The Agony and the Ecstasy - who makes the NHL Playoffs?

[spyboy1]

What a fantastic couple of games for drama that was!

Last night the Canadiens travel to Toronto with a playoff berth on the line. Toronto has a 3-1 lead early in the second when Michael Ryder goes nuts and gets a natural hat trick in 6 minutes to give Montreal the lead followed by Higgins second goal of the game later on to put them up by two, at 5-3. Toronto pulls one back on a deflected floater from the point at 17:46. Montreal then gets a tripping penalty plus a double minor for high sticking at the end of the period, giving the Leafs a 5 on 3 to start the third.

Toronto scores at :58 to tie the game and then scores the eventual winner at 3:43 of the third, also on the powerplay and then goes onto win a exhilarating contest 6-5 and not only knock Montreal out of the playoffs, but put themselves into the playoffs as the 8th seed with 91 points.

But hold on a minute...the Islanders have 90 points and one game left to play on the last day of the season - at New Jersey.

The Islanders have been without their goaltender DiPietro due to injury and have been relying on something called "Dubielewicz" in net.

The Devils choose to rest All-World Goalie Martin Brodeur and start Clemensen for the fourth time all season.

Richard Park scores two, one in the first and another at 7:51 of the third and you can feel the depression in Toronto. But wait, John Madden tips one by Dubielewicz with 4:13 left to play, making a game of it and giving Toronto hope.

Then the impossible happens - the Devils score with .9 seconds left with an empty net to tie the game! You could hear Toronto jump up off the couch and scream all the way in Minneapolis!

After a scoreless overtime it all comes down to a shootout to determine who gets in the playoffs since Toronto owns the tie-breaker of more wins 40-39 over the Islanders. The Isles must win.

Satan scores for New York and Parise easily scores for NJ. 1-1.

Kozlov scores for New York and Dubielewicz poke checks the puck away from Gionta. 2-1 NY.

Ryan Smith is stopped for the Islanders, once more giving Toronto life.

Dubielewicz once more poke checks the puck away from Brylin winning the game, sending the Islanders into the playoffs and Toronto to the golf course.

Some will say having a playoff berth and a season ended with a shootout is not right, but there's certainly something to be said for the drama of having all the eyes of the fans in the building, the Maple Leaf fans watching in Canada and the Islander fans at home focused on just two players going at it one on one. That's pressure and intensity.

Man I love hockey.

[BCBoy]

As do I. This was one of the most enjoyable hockey seasons to date. One reason is of course, the surprising success of the Canucks this year, and the hope that has been built in this city because of a fantastic goaltender.

Can't wait to see the opening round of hockey, in the west especially, with 4 matchups which could go either way, I don't think I can say the same for the east, but there will be a couple great matchups (Ottawa vs Pittsburgh, New York vs Atlanta).