With all the drama that is going on in Phoenix, it's a wonder anyone can concentrate on actual hockey games.

Yeah, who am I kidding.

The second round of playoffs has heated up dramatically and tonight's games should be no different.  Washington and Pittsburgh play again tonight, and Pittsburgh may play without Gonchar, injured in a "collision" with Ovechkin last night.  Deliberate or not, Gonchar was injured and Ovi was penalized.


At the time of writing, it was unsure if Gonchar would be in the lineup.  If he doesn't play, which seems likely, it would leave a huge hole in the Pen's defence, and realistically, their offense, as he scored the first goal last night..  News broke this afternoon that Gonchar will miss at least several weeks. Although the Penguins have won the last two games, Gonchar is not a player easily replaced, and the Penguins may be a disjointed team when they take to the ice this evening.

Washington will be looking to capital-ize on the absence and re-emerge as the victors.  With the series tied up, they want to take the lead they once had again.  Varlamov has been strong in goal, and he will need to be even stronger tonight, and the Caps defence will need to back him up, and just BE there, not depending on him to make every save.

In the Canucks and Blackhawks series, also tied at 2 games a piece, the good bet might be on the home team, the Canucks, to win tonight.  After all, they have been the dominant team throughout the series, something even the Blackhawks players admit. 

Tonight, they will try to play the first period the same way they opened game 4, only tonight, they want to score FIRST.  Certainly, with Martin Havlat, Andrew Ladd and Dave Bolland, they have the players who can get that job done, but they can't count out Roberto Luongo.  If the Canuck's defence can play strong, and not make the kind of errors that allow the Blackhawk's offence to get to Luongo, it will be a closely fought battle.  Chicago has said they believe they have Luongo "figured out" but that will remain to be seen.



As always, make your picks, talk your trash, and join us for the action.

7pm ET
Pittsburgh Penguins @ Washington Capitals

10:30 pm ET
Chicago Blackhawks @ Vancouver Canucks