Here are the morning papers for the second round playoff teams:Eastern Conference:Montreal (1) versus Philadelphia (6):
- The Montreal Gazette’s Pat Hickey agrees with head coach Guy Carbonneau that the Canadiens lost as a team last night. Hickey also wonders if now is the time to make a goaltending change. Hockey fans in Philadelphia are a special breed, writes Dave Stubbs. Bobby Clarke has done it all as a Flyer.
- Retired Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bill Lyon gives a descriptive run down of yesterday’s game. Derian Hatcher had the longest 15 minutes of his life last night. Ray Pamillo reports on the Montreal goaltending situation.
Pittsburgh (2) versus New York Rangers (5):
- Sidney Crosby practiced privately yesterday working only on shooting and deflections, reports Shelley Anderson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Anderson wonders which team the pressure is on in this series. On the injury front, Gary Roberts is a game-time decision tonight. During the Penguins/Rangers series Marc and Jordan Staal will not talk to each other.
- The Rangers will have to do a better job moving the puck in order to compete with the Penguins, according to Jay Greenberg of the New York Post. Mark Everson informs us that only one team in the last 40 years has lost a series after opening the playoffs 6-0. “We’re home, we’re going to get these guys” is how Tom Renney describes his club’s mentality entering game 3.
Western Conference:Detroit (1) versus Colorado (6):
- Happy 38th birthday Nicklas Lidstrom. Though Peter Forsberg “feels fabulous” his status for tonight’s game is unknown, writes Detroit Free Press columnist Helene St. James.
- Adrian Dater of the Denver Post with a feature on the maturation of Darren McCarty. Chris Osgood will try to snap his six game playoff losing streak in Denver tonight. Meanwhile, on the Avalanche injury front, Terry Frei reports that Scott Hannan and Peter Forsberg might play game 3, while Milan Hejduk, Ryan Smyth, and Ian Laperriere will play tonight.
San Jose (2) versus Dallas (5):
- David Pollak of the San Jose Mercury News wonders why Brian Campbell has not had the same on-ice presence in the playoffs as he had in the regular season. Ann Killion thinks the Sharks have used up all their excuses in this year’s playoffs.
- The Dallas/San Jose series features two of the best American players of all-time: Jeremy Roenick and Mike Modano. Dallas will have last series’ game 3 fresh in their minds when they take on the Sharks tonight, reports Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News. Stars head coach Dave Tippett has to decide whether to go with seven defensemen again tonight.
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