Notebook Buzz
San Jose 6 – Colorado 5 OT (Series tied, 1-1)
After dropping game 1, the No. 1 seed San Jose Sharks were feeling the pressure of another potential 1st round ouster.
On Friday they needed overtime to avoid falling into an 0-2 hole.
Joe Pavelski tied the game in the closing minute of regulation and Devin Setoguchi scored on the power-play goal 5:32 into overtime, allowing the Sharks to even their first-round Western Conference series with a 6-5 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2 on Friday night.
The series is now tied and shifts to Colorado. Of all the teams in the playoff field, San Jose’s first round struggles continue to haunt them and a loss Friday night would have brought panic among the Sharks fan base.
It was a back and fourth game as Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov allowed 5 goals on the first 13 shots he faced. Nabokov has not been strong in net and has been considered by some as a question mark in the series.
Detroit 7 – Phoenix 4 (Series tied, 1-1)
Henrik Zetterberg scored three goals and linemate Valtteri Filppula added 2 goals and an assist leading the Detroit Red Wings to a 7-4 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes Friday night.
The series now shifts to Detroit tied at 1-1 with momentum on the side of the defending Western Conference Champions.
Nashville 4 – Chicago 1, (Nashville leads 1-0)
Among the most intriguing series is the No. 2 – No. 7 matchup between the second-seeded Chicago Blackhawks and the seventh-sedded Nashville Predators.
Nashville taking game 1 has not come as a surprise to many.
The Blackhawks controlled the play for much of the the game, leading 1-0 at the start of the third but a turning point in the game happened just a minute into the third as Predators forward J.P. Dumont flipped the puck at the net and after it bounced past a surprised Antti Niemi, it hit the post and went in, tieing the game 1-1 just a 1:31 into the third.
Chicago never rebounded as Dumont scored the go-ahead goal with 9:23 remaining and Nashville added two empty net goals en route to a 4-1 game 1 win on the road.
Niemi, who emerged as Chicago’s top goalie with his play late in the season, made 22 saves in his playoff debut.
The Predators played a strong defensive game as goaltender Pekka Rinne made 25 saves in his playoff debut for the Predators.
New Jersey 5 – Philadelphia 3 (Series tied, 1-1)
Danius Zubrus scored the go-ahead goal with 4:04 remaining and Ilya Kovalchuk added an empty net goal as the New Jersey Devils defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 Friday night to tie the series at 1-1.
Zach Parise, Colin White, Andy Greene also scored and Martin Brodeur made 26 saves to record the win.
The Flyers played another strong game and accomplished their goal of taking at least one game in New Jersey.
The Flyers appear to be a confident team heading back to Philadelphia.
Arron Asham, Claude Giroux and Chris Pronger scored for Philadelphia. Game 3 is Sunday.
