OTHL - - -The 2006 playoffs started with a bang, two of the games went to overtime and all games were decided by just a goal.
MONTREAL (8) at. PHILADELPHIA (1) - 3-4
The matchup between Montreal and Philadelphia can become a hard fought series over seven games. The game today was decided by just a goal, and some seeds for future bad blood was planted in the game. The Flyers special teams got to work right away as they got a powerplay after just 27 seconds when Mattias Norström was called for elbowing. A penalty that did not lead nowhere. With just over seven minutes to go in the first period, Jason Smith was called for a highstick and sent to the box to serve a double minor. Giving Montreal a opporuinty to take the lead. But insted it was the home side that used the man disadvantage to score a goal. Miroslav Satan (1) scored to make it 1-0 after the first period.
The second period turned out to be a intense period. Both teams were flying around the ice, with Montreal scoring twice to take a 3-0 lead. Mike Modano (1) and Zigmund Palffy (1) scored the goals three minutes apart. But the Flyers keept working and was rewarded with two quick goals. Miroslav Satan (2) scored his second goal for the night at the 12:18 mark. And in the next shift, at the 12:24 mark, Satan (3) completed his hattrick, and the Flyers were back in the lead. Two goals that had Montreal running around, and with six minutes left, Ladislav Nagy beacme a bit to eager to get the puck. Insted he highsticked Mario Lemieux in the face, Lemieux dropped to the ice and was forced to leave the game. Nagy, was given a game misconduct and will be suspended 4 games. Lemieux broke his jaw at the play, and could miss up to 2 weeks of hockey.
Due to the highsticking indcident, the game started to get a bit out of hand in the third period. 10 penalties was called, and most of the period was played with either side having a man more on the ice. Brian Gionta (1) used the extra ice surface during a 4-on-4, to score his first goal of the playoffs and give Philadelphia a 4-2 lead. A lead that lasted until Mike Modano (2) scored a powerplay goal with three minutes left on the clock. Three minutes the Habs used to chase a game tying goal, but despite a late 5-on-3, Montreal were unable to get any more pucks past Marty Turco.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Miroslav Satan (Philadelphia), scored a hattrick.
ATLANTA (7) at. OTTAWA (2) - 2-3 (ot)
Atlanta Thrashers fans has billed themselfs future champions, and Atlanta media claims that Atlanta is the "team nobody wants to face". And in the first period against Ottawa, they lived up to the billing, taking a 2-0 lead and showing that Ottawa will have there hands full in this first round matchup. Andrew Ference (1) gave Atlanta the lead, 17 minutes into the first period with a nice slapshot from the blueline. A minute later, while the Thrashers had a powerplay, Brendan Morrow (1) dug out the puck infront of the net and forced home 2-0. A goal that had the Senators players complain to the referee that the puck was blocked by Jean Sebastien Giguere before Morrow got it. But the ref did not listen to the Senators, and Atlanta had a 2-0 lead after the first 20 minutes.
In the second period it was Atlanta vs. Giguere, as the visitors blasted away 11 shots on Giguere. While the Senators only managed to fire 4 pucks towards Nikolai Khaibulin. A scenario that continue in the third period, the Thrashers outshoot Ottawa 12-4 and the fans started booing halfway into the period as the Senators were unable to mount any kind of scoring chances. A cause that was not helped by the penalties the Senators took. Giving Atlanta a couple of fine powerplay chances. But just as it looked like the game was over, the Senators blasted home two pucks. With five minutes left on the game clock, Daniel Alfredsson (1) steped up as captain and reduced Atlanta's lead to one goal. And a minute later, Alexander Korolyuk (1) tied up the game. Two goals that forced the game to overtime.
The first overtime period looked like the rest of the game. The Senators chased the Thrashers, and took penalties. Ivan Majesky and Martin Rucinsky was both sent to the box in the early goings of the first overtime period. Giving Atlanta minute of 5-on-3 play. A two man advantage the Thrashers failed to use to there advantage. insted the first overtime period ended without a goal. The second overtime started with a Ottawa powerplay, as Ken Klee's penalty from the first overtime period carried over to the second. And after just a minute, the Senators sent there fans to there feets as Marian Hossa (1) wristed home the winner. Giving Ottawa the first game of the series.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jean Sebastian Giguere (Ottawa), made 37 saves and keept the Senators in the game.
TAMPA BAY (6) at. FLORIDA (3) - 1-2 (ot)
A lot of people feels that this matchup will be a long series, with the Bolts being able to cause an upset. However, in the first gamwe of the series, the Panthers showed why they have been billed as a contender since the season started. The Panthers were all over Tampa in the fist game, outshooting them 37 to 19, and had it not been for Curtis Joseph this game would never have made it to overtime. Tough it was Tampa Bay that took the lead with a powerplay goal in the first period. Peter Forsberg served a minor for roughing when Owen Nolan (1) tiped home a shot from Daniel Sedin.
In the second period, the capacitiy crowd got to see a more carefull approach by both teams. The scoring chances was reduced, and the two teams looked like they where feeling each other out. A scenario that changed in the third period, as Florida came out trying to tie up the game early. And thanks to some powerplays, the home side were able to put some heavy pressure on Tampa Bay. But as seen earlier, the goalies are vital in a playoff, and Curtis Joseph keept Florida at bay. But with a minute to go, Doug Weight and Henrik Sedin was sent to the box. Making it a 4-on-4 with a minute left in regulation. But insted of a minute of fast paced hockey, Jarome Iginla (1) scored right on the face off, tying up the game. Giving the fans a overtime to look forward too.
An overtime period that did not last long, as the Panthers used a Andrej Meszaros peanlty to there advantage. Peter Forsberg (1) who had been rather quiet up until late in the game, scored the winning goal. Putting the Panthers up 1-0 in the series.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Curtis Joseph (Tampa Bay), the Bolts might have lost, but without CuJo's 35 saves they would never had been in this game.
NEW JERSEY (5) at. BOSTON (4) - 4-3
Most people feelt that the matchup between New Jersey and Boston was going to be a tight, defensive minded matchup. Tough someone forgot to tell the teams that, insted we got to see 7 goals and two teams going full throttle to win it. The tone was set right away as Mike Fisher (1) gave the visitors the lead after just 3 minutes. A 1-0 lead that was taken back as the Bruins made it 1-1 on a powerplay. Mark Recchi (1) lifted the puck high on Martin Brodeur and scored. The rest of the period, the Bruins did there best to get the lead, but Martin Brodeur is not one of the best goalies ever for nothing, as he made 17 first period saves. Insted, Mike Fisher (2) and New Jersey stunned the crowd by taking a 2-1 lead.
A lead that lasted 33 seconds into the second period, as we got our second two goals scorer in the. Mark Recchi (2) tied up the game again as he scored. The following period was a close one, with two solid goaltenders keeping the other team at bay. Up until the fourtheen minute mark when to the fans delight, Keith Tkachuk (1) and the home side took the lead for the first time in the game. So after two periods the Bruins had a slim 3-2 lead and the fans feelt pretty good by themselfs.
The Bruins lead was taken away about halfway into the third period when Simon Gagne (1) connected on a Tyler Arnason pass. With a minute to go, and the fans looking forward to a exciting, the visitors claimed the victory when Antoine Vermette (1) found the lose puck and put it in behind Mikka Kiprusoff.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Mike Fisher (New Jersey), 2 goals and an assist on the game winning goal.
TODAY'S GAMES:
MTL at PHI 3-4
ATL at OTT 2-3
TBL at FLO 1-2
NJD at BOS 4-3
TOMORROW'S GAMES:
Nashville (8) at San Jose (1) - Series tied 0-0
Columbus (7) at Calgary (2) - Series tied 0-0
Los Angeles (6) at Detroit (3) - Series tied 0-0
Dallas (5) at Vancouver (4) - Series tied 0-0