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Atlantic Division

NHL Morning Papers (Thursday Edition): Theodore may not start Game 2, Kovalev has to be the difference and Columbus makes playoff debut

Here are the playoff morning papers for Thursday the 16th of April:

Western Conference

San Jose Sharks (1) versus Anaheim Ducks (8)

Detroit Red Wings (2) versus Columbus Blue Jackets (7)

Vancouver Canucks (3) versus St. Louis Blues (6)

Chicago Blackhawks (4) versus Calgary Flames (5)

Eastern Conference

Boston Bruins (1) versus Montreal Canadiens (8)

  • Things are a lot better for Patrice Bergeron this season than they were last season.  Mark Recchi has been a terrific addition to the Bruins roster.  A coaching decision by Claude Julien is looking like it has turned out pretty well.  Here are the five keys to the series.  Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald calls this series the most important for Boston in the past decade.
  • The legendary Red Fisher does not give the Habs much of a chance in this series.  If Montreal is going to pull off the upset, Alexei Kovalev will be the key, according to Dave Stubbs.  Saku Koivu is fully healthy to start this series which is different than last season when he wearing a walking cast.  The Habs start the playoffs tonight, but off the ice, the bidders are quite prominent when it comes to the sale of the franchise.

Washington Capitals (2) versus New York Rangers (7)

New Jersey Devils (3) versus Carolina Hurricanes (6)

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) versus Philadelphia Flyers (5)