The Penguins and Devils won their games easily and the Rangers gave up a 3-1 lead, but won 4-3.
In Pittsburgh
Sidney Crosby scored the first goal of the 2008-09 Stanley Cup Playoffs and you know that Sid wants to end them the same way. The Flyers got tepid goaltending from Martin Biron as the Pens got 3 more goals and held a 4-0 lead into the 3rd period before giving up a goal by Flyers left winger Simon Gagne. The Pens looked like the same team that easily handled the Flyers in last year's Conference Finals. Last year the Pens scored at least 4 times in each win and then dominated the Philadelphia Flyers winning that series with a convincing 6-0 shutout. The Penguinos scored 12 straight goals in total against Philly going back to last year and the Flyers didn't like what they saw. With the first game slipping away, the Flyers decided that it was time to send the Flyers a message. And ended the game with 3 players in the penalty box for their trouble.
The Flyers probably could have been penalized for deliberately trying to injure Jordan Staal as Ryan Parent cross-checked the Penguins forward into the boards from behind. And moments before that, Arron Asham gave a 2-handed slash to a Penguin player. It was a parade of Flyers to the penalty box from the 16:08 mark as Lupul, Alberts, Asham, and Parent received 2 minute penalties in a 3 minute period and Scott Hartnell got a 10 minute misconduct. Stupid and non-productive penalties. The Penguins Bill Guerin had enough and fought Braydon Coburn with 7 seconds remaining. Basically they joisted for a few seconds and Guerin just dropped his mitts, grabbed Coburn and wrestled him to the ice.
Philly looked very mediocre in this game and had little offence until the 3rd period when they broke double-digits in shots on goal. The Pens dominated in the faceoff circle winning almost 70 percent of the draws and they spent the first 2 periods peppering Biron and cycling along the boards at will in the Flyers zone.
Devils Win In A Walk
It was even worse in the Devils-Carolina game. Only without the rough stuff. For the first 2 periods, Martin Brodeur faced few shots as New Jersey played textbook New Jersey hockey and looked like the team of a month ago before their recent slide. The Devils got goals from defenseman Mike Mottau late in the first, Parise and Patrik Elias scored in the 2nd and Jamie Langenbrunner popped in a goal in the third as the Devils cruised to an opening round victory. Brodeur came within 11 minutes of tying Patrick Roy's record for playoff shutouts (23) but the Canes Ray Whitney scored on the Devils star goalie who finished with 18 saves. That makes the 96th playoff win in Martin Brodeur's career. How many goalies make into 96 playoff games, let alone winning 96 games?
This was the first appearance in the playoffs for many of the Hurricane players who had won the Stanley Cup in 2006. Almost like a re-baptism for these guys as Carolina hasn't had a playoff game since they won that Cup. The Canes may be able to hang on til they get back home, but unless they turn their fortunes around in NJ, they'll be playing golf inside of a week and a half.
Rangers Beat Ovechkin
The New York Rangers took game one at the Verizon Center 4-3 as Ovechkin was held scoreless (he's was credited with a goal, but after review, it went to teammate Tomas Fleischmann) but Ovechkin did get a couple of assists. You wouldn't want the Rangers to be in a shootout with the Capitals if you're a Rangers' fan, but New York jumped out to a 3-1 lead as Scott Gomez led the way with a goal and 2 assists. The seventh seeded Rangers held on as Washington came back to tie it up on goals by Viktor Kozlov (his first ever playoff goal in 21 games!) late in the second and then Alexander Semin tied it at 3-3 with a wrist shot from a pass from Ovechkin. Then Brandon Dubinsky scored with 8 minutes left on a beautiful play as he deked the Caps massive defenseman (he's Chara-sized at 6'6") at the blueline and snapped a quick shot past Jose Theodore for the winner.
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