Playoff Observations 4/14/12

1. Those who say goons and tough guys have no place in hockey might want to watch highlights from OTT/NYR game 2

2. I really hope that the Washington Capitals have a party in Braden Holtby’s honor after every game.

3. I would love to see a Spike Lee/Zenon Konopka rivalry kind of like his rivalry with Reggie Miller.

4. It looks like Brian Boyle took fighting lessons from Sean Avery.

5. If the NHL wants to get rid of diving, it needs to start punishing players who dive by fining them.

6. Brandon Dubinsky couldn’t handle fighting the Sens but the Gatorade barrel is a whole different story.

7. If WSH/BOS ends within 5 or 6 games, it very well may be the lowest scoring playoff series in recent memory.

8. Shades of 2010 versus Colorado, San Jose in a pickle as Vlasic mimics Dan Boyle by just scoring on his own net.

9. The greatest hockey related Twitter feed may have been discovered this morning.

10. For a man who had plenty to say about the legitimacy of the NHL, John Tortorella’s team spent quite a bit of game 2 disgracing our great sport

11. Rangers displaying in period 2 of game 2 that shot blocking does in fact lead to goals. Karlsson on the board.

12. NBC/CNBC/NBCSN seem to have some sort of conspiracy to force us to listen to the most insufferable announcers all night during the playoffs. (I mean, really, that's not a headshot to you? Bugger off.)

13. Mike Smith had his head hit on a play that I don’t think was dirty by Shaw but could have been avoided.

14. The league is in a weird spot when fans honestly cannot tell if a player is legitimately hurt or selling an injury. Better enforcement of embellishment and stricter regulations for injury evaluation need to be implemented.

15. Brent Seabrook.

16. Yes, that’s nice Coyotes fans, it’s nice to see Jobing.com Arena sold out for a playoff series. Again. But where were you all during the regular season?