This is crunch time.
Late nights spent studying for finals, writing papers, preparing for presentations. These high pressure situations have come to define a college student's last few weeks on campus each year. Everything is going well until finals come around and then, suddenly, the success of your entire semester comes down to a few opportunities.
In this way, the National Hockey League and college seem very much alike.
The remaining playoff contenders are facing their toughest tests of the year and each subsequent game becomes more and more important. Win or go home. Play mistake-free or you will lose.
Some teams (San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning) are passing with flying colors, while others (Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings) just don't seem well-prepared.
The next few days will determine which teams pass and which ones fail.
First, let's start with the teams who offer the best models for grace under pressure -- a trait most of us could use right about now.
In what many experts saw as an unfavorable match-up for the Sharks, San Jose was forced to the play the red-hot Colorado Avalanche in the second round.
After hearing of the match-up, most Sharks fans surely trembled as memories of Game Seven against the Avs two years ago replayed in their heads.
The Sharks, though, haven't paid much mind to the experts or to history, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Semifinals. Veteran Vincent Damphousse and goalie Evgeni Nabokov (who has been hotter than thefacebook.com lately) have been outstanding for the Sharks, whose gritty yet quick style of play has kept Colorado frustrated.
The Lightning are also looking good so far in the second round, leading their series with the Montreal Canadians 3-0.
Tonight's Game Four in Montreal could be the Canadians' last of the season (ESPN, CBC, 7p.m.).
It seems as though the Habs just didn't have anything left in the tank after their grueling seven-game series with the Boston Bruins serving as a reminder that one should never underestimate the importance rest has on performance.
The Lightning have been winning in large part because of the play of Vincent Lecavalier, who has five goals in the three second-round games (including one in game three with 17 seconds left to force OT).
As for disappointments, both the Maple Leafs and Red Wings seem to be faltering in the second round after looking good in the first. Both of their series are far from over (Calgary leads the Red Wings 2-1 and Toronto is trailing the Philadelphia Flyers 2-0), but most NHL observers expected better showings.
If these teams are eliminated, their failures can be partly attributed to running up against great goaltending. Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff has not missed a beat in the postseason after contributing all regular season long -- Detroit just hasn't been able to figure him out. Additionally, Flyers' goalie Robert Esche has proven his many critics wrong, making very few mistakes between the pipes against both the New Jersey Devils and the Maple Leafs.
Now, for the much-anticipated predictions. First, to tie up some Inside the NHL loose ends: this reporter went five for eight in the first round, impressively picking four of the series with the correct number of games (including a courageous Montreal-in-seven pick... was there ever any doubt?).
You have to like the Flyers coming out of the East. They have all the ingredients -- hot goalie, physical toughness and skill -- to finally make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. The West, it seems, is much more open. With both the Sharks and the Flames threatening in their respective series, an all small-market team Western Conference Finals seems plausible (though I happen to think that the Red Wings will end up beating Calgary).
The Sharks, though, seem like the team of destiny this year and it's hard to envision their magical season coming to an end before an appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. So, who will win the whole thing? I don't know if I'm completely prepared to answer that question, but I will leave you with a declaration of unprecedented candor: GO SHARKS!
Don't let finals worry you. Watching professional hockey players struggle with playoff pressure helps to relieve college stress. Regrettably, this is the last Inside the NHL of the school year, but it's been a pleasure serving you. Enjoy the rest of the playoffs and join me in spending the summer rooting against a lock-out.
