It hasn't taken all that long for the playoff joy in Montreal to be replaced with dismay, as the Lightning have jumped all over the Canadiens in the first two games of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series, outscoring the Habs 7-1 in the process. Vincent Lecavalier, who was invisible during the first round series with the Islanders, broke out with two goals in Friday night's 4-0 shutout -- the fourth playoff shutout for Nikolai Khabibulin in just six playoff starts. Then Lecavalier scored twice again on Sunday afternoon, helping Tampa Bay to a 3-1 victory. The backbreaker on Sunday came with mere seconds left in the second period, when Lecavalier stripped Canadiens defenseman Sheldon Souray of the puck in the neutral zone, and streaked into the Montreal zone unmolested for a score:
``We outplayed them for most of the period,'' Souray said. ``When you have a turnover like that and misplay the puck and it comes back with two seconds left and they score, obviously it's a little demoralizing.''Souray began damaging team morale from the onset with his presence - or lack thereof. With rookie teammate Michael Ryder already serving a roughing penalty, Souray was whistled for cross- checking at the 2:25 mark of the first period to create a two- man advantage for the Bolts. Ten seconds later, Lecavalier netted the third of his four goals in two games against his hometown team.
``It's going to be better next game,'' Souray said.
The balance returned to the world, or at least it did in Detroit, as the Red Wings evened their series with the Flames after a 5-2 home ice victory. Steve Yzerman scored a pair for the hometown team, but the Wings lean on their captain for a lot more than that:
Yzerman doesn't always make himself available to the news media. But he does it more often this time of year, especially after losses.Let's face it: He doesn't love giving interviews, and he might feel it's less important for him to comment after a November victory over Columbus than it is after a pivotal playoff game, especially if he wasn't an important player on that particular night.
But it's more than that. He knows more reporters are around now. He knows if he speaks, his teammates won't have to say as much. And he also knows when he speaks, people listen. He can try to set the tone, to keep people from overreacting to the ebbs and flows of a series.
When the Wings ran into trouble in the first round against Nashville -- losing two straight, allowing the series to be tied -- Yzerman did what he had done so many times before. He said he wasn't surprised, the Predators were a good team, the Wings knew this would be tough, and so on.
When the Wings lost the second-round opener to Calgary on Thursday night . . . you guessed it. Without being asked, Yzerman came out, grabbed a sports drink, stood in front of the cameras, microphones and notebooks, and said the Wings would be fine if they stayed patient and played their game.
"He's definitely the leader," Darren McCarty said.
On Saturday afternoon in San Jose, the Sharks pummeled Colorado again, this time 4-1 to take a 2-0 lead in their series. Patrick Marleau, Vincent Damphouse and Jonathan Cheechoo all had a goal and an assist each, with Cheechoo undressing Colorado's David Aebischer:
During a power play, Brad Stuart took the puck low and made a slow pass in front to Cheechoo, who put his stick between his legs, trapped the puck behind his back and flipped a shot past Aebischer's glove in one fluid motion. Coach Ron Wilson didn't believe his eyes until he checked the Sharks' replay monitor on the bench."I don't think I've ever even practiced that," Cheechoo said with a sheepish grin. "I was just running out of options. Their sticks were in the way, in the way, in the way, and I had to try something."
Right now, it looks like Colorado is running out of options. Back East, the Flyers seemed to put a hammerlock on their series as well, defeating Toronto 2-1 and taking a 2-0 series lead. What's the difference this year? Goalie Robert Esche is, having only allowed 11 goals on 205 shots so far in the postseason. On the other side of the ice, frustration is mounting in Toronto, with the Leafs convinced they've outplayed Philly in every facet of the game:
When time ran out on the Maple Leafs last night, Alexander Mogilny smashed his stick in frustration and quickly left the Wachovia Center ice.The broken blade, like the puck, went nowhere near the Philadelphia net.
It was that kind of evening for the Leafs. And it has become that kind of series for what are now the underdog Leafs. "We all felt like that," Tie Domi said. "We all felt what he was feeling."
Angry, frustrated and believing they deserved better, the Leafs flew home late last night with this second-round playoff series very much in peril. They did everything last night but kill penalties, score on their chances and even up their playoff series with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Everything but get a win.
The Leafs will have plenty of time to think about what went wrong, as they don't take to the ice again until Wednesday night back home in Toronto.
