NHL Playoff Capsules: Sharks eliminate Red Wings with 2-1 victory

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Evgeni Nabokov shouldered the brunt of the criticism for San Jose’s past postseason failures.

It’s only fitting that those three are the biggest reason why the Sharks are headed back to the Western Conference finals for the first time in six years.

Thornton set up Marleau for the tiebreaking goal 6:59 into the third period and Nabokov bounced back from a Game 4 shellacking to help the Sharks eliminate the two-time defending Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings with a 2-1 victory Saturday night in Game 5 of their second-round series.

"It feels good," said Thornton, who scored the first goal for San Jose. "After kind of embarrassing ourselves with the 7-1 loss in Detroit we just wanted to bounce back. I thought we did a great job."

Postseason disappointments have been commonplace in recent years in San Jose. The Sharks have had the second-best record in the NHL the past five seasons, but hadn’t made it past the second round in that span until now.

Three straight second-round losses were followed by a first-round defeat to Anaheim last season, raising questions about whether the core of Thornton, Marleau and Nabokov could lead the Sharks to the Stanley Cup.

San Jose is now halfway to that elusive title. The Sharks will play either Chicago or Vancouver in the conference finals. Marleau and Nabokov are the only players remaining from San Jose’s only previous trip to the conference finals when the Sharks lost to Calgary in six games.

"It’s definitely nice to get back there and be one step closer to winning the cup," Marleau said.

Nabokov survived a blitz late in the second period to keep it tied at 1. Marleau then came through with his second game-winning goal of this series when Thornton found him all alone in the slot and he beat Jimmy Howard.

The goal set off a raucous celebration at the Shark Tank. Marleau also scored in overtime to win Game 3, also off a feed from Thornton.

Thornton might finally be shedding the nickname "No Show Joe" by winning a gold medal in the Olympics and playing his best playoff series with the Sharks. He got his first goal of the postseason when he scored the winner in Game 2, started a third-period comeback with a goal in Game 3 and was involved in both of San Jose’s goals in the clincher.

"That’s great to see because we had some individuals that heading into the playoffs had to answer some questions," coach Todd McLellan said. "I think to this point they’ve done that."

Detroit is the only team better in the regular season than the Sharks since the start of the 2005-06 season and the Red Wings have been far better in the postseason. They eliminated the Sharks in the second round in 2007 and went to the last two Stanley Cup finals, winning it all in 2008.

Now a season that got off to a slow start because of injuries but seemed to be peaking at the right time has come to an early end for the Red Wings. Detroit fell behind 3-0 in this series before winning Game 4 at home 7-1 and putting up a good fight in the finale.

"The Sharks have been a very good team the past few years and they play smart," Detroit forward Henrik Zetterberg said. "Every time you make the playoffs, you learn more and more and eventually you start playing better in the playoffs. They are playing smarter and they are playing more like a team."

Detroit seemed to have the momentum after dominating the second period and surviving a missed penalty shot by Joe Pavelski early in the third. But the Sharks battled back and got their fourth one-goal win of the series.

"They were better than us," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "They games were tight, but they found a way to continually win. That’s what good teams do."

Detroit got its first goal early in the second when Brian Rafalski’s point shot sneaked through to make it 1-0. Johan Franzen assisted on that goal, tying Gordie Howe’s franchise record set in 1964 by recording a point in 12 straight playoff games.

Nabokov didn’t allow anything else all game, finishing with 33 saves. He was at his best on a power play late in the second when he stopped a few tough deflections. Detroit couldn’t get a good shot in the final minute even after Dan Boyle was sent off for holding with 52.2 seconds to go.

"It’s hard to play against those guys," Nabokov said. "I don’t think people expected us to win 4-1 but that’s hockey."

Thornton tied it just 7 seconds after Brad Stuart was sent off for elbowing Pavelski. The Sharks didn’t get another shot off in the final 15:06 of the second period.

NOTES: Stuart played despite an injured knee that knocked him out of Game 4. ... San Jose D Niclas Wallin, who hadn’t played since Game 1 of the first round for San Jose, returned from a lower body injury. ... Lidstrom played his 247th career playoff game, tying Patrick Roy for the second-most ever. Chris Chelios holds the record with 266.

Fleury’s 32 saves lead Penguins past Canadiens 2-1

PITTSBURGH — Crosby and Malkin. Malkin and Crosby. The Penguins’ two stars get so much attention that the other key player who was largely responsible for them winning the Stanley Cup last season often isn’t appreciated.

Marc-Andre Fleury made certain he wasn’t overlooked in the Penguins’ 2-1 victory over Montreal in Game 5 on Saturday night, one that Sidney Crosby labeled beforehand as their biggest must-win game since the finals against Detroit last spring.

Fleury made 32 saves, Kris Letang scored on a power play after accidentally setting up Montreal’s decisive goal in the previous game and the Penguins moved within a victory of eliminating the Canadiens from the Eastern Conference semifinals.

"He was huge — and we need him to be like this," Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar said of Fleury.

Gonchar also scored as the Penguins put themselves in position to close out the series in Game 6 in Montreal on Monday night. The Canadiens, held to four goals in three games, must win to force a Game 7 on Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

Montreal rallied to win the final three games in the opening round against top-seeded Washington, but Pittsburgh hasn’t blown a 3-2 lead since the 1996 Eastern Conference finals against Florida.

"Obviously, everybody still believes," Montreal goalie Jaroslav Halak said. "It’s 3-2, and we are still in it. We’ve been in this situation before."

Crosby remained without a goal in the series and Evgeni Malkin also didn’t find the net — he did set up Letang’s pivotal goal late in the first period — but the Penguins had enough offense without their stars to support Fleury’s best game of the playoffs.

Trailing 2-0, Montreal pulled Halak to create a 6-on-4 advantage after Pascal Dupuis went off for slashing with 2:26 remaining and Mike Cammalleri scored his ninth goal, with 30 seconds to play. But it was much too late for the Canadiens, who couldn’t solve Fleury much like the Penguins have struggled against Halak at times during a tightly played series.

The Penguins won 2-0 in Game 3 before losing 3-2 in Game 4, when Brian Gionta’s decisive goal during a late Montreal comeback deflected off Letang’s skate in the slot and into the net. But Fleury was under considerably more pressure and needed to make tougher saves than he did in Game 3.

"I felt useful tonight, you know," Fleury said.

Halak also played another strong game, making 23 saves, but showed one weakness: one-timers from above the circles.

"Against these guys, one mistake here or there and they’ll be in the net," forward Scott Gomez said.

Letang, so upset the game before he wouldn’t talk with reporters afterward, got the important first goal with a shot from the left point at 18:18 of the first. Malkin carried the puck out from behind the net to open a shooting lane for Letang to score Pittsburgh’s seventh goal in 16 power-play chances to that point.

"They’re trying to protect their goalie and the net, so if we can get some looks from those areas, guys can get them through," Crosby said.

Gonchar made it 2-0 midway through the second period while playing behind a makeshift line of Mike Rupp, the recently recalled Mark Letestu and Malkin. Gonchar took Brooks Orpik’s cross-ice pass a few feet in front of the blue line and drove a shot past Halak.

"The defensemen did a great job of getting the shots through," Rupp said. "If we don’t do that, we’re not going to score on this guy (Halak)."

With forward Bill Guerin back after sitting out two games with an undisclosed injury, the Penguins also did a better job of crowding the net to make it difficult for Halak to see the puck clearly.

"They had the traffic all the time in front of me, and we didn’t (in front of Fleury)," Halak said. "We made it easy on their goalie."

Montreal played most of the final period without top defenseman Hal Gill, who sustained a cut while colliding with Chris Kunitz. The Canadiens said only that Gill will be evaluated Sunday.

Shortly before Gonchar scored, Montreal missed a prime opportunity to tie it when Fleury lunged to his left to turn aside Glen Metropolit’s one-handed shot. Fleury also made a key save on Cammalleri from in close early in the game.

"That gets you in the game, and it feels good for the rest," Fleury said.

NOTES: The Penguins are 3-3 at home. They haven’t lost four of their first six at home in any playoff year. ... F Alexei Ponikarovsky, who has only three goals in 26 games with Pittsburgh, was a healthy scratch. ... Pittsburgh is 10-2 in the playoffs following a loss under second-year coach Dan Bylsma.

-- Alan Robinson

Previews

Bruins hope to clear traffic from net, win series

WILMINGTON, Mass. — The Boston Bruins saw plenty of improvement in the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal. Now the Bruins want to wrap up the series rather than give the Flyers another chance to get better.

Philadelphia stayed alive Friday night when Simon Gagne scored in overtime for a 5-4 win that cut Boston’s lead in the best-of-seven series to 3-1. The Bruins next play Monday night at home where they’re 5-0 in the playoffs.

"We need to close it out, obviously," said center Patrice Bergeron, among a handful who of players who reported for medical treatment on the club’s day off Saturday. "We can’t give them life because they’re a great team. They’re a team that obviously is never going to stop battling. We know that. We just have to do it at home on Monday."

The Flyers executed as they planned — getting bodies in front of Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask. Gagne returned after missing the first three games with an injured toe, giving the Flyers three solid offensive lines.

While they’re still in a deep hole, the Flyers hope Friday’s win marks the start a resurgence.

"I think it kind of gives us confidence, just that we can win again," Flyers captain Mike Richards said. "You go through a little bit of a drill like that with some bad luck and you kind of start doubting yourself, and it’s nice to get the win just to prove a point that you can win again."

Two of Philadelphia’s goals were a direct result of Rask being screened or the puck getting tipped. Chris Pronger’s go-ahead goal in the first period on a one-timer from the blue line flew past numerous bodies. Ville Leino put the Flyers ahead 4-3 in the third with a tip of a wrist shot by Pronger.

"I think all series they’ve been trying to do a good job of driving to the net and creating traffic," Boston wing Shawn Thornton said. "Tuukka’s an unbelievable goaltender and he doesn’t get beat too often from the standard shot, so you have to do that to a guy like that. I expect a lot of the same" on Monday.

Boston must do a better job of clearing Flyers forwards out of Rask’s way and getting their sticks off the ice where they have a better chance of redirecting shots

"They had more traffic, too. They were really buzzing," Bergeron said. "I guess that’s probably the game plan against Tooks. So we need to make sure we box out and we do a good job against that, and really block shots from the point."

Gagne, playing for the first time since April 20, made his presence felt with a goal, seven shots on net and even two faceoff wins. With him, the Flyers are more balanced and dynamic on offense.

"Too bad we didn’t do that in the start of our series," forward Claude Giroux said. "(Daniel) Briere and Richards were probably the only two that were doing good offensively. It’s good to see that guys are stepping up, and to add a guy like Gagne, it’s a pretty good feeling."

The Bruins can’t pay too much attention to Gagne, just as they rarely concentrate on one opposing player.

"We’ll focus the same way," Thornton said. "I think being back at home, hopefully the energy of the crowd will help. We did a pretty good job all playoffs of staying even keel every game and focusing the same way. We have to continue to do that."

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette insists the buzz from the fans goes only so far.

"I understand there’s a good crowd there," he said, "but after the first few shifts, it turns into just about hockey and the players on the ice and what they do out there. If we go out and play a good hockey game, and we can get a lead and play our style, then maybe the crowd is less of a factor."

The Flyers lost the first two games in Boston, 5-4 in overtime and 3-2 on a tie-breaking goal with 2:57 remaining

"I like the way that we played our first two games there. I just don’t like the results," Laviolette said. "They could have gone either way."

Blackhawks shoot for series win

CHICAGO — Roberto Luongo has a different look heading into Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals. Who knows if it will affect his play on the ice.

The Vancouver goalie has shaved off his beard.

"Change things up a little bit," Luongo said Saturday. "Give something else a try."

Trailing 3-1, the biggest change for Vancouver on Sunday night is to have more discipline, stay out of the penalty box and limit Chicago’s power play chances.

Chicago’s Jonathan Toews scored three of the Blackhawks’ four power-play goals Friday night in a 7-4 victory when the Canucks seemed to confuse physical play with ill-advised penalties — eight of them — while trying to counteract 6-foot-4, 257-pound Dustin Byfuglien.

The Blackhawks have apparently gotten into the Canucks’ psyche, while finding a way to score on Luongo. Luongo’s own coach, Alain Rigneault, described the Olympic gold winner as the second best goalie on the ice behind Chicago rookie Antti Niemi.

Byfuglien scored three goals in Chicago’s Game 3 win and then drew three penalties Friday night. His ability to get in Luongo’s space has been one of the big factors in the Blackhawks’ success against the Canucks the last two postseasons.

Chicago ousted Vancouver in the semifinals a year ago.

"Just going out there and doing my job, getting in front and trying to give him a hard time to see the puck," Byfuglien said Saturday.

"I knew it was going to be a physical game. I think everyone did — they were going to come out like that. And they weren’t smart about it."

For the Canucks, finding a day to maintain their physical, up-tempo style will be a priority at the United Center, where they were able to win the opener.

Giving the talented Blackhawks an extra man or even two won’t work.

"That’s not the type of game we need to be playing and it hurt us last year and it’s hurting us again this year," Luongo said.

"We’ve got to realize we’re a good team and when we play the way we are supposed to play, we’re one of the best in the league. ... It’s just a matter of making sure we play for the crest on our jersey."

Vancouver defenseman Sami Salo suggested that the Canucks can play physical but also be in control and they have to be able to do that Sunday night.

"I don’t know, I haven’t felt they are in our heads, but saying that we’re still taking a lot of penalties so that’s not a good thing," Salo said.

"We know what kind of hockey we can play if we keep our heads cool and play the game."

Toews, benefited from Byfuyglien’s presence on his line, had two assists to go with his three goals. He has 18 points in the playoffs.

"Some nights you are not going to play your best and everything kind of goes in for you. Obviously it was one of those nights where you are around the net and everything seems to find you, pucks are going to you and you get lucky," the Blackhawks captain said Saturday.

"We want to keep that going, especially tomorrow night."

Vigneault said his comment that Luongo was the second best goalie stemmed from the team’s play.

"Roberto and our team the last two games we have been the second best team on the ice," he said.

"The goaltender has been a big part of it and he’s been in this situation before. He was in this situation just a couple months ago with Team Canada where they couldn’t lose and he won three straight, so I’ve got a lot of faith him, I’ve got a lot of confidence in him and I know he’s going to do the job for us. ... The series is not over."

Vancouver’s Shane O’Brien expects the Canucks to play loose, despite their predicament.

"We got nothing to lose now. We’re in a situation where probably no one thinks we can come back and the odds are we probably can’t, but we’re going to give it our best go," O’Brien said. "It would taste even better if we came back from 3-1."

The Blackhawks are glad to be back on their home ice with a chance to return to the Western Conference finals for a second straight year. It took them six games to oust the Canucks a year ago. In that Game 6 in Chicago, Luongo gave up seven goals, three to Patrick Kane.

A year later, Chicago is in the same position.

"We have to find a way to play our best game of the series. We know what it will take to put this team away," Toews said.

-- Rick Gano

Playoff Notes

Canadiens’ Gill leaves game with apparent cut

PITTSBURGH — Montreal Canadiens defenseman Hal Gill missed most of the third period of Game 5 against Pittsburgh after apparently being cut on a leg while colliding with Penguins forward Chris Kunitz.

Gill, frequently matched against Sidney Crosby’s line throughout the Eastern Conference semifinals, played 1 minute, 31 seconds during the final period of Pittsburgh’s 2-1 victory on Saturday night. He finished with 16:12 of playing time, about 10 minutes less than usual.

Coach Jacques Martin said only that Gill sustained a lower body injury and would be evaluated Sunday. Pittsburgh can close out the series in Game 6 on Monday in Montreal.

Other NHL News

Source: City, Ice Edge near lease deal for Coyotes

PHOENIX — A person close to the talks says Ice Edge Holdings is nearing agreement on a memorandum of understanding that gives the group exclusive negotiating rights with the city of Glendale on a new lease agreement for the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes.

The agreement, a necessary step toward purchase of the franchise if it is to stay in Arizona, is expected to be finalized next week, said the person, who asked for anonymity because a formal agreement had not been reached.

Meanwhile, the NHL is asking the city for an unspecified amount of money, probably the $20 million to $25 million the franchise lost this year, to cover losses while the sale of the team is completed. The council is to act on the request at its Tuesday night meeting.

Approval of the Ice Edge memorandum, which is not on the Tuesday agenda, would confirm reports that would-be buyer Jerry Reinsdorf is out of the picture.

Ice Edge appears to be the last chance for a buyer to keep the team in Glendale.

The NHL bought the franchise out of bankruptcy last September with the stated intention of selling the team to a buyer that would keep the team in Arizona. If the Ice Edge plan falls through or the city doesn’t meet the league’s demands, the Coyotes could be sold to a buyer who would move the team. The most likely destination is Winnipeg, where the franchise was before moving to the desert in 1996.

On April 13, the city council approved a memorandum of understanding with a group headed by Reinsdorf, owner of Chicago’s White Sox and Bulls, but rejected the Ice Edge agreement.

No one was talking publicly about what went sour between Reinsdorf and the city, but Glendale officials approached Ice Edge recently to ask if they could try again.

The memorandum would have to be approved by the city council and is not a legally binding document.

The city council is being asked Tuesday to give city manager Ed Beasley authority to sign agreements that would give the NHL the money the league says is required to keep the team in Glendale.

"The NHL has expressed its intention to keep the team in Glendale," the agenda item reads, "but has established deadlines and imposed requirements that require certain immediate financial commitments and assurances" by the city.

The item says the money would not come from the city coffers but from arena operations and the special taxing district that is to be established as part of the sale of the team and the new lease agreement.

Glendale faces the prospect of giving the NHL what it wants or finding itself with an empty arena the city built specifically for the Coyotes.

Ice Edge investors, who say they would buy the team with a combination of their money and bank financing, describe themselves as avid hockey fans and say they would not seek an out-clause in the lease agreement. Ice Edge even took out a full page ad in The Arizona Republic before the city council vote.

"Ice Edge continues to believe in the future of hockey in the valley," the group said in a statement released Saturday. "We have held several discussions with the city of Glendale over the past few days, and those discussions continue through the weekend."

The Coyotes are coming off a surprising season in which, despite all the ownership turmoil, the team set franchise records for wins and points. They were eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings in seven games in the first round of the playoffs. Some sort of certainty in ownership is needed as the free agency period approaches. Several Phoenix players have contracts that are expiring.

-- Bob Baum