No. 1 Star: Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
Rinne's numerous outstanding stops, like the game-saver in overtime on Kevin Bieksa, propelled Nashville to a road split with a 2-1 double overtime win over the Vancouver Canucks. Making 32 saves, including 11 in the overtime periods, Rinne helped the Predators head home for Game 3 on Tuesday night with the series knotted at one.
No. 2 Star: David Krejci, Boston Bruins
The Bruins emphatically opened their series against the Philadelphia Flyers with a 7-3 victory in Game 1. Krejci, who missed the final four games of the series last year with a wrist injury, recorded a four-point night with two goals and two assists in the victory. Needing just 1:52 to open the scoring, Krejci and Brad Marchand (two goals as well) scored 108 seconds apart late in the second period to chase Brian Boucher.
No. 3 Star: Ryan Suter, Nashville Predators
It was Suter's goal off a bank shot from the corner with 67 seconds left in the third period that sent the game to overtime. Suter also assisted on Matt Halischuk's double overtime winner and was just 11 seconds behind Shea Weber in time on-ice playing an incredible 42:01.
Honorable mention: Dennis Seidenberg played a solid 25:43 and finished a plus-2 with a pair of assists ... Patrice Bergeron recorded three assists to give him 10 points in seven games ... Alex Burrows scored the lone goal for Vancouver, a shorthanded tally to give him four in four games ... Roberto Luongo made 44 saves in a losing effort ... Here's Matt Halischuk playing the hero for Nashville:
The Green Men in Vancouver were at it again using Mike Fisher's wife, Carrie Underwood, as part of their prop comedy:
Did you know? The double overtime game was the longest in Predators history, and the third longest ever for the Canucks. (AP)
Dishonorable mention: Boston's abysmal power play went 0-for-5 to fall to 0-for-26 in the playoffs so far ... More goalie follies for the Flyers as Brian Boucher was pulled after allowing five Bruins goals and Sergei Bobrovsky allowed the final two before things ended.
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. Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks; 6. Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning; 7. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators; 8. Nathan Horton, Boston Bruins; 9. Dwayne Roloson, Tampa Bay Lightning; 10. Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers.