Game Reviews... No Standings.

Unfortunately, my laptop is currently without power. The version of Excel that I use at work does not compute the long strings of mathematical equations and rocket science the hockey pool needs to figure out the standings. But since I haven't yet gotten into any of the series recaps, that's what I'll do this morning.

I can assure you though, not a lot has changed from the last update.

FRIDAY NIGHT

What a way to start the second round... goals, goals and more goals. Unfortunately, it was non-pool sheet player, Derek Roy, who had the most points in that game... he ended up with a couple goals and three assists. Fortunately, the bonus point was handed out as Chris Drury scored the OT winner in the Sabres 7-6 win over the Senators. It was the only two points Druty got in the game as well. Ryan Miller ended up picking up the win for Buffalo, stopping 27 shots. Teppo Numminen added a goal to the tally and Toni Lydman, Maxim Afinogenov & Daniel Briere all had assists as well. Not a very pool-friendly Sabres team in the win.

For the Senators, Bryan Smolinski had a pair of goals and Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley both added pool-worthy goals as well. Wade Redden had 3 assists and Daniel Alfredsson had 2 assists.

Game 1... Colorado in Anaheim... and POW! ZING! Andrew Brunette was a goner. Early in the second, Brunette got clocked by Beauchemin, which knocked him out of the game and in the same sequence had the Ducks score the first goal of the game. The Ducks took that momentum and shut the Avalanche out 5-0 in Game 1. Ilya Bryzgalov has now earned himself the admiration of a lot of players and fans in Anaheim to now be there number 1.

Teemu Selanne and Joffrey Lupul scored the pool-friendly goals... Selanne had a pair of assists as well. Jeff Friesen, Rob Niedermayer & Ryan Getzlaf all had assists as well in the Ducks romp over the Avs.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

The Devils rolled into Carolina and got trounced in the only game on Saturday. Cam Ward made 21 saves in a 6-0 runaway win against the New Jersey offensive powerhouse.

Ray Whitney had a pair of goals, including the winner, Eric Staal had a goal and 3 assists, Cory Stillman had one of each, as did Doug Weight, whilst Justin Williams, Frank Kaberle & Bret Hedican all had assists.

The Devils on the other hand, had trouble generating much offense at all... Brian Gionta having 4 shots on net and Patrik Elias only having 3... making the Devils output rather slow and rusty. It must have been that week and a bit off after sweepin' the Rangers.

SUNDAY

The afternoon game on Sunday was Game 2 between the Avs and Ducks. The Avalanche are not even looking like a light dusting of snow in this series as Ilya Bryzgalov took another shutout from the Avalanche, 3-0.

Ryan Getzlaf scored the eventual winner, Joffrey Lupul scored his 3rd of the playoffs and Ruslan Salei scored as well for the host team to bury the Avalanche 2-0 in the series. Scott Niedermayer registered the only pool-worthy assist.

This series may not last very long, unless the Avalanche can find some life from the crowds in Denver. The Ducks offense, with 8 goals in the 2 games, has looked quite potent, while their defense has stymied some of the best scorers in the league.

Sharks hosting the Oilers... Game 1 of their second round matchup. Two teams that like to skate makes this an interesting series to watch. Game 1 lived up to the speed hype as well. Unfortunately for the Oilers, they just couldn't find a way to consistently beat the Sharks defense in a 2-1 loss.

Patrick Marleau scored a goal and added an assist and Christian Ehrhoff scored the winner for San Jose in the win. Vesa Toskala scored his 5th win of the playoffs, yet another goalie no one took.

For the Oil, Jaroslav Spacek scored from Ales Hemsky & Sergei Samsonov early in the first period, but that was all the offense they could generate. The Oilers only managed 16 shots on net against the Sharks on Sunday, which doesn't breathe a lot of potential in the scoring department.

TONIGHT'S GAMES

Now that Dora the Explorer is finished in Scotiabank Place, the Sabres & Senators can resume their second round series tonight. The forecast is for more scoring and a more determined Senators team. This game will be the first in a HNIC doubleheader, starting at 5pm.

At 5:30pm MT on TSN, Martin Brodeur and his Devils will also try to rebound... they more than likely will... against the Carolina Hurricanes. I don't think we'll see another 6 goal outburst in this series again... for either team.

At 8pm, second half of the HNIC doubleheader... the Sharks and Oil will go in Game 2. This will be back-to-back nights for this series. Chris Pronger will probably remain as the most-booed person on the ice in Game 2... but it didn't really seem to affect him too much in Game 1.

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