Well, it would appear we have a series in the East, after Montreal laid a whoopin' on the Flyers in the Bell Centre. Jaroslav Halak was superb, Chris Pronger looked old, slow, and confused, and the Flyers' offense was completely out of sync. Mike Cammalleri led off the scoring for Montreal, and P.K. Subban had three assists.
A series that looked like it would be a laugher for Philadelphia is now very much in question, but not to require panic if you're a Flyers fan. Nonetheless, Game 4 may very well decide the series. It is quite plausible to expect an overtime game, with the winner going on to take the series. Game 3 brought the momentum to even- quite a feat when you consider what an easy time Philly had with Montreal in the first two games.
The Habs kicked the Flyers' butts up and down the ice, and the Flyers must have a bounce-back game, or risk getting stomped out of the playoffs in short order.
In the meantime, Chicago played one of the least-inspired third periods I've ever seen, and Antti Niemi demonstrated himself to be a playoff goaltender. He single-handedly kept Chicago in a game they should have lost badly. Patrick Marleau emerged from his usual playoff doldrums to score two (and didn't miss a hat trick by much), and Evgeni Nabokov played rather well.
Dustin Byfuglien scored on a textbook play in overtime to send San Jose to the hotel down 3-0, and likely out of the playoffs on Sunday.
What to make of the situation? Evgeni Nabokov is going to cement his reputation as being unable to win the big one (and fuel discussion that the Sharks should have traded Nabokov as opposed to Bryzgalov), and we will hear much more about the reliable playoff disappearance of Joe Thornton.
Chicago was assumed to have weak goaltending- and has in several games- but Niemi is playing well enough to carry things, and Chicago's offense will likely hand them the Stanley Cup... but then again, that's what everyone said about Washington and Pittsburgh against Montreal.
5/22/10, 6:15 EDT
Well, that should settle that. Philadelphia just owned Montreal in the Bell Centre, and would seem to be setting up a Philadelphia-Chicago showdown. We shall see...
