoff sites.

Bettman was asked to comment on the controversy surrounding officiating calls which have a remarkable number of Vancouver fans claiming a long conspiracy against the club.

“There's no foundation to it,” said Bettman.

“My guess is it's no different than what we've seen an experienced in prior years in the first round of the playoffs. Emotions are high. Stakes are high.”

Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley have 103 regular season goals, three gold medals and plenty of other accolades accumulated already this season.

The one thing the high-scoring trio is missing so far is a playoff goal. The Sharks' top line has played nothing like that in the first four games of their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche.

"We need them to get on the scoreboard," coach Todd McLellan said Wednesday. "We can talk about how they're playing and the chances they're creating and their contributions at the other end of the rink, which are all very important. They're doing a pretty good job in those areas. But ultimately they have to find a way to get on the scoreboard, particularly on the power play. It will come."

The strength of Peter Laviolette's aggressive style of play is also its inherent weakness. A feverish forecheck frees up pucks, creates opportunities, inhibits breakouts and builds momentum. Blocked shots can deny scoring opportunities and produce them as well.

But it's a razor's edge existence, one the Flyers have thus far negotiated as they've pushed New Jersey to the brink of elimination entering tonight's Game 5 at the Prudential Center. Standing in front of pucks also can lead to broken bones, to casualties, to the loss of two prolific scorers in a single game. And too much aggressiveness, especially in the kinder, gentler NHL, can put you in the penalty box, can dull that edge just as it was being honed to its sharpest.

So it was again in the fourth game of this first-round playoff series Tuesday night, the Flyers trying to take it to the Devils early, the Devils taking it until the Flyers went a bit too far. Three straight penalties. Two in a short span that gave the Devils a two-man advantage, resulting in a first-period deficit for the third game in a row.

The Canadiens are at the brink of elimination in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Washington Capitals after letting

another game slip away.

Montreal dominated the first two periods at the Bell Centre Wednesday night, but the Capitals tied the game late in the second period and scored twice in a 1:23 span midway through the third en route to a 6-3 victory. The win gave the Capitals a 3-1 lead in the series with Washington having a chance to close it out at home Friday night at the Verizon Centre in Washington.

Alex Ovechkin put the Capitals ahead to stay when he stepped around defenceman Hal Gill and beat Carey Price to the glove side at 11:09. It was Ovechkin¹s second goal of the game and his fourth in the series. Jason Chimera added an insurance goal at 12:09 after Matt Bradley¹s wraparound attempt slid through the crease and found Chimera on the other side.

There were times, acknowledged Mark Recchi, that given the enormity of last night’s stage — double overtime, an opportunity to take a 3-1 series lead, Ryan Miller and Tuukka Rask making save after fabulous save at a pulsing TD Garden — he tried to process and comprehend how magical the evening really was.

“There are special nights,’’ Recchi said. “The playoffs are so much fun. So much fun being a part of and being on the bench. The emotions that go through a game. The ups and downs. Especially at this point, I soak everything in. It’s so much fun watching the guys and being a part of this.’’

But that was Recchi before Miroslav Satan ended the night and touched off a bench-clearing celebration in the right corner at 7:41 of double OT. As the Garden exploded and Satan, the hired gun signed in early January, was swarmed by his teammates, the Bruins could find few words to capture the elation of the 3-2 victory.

Maturity and experience were supposed to get them to this point.

That's what Alain Vigneault was saying. That's what he was hoping. That's what he was expecting.

The Vancouver Canucks coach sounded like a prophet because his club delivered in stunning fashion Wednesday to rally for a 6-4 victory over the LA Kings to even the Western Conference quarterfinal series at two games apiece.

And as he predicted, Vigneault's best players proved to be his best players in the best possible way.

Drew Stafford, slumped at his locker stall, sat through wave after wave of questions about his too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty, a critical mistake in double-overtime that sent Boston to victory and Buffalo to the edge of elimination. When the inquiries finally stopped, the right winger dropped his head to his hands.

There was nothing left for him to say, with the possible exception of sorry. He walked over to Ryan Miller, put his hands on the hard-luck goaltender's shoulders and shared a few quiet words. Stafford then sought the solace of the change room in an attempt to forget the loneliness of the penalty box.

The right winger's ill-timed hop over the boards and trip to the box set up Boston's game-winning goal, with Miroslav Satan doing the damage. The Bruins winger scored with 12:19 left in double-OT, giving Boston a 3-2 victory Wednesday.

Philip Anschutz, who bought the Kings out of bankruptcy in 1995 and built Staples Center, hasn't gotten enough credit for stabilizing the franchise, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday before the Kings faced the Vancouver Canucks at Staples Center in Game 4 of their playoff series.

Anschutz, a Denver-based billionaire who regularly shuns interviews, has been vilified by fans who contend he ignores the team and bought it only to get a foothold in downtown real estate. Not so, Bettman said during an interview with The Times, adding that he had seen Anschutz's distaste for losing.

"The fact that he doesn't choose to be out in the public doesn't diminish the fact that he's passionate about the team and that since AEG bought the team … he has been there for the team in every way that mattered and he has been supporting the team financially," Bettman said.