Daniel Wagner

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(Andy Marlin, Getty Images)

The New York Rangers’ 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils was the first time this postseason that the Rangers have given up 4 goals. They’re averaging just 1.83 goals against per game, second only to the Los Angeles Kings. The defensive performance of the Rangers in the playoffs is even more remarkable when you realize they’ve been playing the vast majority of their games with just 5 defencemen.

6th defenceman Stu Bickel averages approximately 5 minutes of ice time per game, which is one of the reasons why Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh average around 27 minutes per game. With Brandon Prust suspended, however, the Rangers dressed a 7th defenceman in his place, Steve Eminger, who ended up with more ice time this game than in his previous two playoff games combined. Bickel, who started the game as a forward, had 9 minutes of ice time.

Bickel and Eminger ended up seeing more ice time partly because John Tortorella benched Michael Del Zotto for most of the second and third periods. Del Zotto finished the game with 11:39 of total ice time, which is not only his lowest ice time of the playoffs, but his lowest ice time of the entire season. What’s baffling is that this decision came when the Rangers were down by two goals and Del Zotto is one of the Rangers’ best offensive players.

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Doan and Doughty both received holding minors after this altercation, which is a weird way to spell DDT. (Jeff Gross, Getty images)

For the third time this postseason, the Los Angeles Kings have taken a 3-0 lead in a series and threaten to pick up their second sweep of the playoffs on Sunday against the Phoenix Coyotes. They have lost just one of their twelve games and look ready to cruise their way to the Stanley Cup. It’s not just that they’re winning; they’re winning in convincing fashion.

As Ellen put it, the Kings are “definitively ass-whoopingly eye-catchingly heart-liftingly brilliant” and look like an unstoppable juggernaut. She’s right: it’s refreshing to see a team dominate like this in an era with so much emphasis on parity. The fact that they are an 8th seed slightly undercuts that point, but it also makes what they’re accomplishing so much more impressive.

But the playoffs aren’t done yet and neither is the Western Conference Final. Can the Coyotes do what the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues were unable to do? Can the Coyotes stop the Kings?

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(Steve Babineau, Getty Images)

Back in 1981, Dino Ciccarelli was 21 years old, playing in his first season with the Minnesota North Stars. He appeared in 32 games for the North Stars during the regular season, scoring an impressive 18 goals and 30 points. But what he did next was even more impressive: Ciccarelli scored 14 goals in 19 playoff games, a rookie record that still stands, helping lead the North Stars to the Stanley Cup Final, where they were overmatched by a New York Islanders team in the middle of their early-80′s dynasty, led by Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, and Denis Potvin.

Ciccarelli finished with 21 points in the playoffs, a rookie record later matched by Ville Leino in 2010, who reversed Ciccarelli’s accomplishment with 14 assists and 7 goals.

In honour of Dino Ciccarelli’s impressive rookie run (and because Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy get enough love already, thank you very much), I’d like to institute the thoroughly unofficial Dino Ciccarelli Award for postseason accomplishment by a rookie. We have the Calder Trophy for the regular season, but it takes something special for a rookie to make a substantial contribution to a playoff team.

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(Jeff Gross, Getty Images)

Jonathan Quick is having some kind of postseason. In his previous two trips to the playoffs, Quick allowed 21 and 20 goals, each time in just 6 games. Now, Quick has made it to the third round, and has allowed just 16 goals in 10 games. Incredibly, he’s given up more than 2 goals in a game just once, allowing 3 in the Kings’ only loss of the playoffs so far.

While the team in front of him blocks a lot of shots, Quick is still averaging 30 saves per game, including 46 saves in game 2 of the first round against the Canucks and a 41-save shutout in the following game.

At times, Quick has looked unbeatable. Then Derek Morris beat him cleanly from centre ice. Quick, however, allowed just 1 goal the rest of the game for the 25-save victory. So how did the other 15 goals get by him?

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(Patrick McDermott, Getty Images)

One of the unexpected storylines in this year’s playoffs has been Alex Ovechkin’s ice time. Previously, Ovechkin has been the prototypical workhorse for the Capitals, taking long shifts and playing big minutes. There are some suggesting that Dale Hunter has put Ovechkin out to pasture, frequently putting him on the ice for just 15 minutes or even less per game.

What I’m curious about is how Hunter is using Ovechkin. It’s one thing to talk about his ice time being down, but it’s another to see what situations Ovechkin is being used in and whether this is the best use of his skillset. It’s worth exploring whether the reduction in ice time is limiting Ovechkin or whether it is putting him in the best possible position to succeed.

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(Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)

Amidst all the drama of the NHL playoffs, it’s easy to forget that the NHL’s minor-league affiliates in the AHL are also currently in their playoffs. Just as the NHL is polishing up the second round, the AHL is finishing up their own second round, and it’s interesting to note which teams are remaining in the AHL postseason in comparison to their NHL affiliates.

Of the 8 NHL teams to make it to the second round of the playoffs, just one of their AHL affiliates did the same. Looking at all 16 AHL teams that made the playoffs, just 7 of their NHL affiliates got into the postseason. Only three of the AHL teams that made it to the second round have NHL affiliates that made the playoffs: the Connecticut Whale (New York Rangers), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins), and San Antonio Rampage (Florida Panthers).

Is this surprising? Not really, but it is striking.

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(Scott Levy, Getty Images)

Joel Ward’s teammates were quick to defend him after his late penalty in game five against the Rangers led to the game-tying goal with 6 seconds left and then the game-winning goal in overtime. This isn’t surprising, of course: teammates tend to stick together and Ward is evidently a popular guy. What is surprising is that this defence was even necessary.

Ward’s story fits a neat little narrative: the unlikely hero in one series, the heartbreaking goat in the next. In my mind, his story highlights the problems inherent in making a hero or goat out of any one player in such a fundamentally team sport. If we focus on individual performances, Ward wasn’t the only hero-turned-goat in game five.

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