No. 1 Star: Steve Downie, Tampa Bay Lightning

The pugnacious Bolts winger scored the game-winning goal and assisted on tallies from Teddy Purcell and Sean Bergenheim as the Lightning survived Game 6, defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-2, to force Game 7. Ryan Malone had the other goal.

No. 2 Star: Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks

The much-maligned playoff performer scored the series-winning goal at 2:22 of overtime to give the Sharks a 4-3 Game 6 win and a trip to the second round. He also assisted on Kyle Wellwood's second-period tally to open the scoring.

No. 3 Star: Trevor Lewis, Los Angeles Kings

The Kings forward had a power-play helper in the second and the game-tying goal in the third period on the power play, playing 16:33 vs. the Sharks. Another strong game for the Kings' grunts.

Honorable mention: Jonathan Quick stopped 31 of 35 shots, while Antti Niemi made 26 saves on 29 shots in the Kings/Sharks Game 6. Niemi got better as the game went on. … Justin Williams and Ryan Smyth had the Kings goals. … Dany Heatley scored an unassisted goal in the third. … Pascal Dupuis and Jordan Staal had the Penguins' goals. … Dwayne Roloson made 27 saves on 29 shots, including this incredible sequence:

Did you know? Rob Scuderi briefly left the game in the second period after taking a skate blade near his eye in a collision with Sharks D Niclas Wallin along the boards. (AP)

Dishonorable mention: Jamie McGinn was given a 5-minute major and a game misconduct late in the third period for charging. But the Kings didn't score on that man advantage. … The Penguins power play is now 1-for-30. ... This was not the best penalty shot attempt for Chris Conner.

Conn Smythe Watch 1. Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings; 2. Ryane Clowe, San Jose Sharks; 3. Michal Neuvirth, Washington Capitals; 4. Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks; 5. Mike Fisher, Nashville Predators; 6. Danny Briere, Philadelphia Flyers; 7. Martin St. Louis. Tampa Bay Lightning; 8. Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins; 9. Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres; 10. Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks;

Look, we know what you're thinking: Why are Joe Mantegna, Princess Buttercup, Black Francis from the Pixies and two dwarfs giving the Stanley Cup to Gabriel Byrne?

OK, you might not be thinking that. You might be thinking: What level of [expletive] hubris does it take for a Virginia-based artist to create an oil painting that depicts the Washington Capitals in the presence of something they've never seen in their arena before in franchise history:

Barack and Michelle Obama.

Oh, and a Stanley Cup victory for the home team, too.

Russian Machine Never Breaks found this painting on eBay from artist Aleksandr Reut. In fairness, he painted it after the Capitals' loss to the Montreal Canadiens in 2010, so perhaps that brings down the jinxy-ness. Although perhaps not.

Peter Hassett of RMNB cautions those who'd see this painting as symbolic of Capitals fans' sense of entitlement to chill out:

Yes, this is exactly the kind of thing we should be avoiding right now. Caps fans already have a reputation as overeager and prone to self-congratulation. But this is not that. Full of humor and fun and good will, this painting embodies what we love about each other and the team that we cheer on.

As this point, we must bring up the Jonathan Toews Pig Nose Mural from last season, whose premature depiction of the Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks threatened to karmically derail their playoff run. It was eventually whitewashed, and as a result, the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup.

Just sayin' there's still time to take care of this, Caps fans. Bid with confidence!

Stick-tap to Russian Machine Never Breaks for the find, and Chris Cistaro for the tip.

It's a known fact that the worse things get for the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the more clinically insane anyone with a tangential interest in their success becomes.

As the series slips away, the Canucks don't just lose; they become victims of a national, perhaps global conspiracy to undermine their Cup run for the benefit of (American) teams.

Referee bias! Los Angeles Kings sleeper agents in the War Room! It's one cigarette smoking man away from an X-File.

(This conspiracy is never the reason they lose, mind you, just the reason they're put in a position to lose. The reason they lose is signed through 2022.)

What other fan base takes the time to put together a 4 minute, 25 second clip show about missed calls? Here's what a Vancouver fan saw in Game 6 against Chicago:

Hey, you'll get no quarrel on the Bryan Bickell hit on Kevin Bieksa; that was a blown call, and had Bieksa stayed down it probably would have cost the Blackhawks Bickell for Game 7 before surgery ended his series yesterday.

The rest of the stuff, and the penalties that were called on Vancouver, caused GM Mike Gillis to speak out yesterday about the officiating; and then caused a surrogate in the media to claim there's a secret cabal working against the Canucks ... and it all leads back to the VERSUS network (insert dramatic music here).

Here's Gillis, working the refs and attempting to provide a distraction from the fragile psyche of this $10 million goaltender:

Via Ian Walker, Gillis in a nutshell:

Gillis doesn't seem too far off the mark when you consider Chicago has been awarded 27 power plays to Vancouver's 16 through six games, including the Hawks holding a 17-8 edge at the United Center.

Reading off a piece of paper, Gillis, a former lawyer and player agent, said Chicago has received 69 per cent more power plays than Vancouver in the past four games and 100 per cent more calls when the score has been within one or two goals -not to mention the Blackhawks have been awarded a penalty shot.

Here's the box score for Game 4: Too Many Men penalty, unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Game 5: High-sticking double-minor for Samuelsson and a roughing call on Bieksa at the end of the second. Game 6: Puck over the glass and a penalty shot.

This isn't a series of judgmental interference penalties here.

But Gillis's point for Game 6 is taken: The home team, in front of a jacked crowd, facing elimination, got the majority of the calls. If you've watched the NHL for about a minute, this news is no doubt as groundbreaking as discovering the puck is round.

But for Tony Gallagher of The Province, it's evidence that some sinister force is working against Vancouver. Making his bid to be the Glenn Beck of hockey commentary, witness Gallagher's column in which he argues:

• It's in the League's best interests to have the series go as long as possible, which is why it must have orchestrated that 3-0 lead for the Canucks.

• It's in the League's best interests to have the Blackhawks advance for the benefit of VERSUS, which is why it fixed it so Chicago was a No. 4 seed. Wait, they needed to make the playoffs on the final day of the regular season? What kind of secret cabal is this?!

• The Blackhawks ownership has "intimidated" League officials. Because that's worked so well for the Leafs.

• Scotty Bowman may have "curried influence" with officiating supervisor Rob Shick by visiting him twice to complain about the referees. Where he no doubt picked Stan Bowman up, did the snake move and hypnotized Shick like the Osirian Portal.

• That the decision to not suspend Raffi Torres was … wait, he didn't mention the fact that the secret cabal didn't suspend Raffi Torres for the Seabrook hit? Nevermind.

No seriously, give this a read. But make sure your tin foil hat is strapped on tightly, or else Gary Bettman will try and steal your inventions.

Hopefully, none of this officiating crap ruins what could be a classic Game 7, or detracts from the Roberto Luongo Gong Show that's the real star attraction.

The Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers have played six games, each winning three, in their Stanley Cup Playoff quarterfinals.

So why does Tuesday night's Game 7 feel like an entirely different series?

Another goalie change for the Flyers. Questions about Chris Pronger's role. Tim Connolly out for the Sabres, along with other lineup uncertainty. Mike Richards and Ryan Miller trying to see which one can make the most hyperbolic comparison to murder in condemning dangerous plays.

No matter what the vibe is, there are a few basic factors that will determine who advances and who goes home. And here they are:

Brian Boucher

Just like it has for the last 14 years, it begins with the goaltending for the Philadelphia Flyers. Because in those 14 years, according to Chuck Gormley, they've used 17 goalies.

Boucher is one of three they've used in this series, and Peter Laviolette broke his tradition by naming him the starter well before Game 7. No surprises, no mysteries; Boucher's their guy. Said Boucher to CSN Philly:

"Personally, I feel like I've had a solid series aside from three minutes. So I feel good about my game, and I give a lot of credit to my teammates. They've battled really hard in front of me, and they've really given me a chance to get back in there with the way they played [Sunday] night down 3-1."

That last time he played at home, Boucher gave up three goals on 11 shots in 15:36 of the first period. The good news is that the Flyers rallied in Game 5 to send the game into overtime, much like they did in Game 6 when Michael Leighton imploded in the first period — only that time, they won.

So they Flyers have shown resiliency when the goaltending has failed them, but that's playing with fire in a Game 7. They need Boucher to be the steady veteran tonight, not the liability he was in Game 5.

And if he falters ... would you believe that it's Sergei Bobrovsky time again? The circle would be complete.

The Sabres Defense

Ryan Miller pitched two shutouts in this series, facing an average of 33.5 shots in them. In his other four appearances, that average is 36.75, including 49 shots in Game 6's overtime affair.

To the surprise of no one, Miller would like to see them tighten up the defense a bit, via the Buffalo News:

"The times we've beaten the Flyers, we've done a really good job of sticking to one plan all night," said Miller, who faced 49 shots in Game Six. "We can do a little bit better job frustrating them. They're a team that relies on turnovers and getting up ice, and I think if we just keep two, three guys together getting back at all times with good back pressure, it's going to definitely be a frustrating style. It's something I don't think the Flyers have reacted too well to, even in the regular season.

"They were pretty patient early, but I think sometimes they expect to be on offense and they really cheat and push for it. You have to try and make them do that. ... We have to try and use their strengths as weaknesses, and we have to be the organized team and the team that's willing to play the chess match."

Which is tough, when the Flyers want to play checkers.

Which Gamers Will Decide Game 7?

Danny Briere has five goals in this series. So does Thomas Vanek.

Nathan Gerbe and Tyler Ennis have two goals each. James van Riemsdyk has three, while Ville Leino has two, including the Game 6 winner.

As much as Game 7 is about which team executes its brand of hockey better, it's also about which players make a difference.

If he plays, does Derek Roy make a difference, or is he emotional window dressing like Pronger in Game 6? Does Mike Richards tally his first playoff goal of 2011, in the series's most important game?

One got the sense at the end of Game 6 that the Sabres would regret not having closed this thing out. The goaltending might be the great equalizer, but they're in a hell of a spot tonight in front of the orange-clad faithful.

From the Czech Hockey Games, a tune-up for the IIHF World Championships, here is Sweden's goalie not exactly being helpful to his defense. Although we're pretty sure former Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks forward Petteri Nokelainen didn't mind after turning this gaffe into a shorthanded goal:

You know, we've always found that goaltending bloopers are really enhanced by the presence of jaunty electropop.

The keeper who bungled this play is Viktor Fasth, a 28-year-old who plays for AIK and has gotten a look from the Edmonton Oilers, seeking to follow in the grand tradition of Tommy Salo (after, you know, following in the grand tradition of Tommy Salo).

From Sports Expressen (translated), Fasth on the goal: "It's [poop] that happens and unfortunately it happens today." That's going on our fridge.

It's a Tuesday edition of Puck Daddy Radio, and we're chatting about the following and much more:

• Special Guest Star: Former Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup winning coach Jean Perron joins us to preview Game 6 between the Habs and Bruins.

• Goaltender Ray Emery of the Anaheim Ducks, forward Daymond Langkow of the Calgary Flames and forward Ian Laperriere of the Philadelphia Flyers are the three finalists for the 2010-11 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded "to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey," the National Hockey League announced today.  Who wins?

• Complete reviews of last night's playoff games.

• Previewing Game 7 for the Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks and the Philadelphia Flyers vs. Buffalo Sabres.

• Question of the day: What's your best bet for tonight's Stanley Cup Playoff games?

• Puck Previews.

Email your thoughts to puckdaddyradio@thescore.com.

Puck Daddy Radio is on Monday through Friday, from 1-2 p.m. ET/10-11 a.m. PT on The Score Radio Sirius Channel 98. Featuring Wyshynski and Rob Pizzo, it's your show: Calls, tweets, special guests and a ton of hockey goodness every day.

The call in number is 1-888-942-7326 (1-888-9-HARDCORE). We'll also be reading emails to puckdaddyradio@thescore.com and tweets that you send to @wyshynski and @robpizzo.

We're all about interaction here; call in, email, tweet ... we'll discuss whatever you'd like. Listen here:

Shooting for a goaltender's pads is a tough concept to wrap your head around when you're a young kid. When a coach first suggests it, you feel like explaining the concept of what defines winners and losers at the end of 60 minutes, which is how many times you shoot it past those overstuffed garbage bags.

But the concept eventually grows on you, and climbs the rungs from semi-useful, to valuable, to essential.

Even at the highest levels I played, we practiced this constantly, usually in the form of the same drill — a D-man would skate the puck out from behind the net, and two forwards would get low in the D-zone. The first would get to the wall and receive the pass while the center supported the play. There'd be a chip off the wall for the center, then the winger has to bust down to the far end, as the center will be shooting for the far pad.

Always shoot for that far pad.

It emphasizes two things: One is obviously shooting for a rebound, but just as importantly, it highlights the mid-lane drive. You need to head right for the far post if you hope to tap home that easy put-back.

The crazy part about this drill is, the goalies know what the players are trying to do, but they simply have no options on the play, short of applying glue to their pillows. A hard low shot can really only be blocked, and if it's placed right, it should kick that big juicy rebound out to the oncoming forward, who's drooling at the sight of a loose puck and a goalie down and out.

It's so heavily emphasized because today's defensemen are so good at taking away time and space, and goalies are so good that poor angle shots have no hope. If you hang on to the puck to get a better look there's no guarantee you'll have any chance to pull the trigger.

Think the Los Angeles Kings are a fan of the play?

Last night all three goals they scored came off a puck fired towards the net low, which forced Niemi down, and forced him to kick out a rebound. Jarret Stoll didn't score in the game, but he created two of the Kings' tallies — it's nice when you have a guy like Ryan Smyth that you can trust will be dutifully going to the crease to clean up scraps.

Here, Stoll is coasting towards the boards, and unlikely to beat Niemi from that spot on the ice. He guns it at the far pad, and...

Boom.

The best part of KISS hockey (keep it simple, stupid) is that it boils down to work ethic — that middle lane drive is crucial in making sure the pad-pass isn't just a wasted shot on goal. When that forward is pushing towards the net the goaltender's life is made more difficult, and it forces the defenseman back (which creates room for his teammates if the shot/pass doesn't come).

The other two Kings goals, while not as textbook as the example above, were still based in the same logic.

On their goal that ties the game up at one, Trevor Lewis takes the pass from Doughty and moves it wide to Jack Johnson, who recognizes Lewis is driving to the net, and that he's about to receive pressure on the boards. He chucks it to the danger zone, which is either going to end up with Lewis getting a stick on the puck, a fat juicy rebound, or a cross-corner dump.

It was the rebound, and Justin Williams puts it home from the far side.

Nice finish, 1-1.

The goal that knotted the game up at 3-3 was a more controllable rebound; but again, Stoll throws it low and hard at the net, and a player — once again, Trevor Lewis — is heading towards the cage.

That time, he was rewarded.

It's the best coolant for a white hot goalie (and the best defibrillator for a flat-lining offense). When tenders are at their best, they're angling rebounds to the corners, and soaking in everything above their pads like a sponge. But when it's six inches off the ice, you take the opportunity to control the game out of their hands.

It's not the most complicated hockey, but when your team isn't the most offensively gifted, it's a fail-safe play that can create something out of nothing without taking on a whole lot of risk.

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

• Via Katherine of Chicago on Flickr, this is a Picasso sculpture of Brad Marchand in Chicago, with a Chicago Blackhawks helmet on it. Katherine writes: "I assume the 11 means 2011, but overhearing passersby, I wasn't the only one who at first wondered if it was a player number!" OK, so not a tribute to John Madden then. Got it. [Flickr]

• Guy Boucher claims that Brooks Orpik attempted to poke Steven Stamkos in the eye during Game 6. A suggestion for Mr. Stamkos, going forward: Try this technique. [Lightning Strikes, via Empty Netters]

• The Buffalo Sabres' lineup is going to be a mystery heading into Tuesday night's Game 7. John Vogl reports that Patrick Kaleta is "definitely out with what's believed to be a hand injury." Mike Grier and Jordan Leopold are game-time decisions, as is Jochen Hecht. Derek Roy? He's in. [Sabres Edge]

• The average ticket price for tonight's Game 7 in Vancouver: $324 on the secondary market. The average price for the Flyers/Sabres Game 7: $163. [Philly.com]

• The Kurtenblog doth not hath faith in Roberto Luongo for the Vancouver Canucks: "Sure, it's tough to come off the bench with no warm-up, but even a goalie that's been sitting on a block of ice shouldn't make practically every save look like he's trying to stop a Phil Niekro knuckleball. In other words, we respectfully disagree he should be starting Game 7. But we're hoping for the best!" [KB]

• Steven Ovadia on why Roberto Luongo should think of himself as part of a collaboration rather than as a star: "Not all goalies can do it alone. Apparently Luongo is one of those goalies. The sooner he comes to terms with that, the sooner Vancouver can move past the Blackhawks." [Puck Update]

• Luongo vs. Schneider: The tale of the tape. [Pass It To Bulis]

• The good news: The Montreal Canadiens have an orchestra playing the national anthem, and they've never lost when it has. The bad news. Chris Lee is the referee for Game 6. [Hockey Inside/Out]

• Bummer for the Habs: David Desharnais, who was all over the ice in Game 5, will miss Game 6 with a knee injury, according to reports. [NHL.com]

• We'll have our Masterton Trophy analysis next, but one Minnesota Wild blog feels that leaving Pierre-Marc Bouchard out of the final three (Ray Emery, Daymond Langkow, Ian Laperriere) is a "joke." [Hockey Wilderness]

• Fear the Fin on Terry Murray's handshake snub of the San Jose Sharks after the Game 6 loss for the Los Angeles Kings. It appears he shook the hands of the San Jose coaches, but didn't take part in the handshake line. Which doesn't make him a bad person, per se, but does make him Randy Carlyle. [Fear The Fin]

• Former NHL enforcer Shane Churla was arrested on Wednesday for a road rage incident in Wisconsin in which he punched a car door. No, not Todd Ewen; he punched an actual car door. [Star Tribune, via Kukla]

• It's either the Detroit Red Wings or the Chicago Blackhawks in Round 2 for the San Jose Sharks. Either way, we all win. [Sharks]

• "Tom Gaglardi has agreed to a price and most of the terms for buying the Dallas Stars — and if he can steer it through bankruptcy court with the bankers in charge of the sale, the Vancouver businessman will be the NHL team's new owner." Whew … that Mark Cuban talk was making us worried about locker room access for electronic media. [Globe & Mail]

• Looking at the Washington Capitals players who took a step forward in their series against the New York Rangers … and the ones for whom expectations exceeded play. [Japers' Rink]

• Braden Holtby is back up with the Capitals. [Capitals]

• The five greatest games of the New York Rangers' 2010-11 season. [Scotty Hockey]

• An in-depth look at officiating in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and all of its flaws. [Matchsticks and Gasoline]

• Via Lightning Strikes, Ryan Malone talks about his elbowing penalty in Game 6 that should have been a major. [Lightning Strikes]

• Is there going to be a Return of the Winnipeg Jets (or Whatevers) on Friday? [QMI]

• Johan Franzen skates and hopes to be ready for Round 2. Ruslan Salei misses Detroit Red Wings practice. Mike Babcock says it's "just a boo-boo." And no, there can't be anything more amusing than hearing Mike Babcock say, "Boo-boo." [Red Wings]

• Guy Gadowsky only sounds like a game show host. He's actually the first head coach in the history of Penn State's Div. I hockey program, leaving Princeton after seven years. Said the coach: "I think the Canadian hockey players are going to love it here. They're just going to eat it up." [CHN]

• The Royal Half offers a sad assessment of the Los Angeles Kings' 43rd season without a Stanley Cup. [The Royal Half]

• Finally, two of our favorite fans, K-Maxx & Shelly-D of "Cheerin' for My City" fame, are now in 8th grade and dropping this track for the Canucks. Believe!

Arguing why one player "deserves" the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy over another is a little squirmy, because it's essentially a contrast in hardships.

Does a disease trump a concussion? Is a personal tragedy a more formidable obstacle than a hockey-related injury? It's like arguing over which worthy charity most deserves your dollars, and we don't even get to put a magnetic ribbon on our cars after it's over.

Goaltender Ray Emery of the Anaheim Ducks, forward Daymond Langkow of the Calgary Flames and forward Ian Laperriere of the Philadelphia Flyers are the three finalists for the 2010-11 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded "to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey."

The Professional Hockey Writers Association nominates 30 players, one from each team chapter, and then votes on three finalists. A $2,500 grant from the Professional Hockey Writers' Association (PHWA) is awarded annually to the Bill Masterton Scholarship Fund, based in Bloomington, Minn., in the name of the Masterton Trophy winner.

Here's our take on the original group of candidates, and the top five most deserving.

The trio up for the award offers its own tales of harrowing hardships and triumphs over adversities; who wins the 2010-11 Masterton?

Why Ray Emery Deserves the Masterton

From the NHL:

Ray Emery battled back from a career-threatening injury to reach the NHL and played a major part in the Ducks' successful push for a playoff spot. Emery underwent a complicated bone-graft surgery last April to repair a deteriorated ball joint in his right hip, the result of a disease called avascular necrosis which interrupts blood flow to the area and causes cells to die. After months of rehabilitation he signed with Anaheim as a free agent on Feb. 7 and went 7-2-0 with a 2.28 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in 10 NHL regular-season appearances.

Emery's story goes well beyond the injury of course: The fact that he blew his chance with the Ottawa Senators, was exiled in Russia, earned a job with the Flyers and then went through injury hell makes his a compelling narrative. There are still those who simply don't like Emery no matter how he's reformed his life; but there are others who look beyond past foibles to accept how impressive this comeback is.

Why Daymond Langkow Deserves the Masterton

From the NHL:

On more then one occasion, it appeared Daymond Langkow's NHL career was over. After suffering a serious neck injury on March 21, 2010 against Minnesota, Langkow was twice forced to stop working out in the hopes of return. He made a third attempt and finally the recurring problems subsided. More than a year after being hit on the spine by a puck and suffering a fractured vertebra, Langkow made the comeback complete on April 1 when he laced up for his 1,014th NHL game and recorded an assist and +2 rating in the Flames' 3-2 win at St. Louis.

Again, the visuals speak much louder:

Ouch indeed. He willed his way back to the NHL, and fought through incredible setbacks and long odds to make it happen. He's a fan favorite in Calgary as well. Deserving candidate, and it's more than a little miraculous that he made it back.

Why Ian Laperriere Deserves the Masterton

From the NHL:

Ian Laperriere sustained a severe injury during the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs when he blocked a shot with his face against New Jersey and suffered a concussion and fractured orbital bone. He returned a little more than a month later to finish the Flyers' playoff run that ended two games short of a championship. Laperriere attempted to return in training camp, but could not overcome his concussion-related symptoms and has been on the long-term injury list all season. Nevertheless, he has served the Flyers in several capacities, particularly as a mentor for young players in the organization.

As we said in handicapping the field, he's a tricky candidate. No question he's made of the sort of stern stuff that the Masterton is intended to celebrate. But should this award go to someone that actually played in 2011?

The counterargument: The award is given "to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey." He didn't play, but he is a player; and there's no question that what he did while out with that injury fits the criteria.

Prediction

Emery. His injury was so rare, and his rehabilitation so impressive, that we expect him to win.

Our Ballot

Ray Emery, Anaheim Ducks
Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Minnesota Wild
Ian Lapperiere, Philadelphia Flyers

Langkow is completely worthy, but we felt Bouchard was another player that persevered through a prolonged rehab filled with setbacks, false hopes and, finally, overcoming the odds to be a solid contributor to the Wild. But we also felt he was symbolic of the concussion issue in the NHL, too. If these things can have a snub, he's a snub.

In the end, Emery's tale is the stuff of Lifetime Original Movies. Which means it's the stuff of the Masterton.

We're going to live chat both Game 7's on Tuesday evening, starting with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Buffalo Sabres at 7:30 p.m. ET and then right on through to the end of the Chicago Blackhawks and the Vancouver Canucks (so there will be some overlap). So if you're watching the games, stop in and hang with your old pals at Puck Daddy as we get loaded watch hockey.

Mere hours away from the epic finale of the No. 8-seeded Stanley Cup champions against the No. 1-seeded Presidents' Trophy winners, we offer a collection of Blackhawks vs. Canucks reading for you:

• The scoreboard at Rogers Arena read "5-0 Blackhawks" when the Canucks came out for their skate Tuesday. [Globe & Mail]

• Keith Ballard and Tanner Glass are in the lineup for Vancouver. Ballard is expected to replace the Injured Sami Salo, which is actually his legal name. Should Roberto Luongo need some sense knocked into him, Ballard's your man. [LeBrun]

• Cory Schneider on Luongo: "He's pretty sick and tired of everybody questioning him and having to answer all the speculation and proving himself all the time when he's been one of the best goalies the past 10 years." [The Province]

• Seven keys to the Canucks winning Game 7. [Pass It To Bulis]

• Patrick Kane: "I still feel all the pressure's on them. … They're the ones who were up 3-0, they're the first seed in the West, they were kind of predicted to win the Cup this year and go really far." Translation: "We decided around Game 5 that Vancouver can't beat us, and this ring says I have the hockey equivalent of '[expletive] you money' in this series." [Chicago Tribune]

• Jonathan Toews, without a goal in the series: "[Kane] and I definitely feel like we can be more productive and me especially. But hey, our team made it this far without that. Hopefully, we find a way tonight." [Sun-Times]

• Chicago is 6-1 when it has a chance to eliminate an opponent over the last three postseasons. [Second City Hockey]

• In case you were having trouble gauging how insane Vancouver is right now over this collapse, we point you to The Province and its story about positive visualization by fans to help the Canucks to victory: "Choose an item that symbolizes the Canucks for you. In a sitting position, hold the item in both hands, close your eyes and count down, slowly, from seven to one. Then, visualize a small screen hovering in front of you. On that screen, the game is over, the Canucks have won and the crowds are cheering." [Province]

• Finally, GAME 7 GOOSEBUMPS RAWK!!! (See you tonight.)

At 7:30 p.m. ET, the Buffalo Sabres visit the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

At 10 p.m. ET, the Chicago Blackhawks visit the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the Western Conference quarterfinals.

Four teams enter. Two teams advance. Two teams -- to use "Top Chef" parlance -- pack their knives and go.

Please join your pals at Puck Daddy for an evening-long mega chat that covers those games as well as Game 6 between the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens. You bring the funny; we bring the abrupt changes in tone and Hamburger Women. That's how it works.

Should be a hell of a night, eh Roberto? Chat begins at 7:30 p.m. Tell a friend.

Game 6 of the Boston Bruins' series with the Montreal Canadiens took an unexpected turn at 4:37 of the second period when Milan Lucic hit Habs defenseman Jaroslav Spacek from behind, earning a 5-minute boarding major and a game misconduct.

Spacek left the game for a bit but returned in the second period, and was taking regular shifts in the third. Patrice Bergeron took a puck over the glass penalty 16 seconds aftet Lucic's ejection. Brian Gionta scored on the 5-on-3 at 5:48 to give the Canadiens a 2-1 lead.

Thoughts on the hit? Agree with the major? Should there be anything else for Lucic from the League? We'll say this: The Spacek's damage on the hit influenced the penalty, there wasn't an intent to injure (i.e. leaving the skates) and that's a hell of a call to make in an elimination game.

Montreal won the game, 2-1, forcing a Game 7 on Wednesday night.

UPDATE: Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos reports that Milan Lucic will not be suspended for his boarding major on Jaroslav Spacek and will play in Game 7. [@RealKyper]

As hockey fans, we're used to clichés like "goaltending wins championships" and "hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard." For those very reasons, we knew the Philadelphia Flyers weren't going to win in a walk against the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

But when the dust settled on the series in Pennsylvania today, it was hard to comprehend how that battle ever went seven games. Simply put: the better team won tonight.

The Flyers won 5-2 after two late goals by Buffalo in the third period, and the game was never in doubt.

After 20 minutes of hockey, you got the impression that maybe the deeper team with the boatload of playoff experience from last year was prepared to take no prisoners. They were out-shooting Buffalo (16-2), out-scoring them (1-0), and controlling the play (trust us).

Buffalo didn't look like they could hang.

And despite some fantastic play by some quality players on the other side — including NHL all-star Ryan Miller, who was inexplicably yanked after a Ville Leino bomb in the third period — they couldn't.

Heading into this series and during it, the Flyers faced heaps of justified questions about their goaltending. It just isn't that great, compared to other NHL teams, and there aren't many people who would call that an unfair statement. But poor goaltending doesn't matter if your goalie doesn't encounter many troublesome shots, and Buffalo never tested Brian Boucher when it mattered.

The Flyers finished with eight more shots than the Sabres (36-28) despite giving up half of those in the third, well after they'd switched to playing hockey's version of the prevent defense. Aside from Drew Stafford's seven shots, no player on the Sabres side threatened the orange-and-black cage with any consistency.

The most deflating thing for Sabres fans in Game 7 — aside from the first goal, where Mike Grier tried to glove down the World's Most Harmless Shot and redirected it past first period stud Ryan Miller — was the utter presence of hopelessness.

Sabres fans never had a chance to believe, from starting on their heels to finishing on their backs.

Halfway through the second period and down 3-0, Darren Pang conducted one of those still-invasive-but-not-as-bad-when-it's-not-Pierre-McGuire bench interviews with Lindy Ruff, who sounded like the series had been over for days. Citing problems due to personnel issues, he Droopy-Dog'd a couple responses that seemed resigned to failure.

Sadly, that pushback from Coach Ruff resembled the pushback from the Sabres on the ice — turns out he may have been right in his assessment of things at that point.

They badly missed Patrick Kaleta's grit and intensity. While Paul Gaustad did his best to seem agitated and angry, the scrums never came from mutual frustration as much as they seemed to come from Sabres players who seemed to be making attempts at pseudo-matching the Flyers intensity.

To the Sabres' credit (which they deserve a lot of), this was one heck of a well-contested series for a seven-seed, and today's game just didn't do their quality of work justice. The Flyers were a two-seed because they have unparalleled depth, and when they bring it, it's a tough group to reign in no matter who's in net. And that was the case tonight.

The future for the Sabres is a bright one, and their fans should keep their chins up tonight. Their effort in game seven didn't do their proud push justice, as much as the players obviously wanted it to.

For the rest of the hockey world, it brings a very interesting situation into play — if the Bruins win in Boston tomorrow night we're looking at a Flyers-Bruins rematch from last year. The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs have been terrific, and it looks like there's only more to come.

In the opening minutes of Game 7 between the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks and the top-seeded Vancouver Canucks,  Ryan Kesler slipped a perfect pass to Canucks teammate Alex Burrows between the circles. After his snap of the puck beat Corey Crawford at 2:43, Burrows dropped to one knee, slid to the boards and was mauled by his teammates. Alex Burrows began the game as a hero.

Twenty-one seconds into the third period of Game 7, Burrows was taken down by Duncan Keith unabated to the goaltender and rewarded with a penalty shot. He skated in on Crawford with an all-too-careful deliberateness, firing a shot that was easily turned aside. Vancouver still led 1-0. Alex Burrows was still a hero.

With just over 5 minutes left in regulation of Game 7, Chris Higgins's shot produced a juicy rebound for Burrows … but he glanced the puck with the heel of his stick and Crawford made the save. Burrows was on one knee as the sequence ended, dropping an expletive in frustration. Vancouver still led 1-0. Alex Burrows was still a hero. Though not for long.

In the final minutes of regulation in Game 7, with his team on a power play, Kevin Bieksa's pass for Burrows at center ice was a little long but manageable. But Brent Seatbrook knocked it off Burrows's stick, Jonathan Toews stole the puck, and at 18:04 of the third period the Blackhawks captain tied the game with a stunning shorthanded goal. The score was now 1-1. Alex Burrows was suddenly a goat.

Twenty-four seconds into overtime of Game 7, Burrows tried to make an aggressive play in the attacking zone, wrapping his arms around Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith as he played the puck. Keith fell to the ice, the referee's arm went up, and Burrows went to the penalty box on a holding minor. The player who opened the scoring for the Canucks appeared to have handed the game to Chicago in the end. But Vancouver would kill off the power play. The score was still 1-1. And Alex Burrows was now a bigger goat.

Just over 5 minutes into overtime of Game 7, Burrows intercepted a pass by Blackhawks defenseman Chris Campoli, skated in on Crawford and ripped a perfect shot to beat a goalie that had personified perfection since Burrows's opening tally, stopping 36 shots in the game.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are a place where the shamed can find redemption. Sometimes it takes three playoff series, as it did for Roberto Luongo against the Blackhawks, who was finally emancipated from their psychological grip on him.

Other times, it can happen within a single Game 7, in a span of 65:22.

Vancouver will advance to Round 2 to face the Nashville Predators, beating the Blackhawks on Tuesday night, 2-1.

Alex Burrows ended the game as a hero.

No. 1 Star: Alex Burrows, Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks winger had an adventurous night: Goals, a penalty shot failure, an untimely penalty and a key turnover. But the bottom line is that Burrows opened and closed the scoring for Vancouver in its 2-1 Game 7 victory over their postseason tormentors, the Chicago Blackhawks. The Canucks move on to play the Predators in Round 2.

No. 2 Star: Michael Cammalleri, Montreal Canadiens

The Habs forced a Game 7 in their series against the Boston Bruins thanks in part to Cammalleri's efforts. He opened the scoring in the first period on 5-on-3 power play, converting a P.K. Subban pass on a one-timer. In the second, he picked up a secondary assist on Brian Gionta's eventual game-winner, via another 5-on-3 power play. Montreal won, 2-1, as the series shifts back to Boston for Game 7.

No. 3 Star: Danny Briere, Philadelphia Flyers

Briere factored into the Flyers' first two goals in their 5-2 Game 7 rout of the Buffalo Sabres. He assisted on Braydon Coburn's first-period goal that went off the glove of Mike Grier, giving Ryan Miller a tap on the mask on the way through the crease. In the second, he scored his sixth of the postseason on the power play.

Honorable mention: James van Riemsdyk, Ville Leino and Dan Carcillo had the other goals for the Flyers. Brian Boucher made 26 saves. … Tyler Myers and Brad Boyes scored their first of the playoffs for the Sabres. … Corey Crawford was incredible for the Blackhawks, stopping 36 high-quality chances. ... Roberto Luongo finally defeated the Blackhawks after two playoff eliminations, making 31 saves. … Carey Price made 31 saves for the Habs. … Dennis Seidenberg had the lone Boston goal. … Finally, this Jonathan Toews shorthanded goal to tie the game in the third was remarkable:

Did you know? No team has won a playoff series without scoring a power-play goal since Anaheim swept Detroit in the first round in 2003. Boston has yet to score one. (AP)

Dishonorable mention: Milan Lucic was given a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for his hit on Jaroslav Spacek. … Briere also had a dangerous hit on Rob Niedermayer, earning a 2-minute minor for boarding. ... Ryan Miller was pulled after 41:59, having given up four goals on 28 shots. … The Sabres were outshot 16-2 in the first period. … Boston gave Montreal two 5-on-3 power plays, and the Habs converted both. … Chris Kelly took a high-sticking penalty late in the third period that helped quell a Boston rally.

Conn Smythe Watch 1. Danny Briere, Philadelphia Flyers; 2. Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings; 3. Ryane Clowe, San Jose Sharks; 4. Michal Neuvirth, Washington Capitals; 5. Michael Cammalleri, Montreal Canadiens; 6. Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks; 7. Mike Fisher, Nashville Predators; 8. Martin St. Louis. Tampa Bay Lightning; 9. Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins; 10. Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers.

This full-page ad ran in the Tuesday edition of the Winnipeg Free Press, confirming that the retail pizza industry in Canada will gladly turn its marketing to the "extra cheese" setting in order to sell to fragile hockey fans. (See: Boston, er, Montreal pizza.)

Domino's Pizza of Canada president Mike Schlater is a Winnipeg Jets (and Detroit Red Wings) fan, and the man who opened the first franchise outside the U.S. in 1983. What's the deal with this ad? From the Windsor Star:

He thought up the idea last week while exercising on an elliptical trainer but ran into trouble over the wording with the newspaper since there's still a lot of speculation about whether Winnipeg will get an NHL team.

By adding "we will" welcome you back and leaving it a bit more ambiguous, Schlater got the ad run Tuesday and will follow it up with a full-page ad in the Winnipeg Sun Wednesday.

It's a truly epic attempt at pandering to puckheads. Was there ever a concern that Winnipeg had forgotten about the Jets? Or that the city wouldn't welcome back an NHL team? It's not as if they're going to look the Phoenix Coyotes up and down, mutter something like "Lauri Korpikoski? Meh …" and hand them over to Kansas City.

(If anything, perhaps Domino's should have taken a stand for the Winnipeg parks system in light of Ilya Bryzgalov's slandering.)

Of course, in the end, this is a Domino's Pizza ad advocating for the relocation of an NHL team to Winnipeg. Wonder how the U.S. chain's Glendale affiliates feel about that?

In other Return of the Jets news: No Teemu in the 'Peg. Boo.

Stick-tap Lauren Robb for the image.

The champions went out Tuesday night, and but they went out like champions.

There's no getting around the fact that the Chicago Blackhawks' title defense was a disappointment, from their Cup hangover to backing into the playoffs to going down 3-0 to the Vancouver Canucks in the conference quarterfinals. The roster was dotted with underachievers and lineup holes. The elation of 2010 became the frustration of 2011.

But that all became secondary to their near-miracle in Game 7, in which they were one goal away from becoming the fourth team ever to rally from 3-0 hole. They showed the swagger and talent that made them champions; you could hear it in Jonathan Toews's voice after the 2-1 overtime loss:

"We've had some good series in the past, but I have to say that's been the best one," he said. "We never gave up. You have to feel like it's meant to be when you get to that point. You have to think it's going to go your way and when it doesn't … I can't believe what just happened. There was no doubt in my mind we were going to win this game coming into it."

A few thoughts on the end of the Blackhawks' season:

It Wasn't About Roberto. The Blackhawks failed to create chaos in front of Roberto Luongo for one simple reason: The Canucks were protecting their keeper like the Tri-Lambs protected the Nerds from the jocks. It's hard to set screens and get in his face when Vancouver is collapsing five in the zone.

Was Luongo good? Sure, but outside of a couple saves in the third period his performance was workmanlike and occasionally worrisome; which, considering his broken psyche entering the game, naturally garnered overpraise. It was the goaltending equivalent of seeing a stroke victim slowly regain his motor skills.

Why the Blackhawks lost Game 7: Because the Canucks got back to the style they played from Games 1-3. Forechecking well to prevent breakout passes. Clearing their own zone quickly. Protecting Luongo. Some of these things fell by the wayside when the Blackhawks came charging in the third, but for the most part they didn't give Chicago the same breathing room they had in the last three losses. You could see where the seams were breaking in previous games; the Canucks stitched them up in Seven.

We feel good for Luongo -- honestly, we have no idea how the guy could continue playing hockey if Toews Parise'd him in the third and then he lost at home, in overtime, in a cruel variation of the gold medal game -- but it was his team that secured the win for him.

The Bickell Factor. Losing Bryan Bickell to wrist surgery turned out to be a significant loss, even if it wasn't a surprise. Dave Bolland, Michael Frolik and Troy Brouwer were off the score sheet in Game 7, and the Bolland line wasn't as effective on the other end of the ice either, considering how the Canucks crashed the zone for two periods. Bickell had a point in four straight playoff games, and his speed was a factor for the Canucks' defense. It doesn't have to be a superstar to be a significant loss, and this absence hurt the Blackhawks.

If They Want Him, They've Found Their Goaltender. Had Corey Crawford won that game, it would have stood up as one of the greatest goaltending performances of the season, regular or post-. He was the best player on the ice for Chicago and the only reason Vancouver wasn't in celebration mode by the third period. His sequence against Higgins, Burrows and Kesler with 5:04 left in the game was eye-popping:

He's a restricted free agent this summer, and the team and Crawford agreed to defer contract talks until after the season. He should cash in; and, hopefully, doesn't get Niemi'd out the door if Chicago doesn't like his terms.

The Summer Ahead. In the postmortem of this series, we'll likely hear about nagging injuries (gotta believe Duncan Keith's on that list, based on the optics of his game) and plans for the future. The Blackhawks have 11 free agents, but none from their core; the biggest name outside of Crawford is Troy Brouwer, who's restricted.

According to Capgeek, they have $8,385,331 in projected cap space, which again is not much to fill out a roster that needs to return in 2011-12 with better quality depth. It's a top-heavy roster salary-wise; will Stan Bowman do something about that?

Finally, How Exactly Were The Blackhawks Supposed To Win When Vancouver Was Blessed By a Double Rainbow?

Double rainbow, oh my God, double rainbow. It's so bright, so vivid.

(Ed. Note: As the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue, we're bound to lose some friends along the journey. We've asked for these losers, gone but not forgotten, to be eulogized by the people who knew the teams best: The fans who hated them the most. Here is the crew from the Philadelphia Flyers blog Flyers Goal Scored By fondly recalling the 2010-11 Buffalo Sabres. Again, this was not written by us. But you're probably not reading the intro anyway.)

By Flyers Goal Scored By

Tiny bits of rust fall from the sky. A group of mourners, mostly in black Dominik Hasek jerseys, sit before a medium sized tombstone in the honey barbeque sunset.

"Here lie the 2010-11 Buffalo Sabres who, in the true spirit of the city, came close before failing."

It is unseasonably hot in Buffalo on this April afternoon. As the people wait 5 Alarm beads of sweat run down their red faces, some women cool themselves by making fans from their divorce papers.

Finally, the puttering of a worn-down pick-up breaks the silence. As it pulls alongside the grave site Sabres owner Terry Pegula hops out of the bed, grabs his bindle, and offers $88 million to an old man in an Argonauts hat, who declines the money citing he has no desire to start a Division 1 NCAA hockey team in Pennsylvania. The truck limps off into the now mild sunset.

"Apologies everyone. This is my first one of these, but I do believe that practice makes perfect, or better at least, so I expect to improve as the years pass," said Pegula.

Pegula pulls out a piece of cheese steak-stained paper, unfolds it and continues to speak as the crowd sits in a daze.

PEGULA: "First of all, I would like to pass along condolences from former owner, Tom Golisano, who could not be here because he declined my invitation. I'd like to thank him for rescuing this franchise from an embarrassing two years of embezzlement scandal and guiding it through almost a decade of mediocrity."

(Pegula pauses and looks at the crowd expectantly. He momentarily losses his focus as he stares at a child in a "Miller's Mass Murders" T-shirt. He regains his composure.)

"People said I was crazy when, upon purchasing the Sabres this past winter, I remarked 'We're gonna win the Stanley Cup. Then, you know what, we're going to win it again.' Since my immense wealth and the access it provides access to life-extending drugs and futuristic machinery, I do plan to make good on that promise. Whether you are around to see it too … well that is highly doubtful. I mean, if you thought I meant this year you've been sniffing the local air."

"For starters, I came into a situation where we still have the same General Manager and Head Coach we had when Bill Clinton was just beginning his second term as President. That's no joke, I had to look it up, but it's true. What did you think was going to happen? They were suddenly going to just become winners after 13 years?

"Granted, they did bring high profile defensemen Jordan Leopold and Shaone Morrisonn to The Queen City in the off-season, but even signing the most talented free agents available, which I want to make clear they did, wasn't going to make up for the fact that we let Raffi Torres walk. Torres. For nothing.

"But I am not here to assign blame on such a sad occasion, because even though it's my first true hockey love, the Philadelphia Flyers, that get to continue on their run at a 3rd Stanley Cup as a result of our elimination, I'm still as sad as if I were actually a Sabres fan. I truly am. The pain of a bad investment is a burden no businessman carries lightly. It also makes me sad that the wonderful citizens of the second largest city in the state, that's right, number two, give yourselves a hand..."

(Miroslav Satan puts his thermos under his arm and claps zealously in the background.)

"...It makes me sad that a team led by one of your very own, a local hero from the half-man half-goat community of Angola, was unable to feed off of the success that teams usually have when they waive their captain in the middle of the season.

"Also, sad that assembling a group of no-name players like Kyle McCormick and Bobby Butler didn't lead to Lake Placidian levels of success, especially with the Olympic MVP in net. And I know the Olympics were 15 months ago but I'm still going to say it - Olympic MVP. There."

(A "boo-yah" comes from a small man in the LaFontaine sweater, members of the slowly sobering crowd nod in agreement.)

"Now, I cannot personally speak to the decisions made over the past few years, but when I look back, as a self-made billionaire business man, I do see an overarching and important trend: constant improvement. I believe the darkest of times are behind us. When the Sabres didn't make the playoffs with a 90-point performance in 2008 what did the franchise do? That's right, they came back next year and didn't make the playoffs with a 91-point performance. And then in 2010 the trend continued and your Buffalo Sabres won the Northeast.

"But only going six games into the playoffs, fans were still left unsatisfied. You cried for more improvement, so banished to the NHL wasteland otherwise known as not-the-Sabres were key defensive components and leaders Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder. Brought to the Sabres was Rob "The Rocket" Niedermayer, and improvement you got.

"Seven… We went seven games into the playoffs, not six like last year. And I'll promise you this right now because I'm a promising type of guy -- we will make it into the second round next year before being knocked out by a team whose skill and investment to winning far exceeds our own. I've already commissioned a local artist to turn that distracting Rick Martin tribute behind the net from a '7' into a '2', so we do not forget our dreams and ambitions for the 2011-12 season.

"Yes, the future is bright. I stand here now and think about how much our team achieved with centers Mr. Glass and Ludo, of our child-sized wingers, of our teenage defensive core, our Olympic MVP goalie who we've luckily only wasted 9 years of his pro career, and it makes me tear up with joy.

"This is a happy time for Buffalo. This is a watershed moment in the city's history. For we well strive to achieve "A New Level of Almost" in this city in the coming years. A level of almost that would make the 1999 Buffalo Sabres cringe with ecstasy. We'll make the Bills of the early '90's jaws fall off with how many years we don't win in a row. Using Mike Grier's fielding skills and Tyler Myers' height skills we'll leave our newly formed MLB and NBA franchises in the rearview mirror of our used Miatas.

"So please leave this solemn occasion filled with hope. Hope that one day you'll look back and say, 'Hey Bubba, remember when we used to lose those early playoff series? That was way easier to take than this.'

"Believe in the sweet and sour, believe in the light and dark. Because I promise you, again, that your children might see a championship in this city one day. And your children's children definitely might."

***

The sun is now all but set and most of the crowd has dispersed. Rick Jeaneret plays "Amazing Grace" on the organ as Terry Pegula pensively watches a chubby man in a tight and worn No. 18 jersey disappear over a hill into the horizon. He takes out his phone and searches for "Sabres Grosek."

The eulogy was written by Flyers Goal Scored By. We can't stress this enough.

It's a Wednesday edition of Puck Daddy Radio, and we're chatting about the following and much more:

• Note: No Puck Daddy Chat today, as we're going to have Live Chats for the Game 7s this evening.

• Special Guest Star: Matthew Sekeres of the Globe & Mail on the Vancouver Canucks' win over the Chicago Blackhawks and the rest of the playoffs.

• Centers Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings, Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks are the three finalists for the 2010-11 Frank Selke Trophy, which is awarded "to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game." Who wins?

• Complete reviews of last night's playoff games.

• Previewing Game 7 for the Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Pittsburgh Penguins.

• Question of the day: Does this first-round series help or hurt the Canucks' Cup chances?

• Puck Previews.

Email your thoughts to puckdaddyradio@thescore.com.

Puck Daddy Radio is on Monday through Friday, from 1-2 p.m. ET/10-11 a.m. PT on The Score Radio Sirius Channel 98. Featuring Wyshynski and Rob Pizzo, it's your show: Calls, tweets, special guests and a ton of hockey goodness every day.

The call in number is 1-888-942-7326 (1-888-9-HARDCORE). We'll also be reading emails to puckdaddyradio@thescore.com and tweets that you send to @wyshynski and @robpizzo.

We're all about interaction here; call in, email, tweet ... we'll discuss whatever you'd like. Listen here:

Entering this season, Pavel Datsyuk had a chance to win his fourth straight Selke Trophy for top defensive forward, tying Bob Gainey's NHL record. But competition from his peers, and injuries that limited him to 56 games, appeared to jeopardize his candidacy.

Or not …

Centers Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings, Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks are the three finalists for the 2010-11 Frank Selke Trophy, which is awarded "to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game."

The Professional Hockey Writers Association submits five-player ballots for the Selke, and the top-three vote-getters make the cut.

Who wins the 2010-11 Selke Award? And what player do you believe may have been snubbed for the award this season?

Why Pavel Datsyuk Deserves the Selke

From the NHL:

A master at getting and keeping the puck, Datsyuk ranked 11th in the League in takeaways with 71 despite being limited to 56 games due to injury. Datsyuk tied for second on the Red Wings in plus-minus with a +11 rating and was the club's top face-off man, posting a 54.6% winning percentage (429 of 785) -- his seventh consecutive season posting a win rate above 53%. Datsyuk could become the first player to win the Selke Trophy for four consecutive seasons since Bob Gainey of the Montreal Canadiens won it the first four seasons it was presented, from 1978 through 1981.

The simple answer is that Datsyuk is a difference-maker defensively in a way that catches your eye whenever you watch the Red Wings. This isn't just a reputation-based nomination; the numbers don't lie, either.

But the numbers are also not as good as last season's. Datsyuk's takeaways average to 1.27 per game played, which is down from 1.65 last season. His faceoff winning percentage this season (54.6) is down from last season (55.1).

But most of all, the primary argument against Dats is that his games played dropped from 80 to 56; that's only 15 more than Sidney Crosby played this year, 16 less than Kesler and 14 less than Toews.

Why Ryan Kesler Deserves the Selke

From the NHL:

Kesler helped the Canucks record the lowest team goals-against average in the NHL (2.20) for the first time in franchise history. He ranked fourth among NHL forwards in blocked shots (80), appeared in all 82 games and averaged a career-high 20:29 in ice time to lead all Vancouver forwards. The speedy center ranked sixth among NHL centers in face-offs taken (1,496), winning a team-best and career-high 57.4% of them (859), dished out 124 hits; recorded a team-high 65 takeaways and posted a +24 rating. Kesler is a Selke Trophy finalist for the third consecutive year, finishing second in 2010 and third in 2009.

At some point, the bridesmaid has to become the bride, right?

The acquisition of Manny Malhotra in the summer took some of the defensive heat from Kesler, and as a result he had the best offensive season of his career. But there's no question he still had the goods on faceoffs and takeaways, and skated more short-handed (2:33) than either Datsyuk or Toews.  Look no further than the Stanley Cup Playoffs to be reminded of what kind of shutdown center this guy is; right, Mr. Toews?

Why Jonathan Toews Deserves the Selke

From the NHL:

Toews led all Chicago forwards in plus-minus and ranked second on the club overall with a career-high +25 rating. He took 1,653 face-offs, second in the NHL behind Carolina's Eric Staal (1,751), and won a League-leading 937 of them (56.7%). He recorded 95 takeaways, also second in the NHL behind San Jose's Joe Thornton (114), delivered 74 hits and blocked 28 shots. The Blackhawks captain, who turns 23 on Friday, is a first-time Selke finalist and a second-time NHL trophy finalist -- he finished third in Calder Trophy voting for the League's top rookie in 2008.

On top of all that, Toews also faced slightly tougher competition than Datsyuk, according to Behind The Net's Quality of Competition ratings for 5-on-5 hockey; aka "Average Relative Plus-Minus of opposing players, weighted by head-to-head ice time." (Toews: 0.079 rating; Datsyuk: 0.076 rating.) QualComp is an argument against Kesler, who had a 0.028 rating in comparison; the Sedins and Manny Malhotra actually faced tougher competition in the regular season.

Prediction

Kesler, but it's going to be close. He had enough hype for this away earlier this season that it's hard to imagine him not winning it.

Our Ballot

Ryan Kesler, Vancouver Canucks
Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
Frans Nielsen, New York Islanders
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks

Chara gets nominated for the Norris and Thomas for the Vezina, but the other part of that defensive trinity gets snubbed for the Selke? Bergeron was right behind Toews in faceoff winning percentage (56.6) and led the Bruins' penalty killing forwards in ice time (2:03). He was snubbed.

Nielsen was screwed because he was less than 50 percent on faceoffs (46.2) and because, well, he's an Islander. But he led the team in short-handed ice time (2:59), led the NHL in short-handed goals with seven and was a great shutdown forward for them.Very underrated, but he's also the kind of defensive forward that doesn't seem to make the cut for this award.

The Selke's been like the Norris for too long: Guys who defend, but also score. The last true defensive forward that won was Kris Draper.

We don't regret the Datsyuk over Toews thing, because even down Datsyuk numbers are Datsuykian. But if you want to make the games-played argument, we'd understand.