It's Getting to be That Time Again

Look Who's Behind the Eight Ball Now
It's true. Both the Canucks and the Devils are behind the eight ball in their respective series, both being down 3 games to 1. Two Vezina Trophy candidates are not enough to keep their teams winning as the playoffs are quickly beoming a graveyard of individual regular season accomplishments, rather the team game everyone comes to know and love. Roberto Luongo and his Canucks will try and stave off elimination tonight in Anaheim, while Martin Brodeur and the Devils won't play again until Saturday evening, when they return home to the swamp. The Ducks and Senators have both played exceptionally good hockey in the last couple weeks and a lot of the pool teams who had picked them to go far, are rubbing their hands in anticipation of a boatload more points to come their way. Eight teams picked J-S Giguere in the pool, while only three picked Ray Emery. That's a lot of unique points to made up and in turn, climb the standings with.

Spotlight Player



Not a great picture, I know, but it was the best I can do from last night. A photographer probably was focussing on one of the other "bigger" stars of the Red Wings when Mathieu Schneider scored the winning goal in overtime last night. Schneider had a three-point night for Detroit and it paced them to level the series at two games a piece. On the pool side of things, three teams relished the idea that he scored the winner and added an assist, as it probably gave them a little boost in the standings. Tim L. is the highest ranking team with Schneider and he moves within 8 points of second place money.

Game Winning Goal Scorers of the Night
Well, you already know one of the GWG scorers from last night, so I'll mosey on to the first game of the night, New Jersey and Ottawa. The Senators took Game 4 at home to create a home-ice advantage for themselves and they'll take their 3-1 to Jersey, all thanks to Mike Fisher's early third period effort. Fisher, somewhat popular with 11 selections in the pool, made good with his first goal of the playoffs and it was a clutch one. Dan W. thanks Fisher, as it kept him in pace with Mike E. for second place in the pool. Dan has two more GWG's than Mike, but Mike wins on the first tie-breaker of goals scored to take over second place last night.

On Tuesday night, Brendan Shanahan scored a third period powerplay goal to sink the Sabres at Madison Square Gardens and even up the series at two. That was Shanny's fifth goal of the playoffs and second game-winner. Would you believe only two teams took Shanahan in the playoffs this year? Sadly, the top team with Shanahan is Gerald in 50th. In Vancouver, the Canucks blew a 2-0 lead in the third period before Travis Moen scored the overtime winner to give the Ducks a stranglehold in the series. Moen, the checking line winger, was taken twice, both are Paul W. (38th & 52nd), in the pool and made good on his end of the bargain snagging a bonus point for his teams.


There's only one game on the schedule tonight, as well as tomorrow, but tonight it's the Canucks and Ducks in Anaheim. Facing elimination tonight, the Canucks will try and win another at the Honda Center, while the Ducks will try and ride the momentum of taking both games from GM Place into the Conference Finals. Hopefully, its a spirited battle that is worthy of mention tomorrow morning.

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