The RotoWire Blog has been retired.

These archives exist as a way for people to continue to view the content that had been posted on the blog over the years.

Articles will no longer be posted here, but you can view new fantasy articles from our writers on the main site.

NHL Playoff Observations -- Sunday Night

Just a few things that caught my eye:

  • Mirror, mirror on the wall -- who's the worst stickhandler of them all? Roberto Luongo or Antti Niemi. At least Luongo delivered his tape to tape.
  • So much for the third lines being the difference makers. Both teams put the game into the hands of their top players and both sides delivered. And impressively....
  • Speaking of Niemi. It wasn't pretty but for large part, it was unbelievably effective.
  • I love Force and Sully, Vancouver's Green Men. The league neutered them earlier in the postseason and prohibited handstands during opponent's penalties. So first came a cutout of themselves doing a headstand and then came another cutout of Carrie Underwood; both plastered against the glass in full view of the TV cameras. Tonight was priceless -- Canadian icon and CBC blowhard Don Cherry's head on a green spandex body with the boys wearing plaid over their green lycra suits. YouTube it if you got stuck with the Versus feed.
  • Tyler Seguin factors in all of the Bruins' offense but gets just 9:38 of ice with no power-play opportunities. He won't be a defensive liability with the man advantage and Lord knows that team needs some creativity on its two-for-41 power play. Claude Julien just doesn't seem to be able to make in-game or even in-series' adjustments. Some may call it faith; others refer to that as just being stubborn.
  • Brett Clark channeled his best Bobby Orr on Saturday night. Now he just needs to pot another 227 goals in his next 71 NHL games to match Orr's career numbers.
  • Raffi Torres needs an attitude adjustment. He fired a shot during warm-ups that hit Luongo square in the mask; it felled the big goalie. And the worst part? Not a single other Canuck skated over to have a chat with the twerp nor did he drop by with an apology.
  • Three goals in 1:25 and there goes Game 1. That might be the worst minute-and-a-half of playoff hockey this postseason. Boston didn't deserve to win.
  • How badly do the Bruins need Patrice Bergeron back? They won just 39 percent of face-offs Saturday night. Ouch.
  • So how long do you think Dwayne Roloson's memory is? The Oilers were on their way to the Cup when he was injured in a crease scrum against the Hurricanes. Now, he can't get out of the crease fast enough whenever trouble starts to bubble. BTW, can he keep his current excellence up? He's been hot through the playoffs but he was like a pendulum when he first arrived in Tampa.
  • Joe Thornton started using his head right away... to head butt Ryan Kesler on the opening face-off. Statistically, Jumbo Joe won the match-up but Kesler's Orcas got the win. I can't wait for Game 2.
  • Derek Boogaard's death came as a shock to everyone. Great fighter; even better man. RIP Boogey Man.