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Devils look to eliminate Rangers in Game 6; Hal Gill’s broken tibia (Playoff Puck Previews) (Puck Daddy)

Preview: New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils, 8 p.m. ET The Rangers and Devils head back to Newark for Game 6. Will the Rangers stave off elimination, just as they did in 1994? Here's the key: Michael Del Zotto (above, punching Alexei Ponikarovsky in the beak). The offensive defenceman is a minus-5 in this series, going even in 3 of them, and minus-2 and minus-3 in the Game 2 and Game 5 losses, respectively. The Rangers' top pairing looks to be slowing down -- totally natural considering the minutes they've played all year -- and if Del Zotto can't eat up some quality minutes behind them, the Rangers could be done tonight. Evening reading: • Alain Vigneault went on a French-language radio show earlier this week and confirmed that Roberto Luongo had requested a trade. Friday, Mike Gillis established that "he didn't mean what he said." Right. Got it. [ Vancouver Sun ] • The definitive guide to playoff facial hair. [ Five Minutes for Fighting ] • As it turns out, Hal Gill played the entire postseason on a broken tibia, which is sort of badass. But what blows me away is that I'm not entirely blown away by it -- this sort of things happens fairly often in hockey, reason a billion why hockey is awesome. [ SB Nation ] • What sort of impact has Martin Brodeur's puckhandling had on the Rangers/Devils series? [ Edmonton Journal ] • Sean McIndoe on why Maple Leafs fans still can't get over that missed call from the 1993 Western Conference finals. [ Grantland ] • And finally, Mark Messier guarantees a Game 6 win after all: Puck Buddy Comment of the Day: Frank Grimes, on John Tortorella's origin story , which included ground balls to the face: This article has been up for an hour and I haven't read one good "balls to the face joke" yet. Make my Friday Puck Daddy! No kidding. I expected more from all of you. Bold prediction: Wysh has four heart attacks during the course of Friday night's game.

 

For Los Angeles Kings, when does rest become rust for Stanley Cup Final? (Puck Daddy)

It's late May. You've played three rounds of hockey. The bumps and bruises are there, but you're playing for the Stanley Cup, man. The three teams left in the race for the Cup are all feeling the effects of playing an extra month and a half of hockey. And while the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers will be playing their 18th and 20th games of the playoffs (respectively) tonight, the Los Angeles Kings have breezed their way through three rounds with a meager 14. The Rangers played that many through the opening two rounds and according to STATS, LLC., no Cup-winning team has ever played more than 18 games to get to the Final. By eliminating the Vancouver Canucks in five games and the St. Louis Blues in four, the Kings are used to having time off between series. With eight days between Game 5 against the Phoenix Coyotes and Game 1 of the Final, is that too much rest for the Kings?

 

Flyers May Be a Footnote for Another Champion: A Fan's Outlook (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

The Philadelphia Flyers are no good at winning the Stanley Cup themselves. However, Flyers fans like myself are all too used to seeing someone else rise to power at our own expense. The Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils have started dynasties at Philadelphia's expense over the decades, and now another conference/Stanley Cup champion may emerge after using the Flyers as a stepping stone.

 

Lightning GM Yzerman suggests he won’t be trading for Luongo, strengthens position for Luongo trade (Puck Daddy)

Don't listen to Yzerman, Lu. He's just playing hard to get. Shortly after the Vancouver Canucks were eliminated from the playoffs, reports surfaced that Roberto Luongo had requested a trade in his exit interview. (Those reports were confirmed Wednesday by Canucks coach Alain Vigneault in an interview with TVA Sports. "This is what he wants now," Vigneault said .) According to further reports, Luongo even provided a list of teams he was willing to join, one of which was, reportedly, the Tampa Bay Lightning. A Luongo-to-Tampa trade would make a lot of sense for everyone. The Canucks have an elite goalie to deal, Luongo has family in Florida, and after watching Dwayne Roloson spend the season turning to dust before their very eyes like he'd come down with a bad case of Mummy's Curse, the Lightning clearly need a new guy back there. But, Wednesday morning, Lightning GM Steve Yzerman appeared on 620 WDAE "The Sports Animal" and indicated that, while addressing the goaltending situation was very much an offseason priority for his club, acquiring a netminder via trade -- say, a Luongo type, maybe, whatever, just spitballin' -- was not. Yzerman: I think everybody's trying to find somebody that's an elite guy. I would say there's probably five or six elite goaltenders in the league and then there's a group of good goaltenders, and then there's a group of teams that are really searching for that guy to lock up and not worry about for the present and the future. My philosophy is I'm trying to find that Hall of Fame goaltender, and good luck trying to do that -- it takes time. We'll find that guy through the draft or unrestricted free agency. That guy isn't there at this time. And then, Yzerman hung up the phone, hopped over to Line 1, and said, "Your move, Gillis."

 

Canucks extend contract Vigneault's contract (The Associated Press)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) The Vancouver Canucks signed coach Alain Vigneault to a contract extension, ending speculation that the team's playoff loss to Los Angeles might cost him the job.

 

Canucks give coach Vigneault a contract extension (The SportsXchange)

Even though the Vancouver Canucks were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round this season, they announced Wednesday that they have signed coach Alain Vigneault to a two-year contract extension.

 

Canucks extend contract for coach Vigneault (The Associated Press)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) The Vancouver Canucks signed coach Alain Vigneault to a contract extension, ending speculation that the team's playoff loss to Los Angeles might cost him the job.

 

Canucks coach signs contract extension (AFP)

Alain Vigneault has signed a contract extension to remain as coach of the Vancouver Canucks, the National Hockey League team announced on Wednesday.

 

Alain Vigneault signs extension with Vancouver Canucks because he’s excellent (Puck Daddy)

When Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis signed his contract extension earlier this month, the conversation turned to the future of coach Alain Vigneault. His return was never a guarantee, given the team's President's Trophy-to-first-round-exit performance and the fact that Vingeault has been on and off the hot seat since 2008. But Gillis gave him an endorsement: "He has done an excellent job and I don't know why you wouldn't want somebody back who has done an excellent job and has the results to show for it," said the GM. On Wednesday, the Canucks made a most excellent decision: Signing Vigneault, 51 to a contract extension. From the Canucks: "Alain has established himself as one of the premiere coaches in the National Hockey League," said Gillis. "He has demonstrated a commitment to winning that has led to back-to-back Presidents' Trophies and we are confident his dedication and hard work will continue to yield positive results. Alain has built a foundation of winning with this franchise and I feel he can continue to build on that foundation to achieve our ultimate goal." "I am pleased to be signing this extension to continue as the Head Coach of such an outstanding organization," said Vigneault. "I look forward to taking the next step with this franchise in bringing the Stanley Cup to Vancouver. I feel fortunate to be able to work with such a dedicated group of management, coaches and players in this great city I love." Vigneault had one more season left on his current deal. Had the Canucks severed ties with him, heavy speculation had him potentially returning to the Montreal Canadiens to fill that vacancy.

 

Kings stun Phoenix in OT to reach Stanley Cup final (AFP)

The Los Angeles Kings continued their road to success in the 2012 NHL postseason, punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup finals by eliminating the Phoenix Coyotes in five games.