Player Notes

Howard stopped 19 of the 20 shots he faced in Saturday's Game 2 win over Chicago.
Recommendation: After seeing 41 shots fired his way in the series opening loss on Wednesday, Howard had to be happy to see a much more complete effort from the squad in front of him at both ends of the ice Saturday. He'll be in goal for the Wings again when the series heads to Detroit for Game 3.

Glass will make his first playoff appearance since Round 1 Sunday night against the Senators.
Recommendation: Glass has eight hits in four playoff contests and brings a penalty-killing element Joe Vitale does not offer.

Vitale (undisclosed) will not take the ice for Sunday's Game 3 in Ottawa, the LNH.com reports.
Recommendation: Vitale has appeared in just four of eight playoff tilts for the Penguins this postseason, tallying one assist with an even +/- on his line. When he does play, he's unlikely to log more than 10 minutes of ice time. Pittsburgh will miss his faceoff ability. Vitale has won 23 of 41 draws. No word on whether his absence is injury related or due to a personal issue. Tanner Glass will take his spot in the lineup.

Quick was on his game Saturday, stopping 38 San Jose shots, but his teammates couldn't generate enough offense to close the deal as the Sharks escaped with a 2-1 overtime win.
Recommendation: He's displaying the same form in this postseason that propelled the Kings to the 2012 Stanley Cup. We have no hesitation about commending him to you whenever LA takes the ice.

Zetterberg had a pair of assists, including one on the game-winning tally in the Wings' victory over Chicago on Saturday.
Recommendation: After making a heads-up play in a race to a loose puck in the Hawks' zone, Zetterberg brought the puck behind the Chicago goal line before firing a pass through a defenseman's skates to Brendan Smith at the back door. Aside from his contributions offensively, Zetterberg's value in the series will also come in the form of providing a tough defensive matchup for Hawks captain Jonathan Toews.

Callahan was a minus-1 with a goal on three shots in Sunday's 5-2 loss to Boston.
Recommendation: Callahan's even strength goal not only quickly answered Boston's early lead, but came on a nifty deke across the crease past Tuukka Rask. The Rangers' captain also tied this season's playoff-high with eight hits in the loss.

Coach Claude Julien said that Redden (undisclosed injury), will likely be a game-time decision for Sunday's Game 2 against the Rangers, the Boston Globe reports.
Recommendation: Redden skated with the team at Saturday's practice, suggesting that he is progressing toward a return. In the absence of veteran blueliners Redden, Dennis Seidenberg and Andrew Ference, youngsters Torey Krug, Dougie Hamilton and Matt Bartkowski having been filling in for the B's.

Hannan missed about six minutes of action early in the second period of Saturday's Game 3 against the Kings after sliding face-first into the boards.
Recommendation: After a brief respite, he returned to action and skated an otherwise normal complement of shifts. There's no indication that he won't be able to go in Tuesday's Game 4.

Seidenberg (leg) skated with strength and conditioning coach John Whitesides before Saturday's practice, the Boston Herald reports.
Recommendation: Though Seidenberg is doing better, coach Claude Julien noted that he didn't anticipate the blueliner being ready for Sunday's Game 2 against the Rangers.

Crawford stopped 26 of the 30 shots he faced in Saturday's loss to the Red Wings.
Recommendation: The Wings looked much better in all facets of the game Saturday, limiting the pressure of the Hawks in their defensive zone and outshooting Chicago 30-20 in the winning effort.

Marleau assisted on both San Jose goals as the Sharks edged the Kings 2-1 in Saturday's Game 3 of the teams' second-round series.
Recommendation: He has a 5-3-8 ledger after seven playoff games, with half of those points coming on San Jose power plays. There's no sign that this productivity will abate.

Clowe (undisclosed injury) won't play in Sunday's Game 2 against the Bruins, the team's official site reports.
Recommendation: At this point, there's no concrete timetable for when Clowe might return to the Rangers' lineup. He last suited up for the team back on May 10.

Rask stopped 35-of-37 shots in Sunday's win over the Rangers in Game 2 of the Bruins' second-round playoff series.
Recommendation: Rask, who has won his last three playoff starts, has led the Bruins to a 2-0 series lead in the process. He'll continue to man the pipes for the team when the series resumes in New York on Tuesday.

Nash scored his first goal of the playoffs in Sunday's 5-2 loss to Boston
Recommendation: Having been stuck in Columbus for the entirety of his career previously, the goal is just the second of Nash's playoff career. With a goal and two assists in his last three games, perhaps Nash is warming up just in time to push the Rangers into the conference finals.

Lundqvist indicated after Sunday's loss to the Bruins that he'll get his left shoulder checked out, Andrew Gross of The Record reports.
Recommendation: Lundqvist acknowledged that his shoulder was an issue in third period Sunday, but so far there is nothing to suggest that his availability for Tuesday's Game might be impacted.

Vokoun is slated to start Sunday's Game 3 against the Senators, Pens' Inside Scoop reports.
Recommendation: Vokoun has now won his last seven starts, including all four of the Penguins' playoff contests. Marc-Andre Fleury waits in the wings though, if Vokoun falters at any point down the road.

Couture returned to the ice after sustaining a second-period leg injury and delivered the game-winner in overtime as the Sharks edged Los Angeles on Saturay night, 2-1. The win cuts the Kings' series lead to 2-1.
Recommendation: This is the first OT tally of Couture's career, and came on a San Jose power play. The injury cost him most of the second frame, but he played all of the third before delivering the clincher. As long as he's on a line with Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, Couture is a solid bet to appear on the scoresheet.

Niemi outdueled LA's Jonathan Quick on Saturday as the Sharks got by the Kings in overtime, 2-1. Niemi stopped 26 shots on the night.
Recommendation: Niemi rose to this ocasion. The Sharks had to have this game, to avoid dropping into a 3-0 hole; and Niemi had to come up big, as Quick put on another dazzling performance. Game 4 is Tuesday, and Niemi will assuredly be in the crease for that contest.

Havlat (groin) won't play in Tuesday's Game 4 against the Kings, Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area reports.
Recommendation: Kurz adds that he'd be shocked to see Havlat play again in the Sharks' second-round series against Los Angeles, which the team trails 2-1.

Boychuk scored a goal in Sunday's win over the Rangers in Game 2 of the Bruins' second-round playoff series.
Recommendation: Boychuk notched just one goal in 44 regular season games, but his dangerous shot has already hit the back of the net three times in nine playoff games to date.

Toews was taken out of Game 2 as the Red Wings pushed him around in the Blackhawks' 4-1 loss, ESPN Chicago reports.
Recommendation: Maybe this will wake-up Toews who has not potted a goal in seven postseason games this season. He does have three assists in the last three games, but no goals to show for it. "I'm not going to go off and complain about some calls I thought should have been called or whatever, one way or another," Toews said. "If that's the way they're going to play, well, we need to play the same. There's a lot of clutch and grab, a lot of interference. If they're going to let that go, that's something we need to know and maybe do to them a little bit."

Kane snapped his playoff scoring drought by potting the opening tally in the Hawks' Game 2 loss to Detroit on Saturday.
Recommendation: The goal was only Kane's second since he scored the game-winner in the Hawks' series-clinching victory in the Stanley Cup finals in 2010.

Powe (undisclosed) won't play in Sunday's Game 2 against the Bruins, the team's official site reports.
Recommendation: Marc Staal and Ryane Clowe remain out as well, with Powe's last action for the Rangers coming back on May 6.

Stalberg appears to be headed to dressing for Game 3 on Monday in the Western Conference semifinals against the Red Wings after practicing with the third line on Sunday, ESPN Chicago reports.
Recommendation: Stalberg had been in Blackhawks' head coach Joel Quenneville's dog house after the series with the Wild and was a healthy scratch in the first two games with the Red Wings. With the 4-1 loss in Game 2, the Blackhawks will be looking from some speed from Stalberg to help perk up the team's offense.

Ference (lower body) won't play Sunday against the Rangers, the Boston Herald reports.
Recommendation: Ference, who was injured back on May 10 in Game 5 of the B's first-round playoff series against Toronto, is still not skating, suggesting that his return to action is not imminent.