What a night of playoff Hockey that was as three goalies put on top class displays to gain shutouts for their teams a big wins to boot. San Jose shutout Colorado 5-0 to take a crucial 3-2 series lead after struggling to overcome the pesky young Avalanche team through four games while the Chicago Blackhawks, another cup favorite struggling to get through their first round match up, beat Nashville 3-0 to tie their series at two. In Philadelphia Brian Boucher recorded a shutout ten years after his last one as the Flyers beat the Devils 3-0 and won their best of seven series 4-1 advancing to the next round.

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For the first time since he demanded a trade out of Ottawa in the summer, Dany Heatley will face his old team-mates and while the Ottawa players will spout the usual nonsense that their PR training has taught them to do, that they are looking at this as just another game, you can bet your ass they are going to try beat San Jose to rub it into their ex-team-mate. Also look for a few players to throw their hits just that little bit harder on Heatley. The thing that irks the Ottawa players and fans alike is that Heatley has never given a good reason why he wanted out of Ottawa other than that his playing time diminished under Cory Clouston.

I like Heatley, always have and think he is a terrific goal-scorer but he didn’t handle the summer situation well and luckily for him this game comes in the safe haven of San Jose tonight. I heard on the radio today that Sportsnet asked if they could interview him before the game and it was politely declined. Heatley may run now, but he will not be able to hide when his ship sails into Ottawa for a game next season.

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Here we go, tons of hockey news to be coming forth today and boy do the hockey fans need it after quite an uneventful draft day last week. Today is one of them big days in the NHL calendar that doesn’t include any hockey actually being played — other such days include the Trade Deadline and the Draft. It’s 1 July and that means Free Agency Opens.

The players out of contract officially became eligible to sign for whatever team offers them a contract at 12 p.m. today so we are about 39 minutes into free agency as we speak and already a few moves are being made. There is also some steep rumors of trades of players under contract being made as team try to free up cap room to sign the potential free agent that attracts them.

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With the trade deadline only a few weeks away hockey bloggers and rumor men a like have been getting a little uneasy in their seats with no trades coming through to report and talk about. That was until tonight when two teams with no real hope (zero if you’re the Islanders) of making the playoffs swung a deal that left some people, including me scratching their heads.

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“These teams cannot afford to get relegated and must do everything they can to stay up, even if that means shaking up the managerial role”.

That is what people argue when a manager gets sacked when his team is struggling and it is a fair and valid point, but with Tony Adams getting sacked from Portsmouth today just a few months into the start of his tenure I want to know when the people who hire managers who they could even potentially sack within a few months going to be held responsible for their terrible decisions?

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The Senators welcomed Daniel Alfredsson back into their line-up but it wasn’t enough for last season’s finalists. So what now? Down three games against a youthful energetic Penguins side that you eliminated last year, your crowd is disgruntled and you’re on the verge of heading to the golf course. What do you do?

That is the million dollar question and if I had the right answer I would be standing behind the Senators bench and not writing this. I never in a million years predicted a sweep for the Penguins and although it hasn’t happened yet I am no longer betting against it. “Maybe all the Senators need is just a win to get them going”. That’s what I told myself after games one and two but now it looks to be way too late. They are being over run.

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