NHL playoff update: It’s getting ugly out there

A scattering of thoughts on the NHL playoffs

Some random thoughts on a Monday about the ongoing NHL playoffs.

Is Arturs Silovs Latvian for “Johan Hedberg”?

On March 12, 2001, the Penguins traded for a little-known minor league goalie Johan Hedberg, who went on to become a cult hero with his out-of-nowhere play in the 2001 playoffs. 10 days after that trade, Arturs Silovs was born. Probably takes the wind out of many of our sails this morning for how fast time is flying. Silovs, like Hedberg, spent most of his playoff breakout season not even in the NHL. Now up 2 games to 1 over the rival Oilers, Silovs is channeling some magic for the Canucks.

Meanwhile, for the Oilers, the song remains the same: substandard goaltending is robbing any hopes for a deep playoff run. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are scoring at playoff levels not seen since Wayne and Mario, and it doesn’t even matter.

The job isn’t complete yet - Silovs and the Canucks are only halfway home this round, but it’s striking how once again Edmonton is fighting the uphill battle of the goalies. Just like any and every round, and even if the opposition is down to their third string. It makes for great drama and the unpredictability of it all is why the NHL playoffs is such great theater.

Physicality enhancing or ruining the games?

McDavid found himself in a painful spot at the end of last night’s game, getting cross-checked by two Canucks players in succession.

This comes just days after Sam Bennett dropped Brad Marchand with a sneaky punch to the chops. The heart doesn’t exactly weep for a known pest like Marchand that’s usually on the giving end of these things, but the reverse angle is jarring one.

And we haven’t even gotten to Jacob Trouba continuing to do his damnedest to elbow his way into the next round.

Playoff hockey is supposed to be physical, but not contain star players getting mugged after the whistle or game has ended. The league gave a firm caution flag to Boston and Florida ahead of Game 4, and now the temperature has gone way up in Western Canada as well. Part of the fun can be the controversy along the way, but the games are risking becoming a sideshow to the real action with all the away from the play violence and outright muggings that have nothing to do with the game.

But what was great was Bennett fanning the flames by scoring a controversial goal last night. Somehow this was not called goalie interference when the Panther pushed a Bruin into the goalie and then had an open net to deposit the puck into.

That also goes to show that you can never really blame an NHL coach for challenging on goalie interference, because who the hell knows what a given crew might see on any given close call. Bennett just returned from injury himself and has made a huge impact in the series, which now looks like it’s in Florida’s control.

If the Canes win tonight...

Tonight’s NYR/CAR game is going to be must watch TV. Can the Rangers close out the series at home in Game 5, or will the Hurricanes scratch and claw their way into another game?

If this series does go back to Carolina for a Game 6, you would have to like their positioning with all the momentum of winning two straight and playing for a jacked up crowd at home. (That said, watch ‘em lose that game anyways). But, in essence, if the pressure on the Rangers has started to crank up a little more with each passing game. It’s all for naught if they come out strong and win tonight, but if they don’t....What was thought to be a series that was all but over might only be beginning.