Rite of Spring 2013 (NHL Playoffs): "You have no fear of the underdog, that's why you will not survive."

[Kramerica Industries]

Turris can't finish on one end, Gallagher does, and Montreal has two quick goals to take a 2-0 advantage.

[Kramerica Industries]

Don't look now - two 2nd period goals from New York has brought the score level at 3.

[ninersdd]

The Isles haven't quit, and a bounce off the boards ties the game.

[Kramerica Industries]

Islanders swipe the momentum of the series with a surprising comeback victory in Pittsburgh.

After the way this game started, that's an amazing shocker.

[ninersdd]

What an win for the team from Long Island!

Also, I know everyone is going to be pissed, it looks like you will get Randy and Drew again for the SJ-VAN game 2.

[Breakwood]

Habs win. All is right with the world again.

[maz]

Give it to the Isles, they fought like hell, but not without at least a little help from the Pens. And of course game three is a midday road game, which the Pens usually manage to blow.

Put them back in their place, boys.

[cmm]

Kyle Okposo's first NHL fight seem to spark the Islanders tonight. And we have a series now.

[Still MIGHTY]

Quite refreshing to see Fleury return to postseason form! Great job by the Isles.

Can't wait to see how the Coliseum turns out on Sunday.

What an win for the team from Long Island!

Also, I know everyone is going to be pissed, it looks like you will get Randy and Drew again for the SJ-VAN game 2.

Oh I have no doubt we're getting them all series. Maybe (mayyyyyyybe) we get an NBCSN crew if that series goes 6/7 and the other series wrap up decently quick.

[ninersdd]

I just realized that the last 4 times they've been in the playoffs(including tonight), the Islanders have been the 8 seed and lost Game 1, but won Game 2. The last 3 times they've lost the rest of the games. Can't wait to see if they can win another one this series.

[Kramerica Industries]

I just realized that the last 4 times they've been in the playoffs(including tonight), the Islanders have been the 8 seed and lost Game 1, but won Game 2. The last 3 times they've lost the rest of the games. Can't wait to see if they can win another one this series.

Nikolai Khabibulin was absolutely fricken' nuts against them in the 2004 playoff series. The first four games were all shutout decisions, and Khabibulin helped guide the Lightning to three of those.

Yeah, 2003 against Ottawa, 2004 against Tampa Bay, and 2007 against Buffalo all followed similar paths. It's hard to believe New York has lost their last six home playoff games. Their last home victory was Game 6 of their first round series in 2002 against Toronto.

[dbadefense1990]

So the Isles get their 1st playoff win before the defending Cup champs do? FML.*

*not as a disservice to New York's marvelous win tonight, but it's a point I'm making of the Kings being down 2-0 to St. Louis

[cmm]

Quite refreshing to see Fleury return to postseason form! Great job by the Isles.

Can't wait to see how the Coliseum turns out on Sunday.

I know he got a shutout in Game 1, but he still looked shaky that day (to me, anyway...though I admit I'm no hockey expert). A few too many juicy rebounds and awkward-looking saves in the win. Maybe the Isles were too nervous in their playoff debut to take advantage.

[Kramerica Industries]

So the Isles get their 1st playoff win before the defending Cup champs do? FML.*

*not as a disservice to New York's marvelous win tonight, but it's a point I'm making of the Kings being down 2-0 to St. Louis

Could just be some regression as well.

I mean, I'll be the first one to mention the 10-1 stat, but the Kings are that demonstrably better than St. Louis, to continue to beat them like a drum as they were. And, as it was, the Blues won on a goaltender flub and a last minute goal. Los Angeles is far from out of this. Best home record in the NHL this season, now it's up to them to justify that.

EDIT - der, "aren't that demonstrably better". If this hadn't already been quoted, I could just pretend that typo never happened.

[dbadefense1990]

So the Isles get their 1st playoff win before the defending Cup champs do? FML.*

*not as a disservice to New York's marvelous win tonight, but it's a point I'm making of the Kings being down 2-0 to St. Louis

Could just be some regression as well.

I mean, I'll be the first one to mention the 10-1 stat, but the Kings are that demonstrably better than St. Louis, to continue to beat them like a drum as they were. And, as it was, the Blues won on a goaltender flub and a last minute goal. Los Angeles is far from out of this. Best home record in the NHL this season, now it's up to them to justify that.

I know. I pointed this out yesterday. These last two games were what we all expected of this series, but it's been the Blues with the more clutch plays and the Kings being the nervous ones, a flip-switch of last year's games. From Elliott's maturity against LA's breakaways to the Blues using Sutter's size-alerting defense against the Kings, it's plausible seeing the Blues coming up with the bag of tricks at the end of Games 1 and 2. But with an 81% point-accumulation rate at home this season for the Kings (19-4-1 at Staples Center), it's up to the Blues if they want to fly back to Missouri on Tuesday with a 4-0 sweep, a Game 5 series close-out opportunity, or a best 2-of-3 series. Here's hoping it's the last option.

[ninersdd]

I know they've been calling that all year, but it should be 2-0 SJ. Wingels was shoved into Luongo.

[Kramerica Industries]

That's what I don't get about goals being wiped out.

Raymond clearly pushed Wingels into Luongo. Was it, technically, interfering with Luongo's ability to make the save, of course. But it's not like Wingels did that on purpose; Luongo's own man pushed Wingels into him.

[Corvus]

They called Burrows for interference when pushed into Niemi, so they kind of had to call that.

Also, I've never even heard of this face off penalty thing before.

[ninersdd]

The Sharks have gone into sick mode this period.

[The_Admiral]

Haha, CSN California just cut to some doofus named, seriously, Brodie Brazil to openly muse about how Vancouver's media is so mean to the Canucks, ripping headlines from their newspapers about how people are dissatisfied with the team. It's so cute for the Sharks to step outside of their neverending circlejerk and examine how sometimes people actually do get annoyed with their team choking.