Welcome to the column that makes Ashlee Simpson sound like Amy Lee and Kurt Busch look cool. I’m your host for our little adventure into the depths of NASCAR nation, and by all means, I hope that in the coming weeks and months, you’ll learn to love your esteemed writer/IP personality/friend that takes time out of his non-existent social life to help bring the NASCAR content to Inside Pulse. In time, I hope to establish a respectable little slice of racin’ Heaven here at the Pulse, and educate the ten or so of you who will read this column on the ins and outs of the Nextel Cup and its bastard spawn, the Busch and Craftsman Truck Series. Of course, we can’t go disrespecting all our friends from across the pond, so we here at Speed Addict Central will bring you a little bit of F1 and Cart News when available, too. So, without any further delay in using without further ado, let’s go racing, shall we? Figuratively speaking, of course.
Countdown to Daytona 2005
The countdown towards the 2005 running of the “Great American Race”, the Daytona 500 has begun! As the NFL Playoffs start to wind down in the next few weeks, NASCAR drivers will be busy test-driving right up to the beginning of Speed Weeks in February. Dale Jarrett, driver of the #88 UPS Ford, is fastest amongst those testing in Daytona so far, though road course veteran Boris Said has been creating quite a buzz with his impressive trials around the 2.5 Mile tri-oval. Although the Rolex 24 endurance race is run in the weeks leading up to the 500, the “official” unofficial NASCAR preseason begins on February 12th, when the Budweiser Shootout takes place. The Daytona 500 is two weeks following the Shootout, on February 20th, 2005. There are 35 days left before the green flag drops on the 2005 Nextel Cup Season.
Cumulative Times – Daytona (Thru 1/12)
1. Dale Jarrett (186.455 MPH)
2. Jeff Gordon (185.736 MPH)
3. Randy LaJoie (185.231 MPH)
4. Boris Said (185.181 MPH)
5. Greg Biffle (185.094 MPH)
6. Jeremy Mayfield (184.972 MPH)
7. Elliott Sadler (184.926 MPH)
8. Mike Bliss (184.839 MPH)
9. Kurt Busch (184.528 MPH)
10. M. McLaughlin (184.475 MPH) [Credit: NASCAR.com]
Racing News & Headlines
Dale Earnhardt Jr., son of the late Dale Earnhardt, is swapping crew chiefs with his Dale Earnhardt Inc. racing teammate, Michael Waltrip. Though swapping crew chiefs is not uncommon in NASCAR circles, it does strike me as being odd that Earnhardt and Tony Eury Jr. would decide to split before the start of the 2005 season. Earnhardt and Eury Jr. have been together since Junior broke onto the scene in the then-Winston Cup in 2000. By 2005, Earnhardt has amassed 15 wins (including the 2004 Daytona 500), and has helped make DEI the team to beat on the restrictor plate tracks. Unfortunately, Junior has had trouble bringing home a Winston/Nextel Cup, and so Michael Waltrip will open the 2005 season with Tony Eury Jr. in his pit, whereas former Napa Chevrolet crew chief Pete Rondeau. Rondeau had replaced Waltrip’s former crew chief, Slugger Labbe during the 2004 season. Waltrip had four victories, including two Daytona 500 wins with Labbe as his crew chief. (Credit: NASCAR.com)
Kurt Busch Set to Defend 2004 Cup
It’s no secret that Kurt Busch is hardly one of my favorite drivers. Well, maybe to everyone here at the Pulse, staff members and web surfers alike. Otherwise, the twenty or so people that know me have come to relish in my pure hatred for a branded whiner. Nevertheless, I do have to give the devil his due, because he had one Hell of a run in Homestead-Miami in November to close up the inaugural “Chase for the Cup”. Busch had the luck of the devil in the season finale (one of his tires came OFF his car, yet rolled onto the front stretch and brought out a timely caution that saved his ass), and despite brake rotor problems from said tire incident, Busch managed to keep pace with Hendrick teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon in the Top 10, securing his first career Nextel Cup victory. Of course, this doesn’t mean that I have to like the little twerp. If any of you are Kurt Busch fans out there, I apologize… to the rest of the readers, for having read the same material as a Kurt Busch fan. A low blow, I know, but people, it’s the walking penis himself. Please, have a little decency when choosing a driver to pull for; gracias.
R.I.P. Rockingham & Southern 500
Long time NASCAR fans can probably relate to the pain that natives of Rockingham, North Carolina and Darlington, South Carolina are experiencing right now. Two staple pins of NASCAR, “the Rock” and the track that’s “Too Tough to Tame”, have effectively been neutered or killed outright (see: Ham, Rocking) by Bruton Smith, the tracks’ owner. The level of excitement or quality of racing was never a major issue in the decision to alter the tracks’ schedules, so much as it was the size and location of the tracks in question. To be fair, the cities of Rockingham and Darlington are far cries from Fontana (California), Phoenix, and Justin (Texas), and promoters and track owners are in the racing business to make money. But still, these two tracks hold a special allure with both the young and the old NASCAR fans. To be honest, NASCAR has taken a huge risk in breaking a Labor Day tradition in wiping out the Mountain Dew Southern 500, as well as removing Rockingham from the 2005 Nextel Cup schedule altogether. Not only are you alienating your Southern roots (IE largely the foundation of the fan base), but you are also taking away from two of the most exciting tracks on the circuit, traditionally speaking. Darlington will host one Nextel Cup event in 2005, that being the Carolina Dodge Dealer’s 500 in May. Rockingham will continue to host NASCAR Busch Series events for the time being, and may even become a home for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, also. Even though these events aren’t yesterday’s news, I thought it would make for a fitting coup de grace for the diversity in Carolina racing. In the past ten years, the NASCAR schedule has been restructured, limiting the time at Darlington and killing North Wilkesboro and Rockingham outright.
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Take a nice, long look at that name, because it will become an history turning point in the history of NASCAR on March 6th, 2005. It is on this date that the first ever Busch Series points race will be held outside of the United States. The venue, the 2.518 mile Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez road course in Mexico City, will host the 80-lap Busch series event. As an avid fan of road course racing for whatever reason, I’m more than thrilled for the city of Mexico City. For years, other countries have branded American athletes and fans as being self-centered and snotty towards the rest of the world. This marks not only a turning point in NASCAR, but the American sports landscape as well if you think about it. A sporting event that holds value to the people involved being held in a foreign country? With baseball having been in both Canada and Puerto Rico, this is the continuation (and extension) of a growing trend of American sports branching out into different countries. Of course, some would argue that this is a bad thing (and astute minded readers may notice a bit of contradiction between this paragraph and the last). This all may be true, but as long as the newest track in the NASCAR family isn’t a cookie cutter, I am pretty happy.
Hutchens Device Booted in favor of HANS
Following the tragic passing of Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 2001, NASCAR has mandated that a proper head and neck restraint system be used at all times while a driver is in the car. Up until January, NASCAR drivers had a choice between the Hutchens Device and the HANS Device. However, after several comprehensive tests, NASCAR found that the HANS Device offered more protection than Hutchens, so HANS is now the only approved safety device allowed by NASCAR. Even though some drivers complain about their ability to see other cars (visibility of blind spots is limited with the neck supports inside the car) with the devices, I think NASCAR made the right decision in mandating the safer device.
Preseason Power Rankings
Leading up to each race in the 2005 Nextel Cup Season, the ten most noteworthy names in NASCAR will be ranked according to their chances of winning the following week. I determine these rankings myself, so don’t go searching for the methodology behind my madness, because you’ll just be wasting your time. I encourage you to send in your own Top 10 for a given week (best entries will wind up in the column itself) as well. I use not only the drivers’ performance in the previous week, but also their success at the track, any negating circumstances surrounding them off the track, and general hunches from yours truly.
This week is a bit different, though. Since we’re still a month away from Speed Weeks in Daytona, we’ll use this as a perfect opportunity to predict the top ten in the “Chase for the Nextel Cup”. This is completely opinion, mind you, so feel free to disagree with my selections. It’s a free world, after all.
1. Jeff Gordon
I haven’t always been a Jeff Gordon fan. But as of late, I’ve actually started to come around to the DuPont Chevrolet team. Gordon hasn’t won a Cup Championship since 2001, but his consistent Top 5 finishes in points make him a perennial favorite every year. This year, though, will be the year for Championship #5. Gordon had a strong run in the “Chase for the Cup” season enders in 2004, and would have likely taken the championship from Kurt Busch had a couple of early blunders in the chase not cost him that opportunity in the end. Gordon has always had good fortunes at places like Phoenix, Charlotte, and Talladega, so I’m pretty confident in my decision to place him at #1.
2. Jimmie Johnson
Well, I was pretty confident until I started looking over the stats of Jimmie Johnson. Johnson had one of the most incredible clutch runs in the history of NASCAR down the stretch in the chase (4 wins, Top 5, two Top 10 finishes). Had he not had two terrible finishes in Kansas and Talladega, Johnson would be the Nextel Cup Champion right now. As it is, Johnson is probably a great choice to head up your own rankings, but something tells me that Gordon will finish higher, more consistently than Johnson will.
3. Kasey Kahne
This is probably my guilty pleasure choice here. Kasey Kahne turned a lot of heads in 2004 by finishing second in roughly a million races. And each time out, he found a way to get closer and closer to the lead without actually taking it on the final lap. Harrowing finishes in Texas, and Darlington were quite spectacular. Almost as spectacular were his failures, most notably in Dover Fall race, where oil on the track cut his lead (and his day) short via a wreck. In 2005, Kahne steps up and shocks a lot of doubters.
4. Kurt Busch
Busch may have gotten the job done in 2004, but don’t expect him to have an easy go of it in 2005. Although Busch seemingly has racing Bristol down like Anna Nicole after a few too many to drink, his lack of success on the Restrictor Plate tracks and other super speedways will likely hinder him in his quest for another Nextel Cup Championship. Even as the defending series champion, he only gets up to #4, which demonstrates the parity and beauty of NASCAR.
5. Tony Stewart
Tony the Tiger had quite a controversial year in 2004, stemming from a feud with FOX television commentator (and personal hero) Darrell Waltrip. Though nothing has been made of the altercations over the past six months, one has to wonder if Tony’s attitude problems will become more of a distraction in 2005. After a solid run in 2004, I expect Tony to do what he does best; run his mouth off while impressing us with several key wins at several key tracks.
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
I like Junior, I really do, but I can’t put him any higher than 6th, for the simple fact that his new crew chief just doesn’t seem like a good fit to me. Maybe I’m wrong, and Lord knows I’m wrong quite often, but I don’t think that Dale’s championship drought will end in 2005. Another solid, but disappointing run is to be expected in a year of change for the Budweiser crew.
7. Matt Kenseth
It seems odd, but the days of consistency triumphing over all seem over with. Thanks in part to the new points system, Matt Kenseth is at a major disadvantage when it comes to competing for a championship. Though he is consistently in the top 10, his lack of victories will end up costing him in the Chase. You have to have at least a few Top 5 finishes to have a chance under the new system, and I’m not sure if Kenseth is capable of sustaining such a run.
8. Mark Martin
It’s really sad for me to say, but I feel as if Mark may have just seen his last chance at a Championship pass him by. Although I think he’ll be competitive in 2005, and will probably find a way into the final ten for the “Chase”, I just can’t see Martin uprooting the youth movement that is sweeping across the NASCAR landscape right now. Martin is one of the good guys in the sport, for sure, so here’s to hoping that he has a respectable run in 2005.
9. Bobby Labonte
Again, another guy that may be losing his chance at a Championship. Labonte has had several mediocre seasons following his Winston Cup Championship in 2000. He’s a lot like his older brother Terry, when you think about it. Great seasons separated by solid (if unspectacular) seasons. With Fatback McSwain now gone from the #18 Interstate Batteries crew, Labonte may make some noise this year.
10. Kevin Harvick
I’m not a huge fan of Harvick, though I’ll be the first to admit that I continuously had him mixed up with Matt Kenseth during the 2003 season. Still, I can’t see Harvick falling off his spotty but solid pace that he’s set for himself. A perennial Top 10-15 finisher in the points, Harvick walked away with the $1 Million bonus for finishing 11th in points in 2004. A step up may be in the works for Harvick.
Know Your NASCAR
This section is geared more towards international readers as opposed to American readers, who probably know a bit more about NASCAR racing by sheer osmosis. Each week, we’ll drive headlong into a facet of Stock Car Racing here in the United States, whether it be a bit about the sport itself, its personalities, or its history. This week, we might as well start off with the brand name itself, and how the sport came to be on this side of the pond.
NASCAR stands for the “National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing”. The body that we eventually came to know as NASCAR was formed in 1947 by Bill France Sr. and a group of racing promoters in Daytona Beach, Florida. The roots of the sport actually stem from the moonshiners of the south, who made their money by transporting alcohol during the era of Prohibition. This often meant dealing with (and evading) the local police, and the speedy antics of the moonshiners actually began to evolve into organized racing events. By 1947, the auto racing industry was being recognized as a legal body, and so the new NASCAR promotion began to tour the southeastern U.S. in cities like Atlanta, Darlington, Charlotte, and Daytona. It is in Daytona where the signature event of the NASCAR season takes place: the Daytona 500. The 500-mile race was first held at its current location in 1957, when the late Lee Petty (father of “the King”, Richard Petty) won the race in perhaps the most exciting finish in NASCAR history. The photo-finish, which took three days for the promoters to decide, was between three cars who appeared to cross the line at the same time! For hardcore NASCAR fans, think Kurt Busch/Ricky Craven at Darlington in 2003, then add another car to that mix. Granted, technology wasn’t quite what it is today back then, but the finish still ranks among the greatest in the history of the sport. However, the 1957 Daytona 500 was hardly the first race at the fabled beach. For several years leading up to the track’s completion, races were held on the beach. Literally, the races were held on the actual beach, with U.S. Highway 1 serving as a portion of the track while the sandy beaches served as the other half. The circuit itself looked like an elongated paperclip ala Martinsville, and was an interesting set-up for sure. Fans were not only in danger from the cars in the races, but from the dangerous wildlife in the area, most notably the rattlesnakes! The beach races were shutdown after the current-day site was constructed. The oldest track in use on the circuit is the Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, while Charlotte’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway claims the longest race at a scant 600 miles (the Coca-Cola 600 in May).
Victory Lap for the Pimps
I’m a big Eric Szulczewski and his work, even if I’m not always in agreement with his views. But hey, with Dubbya in office for four more years, you can at least check him out (like he needs MY pimp) Here.
This one’s for David Goldberg, who is quite possibly the coolest guy alive. Slayer!
Here’s a pimp for That Bootleg Guy, who if nothing else, managed to get Shoeless Joe into his TEASER. That Bootleg Guy
Patrick Nguyen gets love here too for not only having a kickass column, but for getting a shot in at Auburn. Nguyen!
And here’s one for Todd Rogers, who, if nothing else, apparently enjoys Yankee bashing as much as I do. Mr. Rogers!
Victory Lane
I hope it was as good for you all as it was for me. In the coming weeks, hopefully we’ll get more meat into the column, as the 500 draws closer. Until then, keep the victims of the Indian Ocean Tsunami and now the California slides in your thoughts and prayers. Later.
NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2006
The Return of Lord Stanley’s Cup
The 2006 NHL Regular Season has come to a close. That means that the NHL Playoffs begin, and what a sweet ring that phrase has to it. The road to the Stanley Cup has begun, and sixteen teams of drastically varying backgrounds set out on April 21st, 2006 to attempt a run at hockey’s most prestigious championship.
The Western Conference has become the breeding ground for what I like to call the “Bottom Seeders”, in a nod to the San Jose Sharks. The top four seeds – Detroit, Dallas, Calgary, Nashville – all have had a world of trouble during these Quarterfinal series. Colorado, Edmonton, San Jose, and Anaheim have all marched out of the gates strong, looking to make a statement to their higher-seeded opponents. Let’s throw out the seeds and play some hockey!
Edmonton Wins 4-2
It could go down as one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. Steve Yzerman, the legendary Red Wing may have played his last game on Monday, as the Edmonton Oilers shocked the hockey world by defeating the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in Edmonton to wrap up an improbable series win. Detroit won Game 1 in Detroit, but Edmonton followed with a pair of four-goal efforts against Detroit goaltender Manny Legace to take the next two games, including a double overtime thriller in Game 3. Detroit won’t hold either, evening up the series by cruising to a 4-2 win in Game 4. Edmonton went on the road to Detroit and took Game 5, setting up the climatic Game 6 – Detroit jumped out to a 2-0 lead heading into the third period, but Fernando Pisani brought the Oilers back with the first Edmonton goal of the game, then the equalizer with just over thirteen minutes left in the third. Johan Franzen puts Detroit back up 3-2 shortly thereafter, off assists from Daniel Cleary and Kirk Maltby. Ales Hemsky brings Edmonton back once more with a power play goal to knot the game up three-all. And then, it happened two minutes and forty seven seconds later – Sergei Samsonov managed to find Hemsky down low off a broken play, and a beautiful one timer finds the back of the net, past a diving Legace. Edmonton takes the series, and with it the knowledge that they’ve just knocked off the best statistical team in the NHL.
Game 1: Edmonton 2, Detroit 3 (2OT) (4.21.06 – Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan)
Game 2: Edmonton 4, Detroit 2 (4.23.06 – Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Game 3: Detroit 3, Edmonton 4 (2OT) (4.25.06 – Rexall Palace, Edmonton, Alberta
Game 4: Detroit 4, Edmonton 2 (4.27.06 – Rexall Palace, Edmonton, Alberta
Game 5: Edmonton 3, Detroit 2 (4.29.06 – Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Game 6: Detroit 3, Edmonton 4 (5.01.06 – Rexall Palace, Edmonton, Alberta)
Colorado Wins 4-1
Despite Stars captain Mike Modano’s courageous efforts, the Colorado Avalanche completed the second biggest upset of 2006, ousting the second-seeded Dallas Stars in five games. Jose Theodore logged three overtime wins in the series, which marked the tenth game that Theodore had played in for the Avalanche in the 2005-2006 season. Dallas seemed sluggish throughout the series. Theodore remained strong in the upset over Dallas, whose overtime play in Denver was less than stellar. Avalanche captain Joe Sakic logged three goals and four assists, while Andrew Brunette scored his third goal in the OT session of Game 5 to send Dallas packing. Colorado joins Edmonton and San Jose in the Conference Semifinals.
Game 1: Colorado 5, Dallas 2 (4.22.06 – American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas)
Game 2: Colorado 5, Dallas 4 (OT) (4.24.06 – American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas)
Game 3: Dallas 3, Colorado 4 (OT) (4.26.06 – Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado)
Game 4: Dallas 4, Colorado 1 (4.28.06 – Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado)
Game 5: Colorado 3, Dallas 2 (OT) (4.30.06 – American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas)
Series Tied 3-3
As of this writing, Calgary and Anaheim will meet on Wednesday night in what will be the final Quarterfinal Round game of the 2006 Playoffs. Ilya Bryzgalov earned his first win of the series, surrendering one goal and saving 21 shots in fifty nine minutes. Calgary can advance on in the playoffs as the highest seeded team remaining, though an Anaheim victory will have successfully eliminated the top four seeds in the Western Conference. Francois Bauchemin looked to KO Jerome Iginla in an explosive Game 6 that saw Scott Niedermeyer score the winning goal against Mikka Kiprusoff. The Mighty Ducks will have to get it done on the road if they mean to advance, in a place where success has eluded them in 2006 – the Ducks lost both regular season games in Calgary, and have gone 1-2 in the series there.
Game 1: Anaheim 1, Calgary 2 (OT)(4.21.06 – Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta)
Game 2: Anaheim 4, Calgary 3 (4.23.06 – Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta)
Game 3: Calgary 5, Anaheim 2 (4.25.06 – Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, California)
Game 4: Calgary 2, Anaheim 3 (OT) (4.27.06 – Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, California)
Game 5: Anaheim 2, Calgary 3 (4.29.06 – Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta)
Game 6: Calgary 1, Anaheim 2 (5.01.06 – Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, California)
Game 7: Anaheim @ Calgary – 5.03.2006 – Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta
San Jose Wins 4-1
The Nashville/San Jose series was shuffled to the background in the wake of the Edmonton/Detroit and Dallas/Colorado series, and also in part due to San Jose’s superior play. Rookie goaltender Vesa Toskala bolstered his career playoff record to 4-1 with a shutout to his name and a 2-1 victory over Nashville in the fifth and deciding game. San Jose will move on to play in the Semifinals with Edmonton, Colorado, and the winner of the Anaheim/Calgary series.
Game 1: San Jose 3, Nashville 4 (4.21.06 – Gaylord Entertainment Center, Nashville, TN)
Game 2: San Jose 3, Nashville 0 (4.23.06 – Gaylord Entertainment Center, Nashville, TN)
Game 3: Nashville 1, San Jose 4 (4.25.06 – HP Pavilion, San Jose, California)
Game 4: Nashville 4, San Jose 5 (4.27.06 – HP Pavilion, San Jose, California)
Game 5: San Jose 2, Nashville 1 (4.30.06 – Gaylord Entertainment Center, Nashville, TN)
Eastern Conference Playoffs
Darkness will rule the land.
Ottawa Wins 4-1
The elongated title defense of the Tampa Bay Lightning came to an end Saturday night, as the top-seeded Ottawa Senators cleaned their clocks but good in the opening round push for what some consider the best team in Hockey. The Senators swept the regular season meetings between Tampa Bay 4-0, and bowed in defeat only once during the series, in Game 2 in Ottawa. John Grahame and Sean Burke split time between the pipes, but Ottawa dominated with 23 goals in the series. Martin Havlat was dominant in Game 5, logging an assist and a power play goal in the second period. Wade Redden logged two assists as well in the series-clinching win.
Game 1: Tampa Bay 1, Ottawa 4 (4.21.06 – Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, Ontario)
Game 2: Tampa Bay 4, Ottawa 3 (4.23.06 – Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, Ontario)
Game 3: Ottawa 8, Tampa Bay 4 (4.25.06 – St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, Florida)
Game 4: Ottawa 5, Tampa Bay 2 (4.27.06 – St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, Florida)
Game 5: Tampa Bay 2, Ottawa 3 (4.29.06 – Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, Ontario)
Carolina Wins 4-2
In what is perhaps one of the two best Quarterfinal Round series in 2006, the Carolina Hurricanes survived the advances of the feisty Montreal Canadiens by winning four straight games, all decided by one goal and two of which were won in overtime. Goalie Cam Ward came on early in the series to replace the ‘Canes primary starter Martin Gerber, who surrendered six goals in a Game 1 loss, and three goals in a Game 2 losing effort. The best game of the series was arguably Game 2, a double overtime affair that saw Carolina battle back from an early deficit, only to see Montreal win with a goal off a rebound let loose by Ward. The series turned however in Game 3, starting with the eye injury to Canadiens captain Saku Koivu (he would not return in the series). From there, the ‘Canes took over, led by the powerful goaltending of Cam Ward. Rod Brind’Amour and Eric Staal led the way for the Hurricanes during their 4-0 run, with Mike Commodore saving Cam Ward in Game 6 with several timely checks. It was a Cory Stillman blast from just over the blue line past Cristobal Huet with 18:41 left in the first overtime that sealed the fate of the Canadiens.
Game 1: Montreal 6, Carolina 1 (4.22.06 – RBC Center, Raleigh, North Carolina)
Game 2: Montreal 6, Carolina 5 (2OT) (4.24.06 – RBC Center, Raleigh, North Carolina)
Game 3: Carolina 2, Montreal 1 (OT) (4.26.06 – Centre Bell, Montreal, Quebec)
Game 4: Carolina 3, Montreal 2 (4.28.06 – Centre Bell, Montreal, Quebec)
Game 5: Montreal 1, Carolina 2 (4.30.06 – RBC Center, Raleigh, North Carolina)
Game 6: Carolina 2, Montreal 1 (5.02.06 – Centre Bell, Montreal, Quebec)
New Jersey Wins 4-0
The New Jersey Devils made quick work of the upstart New York Rangers on Saturday, finishing off a sweep with a 4-2 victory at Madison Square Garden. Devils’ goalie Martin Brodeur allowed only four goals in four games, while Patrik Elias logged two goals and an assist in the series-ending Game 4. Jaromir Jagr left early in Game 4 with the re-aggravation of a shoulder injury suffered in Game 1, and would not return for the decimated Rangers.
Game 1: New York 1, New Jersey 6 (Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ)
Game 2: New York 1, New Jersey 4 (Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, NJ)
Game 3: New Jersey 3, New York 0 (Madison Square Garden, New York, NY)
Game 4: New Jersey 4, New York 2 (Madison Square Garden, New York, NY)
Buffalo Wins 4-2
The Sabres scored early and often in their Game 6 win over the Flyers, eliminating Philadelphia from the playoffs and pushing Buffalo into a Conference Semifinals series with the Ottawa Senators. Goalie Ryan Miller earned the win over his counterpart Robert Esche by allowing only one goal and saving twenty two shots on goal. Chris Drury came away as the player of the game on Tuesday night, logging two assists and two goals, including a shorthanded offering in the third period to cap off a Sabres mauling. For Philadelphia, Branko Radivojevic scored the lone Flyers goal in Game 6 off assists from Michal Handzus and Mike Richards. The goal was too little, too late, as Buffalo scored five unanswered goals prior to the lone Flyers score.
Game 1: Philadelphia 2, Buffalo 3 (4.22.06 – HSBC Arena, Buffalo, New York)
Game 2: Philadelphia 2, Buffalo 8 (4.24.06 – HSBC Arena, Buffalo, New York)
Game 3: Buffalo 2, Philadelphia 4 (4.26.06 – Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA)
Game 4: Buffalo 4, Philadelphia 5 (4.28.06 – Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA)
Game 5: Philadelphia 0, Buffalo 3 (4.30.06 – HSBC Arena, Buffalo, New York)
Game 6: Buffalo 7, Philadelphia 1 (5.02.06 – Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA)
