Hype for April 07, 2010

The Chicago Blackhawks are peaking as the playoffs approach.

Marian Hossa scored 36 seconds after the opening faceoff, Colin Fraser had the first of his two goals in the final minute of the first period, and the Chicago Blackhawks stretched their winning streak to four games with a 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night.

The Washington Capitals aren't declaring they've surpassed the Pittsburgh Penguins despite sweeping the Stanley Cup champions this season.

They do know this: They'd rather be 4-0 against the team that traditionally dominates them in the post-season, rather than 0-4. Alex Ovechkin scored twice to tie Sidney Crosby for the NHL lead with 48 goals and the Presidents' Trophy-winning Capitals stayed unbeaten against the Penguins, winning 6-3 on Tuesday night.

With Jeff Carter out of the lineup with a fractured left foot, the Philadelphia Flyers are counting on a pair of youngsters to step up offensively as the team continues its push for the playoffs.

Claude Giroux, 22, and rookie James van Riemsdyk, 20, have been thrust into the spotlight playing with Mike Richards on one of Philadelphia's top lines.

Lately, the new line combination has been paying dividends. Giroux scored the game-winner in a 2-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. He also had a goal Sunday, snapping a 14-game goalless drought in a pivotal 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

Rickard Wallin was standing in the Bell Centre corridor and knew something wasn't right.

Toronto Maple Leafs teammate Jonas Gustavsson didn't return to the ice at the end of the first intermission, so Wallin went to investigate. When he walked into the visitors locker room, he found a disturbing sight -- the 25-year-old Gustavsson was spread out on the floor and in some duress.

The death knell has been sounded for Calgary Flames' playoff hopes this season.

A 2-1 loss to San Jose combined with Colorado's 4-3 shootout win over Vancouver on Tuesday ensured the Flames (40-31-9) will miss the post-season for the first time since 2003. "We all feel like we failed and we did fail," said sombre Flames captain Jarome Iginla.

A piece of Canadian hockey history is on the auction block and it has nothing to do with Sid the Kid or The Great One.

It's Bobby Orr's rookie jersey from his 1966-67 season with the Boston Bruins - one of only two such jerseys still known to exist. The native of Parry Sound, Ont., is remembered as one of the NHL's greatest and most creative defencemen.

His rookie jersey - complete with the stick marks and patched-up holes - is expected to fetch at least $100,000 at auction