CBS.SportsLine.com's Wes Goldstein and Erin Brown provide analysis on three topics.
| What do you think of the NHL examining the place of fighting in the game? | |
| Wes Goldstein | Erin Brown |
 It's a worthwhile notion, but two weeks before the playoff starts is not the time to think about this kind of hot-button issue. That said, give NHL chief disciplinarian Colin Campbell credit for some neat damage control by floating the question. Campbell was reacting after Philadelphia's Todd Fedoruk was carried off by stretcher because of fight, the second player within a week to leave a game that way. Those images, played widely on newscasts, aren't good for the league, and Campbell gets pressured about them from all sides. So by suggesting the NHL begin a "conversation" about fighting, he created an air of gravitas about the subject and offered commentators, coaches, players and fans a chance to vent. Too bad it took the focus off some great playoff races, but that was the lesser of all evils for a league that takes too many of these kinds of PR hits. Clearly, there are two entrenched and contradictory views about the merits of fighting in hockey. Reviewing them in the proper forum makes sense and could lead to solution that makes everybody happy. But now isn't the time. |  Considering the number of violent incidents in the past few weeks, it was only a matter of time before someone started questioning fighting. The act of dropping the gloves has been unfairly lumped in with recent cheap shots by Chris Neil, Chris Simon and Jordin Tootoo. It's funny that this subject only emerged after tough guy Todd Fedoruk got knocked out after being popped in the face for the 1,000th time. If fighting were such a pressing issue, why was this not brought up right after the Sabres-Senators brawl earlier this season? Instead of wasting time talking about fighting -- which is embedded in the culture of North American hockey -- the league should be focusing on the real issue, dirty plays. More players have left the ice due to cheap shots than getting punched out in a fight. Perhaps Colin Campbell really meant to single out violence in general and wasn't clear in his remarks. Or maybe the NHL's top cop is trying to save face for the lack of action against other blatantly violent incidents that have given the league bad press. |
| Which teams will survive the East's wild race for playoff spots? | |
| Wes Goldstein | Erin Brown |
| Coach John Tortorella guarantees his Lightning will be among them, but with six others fighting for four spots, it's no sure thing. Look for the Hurricanes, Rangers, Canadiens and Thrashers to make the playoffs. All East contenders have taken turns looking both great and awful at times, and not much separates them now. Those who recover quickly from bad nights might have an edge, as do those with more home games than away. But goaltending is critical, which is why the Lightning and the Islanders, now that Rick DiPietro is out, will fall short. Meanwhile Henrik Lundqvist has triggered the Rangers revival, and rookie Jan Halak has done the same in Montreal. In spite of the drubbing in Toronto, the Hurricanes are back in the race with some momentum and the experience of last season's Stanley Cup run. Don't be surprised if Carolina steals the Southeast that Atlanta seemed to have sewn up a couple weeks ago. The Thrashers weren't able to pull away, but they're explosive, and goalie Kari Lehtonen is better than Toronto's resilient Andrew Raycroft. | One thing is for sure: The Islanders are going to have an incredibly tough time clinching a playoff spot without Rick DiPietro. I think the Rangers and Canadiens will hang on to the final two spots, with the Maple Leafs putting up the best fight among teams still looking in from the outside. Teams seeking playoff berths are going to live and die by their goaltending, and the three teams above have favorable situations heading into the final week of the season. Henrik Lundqvist appears to have finally found the consistency he lacked earlier. Montreal, which has lucked out before starting rookie goalies heading into the playoffs, seems to be continuing the trend with Jaroslav Halak. The Habs might also get back All-Star Cristobal Huet, who was expected to miss the rest of the season following a hamstring surgery. Toronto's Andrew Raycroft hasn't been as consistent as Lundqvist or Halak, but he has shown flashes of brilliance. Assuming the Leafs can limit the number of shots Raycroft faces and the former Calder Trophy winner is on his game, Toronto has a shot. |
| Who has the best goaltending situation heading into the playoffs? | |
| Wes Goldstein | Erin Brown |
| Going strictly by the resume, the New Jersey Devils obviously have no complaints with Martin Brodeur. Vancouver is feeling pretty good because of Roberto Luongo and the Sabres' faith in Ryan Miller let them trade Martin Biron at the deadline. Of course, they hope dealing away a No. 1A goalie won't come back to haunt them. The Red Wings have similar nightmares about Dominik Hasek going down, as do the Rangers because of Lundqvist. The Islanders know what happens when you lose your starter. But some teams like Anaheim, Nashville and San Jose have good Plan B options. Anaheim's J-S Giguere, Nashville's Tomas Vokoun and San Jose's Evgeni Nabokov all have No. 1 status, but their teams have backups who have seen substantial playing time this season and wouldn't create noticeable differences in goal. The Predators probably have the biggest edge because of Chris Mason, who was superb while Vokoun was hurt in midseason and has challenged him for the No. 1 job since. Coach Barry Trotz hinted Mason might even get it for the playoffs. Nice problem for a coach to have. | Coaches learned a big lesson about the new NHL during last postseason: plan on being flexible when it comes to making a change in your starting goaltender. Six teams ended up changing their starters, including the Stanley Cup-winning Hurricanes, who swapped Martin Gerber for eventual Conn Smythe winner Cam Ward. Based on that possibility, Nashville and Detroit have the best situation heading into the playoffs. Tomas Vokoun's play over the past few seasons suggests he could be a prime candidate to be the hot goaltender this year for a Stanley Cup run. In addition to solid regular season stats, Vokoun has plenty of experience in pressure situations in international competition. Should Vokoun become injured or struggle, the Predators have a capable replacement in Chris Mason, who showed earlier this season he is able to handle the pressure as a No. 1. Detroit, meanwhile, is the only team bound for the playoffs with not one but two netminders who have carried teams as starters during a successful Stanley Cup run. The Wings have reason to be concerned about the injury bug hitting their goalies, but experience could help soften such a blow. |
