Sidney Crosby has been unstoppable for the Penguins despite the Senators boasting an elite defense. (AP)

By Allan Muir

An annotated guide to this morning’s must-read hockey stories:

• With the series hanging in the balance, the Senators should get a boost from the return of Jason Spezza. Just keep in mind, Sens fans, that the guy hasn’t played in almost four months. Adrenalin might get him through the first game. After that, he might be just a guy with no legs for this pace.

• The Penguins boast the star power and the experience to take control of this series. But don’t give up on the pesky Sens just yet.

• No, wait … go ahead and give up.

• Toronto talked about it, but Pittsburgh made it happen. Awesome.

• Brendan Smith was the goat in the Game 1 loss to Chicago. Here’s what he did with the goat horns in Game 2.

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Sidney Crosby (center) and Evgeni Malkin were all smiles after Crosby’s third goal against the Senators. (Getty Images)

By Allan Muir

An annotated guide to this morning’s must-read hockey stories:

• Sidney Crosby put on a clinic with his three-goal performance against Ottawa last night. Just another night at the rink for the smartest man in hockey.

• The Senators can only hope to find another level when they return home for Games 3 and 4 or this series could be very short.

• Of course, if the Penguins are willing to keep feeding Ottawa Grade-A scoring opportunities then maybe the Sens have a chance after all.

• So, do you think Ottawa has a goalie controversy heading into Game 3?

• San Jose GM Doug Wilson offered an eloquent rebuttal to the league’s decision to suspend Raffi Torres. I’m right there with him on this one.

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See ya: The Sharks will be in deep without Raffi Torres for the rest of their series vs. the Kings. (Icon SMI)

By Allan Muir

An annotated guide to this morning’s must-read hockey stories:

• In San Jose, they’re calling the Game 2 loss unnecessary, and possibly backbreaking. I’m not sure the Sharks have the stones to recover from this one, either.

• Raffi Torres’ series-ending suspension wasn’t about his hit on Jarret Stoll. It was all about his past catching up with him. Me, I’m still stunned that his hit drew a penalty, let alone a suspension. Maybe it’s time to eliminate the Stanley Cup and hand everyone a participation ribbon, whaddya think? Here’s Stu Hackel’s take on the suspension’s impact.

• Late-game heroics allowed the Kings to win on a night when they seemed bound to lose, writes Helene Elliott.

• All Brad Marchand had to do was beat his man to the back door. Just like that, he had his first goal of the playoffs, and the Bruins had Game 1 against the Rangers. Marchand was flying last night. If he’s got his legs under him, Boston actually has a shot in this thing.

• With all the unlikely twists and pivotal moments, Game 1 was worth the 40-year wait.

• With the Rangers being outshot 16-5 in overtime it was only a matter of time before Bruins broke through. The Rangers might want to try spending a little more time in Boston’s end in Game 2.

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Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard played valiantly, but didn’t get much help from his teammates. (Getty Images)

By Allan Muir

An annotated guide to this morning’s must-read hockey stories:

• Chicago’s deep supporting cast came up big in their Game 1 win over the Red Wings. And this was on a night when bottom-six stalwart Viktor Stalberg was scratched.

• With the Wings and Hawks destined for different conferences in 2013-14, this series provides a fitting end to one of hockey’s fiercest rivalries.

• This could be a very short series if Detroit can’t come up with an answer for Chicago’s forecheck. Heard a few wags predicting the Hawks in three after Game 1.

• Jimmy Howard was terrific, but the Red Wings failed to support him with any kind of counter to Chicago’s aggressive attack. A little less standing around would go a long way in Game 2.

• Sportsnet looks at the top 7 moments in the storied Bruins-Rangers rivalry.

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The Penguins put two power play goals and a shortie behind Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson in Game 1. (Getty Images)

By Allan Muir

An annotated guide to this morning’s must-read hockey stories:

• Pittsburgh’s power play and penalty kill set the table for a decisive Game 1 win over the Senators.

• Ottawa’s special teams, on the other hand…

• Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson promises that adjustments will be made after his team’s weak Game 1 effort.

• The Kings almost blew their opener because they didn’t know how to handle a two-goal lead, writes Helene Elliott.

• The Sharks may have outshot the Kings, 35-20, but they didn’t do the one thing they had to in order to beat the champs.

• Raffi Torres’ hit on Jarret Stoll has some wondering if he’s really changed his ways at all.

• San Jose fourth-liner Bracken Kearns doesn’t just have the best name in hockey, he has the coolest back story.

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Maple Leafs goalie James Reimer heads off to Toronto’s long summer. (Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

By Allan Muir

An annotated guide to this morning’s must-read hockey stories:

• The Maple Leafs broke hearts and shattered dreams with the most unlikely defeat imaginable.

• The hard-working Leafs deserved better than this, writes Steve Simmons.

• As you might imagine, they’re having trouble processing the loss in Toronto.

• We’ll never know how many fans in Boston left the arena or turned off the TV early and missed a comeback for the ages, but I’m guessing there are tens of thousands who are kicking themselves this morning.

• The Bruins won the battle but may have lost the war of attrition. They’re down three defensemen heading into their second-round series against the Rangers.

• With Henrik Lundqvist notching his second consecutive shutout, the Rangers morphed into Team Unflappable and smoked the Caps to win Game 7.

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Boston’s Tuukka Rask might have a sense of foreboding about tonight’s Game 7 in Boston. (Graig Abel/Getty Images)

By Allan Muir

An annotated guide to this morning’s must-read hockey stories:

• The Maple Leafs will play in a game that seemed wildly unlikely two weeks ago. And now they know it is one they can win.

• Steve Simmons argues that all the momentum heading into tonight’s Game 7 favors the Maple Leafs. After two huge wins in a row, he ain’t wrong.

• Playing in Game 7 after blowing a massive series lead? Yeah, Tuukka Rask knows that feeling all too well.

• The tired and slow Bruins are have left themselves no margin for error in tonight’s decisive battle.

• Damien Cox writes that this game is about making history and the chance to kickstart a new era for the Leafs franchise.

• No surprise that the Capitals and Rangers are headed to their own Game 7 tonight…or that the series will come down to the play of their goaltenders.

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Chris Kunitz isn’t exactly stuck between a rock and hard place in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. (Icon SMI)

By Allan Muir

An annotated guide to this morning’s must-read hockey stories:

• Evgeni Malkin’s patience made the difference as Pittsburgh came from behind three times before finally knocking off the pesky Islanders.

• Chris Kunitz is involved in a tug-of-war between Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Poor guy. Kate Upton is calling him at all hours too, probably.

• After a series in which they won over fans with the promise of youth, the Islanders matter again in New York.

• If finishing as a Hart Trophy finalist didn’t do the trick, then John Tavares’s strong playoff debut marked the moment when he officially became a star in the NHL.

• Scott Cullen looks at some of the numbers that defined the Pens/Isles series.

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Rick Nash and the Rangers will have to win a Game 7 on the road for the first time in team history. (Getty Images)

By Allan Muir

An annotated guide to this morning’s must-read hockey stories:

• No one ever shoots when the crowds screams for him to … except this once. The decision paid off, as Dustin Penner’s long blast with two-tenths of a click remaining on the clock served as the clincher as the Kings knocked off the Blues.

• Solid piece from Bernie Miklasz on what went wrong this time for a St. Louis team that always finds a way to break the hearts of its fans.

• It hasn’t been easy to be an Avs fan lately, but winning the first overall pick in the draft and now getting Joe Sakic in charge of hockey operations in Denver probably makes this the best postseason since they last won the Cup.

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Tomas Vokoun made 31 saves in a 4-0 shutout that restored the Penguins’ control of their series vs. the Islanders. (Jeanine Leech/Icon SMI)

By Allan Muir

An annotated guide to this morning’s must-read hockey stories:

• The theme of Thursday night’s action? A trio of backup goalies were forced into action at the most critical point of the year (so far). The results varied.

• Aw shucks, Sidney Crosby said. My goal wasn’t as good as the one that earned Mario Lemieux a statue. If you think about it, that’s a pretty high standard against which to compare any goal. But geez, what a beauty!

• After a 4-0 shutout of the Isles, it looks like the Penguins are Tomas Vokoun’s team now.

• The Isles say they missed defenseman Andrew MacDonald in last night’s loss, which kind of surprises me since I thought he’d looked brutal earlier in the series.

• Rick Nash has become a figure of diminishing importance for the Rangers as their series against the Caps progresses. It’s time for him to step up and prove he can contribute.

• He’s not the only superstar under the microscope. Alex Ovechkin disappeared in Games 3 and 4. Here’s the key to his return to impact form in Game 5.

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