Friday, April 25, 2003
Manny Fernandez, Minnesota Wild - Fernandez will be the starter for Friday's game one against the Canucks, reports the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Dwayne Roloson, who also saw action in the last series against the Avalanche, continues to be bothered by a groin pull and did not practice Thursday. Meanwhile, Fernandez was outstanding in helping the Wild overcome the Avalanche and he will need to play at or around the same level if the Wild have any chance of upsetting the Canucks. It should be noted though that if the Wild lose a game or two, coach Jacques Lemaire would probably go back to Dwayne Roloson provided that he is healthy.
Dan Cloutier, Vancouver Canucks - Cloutier will be the starter for Friday's game one against the Wild. He overcame a rough start in the last series against the Blues to finish very strongly and help power the Canucks into the second round. Cloutier likely won't have to win any games against the Wild single-handedly but he still needs to be able to come up with the big save when the Canucks need him.
Patrick Lalime, Ottawa Senators - Lalime will be the starter for Friday's game one against the Flyers. It was against the same team last year when Lalime went on an incredible scoreless streak, proving everyone who thought he couldn't backstop his team in the playoffs wrong. Though it's doubtful he will go on a similar roll, Lalime is the real deal but will need to step up his play from the last round as the Flyers are many times more offensively talented than the Islanders.
Roman Cechmanek, Philadelphia Flyers - Cechmanek will be the starter for Friday's game one against the Senators. For whatever reason(s), Cechmanek still isn't getting the respect his numbers would seem to command but he remains a solid goalie who for the most part gives his team a chance to win every night. For each of the past two years in the first round, he has somewhat imploded in the last game of the year, but he easily handled the challenge of the pressure cooker that was game seven against the Maple Leafs.
player info
Eric Desjardins, Philadelphia Flyers - Desjardins will not play in Friday's game one against the Senators, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. The defenseman is currently nursing a broken right foot.
Petr Schastlivy, Ottawa Senators - Schastlivy, out with a groin pull and consequent abdominal surgery, will not play in Friday's game one against the Flyers, reports the Ottawa Sun. However, the team expects the left-winger to return sometime within the next week at which time he could be a good source of offense playing on the Senators's #1 or #2 line.
Bill Guerin, Dallas Stars - Guerin continues to work towards a return to the ice sometime in the current series against the Mighty Ducks. He did not play in game one but has not ruled himself out of game two, but noted that both he and the Stars coaching staff are taking a cautious approach regarding his return. Guerin did state, however, that if absolutely necessary, he could play right now.
Jim Dowd, Minnesota Wild - Dowd will not play in Friday's game one against the Canucks after flying back to Minnesota to be with his wife as she gives birth to their second child. He is expected back in the lineup for game two.
Jason Spezza, Ottawa Senators - Spezza, a healthy scratch in each of Ottawa's first five games, requested to be sent down to the AHL to help Binghamton in the playoffs since he won't be seeing much action with the big club. The Senators granted him his request, though he is expected to be recalled to the main roster by Monday.
Brian Rafalski, New Jersey Devils - Rafalski did not suit up for Thursday's game one against the Lightning due to feeling ill. He had originally hoped to play but showed up at the arena looking "white as a ghost". The Devils are a deep team on defense and they obviously did not miss a beat without the talented Rafalski though we expect the blueliner to not miss much (if any) more action.
Eric Lindros, New York Rangers - According to the New York Post, the Rangers will be actively looking to deal Lindros this summer as they are both dissatisfied with his poor play and his high salary. Though not many teams will likely want to add the highly underachieving Lindros to their squad, the newspaper claims that Maple Leafs could make a pitch for him as a second line center behind Mats Sundin. The Rangers would reportedly ask for Tomas Kaberle in exchange.
Manny Fernandez, Minnesota Wild - Fernandez will be the starter for Friday's game one against the Canucks, reports the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Dwayne Roloson, who also saw action in the last series against the Avalanche, continues to be bothered by a groin pull and did not practice Thursday. Meanwhile, Fernandez was outstanding in helping the Wild overcome the Avalanche and he will need to play at or around the same level if the Wild have any chance of upsetting the Canucks. It should be noted though that if the Wild lose a game or two, coach Jacques Lemaire would probably go back to Dwayne Roloson provided that he is healthy.
Dan Cloutier, Vancouver Canucks - Cloutier will be the starter for Friday's game one against the Wild. He overcame a rough start in the last series against the Blues to finish very strongly and help power the Canucks into the second round. Cloutier likely won't have to win any games against the Wild single-handedly but he still needs to be able to come up with the big save when the Canucks need him.
Patrick Lalime, Ottawa Senators - Lalime will be the starter for Friday's game one against the Flyers. It was against the same team last year when Lalime went on an incredible scoreless streak, proving everyone who thought he couldn't backstop his team in the playoffs wrong. Though it's doubtful he will go on a similar roll, Lalime is the real deal but will need to step up his play from the last round as the Flyers are many times more offensively talented than the Islanders.
Roman Cechmanek, Philadelphia Flyers - Cechmanek will be the starter for Friday's game one against the Senators. For whatever reason(s), Cechmanek still isn't getting the respect his numbers would seem to command but he remains a solid goalie who for the most part gives his team a chance to win every night. For each of the past two years in the first round, he has somewhat imploded in the last game of the year, but he easily handled the challenge of the pressure cooker that was game seven against the Maple Leafs.
player info
Eric Desjardins, Philadelphia Flyers - Desjardins will not play in Friday's game one against the Senators, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. The defenseman is currently nursing a broken right foot.
Petr Schastlivy, Ottawa Senators - Schastlivy, out with a groin pull and consequent abdominal surgery, will not play in Friday's game one against the Flyers, reports the Ottawa Sun. However, the team expects the left-winger to return sometime within the next week at which time he could be a good source of offense playing on the Senators's #1 or #2 line.
Bill Guerin, Dallas Stars - Guerin continues to work towards a return to the ice sometime in the current series against the Mighty Ducks. He did not play in game one but has not ruled himself out of game two, but noted that both he and the Stars coaching staff are taking a cautious approach regarding his return. Guerin did state, however, that if absolutely necessary, he could play right now.
Jim Dowd, Minnesota Wild - Dowd will not play in Friday's game one against the Canucks after flying back to Minnesota to be with his wife as she gives birth to their second child. He is expected back in the lineup for game two.
Jason Spezza, Ottawa Senators - Spezza, a healthy scratch in each of Ottawa's first five games, requested to be sent down to the AHL to help Binghamton in the playoffs since he won't be seeing much action with the big club. The Senators granted him his request, though he is expected to be recalled to the main roster by Monday.
Brian Rafalski, New Jersey Devils - Rafalski did not suit up for Thursday's game one against the Lightning due to feeling ill. He had originally hoped to play but showed up at the arena looking "white as a ghost". The Devils are a deep team on defense and they obviously did not miss a beat without the talented Rafalski though we expect the blueliner to not miss much (if any) more action.
Eric Lindros, New York Rangers - According to the New York Post, the Rangers will be actively looking to deal Lindros this summer as they are both dissatisfied with his poor play and his high salary. Though not many teams will likely want to add the highly underachieving Lindros to their squad, the newspaper claims that Maple Leafs could make a pitch for him as a second line center behind Mats Sundin. The Rangers would reportedly ask for Tomas Kaberle in exchange.
