Dude, where's my puck??

Now you don't get to see this often. The goalie of the Chicago Blackhawks, Antti Niemi, gets frisked on the ice by both refs and his fellow teammates during Game 5 of the playoffs with the Nashville Predators. With about 3 minutes left in the first period, Niemi blocks a shot by Nick Spalling. And that's when the fun began. No one by the net can find the puck. Niemi started to do a wiggle, a dance and some stripping down to see if it's stuck on him somewhere, while one of the refs decided to go all in!
After a good few minutes, the captain of the Blackhawks, Jonathan Toews, casually lifts up Niemi's shirt and out comes the puck! Ta-da.



The fans were certainly entertained and got a good game last night. By the last period, Chicago was down one player with Marian Hossa in the penalty box for 5 minutes for hitting Nashville's Dan Hamhuis into the boards. The penalty is STILL being disputed by Nashville as not enough. Chicago's Patrick Kane then ties the game 4-4 with 13 seconds left! It's a shorthanded (when an opposing team has more players on the ice due to a penalty) goal! Overtime.

Hossa then comes out after his 5 minute penalty over his head and guns a blazin' to finish off Nashville with the winning goal 4 minutes into overtime. Chicago now leads the series 3-2.

Monday night's Game 6 in Nashville will determine if Chicago moves up into the Western Conference or if a Game 7 is necessary. Until then, keep track of your pucks.

Rangers. Done.

Crushed. Heartbroken. The Rangers are done and out of the playoffs after last night's intense game with the Philly Flyers. Henrik Lundqvist was amazing with the Flyers out shooting the Rangers at almost 2-1 and blocking 40+ shots coming at him. But in the end he couldn't block the winning goal in the shootout. He's still human after all. Where the heck was the rest of the team? Chris Dury? Marian Gaborik? It seems like the team was all over the place and not in the same place. Three periods, overtime and a shootout were needed for the Flyers to get the job done.

The Rangers had a great season and ended earlier than what their play and effort suggested. It's time for them to take a vacation (not that have a choice now) and plan for next season. I'm going to continue to watch the playoffs with a little sadness knowing that my Rangers won't be in it. Flyers, I'm going to keep a hawk eye after you. You better make this win worth it and beat all the rest as well.