SJ 2 @ Nsh 5 - Cheechoo played, but he did not look 100%. Bernier got hurt. Nabokov didn't look sharp at all. They just didn't seem to want it as much.
Oh, Alex...Radulov was the best player in he playoffs, until he made a real bonehead move. He ran a vulnerable Bernier, and may very well be suspended. Major brain fart. Dumont picked up where he left off, scoring a couple, again. Forsberg potted two, although one was in the empty net. The best three players of the playoffs so far, bar none. Vokoun was solid in a game the Preds had to win.
Dal 2 @ Van 0 - Dallas played well, Turco was solid, Zubov played a great game, but the guy I noticed in this one was Joel Lundqvist. His brother may get all the headlines in the family, but Joel did something Henrik will never do: score a playoff goal. Even apart from the goal though, he played a really good game. He's estalished himself as a full-time NHLer.
However, I think it was more that Vancouver played tired than it was that Dallas played well. The whole game, it looked like they were still playing OT in Game 1. Dallas was able to rest. Why couldn't Vancouver? And nobody really stood out for me either. They better come out with a better effort in the third game.
Min 2 @ Ana 3 - Backstrom played a great game. Demitra and Gaborik are playing okay, but no one else is stepping up. Bouchard in particular has been awful. If Minnesota doesn't win both at home, they're done for.
Francois Beauchemin is one of the most underrated defensemen in the game. Two goals and solid defensive play. Getzlaf had a beauty shorthanded goal, even if it's one Backstrom should have had. Bryzgalov was solid once again. So is he the #1 now? Or is Carlyle just riding the hot goalie?