The Regular Season is Over

photo credit: AP Photo/Jack Dempsey


BLUES EARN 6th-SEED IN WESTERN CONFERENCE

WILL FACE VANCOUVER IN ROUND ONE

In what may be the most overlooked story of the playoff chase, the St. Louis Blues are not only in the postseason for the first time in five years, but they are the 6th-seed after Sunday’s 1-0 defeat of the Avalanche in Denver. Chris Mason made 28 saves for his sixth save of the season, while Brad Boyes scored the only goal six minutes into the opening period. Since mid-February, St. Louis is an NHL-best 25-9-7, including a 9-1-1 push to closeout the season. At 32-45-5, the Avalanche finish with the worst record in the conference for the first time since leaving Quebec in 1995.

Rangers 4 – Flyers 3

Sean Avery and Blair Betts scored in the third period in Philadelphia to give Henrik Lundqvist a career-high 38th victory and to keep the Flyers from gaining the 4th-seed in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia needed just one point to host the Penguins in Round 1, but Martin Biron could not keep the Blueshirts out of the net in the final stanza. The victory meant nothing in terms of the playoffs to the Rangers, who are the 7th-seed and will play Washington.

Bruins 6 – Islanders 2

The Boston offense got one last workout before the playoffs Sunday on Long Island. Phil Kessel led the exercise with three goals and an assist. Tim Thomas made 32 saves for his 36th win of the season. The Islanders hit the finish line with four consecutive losses (26-47-9 overall) to assure themselves the best chance of drafting John Tavares in June.

Blackhawks 3 – Red Wings 0

On the eve of their first playoff game in seven years, the Blackhawks looked sharp Sunday afternoon on national television against the Stanley Cup champions, albeit a team without healthy scratches Marian Hossa, Nicklas Lidstrom and Kris Draper. Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 37 Red Wing shots for his 41st career shutout. Chicago also beat Detroit Saturday to finish the season on a 6-0-1 spurt.

IN OTHER NEWS…

Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin is the Art Ross Trophy winner as the League’s leading scorer with 35 goals and 78 assists for 113 points in 78 games. For the second consecutive year, Alex Ovechkin earns the Maurice Richard Trophy for scoring the most goals (56). And the tandem of Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez in Boston win the Jennings trophy for allowing the fewest goals this season (196).

The Minnesota Wild will hold a press conference Monday morning to say goodbye to head coach Jacques Lemaire. The only man to stand behind the Wild bench, Lemaire decided to step down after an 89-point season. In his eight seasons in the Twin Cities, Lemaire compiled a 291-256-107 record.

Johan Franzen is the latest player to receive a 10-plus-year contract, signing on in Detroit for 11 seasons and $43.5 million dollars. The Red Wings gave Henrik Zetterberg a 12-year pact three months ago. The 29-year-old Franzen scored 34 goals this season and was fourth on the team in points with 59.

Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff will coach the Canadian entry at the World Championships later this month in Switzerland. Nashville’s Barry Trotz and Dallas’ Dave Tippett will be his assistants. Ruff has never coached the Canadian national team.

FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS

(1) BOSTON vs. (8) MONTREAL
(2) WASHINGTON vs. (7) NY RANGERS
(3) NEW JERSEY vs. (6) CAROLINA
(4) PITTSBURGH vs. (5) PHILADELPHIA

(1) SAN JOSE vs. (8) ANAHEIM
(2) DETROIT vs (7) COLUMBUS
(3) VANCOUVER vs. (6) ST. LOUIS
(4) CHICAGO vs. (5) CALGARY