-It’s amazing to think that the Sens have made it to game seven while many of their top players continue to struggle (particularly Michalek and Karlsson).  I’m not sure MacLean has much choice except to keep riding his horses in the final game–if they wake up it’s clear the Rangers can’t compete with them.

–Paul MacLean summed up last night’s game, “I didn’t think we played very well or consistently until the last six minutes of the game. I’d like to see us play harder.”  Spezza was benched most of the third period and the forwards on the first powerplay unit did not play during the third period powerplay.

-The NHL is looking into Milan Michalek‘s apparent kick last night.  If he kicked Girardi he should be suspended.

–Matt Puempel talks about his concussion from earlier this year:

I don’t feel anything from that (the concussion) and I don’t hesitate at all (on the ice). I don’t think it’s held me back at all.

–Stu Hackel takes a look at the upsets so far in the first round and the seeming changing of the guard among the NHL’s favourites (with Vancouver, Pittsburgh, Detroit, San Jose, and Chicago already eliminated).

-It’s funny how conventional wisdom in the hockey world says that the Western Conference is the harder conference–better teams, more difficult opponents–and yet the West was won much more easily than the East this playoff year.  With two five-game and six-game series’, rested Western teams are already set for the second round, while the East features at least two game sevens and no series that ended earlier than six games.

This article is written by Peter Levi, be sure to follow @eyeonthesens