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NHL Observations: Worst first round ever

A few things that caught my eye:

  • Ovie is like Kryptonite to Sergei Bobrovsky. He has 12 goals in 25 games, both regular season and playoffs, against him. His release on the 3-0 goal was freaky fast -- he took the pass on his backhand and it was in the net in under a second. Elite.
  • Wednesday morning, I didn't think any of the teams down 2-1 could push a series to six games. Friday morning, I'm on the Caps bandwagon. My Leafs jersey is in the closet. This new playoff format has rendered the best playoff series of any pro sport into a complete dud. Makes me feel like I'm watching the NBA.

  • The Tuukka Rask trade continues to haunt the Leafs. Every time he makes a save, every Leafs' fan dies a little inside.  Especially when Fredrick Andersen insists on playing sieve this postseason.
  • The line of Alexander the Gr8, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson combined for seven points Thursday. They're no Pasta, Patrice and the Honey Badger, but they can carry the DC boys to the next round.
  • Wednesday night, Ryan Hartman joined the roster of idiots that think hits to the head belong in the NHL. What is happening this postseason? Nazem Kadri comes back Saturday -- will Sideshow Nazzy get another?
  • Auston Matthews had the top-selling NHL jersey this season, followed by Sid the Kid and the MacSavior. I live in the shadow of Toronto. I can confirm every third person here seems to own one.
  • Any guesses who had the top-selling NHL jersey on the Bolts? Surprise, surprise -- it's neither Steven Stamkos nor Nikita Kucherov. He's the only Bolt in the top-15 overall.
  • The Nats' Bryce Harper is repping his hometown team. #VegasBorn Love it!
  • Mitch Marner was the only Leaf to show up Thursday night. Auston Matthews and Wee Willie Nylander were invisible. Hurt? Overpowered? Both? The Bruins weren't good, but the Leafs made them look like studs.
  • I like John Tortorella, but he's a hypocrite. His distaste for the media is legendary -- he stormed out of the postgame presser Thursday night when he didn't like the questions. This is the same guy who ran to broadcasting when he lost his coaching gig.
  • The Hamburglar could be a difference maker Friday night. Or not. I'm hoping he and Nathan MacKinnon deliver fans in Mile High one more playoff game this season.
  • Did anyone notice the Ducks lost in four? Thought not. Bye-bye big heavy hockey.