NHL Morning Papers: Playoff Teams (Monday Edition)

Here are the morning papers for the second round playoff teams:Pittsburgh Penguins v. New York Rangers (Penguins win series 4-1)

Gene Collier states the not-so-shocking: The addition of sniper Marian Hossa

has significantly enhanced the Penguins’ already stellar offence. Hossa’s overtime goal yesterday carried the Pens into the conference finals where they will face their cross-state rivals from Philly.Robert Dvorchak ties the

Pittsburgh/Philly rivalry in with key battles in American history, Obama vs. Hillary (editor’s note: talk about going into overtime!) , and highlights the role of the Shero family (former Flyers GM Fred and his son, current Pens manager Ray) in shaping the two clubs.In the City that Never Sleeps, Larry Brooks says that

it will take a long time for the Rangers to sleep off their early ousting from the playoffs, and that the loss to Pittsburgh may mark the end of the Blueshirts’ chances to ice a high-caliber team.The Newspaper of Record, the New York Times, provides some great shots from yesterday’s Rangers/Pens game in a slideshow included in the paper’s

online edition:

Philadelphia v. Montreal (Flyers win series 4-1)Phil Sheridan says “there is something happening with these Flyers” and

one shouldn’t jump too fast to lay down the coin on a Pens victory. (Are you listening, Illegal Curve betting guru Ari Baum Cohen?)Pat Hicky agrees with Adam Sander in Happy Gilmore that ”

The Price is Wrong, Bob!” Or at least, the Price (Carey) was too worn out by the second round and his backup was the equivalent of a”’73 Ford Pinto”.Jack Todd notes that the bubble bursts fast in Montreal, and

the city now feels deflated and no longer interested in following the playoffs now that the Habs have been eliminated.Detroit Red Wings v. Colorado Avalance (Red Wings SWEEP)

Helene St. James says the 2008 Wings are stronger than the 2007 club thanks to improvements made by virtually every player on the team’s roster and that the team is ”

relaxed and rejuvenated” heading into a conference finals matchup with Dallas.Joe Sharp says that as good as Chris “The Wizard of” Osgood has been for the Wings,

the team’s playoff MVP so far is clearly Johan “Author of The Corrections” Franzen.In Colorado, Terry Frei writes that

the injury bug that bit the Avs this year was “unprecedented” and that the team will have a long list of personnel decisions to make this off-season, including whether to re-sign goaltender Jose Theodore.Dallas Stars v. San Jose Sharks (Stars win series 4-2)

Mark Purdy tells us that

last night’s epic 4OT thriller in Dallas “lasted so long, you half expected Jeremy Roenick to become a great-grandfather before it was done”.Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News says the

“new leadership” of the Stars, namely OT hero Brendan Morrow, solidified his status as on the ice last night in the Big D.Heika’s colleague, Tim Colishaw, suggests that, despite another dissapointingly early playoff exit, ”

the Sharks’ heart really should never be questioned again.”For Illegal Curve, I’m Steve Werier.