Sleeping giant: If Rick Nash is stirring from his scoring slump, he could be a series-changer. (Scott Levy/Getty Images)

By Allan Muir

By now, fans of the New York Rangers are familiar with the daunting challenge that is facing their beloved Blueshirts.

Plenty of teams have come back to win a series after being down two games to none, as the Rangers themselves did in their first-round meeting with the Washington Capitals. But not one has managed that trick twice in a row. And after dropping the first two contests in Boston, that’s the hurdle that awaits New York heading into tonight’s Game 3 against the Bruins.

Fortunately, these Bruins might be primed for another date with history.

After all, this is a team that has gained a reputation not just for lacking killer instinct, but for actively helping opponents up off the mat, brushing them off, and then rolling over for a game or two.

Three years ago, the Bruins became just the third team in NHL history to blow a 3-0 series lead when they coughed up four straight to the Flyers. During their Stanley Cup season of 2011, the B’s were forced to a Game 7 three times. And in the last round, they led Toronto 3-1 before barely escaping, thanks to a thrilling last-minute comeback in Game 7.

True, Boston won four of those five Game 7s, but the Bruins opened the door every time. And for a team that just has to win one game tonight, not a series, an opening is all the Rangers are looking for.

“You don’t want to be down 2-0,” New York coach John Tortorella said on Monday. “We know what hole we’re in, but by no means is this a really bad thing. We need to win one game and try to get momentum on our side.

“Last year, we had to win a couple in a row and we were going back and forth with wins and losses. We’ve been in this situation for a long time the past couple of years. I am not worried about that. I just want to make sure we correct the things we need to correct, and I think we’ll be OK.”

One of the areas that Tortorella needs to address is the power play. The unit is an abysmal 2-for-36 thus far in the playoffs, a success rate that allows the Bruins to take physical liberties without any fear of repercussion. To be fair, the Rangers looked better with the extra man in Game 2, spending more time in Boston’s zone while moving the puck crisply, but it’s not about control. It’s not even about getting better quality chances on Tuukka Rask. It’s about finishing.

“We’re trying,” defenseman Dan Girardi told the New York Post. “Something’s got to give. We’re getting shots. It’s going to break here soon.”

Chris Kreider and Brian Boyle added some spark to the unit in Game 2 with their speed and size, respectively, but the biggest boost might come from someone who’s been there all along.

Rick Nash finally got that great ape off his back when he scored his first goal of the postseason in Game 2. The big winger can be a difference-maker, either with his shot off the rush or his body down low with possession. He can be a streaky scorer, too, so if he has the feel back, look out.

At the other end of the ice, the Rangers have to tighten up their defensive zone coverage. “We hurt ourselves in our play away from the puck, and I think that is one of the biggest strengths we have.” Tortorella said. It’ll help that he’ll have the benefit of the last change at home, meaning he’ll be able to get the matchups he wants against Boston’s skilled forwards. That may also mean switching up his D pairs to better defend against the Bruins’ depth.

Ultimately, though, the Rangers’ survival depends on the play of Henrik Lundqvist. And, possibly, his health. The Vezina Trophy finalist was roughed up for five goals by Boston in Game 2, the most he’s allowed in a game since March 9, 2011. More troubling is the possibility that he injured his shoulder late in the contest.

Lundqvist said he felt fine after practice on Monday, but he’ll have to prove it in game action. Martin Biron isn’t a viable option at this time of year.

The Rangers won all three games at home against Washington. They’ll probably need to do the same against Boston to survive this round. The quest for history starts tonight at MSG.

The aftermath of the deadly tornado that touched down near Oklahoma City on Monday. (Brett Deering/Getty Images)

By Allan Muir

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

• The practice facility for the Edmonton Oilers’ AHL Oklahoma City affiliate is in Moore, a suburb that was devastated yesterday by a tornado. Fortunately, all players are safe and accounted for. Many local residents fled for refuge to the Cox Convention Center, where the team plays its games.

• The Blackhawks are in trouble for the first time this season. So far, they’re not handling it really well.

• The Hawks took issue with the no-goal call that cost them a chance to tie Monday night’s game in the second period. They have a point…but that call isn’t why they lost.

• Eric Duhatschek uses the vampire analogy to describe Chicago’s mistake in not taking down the Red Wings when they had the chance.

• The Wings have taken control of this series with a classic display of will over skill.

• Surprising rookie Jean-Gabriel Pageau has become an unexpected fan favorite in Ottawa.

• Craig Anderson made doubters eat their words with a strong performance in Game 3. His confidence restored, he looks to be an impact player as the Sens try to even up their series with Pittsburgh.

• Dejan Kovacevic wonders why the Penguins acquired Jarome Iginla if they weren’t going to use him properly. It’s a fair question. Iggy’s working his tail off, but playing him on his off wing is like taking Angelina Jolie on a date to Sizzler. And it’s not helping James Neal’s game, either.

• The Pens are focusing on the positive elements of Game 3 instead of The Breakdown as they prep for Game 4. Fair enough. There was a lot to like about their effort, but that goal emphasizes everything that’s wrong in their game. Untimely defensive lapses are built into the DNA of this team.

• This is rich. The Los Angeles Kings are complaining about the traffic that Jonathan Quick is having to contend with. Here’s an idea: you’ve got these guys called defensemen who are allowed to clear the crease. Might want to suggest they give it a shot some time.

• Kings’ coach Darryl Sutter says there’s no such thing as momentum in the playoffs. Which is probably the smart thing to say if you’re the guy whose team lost the last game.

• The Sharks might get top-four defenseman Jason Demers back in the lineup for tonight’s pivotal Game 4.

• John Tortorella says his Rangers played better in their Game 2 blowout loss than in their OT defeat in Game 1. If they keep improving at that rate, this series could be over tonight.

• Henrik Lundqvist says any potential injury to his shoulder is under control. Which is exactly what you’d expect a guy whose shoulder is bugging him to say.

• You’ve heard the cliché: Sometimes the best trades you make are the ones you don’t. That’s the way the Bruins are feeling now that Matt Bartkowski, who was destined for Calgary in the failed Jarome Iginla trade, is coming up big for them during the postseason. Now if only they could say they hadn’t made the Jaromir Jagr deal…

• Boston’s third line, usually a bastion of strength, is a combined minus-7 in the playoffs. Fair to say they have to step up their collective game if the Bruins are going to do any damage in New York.

• Alain Vigneault and his staff continue to wait to hear if they will be retained or fired. At some point, Canucks GM Mike Gillis has to step up with his decision, and the sooner, the better.

• Mikhail Grabovski finally admitted that he bit Montreal’s Max Pacioretty during their infamous scrum last season. That’s a real reputation enhancer right there.

• Jim Matheson answers the tough questions about compliance buyouts, playoff overtime, and free agents in his latest Ask Matty column.

• Now that Edmonton has finalized plans or a new arena, there’s talk of a new facility for the Calgary Flames as well.

• Portland’s 6-3 win over London on Monday night leaves all four teams with a 1-1 mark and puts the Knights in a tough spot heading into tonight’s game against Halifax.

Avalanche icon Patrick Roy has a reputation as a bit of a loose cannon behind the bench. (Leon T. Switzer/ Icon SMI)

By Allan Muir

SI.com’s Adrian Dater, writing in the Denver Post, says Patrick Roy will be announced as the next head coach of the Colorado Avalanche.

“They’re discussing the final details of an arrangement. Colorado is going to be very happy. Patrick is looking for a new challenge,” said Stephane Roy, the younger brother of the Hall of Fame netminder.

From the Post:

If Roy is hired, it would cap a whirlwind last few days, after which [Avalanche vice president of hockey operations Joe] Sakic said he was in no hurry to name a new coach. But Sakic acknowledged to The Post and to KKFN 104.3 FM that Roy was a candidate, and told KKFN: “I love Patrick. He was probably the greatest goalie that ever played. There’s a guy who was a winner. That’s all he wanted to do. I know he’s done a tremendous job with his junior team in Quebec and for sure he’s a guy that you would consider, yeah.”

Roy was offered the Avs’ coaching job in 2009, but turned it down, citing his family as a top reason. But his sons, Jonathan and Frederick, who once played under him with the QMJHL’s [Quebec] Remparts, are no longer there, and Roy has said he would consider an NHL job if it were offered.

Dater wrote that the Avalanche would not confirm the deal and that neither Roy nor Sakic could be reached for comment.

If this is the way it plays out, it’s a bold first strike for Sakic in his new position. As a brand name, Roy should be warmly welcomed by a disaffected fan base that is hoping that team can return to something approximating the franchise’s good old days. But more important is how he’ll be regarded in the room. His reputation as a winner should carry a lot of weight with the veterans, but it will be the ability to nurture the young players that he developed during his eight years coaching the Remparts that makes him an intriguing hire. Roy earned a reputation as a hard but fair leader who inspired devotion from his players. Alexander Radulov, who played for the Remparts during Roy’s first season, said he’d “swim across the ocean” for the chance to play with Roy again.

All that said, the jump from junior hockey to the NHL is no easier to navigate for a coach than it is for a player. Dale Hunter was regarded as one of the best coaches in the CHL when he signed on with the Washington Capitals in 2011 and he lasted less than a season. Peter DeBoer and Brent Sutter managed longer stays, but have experienced mixed results.

And Roy, who guided the Remparts to a Memorial Cup in 2006 and champions an offensive style, comes in with his own unique baggage after several on and off-ice incidents in Quebec. Part of the maturing process as a coach, or signs that he’s a bit of a loose cannon?

Either way, let’s just hope this happens. The game’s a better and more entertaining place when he’s around.

UPDATE: Dater reports this morning that the Avalanche say no deal is yet in place for Roy. He believes the sides are in negotiations and that Roy’s demands for money — a LOT of money — could hold up or even derail the process.

Andrew Shaw (right) and the Blackhawks revealed that the Red Wings have gotten into their heads. (Icon SMI)

By Allan Muir

There was a script going around before this series that had the top-ranked Chicago Blackhawks rolling over the underdog Detroit Red Wings.

Apparently Mike Babcock’s crew decided that script needed a few revisions.

In Game 3 on Monday night in Detroit, the Wings asserted their physical dominance early, then got second-period goals from Gustav Nyquist and Drew Miller 31 seconds apart followed by a third-period dagger from Pavel Datsyuk for a 3-1 win that gave them an unexpected 2-1 lead in the series.

Depth was supposed to provide a clear advantage for the Blackhawks, but again it was Detroit’s unheralded third and fourth lines that made things happen with their work along the boards and in front of the net. “We’ve got guys whose job is to hit and provide energy,” Miller said. “That’s kind of how we play. We want to hit, and it’s playoff time, so we ramp it up.”

The pounding took a toll on the Hawks, whose frustration was made apparent when they took five consecutive penalties in a nasty third period. “We were scratching, clawing, and we were tough to play against,” said Jonathan Toews, Chicago’s captain. “We’ll come back even harder in the next one. It almost takes something like this, or maybe someone to slap you in the face so to speak, to really understand what adversity is and how tough the playoffs can be.”

Clearly, it’s going a lot tougher than they expected.

Some thoughts and observations from tonight’s contest:

GAME 3: Recap | Boxscore | Highlights | Complete postseason schedule

• If the Red Wings end up winning this series — a concept that seemed unimaginable just 72 hours ago — it won’t be because they have the better team. The Hawks are the more talented squad, but Detroit has been the more disciplined team and the one that’s worked harder and smarter in all three zones during the last two games. And that’s because Babcock is outcoaching Joel Quenneville by a mile. From matchups to face-offs to keeping his players focused, Babcock is winning every little battle.

• That was another great performance by Jimmy Howard. It’s not that he stopped 39 of the 40 shots he faced, it’s how he stopped them. His was a calm, measured effort without a hint of scramble tonight. And when he blocked them, he maintained complete control of his rebounds. The Hawks generated just three second-chance shots. Some nights that’s a sign that a team’s not battling. Tonight, it indicated that there was nothing to battle for. Expect Chicago to try to put more hard first shots into Howard’s pillows on Thursday night in an effort to create more rebound chaos.

• Corey Crawford wasn’t bad at the other end of the ice, but he wasn’t up to Howard’s standard, either. He committed too early on Nyquist’s goal, allowing the young Swede to swing wide and score from a tough angle. He made a couple of stops in tight off Patrick Eaves before Miller knocked in a loose puck on the third chance. And Datsyuk’s goal? Well, that was a bit of goosebump-raising magic, a lightning quick wrister that flew just under the crossbar and was back out of the net before Crawford could react. There isn’t a goalie alive who would have stopped that one. Crawford hasn’t been a difference-maker either way to this point. The Hawks need him to step up and steal one on Thursday.

• Speaking of guys who aren’t making a difference, let’s talk about Jonathan Toews. He has yet to score a goal in the playoffs (we’d be calling him “enigmatic” if his name was Toewsov) and he has just one assist in this series. The Wings are rolling Henrik Zetterberg, Danny Cleary and Niklas Kronwall against him to great effect. Toews led Chicago with seven shots on the night, but he failed to create any high-end scoring chances with them. His best opportunity probably came as time was winding down, when he managed to land a wraparound attempt on Howard, and that one might not have counted if he’d scored because of a penalty being called on Bryan Bickell (more on him in a minute). You know the cliché. At this time of year, you need your best players to be your best players. And to this point, Toews isn’t living up to his paycheck.

• There’s been all manner of whining about the officiating in these playoffs. After this game, these teams might have a point. It’s one thing to let the boys play — hey, everyone likes a bit of overt nastiness at this time of year — but Tom Kowal and Brad Watson lost control of this one early and then compounded their failings instead of slowly reeling it back in.

At first it was just the obvious roughing/crosschecking/interference type calls that they missed. Fair enough; they let both sides get away with fouls. But their decision to ignore Niklas Hjalmarsson’s crosscheck to Johan Franzen’s back deep in Chicago’s zone led directly to Patrick Kane’s goal. That’s bad enough, but they made it worse by waving off an apparent tying goal for the Hawks by calling goaltender inference on Andrew Shaw even though he clearly hadn’t touched Howard while battling for space out front. If it wasn’t a glaring attempt at a makeup call, it sure came off that way. Whether or not it changed the end result, it tampered with the integrity of the contest. For that, we shouldn’t see this pair again in the playoffs. It’s that simple.

• Forget for a moment that it shouldn’t have happened, but that was one sick goal from Kane. The play started with a pass that Duncan Keith cleverly lobbed over the heads of Brendan Smith (who had another rough night) and Kyle Quincey right to Kane, who had snuck behind the defenders. That he managed to tame that bouncing puck to the point where he was able to exploit a brief opening between Howard’s pads was nothing short of remarkable.

• Also remarkable: an early second-period penalty kill that saw four Wings trapped on the ice for more than two minutes in their own zone without yielding a goal. Eaves was out there for 2:15 and Kronwall for 2:46, but Miller and Jonathan Ericsson were trapped for a staggering 3:15. They allowed just one shot on net while blocking four other attempts to keep the score knotted at zero. Have to think that if the Hawks had found a way to take advantage of their dead legs, this game would have played out differently. Instead, their inability to execute comes back to haunt them again.

• Didn’t matter who they were up against: Michal Rozsival and Johnny Oduya were overmatched for most of the night. I’d think that Quenneville might look to split them up for Game 4, or possibly look at sitting Rozsival, to lessen the risk.

• Garbage move by Quenneville to throw Shaw and Bickell out there at the end of the game. There was still a chance for Chicago to cut into Detroit’s lead, but he goes with guys who are frothing at the mouth. Bickell, who’d been running around for most of the third, was called for cross-checking Cleary repeatedly at 19:00, effectively ending any chance the Hawks had of mounting a comeback. Shaw then hopped over the boards and earned a misconduct 47 seconds later for general hooliganism. If there was a message being sent there, it wasn’t that the Hawks would battle to the end. It’s that the Red Wings are completely in their heads.

Senators winger Colin Greening had a bit of stick embedded in his face when he scored the Game 3 winner. (Getty Images)

By Allan Muir

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

• One look at Colin Greening’s face proves how far a player will go to win in the playoffs.

• Daniel Alfredsson’s game-tying goal in the last minute turned what looked like a Pittsburgh sweep into a series that could go the distance.

• The Penguins always seem to do things the hard way, writes Dejan Kovacevic.

• Forget what opposing fans say. This player has proven himself to be one of the toughest in hockey with his performance in these playoffs.

• With a win, and Jason Spezza back in the lineup, there is hope in Ottawa.

• A head injury suffered on the Raffi Torres hit leaves Jarret Stoll unlikely to return to action during the Kings-Sharks series.

• Logan Couture is fine with leading the Sharks on the ice. Being the focal point off it is something he’s not quite ready for.

• Jonathan Quick avoided supplemental discipline from the league after his post-Game 2 tirade. Now he has to prove he can regain his focus and not let the Sharks’ physicality affect him in Game 3.

• All the postgame whining by the Kings and Sharks suggests that neither team has been all that happy with the officiating in the series. I’ve found that making fewer stupid decisions on the ice usually removes concern about the refs from the equation.

• Injuries continue to wreak havoc with the Sharks’ lineup.

• Is Henrik Zetterberg getting under Jonathan Toews’ skin?

• “I don’t think he has a clue what’s going on,” Jimmy Howard said of one of his teammates.

• The enthusiasm of the young Red Wings is keeping the job fun for Detroit coach Mike Babcock. Of course, it’s easy to have fun with the kids when they’re doing exactly what he tells them to do.

• The Blackhawks should never have expected the Red Wings to roll over. Now they need to prove they can raise their intensity to Detroit’s level in Game 3.

• Each win in these playoffs helps move Tuukka Rask out from under the looming shadow of Tim Thomas.

• After going MIA against the Maple Leafs, Brad Marchand has stolen the spotlight against the Blueshirts.

• Blame the collapse of New York’s defensive structure for allowing the Bruins too many high-quality scoring chances.

• The Rangers came back from down 2-0 to beat Washington in the first round, so they know it can be done. They just have to stop leaning so heavily on Henrik Lundqvist if they want to take four-of-five from the Bruins.

• Jack Todd explains why everyone in Canada hates Toronto.

• Well, everyone but the coolest astronaut ever.

• A pair of late additions helped Sweden become the first host country in 27 years to win the World Hockey Championship.

• After sitting on the sidelines for two months, the host Saskatoon Blades were expected to be road kill at this year’s Memorial Cup. It didn’t work out that way.

• He was out. Now’s he back in. It looks like Patrick Roy could end up being named the next head coach of the Colorado Avalanche.

• The Montreal Canadiens know they have to get bigger if they want to take a step forward next season. That process could start at the draft.

• Ales Hemsky has likely played his last game as an Edmonton Oiler.

Colin Greening scored the winning goal in double overtime for the Senators (Jana Chytilova/Getty Images)

By Allan Muir

The Ottawa Senators have it all wrong.

They call themselves “The Pesky Sens,” swiping a catchphrase from the Dallas Stars and using it as a hashtag on Twitter. It wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t so misleading.

The Senators aren’t pesky. They’re resolute, resilient. They proved it again tonight, just when everyone was ready to write them off, piecing together their biggest win of the postseason by beating Pittsburgh 2-1 in double overtime in Game 3 to cut the Pens’ series lead to 2-1.

We’ve all made that mistake before. This is the same team that seemed destined for the draft lottery after losing Jason Spezza, then Craig Anderson, then Erik Karlsson in rapid succession. But the Senators proved everyone wrong, not just earning a playoff berth, but knocking off the second-seed Montreal Canadiens with ease.

So maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised to see them send what looked like a sure loss into overtime with a shorthanded beauty in the final minute off the stick of captain Daniel Alfredsson.

Or to see them grab their first lead of the series 7:39 into the second overtime, when Andre Benoit’s shot from the dot hit Tomas Vokoun in the chest and landed almost directly on the stick of Colin Greening, who took a backhand swat and popped it over the goaltender’s shoulder to seal a thrilling win over the stunned Penguins.

Suddenly, a series that was about to be 3-0 in favor of Pittsburgh is 2-1. And a team that was thisclose to playing for pride alone on Wednesday night has new life and a healthy helping of momentum to go with it.

The Resilient Sens. Now that’s got a ring to it.

Here are some thoughts and observations from Game 2:

GAME 3: Recap | Boxscore | Highlights | Complete postseason schedule

• Forget what it says in the headline. The real hero of this game was Ottawa’s penalty kill. The same group that got lit up twice in the series opener changed the course of this game, and maybe the series, by slamming the door on six Pittsburgh power plays, including two in sudden death.

It wasn’t a flawless performance. They allowed the Pens’ attackers to control the puck for long stretches and there was the occasional flurry of activity around Anderson, but they kept quality chances to a bare minimum and held the fort when it mattered. Sergei Gonchar and Chris Phillips carried most of the water, keeping the Pens out of the middle of the ice and doing a nice job blocking the lanes.

• As much as everyone wanted Jason Spezza to be the white knight who rode in to save the day, he looked pretty much like a guy who had missed the last 50 games with a wonky back. Coach Paul MacLean used him sparingly — just over 12 minutes in regulation, a little over six in overtime — so his wind wasn’t an issue. Timing, however, was. The elements that mark his game — crisp passes, precision positioning, a marksman’s shot — they just weren’t there tonight. That’s not to say he didn’t help. Spezza landed four shots on net and won 60 percent of his draws, and having him as an option allowed MacLean to used Kyle Turris at times in his natural No. 2 center role, and that seemed to bring out his best. Spezza also survived a jarring, but perfectly clean hit from Craig Adams. The body may still be a little weak, but no questioning his heart.

• Both goaltenders came under fire for spotty performances in Game 2, but Vokoun and Anderson were up to the task tonight. Anderson was in top form, stopping 49 of 50 shots with great economy and poise. This was Andy at his best, thwarting breakaway bids from Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin twice, including once on a thrilling chance that saw him dance through three Ottawa defenders before being stoned on a forehand-backhand move in overtime. It would have been the defining goal of his career and would have all but ended the series. Instead, Anderson shut him down. Wow.

Tonight marked the first time in these playoffs that the Pens hadn’t scored at least three goals. And now that Anderson has a little confidence to build on, that’s a line they might not cross for the rest of the series.

Vokoun had to battle a little harder to make his 46 stops, but he matched Anderson save-for-save until the end with a gritty performance that should earn him the start in Game 4 despite the loss.

• Here’s one you can take to the water cooler on Monday: Greening was late to the postgame press conference because he was being tended to by doctors. Apparently, he took a particularly vicious high stick to the face in the second period. He played the final three frames, and scored the winner, with shards of fiberglass in his face. Gotta love hockey.

• No official word yet from the Senators, but they might have to deal with an unfillable hole in their lineup if Chris Neil is lost for any time. The big winger, who was at his agitating best in Game 3 while racking up a game-high 10 hits, was shaken up after a hard blow delivered by Brooks Orpik. Neil lost his footing just as Orpik made contact, sending him heavily into the boards. He appeared to take the brunt of the impact with his left shoulder and didn’t return to the game.

• James Neal and Jarome Iginla combined for seven shots on the night but never seemed involved in the game. Hard to say if the problem was chemistry or opportunity, but it won’t be a surprise to see Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma shake up his lines in order to give his game-breaking wingers a chance to make an impact.

• It was a frustrating night for Malkin, who led all shooters with 10 shots, but failed to cash in on any of them. He was the forward who was caught well behind the play when Alfredsson notched the game-tying goal. Some of the blame here has to fall on Bylsma, who should have played the odds and had a more defensive-minded forward in Malkin’s place to ensure the lead was protected, but since he was on the ice, Malkin has to come up with a better effort there. So does Chris Kunitz, who all but waved as Alfredsson sped by. When you’ve got the extra man on the ice, you can’t make it that easy for the other team to score.

• Having three days between games could benefit Sidney Crosby as much as anyone. He led all forwards with 33:08 worth of ice time, well beyond his comfort zone. His fatigue was apparent in OT as he seemed slower and less involved. As with Spezza, it’s worth remembering that Crosby is still getting his legs back after a long stretch on the IR. He still has a way to go before he’s back in top shape.

Boston young defenseman Torey Krug has impressed early against the Rangers. (Michael Tureski/Icon SMI)

By Brian Cazeneuve

After a nailbiter of a Game 1 that ended in overtime, Game 2 between the Bruins and Rangers on Sunday was significantly more one-sided. Boston broke the game open in the second period and coasted to a 5-2 victory, taking a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals in the process.

Here are some thoughts and observations from Game 2:

• Just when the Bruins’ defense is bruised and battered, Boston is getting a fabulous infusion of talent from Torey Krug. The 22-year-old undrafted defenseman made a play that was similar to the one he made in Game 1, only better. Krug scored his first NHL goal in Game 1, pinching in on the play and stepping into a shot to beat Henrik Lundqvist. On Sunday, he picked up his second goal, this time taking a pass in virtually the same spot on the ice, but at his feet. Staying calm, Krug moved the puck between his skates to settle it onto his stick, then fired a shot past the block of Girardi that beat Lundqvist between the pads.

GAME 2: Recap | Boxscore | Highlights | Complete postseason schedule

• What a pleasant surprise the Bruins have gotten from their young defense of Krug, Matt Bartkowski, and Dougie Hamilton, who were pressed into service because of the absence of veterans Dennis Seidenberg, Wade Redden and Andrew Ference. “It’s exciting for our guys to come in and play the way they have,” coach Claude Julien said after the game. “It’s always easier when you’re home and you can put them in the right situations.” The best part for Julien: he was able to lower captain  Zdeno Chara’s minutes from 38 in Game 1 (albeit with some overtime included) to 27:22 in the second game. When the veterans are all back and healthy, will he still play them or keep one or two of the youngsters in the lineup?

• Julien has encouraged his defensemen to join the rush and create plays, effectively breaking down the backchecking schemes of both the Maple Leafs and Rangers. Though the move is creating chances, it is also creating mistakes. Boston was listed with 16 turnovers in the game compared to just one for New York.

• Leave it to Rangers coach John Tortorella to break out the subtlety when talking about his players. Asked on an off-day why Carl Hagelin hasn’t seen time on the team’s struggling power play, which was 2-for-31 entering Game 2, Tortorella tossed the speedy forward under the proverbial bus. “Because he stinks on the power play,” he said. “I don’t know why. I wish I could play him on the power play. Every time I put him on, he stinks.”  Gee, coach, how do you really feel? Tortorella went on to amplify his remarks, often reusing the stink description: “I think he’s too quick. He’s a jitterbug and he screws it up. But the power play stinks. It’s true. That’s why he may get an opportunity.”  Hagelin ended up getting a whiff of the power play, being used once for 46 seconds, and 17:02 of total ice time during the balance of the game. And in the end, New York failed in five man-advantage chances on Sunday.

• The Rangers alternately experimented with splitting their top defense pair of Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh. The two have played together for most of the season, but Tortorella separated them for Game 1. They were back together intermittently on Sunday. New York also tried putting struggling forward Brad Richards at the point on the power play, as well as moving him back to the wing for some shifts. Richards is a seasoned vet, but he looks especially slow during the playoffs. With just one point in nine postseason games, it may be time to sit him.

• Rangers captain Ryan Callahan scored a fantastic goal to tie the game 1-1, knocking a pass from Boston’s Brad Marchand out of midair at New York’s blueline and heading in the opposite direction. Along the left boards, Callahan outskated Hamilton and made a swift outside-in move on Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, beating him for the score.

• Callahan also made a good play at Marchand’s expense to produce a goal, but their roles were reversed on the marker that gave Boston a 3-2 lead at 12:08 of the second period. With the teams skating 4-on-4, Marchand scooted up the right side of the ice and spun towards the boards, away from Callahan, who failed to switch quickly enough to pick up the trailing Johnny Boychuk once the play went to the net. As a result, Boychuk had ample time to step into a shot that beat Lundqvist as Patrice Bergeron screened him in front.

• Bruins veteran Jaromir Jagr has now gone 18 consecutive playoffs games without a goal, the longest span of his career.

• New York managed three two-on-one breaks in the early part of the second period. The third one finally produced a goal for struggling forward Rick Nash, who poked the puck around Chara at his own blueline, then outraced the Bruins’ captain up the ice. Nash went from backhand to forehand and flipped the puck past Rask. It was his first playoff goal of the year and his second career postseason strike. His other tally came on April 23, 2009, when he was a Columbus Blue Jacket.

• The Bruins went up 4-2 only 26 seconds into the third period on a goal that we’ve seen before. Remember when Bergeron sent a pass from the right corner to Marchand, who knocked it in from the goalmouth to win Game 1 in overtime? Hit the replay button for Boston’s fourth goal on Sunday. This time, Marchand notched the conversion with Girardi trying to front him. It was a clever shift from Marchand to cut from in back of Girardi to a step in front of him while Girardi wasn’t aware of it. The goal sent the Bruins’ crowd into a serenade of “Lundqvist, Lundqvist.” It was the first time in his career that the Rangers’ ace goalie had surrendered four against the Bruins. Lundqvist did not allow five during any of his regular season starts. In fact, the last time a team thumped him for five was on March 9, 2011 when the Ducks did the dishonors. That was a run of 152 regular season and playoff games for Lundqvist.

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.

• Playing the right type of game earned Detroit the Game 2 win, not the referees.

• The Hawks weren’t the only team whining about the officiating Saturday night. The Kings weren’t too happy, either. I’m guessing their emotional reaction subsides once they watch the game tape.

• You stay classy, Jonathan Quick.

• The NHL did not appreciate Doug Wilson’s well-crafted rebuttal to its decision to suspend Raffi Torres. I’m guessing Wilson’s okay with this little distraction.

• He has the skill, of course, but it’s Henrik Zetterberg’s wortk ethic that that makes him the ideal captain for these Red Wings.

• Hey, John Tortorella: Please tell us what you really think about this player and his contributions to the power play. And please, do not mince words.

• New York’s plan against the Bruins today? Stay out of the penalty box. Also: score more goals than Boston.

• Brad Richards isn’t the player the Rangers thought he was.

• A little patience under pressure might be all the separates Tyler Seguin from his game-breaking swagger.

• Yet to score his first goal of the playoffs, Jaromir Jagr would like to help more as the series moves forward. Maybe he could talk Dallas into returning Lane MacDermid, Cody Payne and that maybe-first round draft pick to Boston. That would help.

• Steve Simmons explains why the Maple Leafs lost Game 7 in his Sunday column. Yes, they’re still dwelling on this in Toronto.

• Larry Brooks points out the flaw in the plan for the Islanders to play six games a year at Nassau Coliseum after they move to Brooklyn, along with other notes.

• Mike Harrington has a few ideas about where Ryan Miller might land this summer.

• In the Memorial Cup showdown between the top two prospects in this year’s draft, this guy emerged as the clear and obvious winner.

• Eric Staal and the Carolina Hurricanes dodged a bullet at the World Championships. Or, more accurately, the bullet passed through them without striking any major organs.

Logan Couture scored the winning goal in OT to cut the Kings’ series lead to 2-1. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Allan Muir

Funny how things work out, isn’t it?

Two nights ago, the Los Angeles Kings scored twice when given a late five-on-three advantage to beat the San Jose Sharks in Game 2 of their series.

Tonight, the Sharks were handed the same two-man advantage, and in overtime, no less. The Kings killed off the first penalty, but Logan Couture made them pay for the second, scoring the clincher 1:29 into the extra frame to earn San Jose a 2-1 win in Game 3.

The win cuts Los Angeles’ series lead to 2-1, and gives the Sharks new life with Game 4 coming up Tuesday night in San Jose.

Here are some observations from Saturday night’s thriller:

GAME 3: Recap | Boxscore | Highlights | Complete postseason schedule

• There’s bound to be some second-guessing of the penalties that put the Sharks on the five-on-three in OT, especially since the refs put away the whistles for most of the night and let the boys play. From where I was sitting though, these calls were the mark of some gutsy and honest officiating. Robyn Regehr clearly interfered with Tommy Wingels as he cut across the front of the L.A. net at 19:18 of the third, taking away a potential scoring chance. On the ensuing play, Mike Richards and Trevor Lewis set out on a two-on-one shorthanded dash. Lewis drove the net hard and made no effort to avoid a collision with Antti Niemi — another black-and-white play.

Any other time or situation and no one argues either call. But NHL officials typically take context into the equation, often to the detriment of the integrity of the game, and let stuff like this go. Full marks then to Wes McCauley and Marc Joannette for having the courage to make the calls and hold the Kings accountable for a couple of obvious fouls.

• What a gritty effort tonight from Couture. The guy lays out to block a Dustin Brown slap shot during a first-period penalty kill and takes a puck to the wrist that clearly left him hurting. Early in the second he slams awkwardly into the boards, leaving him to limp off the ice while favoring his left leg and leading the Sharks to announce that he was unlikely to return. Instead, he ends up missing most of the period, but comes back in time to lead the team with three takes and goes on to score the OT winner. Just a world-class performance at a time when his team needed him most (and certainly enough to let us overlook that 0-fer-7 effort in the circle).

• While we’re dishing out the glory, let’s offer a little to Patrick Marleau. He set up both San Jose goals tonight with quick, crisp passes to players who were cocked and loaded to shoot. Just a great display of instinctive hockey from the veteran.

• Sharks coach Todd McLellan challenged his team to stop looking for the perfect play and get more pucks on the net. The Sharks responded with 40 shots, their best effort of the series, but quantity didn’t add up to a lot of quality. Although San Jose managed more in-tight chances than in the previous two games, they haven’t found a way to get past the Kings’ crease-sweeping defense or Jonathan Quick’s stellar rebound control to generate the second and third chances they need to stake their claim to this series. Only once did they manage to test Quick in succession, and that was when Joe Pavelski corralled the rebound of an Andrew Desjardins wrister and put a weak backhander on net midway through the second. That’s not good enough. Look for the Sharks to focus on planting more bodies in Quick’s grill in Game 4 in an effort to generate more of those high-return opportunities.

• You rarely hear McLellan’s name mentioned when talk gets around to top coaches, but he proved his value with a masterful job of reworking his lines on the fly. He lost Martin Havlat after one period (presumably to an aggravation of the lower-body injury that kept him on the sidelines until tonight) and both Couture and Scott Hannan for extended stretches, but the Sharks kept pace despite playing with just 10 forwards. Then, with the game on the line, McLellan shortened his bench early in the third to give more ice to the guys who were earning it, and saw his team take control of the better part of the final stanza. Sometimes you push all the right buttons …

• Brent Burns was a man on a mission tonight, hurling his body into anyone wearing white and wreaking havoc in the corners and beside Quick’s net. But when a guy has seven of his nine shot attempts blocked, you have to think there are adjustments to be made. Give credit to the Kings — they were highly effective at getting sticks and legs into the lanes tonight — but their perseverance just means that Burns has to be a little more selective about when to shoot, or a little quicker on the trigger. He has a great wrister, but he’s not getting much out of it so far. If he starts making better decisions, he could be a difference-maker.

• Tyler Toffoli had the Kings’ only goal, capitalizing on a brutal giveaway by Brad Stuart to beat Niemi with a 25-foot backhand midway through the first. While his presence wasn’t as obvious as it was during Los Angeles’ Game 2 win, it was another strong performance from the rookie that highlighted his quickness and puck sense. Still, Darryl Sutter sat him for much of the third period as the coach relied more heavily on his veterans. Wonder if he’ll rethink that approach if he finds himself in a similar situation later in the series.

• Stuart recovered from that turnover to play a solid game. He blocked four shots and was credited with five hits, none bigger than the Kronwallian clobbering he put on Justin Williams. The shoulder-to-chest missile left Williams dazed and set the tone for the rest of the team as San Jose ramped up its physical play. The Sharks outhit the Kings for the first time this series, 41-34, and their aggression kept the HP Pavilion crowd buzzing. “It was huge,” Joe Thornton said of Stuart’s hit. “You could just feel the building get electric. He’s done it all year for us.”

By Allan Muir

Well, this is an anthem we won’t soon forget. Alexis Normand, a Saskatoon-based jazz singer who performs primarily in French, was on hand to deliver the Star Spangled Banner prior to tonight’s Memorial Cup round-robin game between the Halifax Mooseheads and Portland Winterhawks.

And unless she was trying out her Frank Drebin impression, it did not go well.

Normand made it through the first few lines of the American national anthem, but started wobbling when “twilight’s last gleaming” became “twilight’s first gleaming.” Not a huge flub in and of itself, but you can see the panic setting in at that point. Next thing you know: utter chaos.

The crowd was amused (and judging by the reaction shots, so were the Winterhawks) as Normand’s brain went into word-soup scramble, mixing in random phrases, mumbles and hums in an attempt to fill in the blanks. Eventually, they stepped up and bailed Normand out long enough for her to find her way back on track for the big finish…but not before she worked herself into the conversation alongside Roseanne Barr and Carl Lewis for the most memorable national anthem performance of all-time.