Eastern Conference Playoff Preview

BUFFALO (1) vs. NEW YORK ISLANDERS (8)

Looks familiar: Islanders coach Ted Nolan coached the Sabres from 1995-97 … Sabres GM Darcy Regier played for the Islanders and began his administrative career on Long Island, starting in 1984-85 … The Isles' Miro Satan played for Buffalo from 1996-97 through 2003-04 … The Islanders' Jason Blake and the Sabres' Chris Drury were U.S. Olympic teammates at the Torino Winter Games.

What's New (York): Garth Snow is one of two playoff GMs in his first season with the team. Pittsburgh's Ray Shero is the other … Ted Nolan is one of three playoff coaches completing his first season with his current team. The others are Alain Vigneault (Vancouver) and Jim Playfair (Calgary) … Buffalo's Lindy Ruff, by contrast, has the League's longest current coaching tenure. He took over July 21, 1997.

New York State of mind: This is the first time since the 1993-94 playoffs that all three New York State teams (Islanders, Rangers, Sabres) have reached the post-season.

Best offense: The Sabres led the NHL with the best offense in 2006-07 (308 goals). They will look to translate that regular-season offense to playoff success, a difficult task for the League's top offensive team in each of the last 20 seasons. Only twice -- Pittsburgh in 1992 and Edmonton in 1987 – has the league's best offensive team in the regular season gone on to win the Stanley Cup. New Jersey had the League's best offense in 2000-01 but lost in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Ryan Smyth factor: Islanders' Ryan Smyth, acquired at the trade deadline (02/27/07) from Edmonton, plays for a number eight seed in the playoffs for the second straight year. He helped the Oilers qualify for the post-season with a win in their second to last game in the 2005-06 season (vs. Anaheim).

The Wade Dubielewicz factor: Should Wade Dubielewicz be the Islanders' #1 goaltender in the playoffs, he would become the first netminder in the last 20 years to play as few as eight regular-season games and become the team's regular starter in the playoffs. A number of goalies have played as few regular-season games and started some of his team's playoff games, including Ed Belfour (Chicago, 1990), Andy Moog (Boston, 1988) and Alex Auld (Vancouver, 2004), but none emerged as the team's #1 in the playoffs.

We're No. 1: The Sabres got significant contributions this season from their No. 1 draft choices in 2004 (Drew Stafford) and 2003 (Thomas Vanek).
High numbers: Key Buffalo contributors came from deep in the Draft. Ryan Miller (#138 in 1999), Ales Kotalik (#164 in 1998), Brian Campbell (#156 in 1997).

What a difference a year makes: The Sabres' Thomas Vanek had 43 goals and was plus-47 in 82 games this season. In 81 games last season, he had 25 goals and was minus-11. Brian Campbell went from minus-14 to plus-28.

What a difference a year makes ll: The Sabres enter the 2007 playoffs a far healthier lot than when their year ended in Game #7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Four of their top-six defensemen: Dmitri Kalinin, Jay McKee, Teppo Numminen and Henrik Tallinder all missed the final game against the Hurricanes.

The Jason Blake factor: The Islanders' Jason Blake had 40 goals this season, his personal best since a 50-goal season with the Waterloo Hawks of the USHL in 1993-94. It was the top Islanders season-ending goal total since Ziggy Palffy had 45 in 1997-98. Blake had 304 shots last season, 305 shots this season.



NEW JERSEY DEVILS (2) vs. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (7)

Goaltending: The Devils' Martin Brodeur enters the 2007 playoffs as the third-most-experienced goaltender in Stanley Cup playoff history (153 games), and has nearly twice as much playoff experience as the 86 total games of all the other Eastern Conference playoff goalies (Atlanta’s Johan Hedberg has played 20 games; Buffalo’s Ryan Miller 18, Pittsburgh’s Jocelyn Thibault 17, Ottawa’s Ray Emery 10, the Rangers’ Kevin Weekes 9, Ottawa’s Martin Gerber 8, the Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist 3, the Sabres’ Ty Conklin 1). Neither member of the Lightning’s tandem of Johan Holmqvist and Marc Denis has played in a playoff game, nor has Atlanta’s Kari Lehtonen or Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury.

Offense vs. Defense: Can Brodeur and his League third-best goals-against average (2.18) shut down two of the League's top five offensive players this season -- Rocket Richard trophy winner Vincent Lecavalier (52 goals, 108 pts.) and Martin St. Louis (43 goals, 102 pts.)?

Lots of Stanley Cup experience: The Devils have 11 players with them from the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2003, while Tampa Bay has 10 players who remain from the 2004 Stanley Cup-winning team.

Lucky 7's: A #7 seed has knocked off a #2 seed in each of the last nine post-seasons dating to 1997. The Eastern Conference #7 has knocked off the #2 six times in the last nine years, while the Western Conference #7 has beaten the #2 five times.

Playoff Offense: With 216 goals in 2006-07, the Devils are the lowest-scoring team among the 16 that qualified for post-season play. In the past five playoff seasons, only the Minnesota Wild in 2003 advanced beyond the first round after becoming the lowest-scoring regular-season team in the playoff field.

Goal Differential: The Lightning scored eight fewer goals than it allowed this season (253 vs. 261). Only one playoff team in the past five playoff seasons (Carolina, 2002) has advanced beyond the first round when surrendering more goals than it scored in the regular season.

Devils-Lightning Connection: Devils' defenseman Brad Lukowich was a member of the Lightning team that won the Stanley Cup in 2004.

ATLANTA THRASHERS (3) vs. NEW YORK RANGERS (6)

Mellanby's Quest: The Thrashers’ Scott Mellanby has played 1,431 regular-season games and, like Ray Bourque and Dave Andreychuk in recent years, is looking for his first Stanley Cup title late in his career. He has been to the Final twice -- in his rookie season with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1986-87 and with the Florida Panthers in 1996.

European influence: The two lineups could feature as many as 18 European players. The top three scorers on each team are Europeans --- Marian Hossa (43-57-100), Slava Kozlov (28-52-80) and Ilya Kovalchuk (42-34-76) for the Thrashers against Jaromir Jagr (30-66-96), Michael Nylander (26-57-83) and Martin Straka (29-41-70) for the Rangers.

Gold-medal rematch: Sweden and Finland have been bitter international hockey rivals for more 50 years, battling at European Championships, World Championships and Olympic Games. The rivalry continues in this series with the Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist (Sweden) battling Atlanta’s Kari Lehtonen (Finland). Lundqvist backstopped the Swedes to a 3-2 win over Finland in the Gold Medal Game at the 2006 Olympics.

Lehtonen and Lundqvist played for their respective countries at the 2002 World Junior Championships.

First-time playoff teams: The Thrashers have qualified for post-season play for the first time in their eight-year history. The most successful first-time playoff team since 1979-80 was the Florida Panthers (12 wins, 10 losses), who lost to Colorado in the 1996 Stanley Cup Final.

Shanahan vs. Tkachuk: The Rangers’ Brendan Shanahan (Canada) and the Thrashers’ Keith Tkachuk (U.S.) have battled against each other for their respective countries at the 1998 and 2002 Olympics. They also have competed against each other in two Stanley Cup playoff series (while Shanahan was with Detroit and Tkachuk was in Phoenix and St. Louis).

Rangers-Thrashers Connections: The Thrashers’ Bobby Holik played for the Rangers (2002-03 and 2003-04) … The Thrashers’ Marian Hossa meets his brother from Rangers, Marcel … The Thrashers’ Steve Rucchin played for the Rangers last season … The Thrashers’ Greg Devries played for the Rangers in 2003-04 ... Shanahan and Kozlov played on 1997 and 1998 Detroit Stanley Cup teams.

Back-to-Back Winners: Only six players in NHL history have won the Stanley Cup in consecutive seasons with different clubs -- Cory Stillman being the last to do so by winning with Tampa Bay in 2004 and with Carolina in 2006. Can the Rangers’ Matt Cullen continue the trend?

OTTAWA SENATORS (4) vs. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (5)

Baby Penguin: Nineteen-year-old Sidney Crosby, who won the Art Ross Trophy as the regular-season scoring champion with 36-84—120, is the only other teenager to hold the league lead in points at any time in the league's modern era besides Wayne Gretzky, who briefly held the scoring lead near the end of the 1979-80 season and early in 1980-81. Crosby is the youngest Art Ross winner ever; Wayne Gretzky won the 1980-81 title at 20 years and 3 months of age. Crosby, who had 102 points last season, scored his 103rd point on March 13. Crosby becomes the first teenager in major pro team sports history to win a scoring title.

Playoff Youngsters: It has been almost 30 years since a team had a trio of youngsters 20-and-under who have played a central role on a Stanley Cup playoff team. The 1979-80 Edmonton Oilers were led by 19-year-olds Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier and 20-year old defenseman Kevin Lowe. While the Oilers were swept in three straight games in their first-ever playoff appearance by the Philadelphia Flyers, the trio accounted for half of the Oilers' offense with three goals and four assists in the three games -- two of which went to overtime.

The Roberts Factor: Gary Roberts has played a key role in three straight playoff series wins for Toronto against the Senators from 2001 through 2004. "I remember seeing him play a few years ago for Toronto against Ottawa and he was a key factor for the Leafs. That was the No. 1 guy we were looking for at the trade deadline”, Penguins Coach Michel Therrien said after the Feb. 27 trade. Roberts has 10 goals and 17 points in 18 career playoff games against Ottawa.

18-year-olds in playoffs: 60 years ago, 18-year old rookie Gordie Howe (five days short of his 19th birthday) competed in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the Red Wings. This year, the Penguins' Jordan Staal joins a select group of NHL players who have competed in the Stanley Cup playoffs at the age of 18 or under. Following are some of the more prominent in recent years in addition to "Mr. Hockey" from the list of 47 players all-time: Patrice Bergeron (2004), Boston; Pierre-Marc Bouchard (2003), Minnesota; Patrick Marleau (1998), San Jose; Joe Thornton (1998), Boston; Jarome Iginla (1996), Calgary; Rod Brind'Amour (1989), St. Louis; Mike Modano (1989), Minnesota; Trevor Linden (1989), Vancouver; Eddie Olczyk (1985), Chicago; Steve Yzerman (1984), Detroit; Ted Kennedy (1944), Toronto.

Only two 18-year olds have played on a Stanley Cup Champion: Gaye Stewart in 1942 with Toronto and Larry Hillman in 1955 with Detroit.

Staal's Springtime in Ottawa: For the second straight year, Penguins' 18-year old rookie Jordan Staal will visit Ottawa for playoff action. He led his junior team, the Peterborough Petes, to a six-game series win in the OHL playoffs against the Ottawa 67's in 2006.

Roster makeover: More than half of the players who dressed for the Penguins’ final game of the 2005-06 regular season are not with the current edition of the Pens. Penguins' GM Ray Shero has added 336 games of Stanley Cup playoff experience with the addition of Mark Recchi, Gary Roberts, Georges Laraque, Jarkko Ruuttu and Nils Ekman to the roster over the past year.
A Veteran lineup: The Senators prepare for the playoffs with only three players looking to make their playoff debuts. D Joe Corvo and D Lawrence Nycholat and F Brian McGrattan are only members of the Senators roster who have yet to see action in the NHL playoffs. Corvo will look to carry over his great finish to the regular season with a strong playoffs. The defenseman scored 11 points (2-9) in the last 12 games of the regular season.

Hot, Hot: The Senators and Penguins were two of the hottest teams in the second half of the season. The Penguins are tied for the League lead (with Vancouver) in points percentage (.744 - 31-9-5 record) since the new year, while Ottawa has posted the third-best record since Jan. 1, going 27-7-8 (.738 points percentage). The Senators sat in 10th place in Eastern Conference at 18-18-1 prior to Christmas.

Lots of Offense: The Senators-Penguins match-up features the League’s second- and third-best offensive teams (behind Buffalo) - Ottawa had 288 goals, Pittsburgh 277.

Senators-Penguins Connection 1: Sidney Crosby's NHL career began in Ottawa, when he was selected first overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft on July 30, 2005.

Senators-Penguins Connection 2: Though he admits he was not a particular fan of the Penguins, Senators goaltender Ray Emery says his earliest memory of the Stanley Cup playoffs as a youngster was watching Pittsburgh back-to-back wins in 1991 and 1992.

Senators-Penguins Connection 3: Penguins' great Mario Lemieux was the playoff hero of Ottawa’s Jason Spezza.

Senior Senator: Senators coach Bryan Murray is currently the leader among all active NHL coaches in both games (1,221) and wins (613). Murray also sits fifth in all-time wins and sixth in all-time games coached.

 

PHOTO by : Richard Wolowicz, Chris Fuller and Andris Jansons (HV)