Time to play catch-up

Edmonton/Anaheim Game 3
-This game was so boring until the third period. After the last two games ended in 3-1 wins for Edmonton, this game looked to be a similar kind of game. Rookie Toby Petersen, formerly of Colorado College, scored in the first for his first career playoff goal and that stood until the third. Each team scored four goals…not kidding. You should check out the highlights and read the recap (http://www.nhl.com/scores/recaps/323_3_recap.html). It was totally killer. The Oilers now lead the series 3-0 and can put the Ducks away in Edmonton on Thursday.
-I love the way Craig MacTavish says the word Calgary. No seriously, it sounds something like cal-GARY…absolutely hilarious…great coach though.
-Hometown boy Fernando Pisani scored the game-winning goal in this one.
-What I thought were just facial ticks from Dwayne Roloson, turned out to be him talking to himself and the posts…not kidding…he talks to the goal posts, almost constantly. I absolutely love the quirky things that goalies do…
-Randy Carlyle, Anaheim’s Head Coach, might just have the best hair of any NHL coach. I like to call his coif “the Peacock.”

Buffalo/Carolina Game 3
-This series could not be more different from the Edmonton/Anaheim series. It is so fast paced and exciting throughout 60 minutes.
-Daniel Briere has become one of my favorite players. He has style and is a great leader. Though he struggled throughout the season with and abdominal injury, he has definitely found his stride.
-Chris Drury, the other Buffalo captain and former Av, continues to show his worth and the Avalanche fan base just exactly what we lost.
-Rookie goal tender Cam Ward was pulled from the game in favor of veteran Martin Gerber after allowing 4 goals. Gerber played an amazing game for the Hurricanes and didn’t allow any goals.
-Buffalo was able to win this one 4-3 and now leads the series 2-1.

Edmonton/Anaheim Game 4
-Another obnoxiously boring game, with a few surprises.
-Randy “the Peacock” Carlyle decided to start John-Sebastian Giguere in goal rather than rookie phenom Ilya Bryzgalov. This might be the most genius idea of the playoffs and it paid off for the Ducks.
-The Ducks won this one 5-3 with very little trouble from the Oilers, who are suffering from the Flu, or so they say.
-The series moves back to Anaheim, where again the Oilers have the chance to eliminate the Ducks.
-Brett Skinner was a healthy scratch for the third night. Since being called up from the Manitoba Moose on May 19, he has not seen any ice time which is not really surprising at all. But it makes me hopeful that he will see time with the Ducks next season. Why else would they call him up unless they wanted him to get acquainted with the team? I have full faith in Randy Carlyle that he will do well for Skinner.

Buffalo/Carolina Game 4
-In a semi-surprising move, Peter Laviolette started Martin Gerber in goal rather than Cam Ward. Gerber hasn’t played in nearly a month since losing the job to Ward.
-Something I noticed about Gerber is he is so large he just seems to fill the entire net…
-Buffalo had a terribly lackluster performance and didn’t deserve to win this game. They lost 4-0 and the series is now tied at 2 games a piece. They return to Carolina for game 5 tomorrow night.