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Host, TSN The Reporters with Dave Hodge

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It’s not always about goaltending in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but it can seem that way.

Pick any of the eight first-round series and try to explain what has happened so far without mentioning the name of a goalie.

Philadelphia can outplay Washington but must beat Braden Holtby or nothing else matters, especially when Steve Mason whiffs on a puck from centre ice. It was the kind of help the Capitals didn’t need with Holtby on their side.

Pittsburgh has to deal with Henrik Lundqvist’s return to the New York Rangers’ net while realizing that Jeff Zatkoff cannot be expected to be as good at the other end.

Thomas Greiss has done fine for the New York Islanders, but the toughest thing for a goalie without playoff credentials is to follow a loss with a win. Veteran Roberto Luongo did that, shaking off an opening game that was much less than his best with a stellar performance to get Florida even.

The St. Louis-Chicago series might well be decided by one goal, and by the winner of what amounts to a goaltending duel between Brian Elliott and Corey Crawford.

Tampa Bay’s Ben Bishop and Nashville’s Pekka Rinne join Holtby and two others on the list of goalies who haven’t lost.

Those “others” are Kari Lehtonen of Dallas and San Jose’s Martin Jones.

“Thumbs up” to them for helping their teams to 2-0 series leads, and for silencing, temporarily at least, doubters who pointed question marks straight at Lehtonen and Jones. Or, should I say, at the Dallas and San Jose goalies?

There were those who figured Dallas might use Antti Niemi and the Sharks might need James Reimer. The first two wins aren’t as important or as difficult as the next two that Lehtonen and Jones are seeking, but they should supply necessary confidence. In the playoffs, goalies need that more than anything.

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Win or lose against the Islanders, the Florida Panthers have written this season’s most surprising success story. It is good to see the efforts of general manager Dale Tallon, coach Gerard Gallant, the young Panthers and their baby-sitter Jaromir Jagr rewarded with fervent fan support in south Florida. “Thumbs up” on that score.

Then there are the rats that littered the ice at the end of Friday’s 3-1 series-tying victory. They are part of Panthers’ history and it can be argued that they are harmless. Nevertheless, they should not re-appear, and if they do, the NHL should not look the other way.

The Islanders were made to stand and watch the cleanup crew collect plastic rodents before the game could be completed with 10 seconds of meaningless  play. It was an invitation for coaches and players of both teams to yap at each other, and the refs hardly needed that. Should the scene be repeated when the series returns to Florida, the NHL should allow the referees to bring the game to a premature end if the verdict has been determined. And if the Panthers want to supply their fans with toy rats, they need to find a way to keep them off the ice. Fat chance, of course, the rats will fly before the fans will stop throwing them. So the Panthers should face a hefty fine from the league.

Fun is fun. Kevin Spacey was fun. The rats are a nuisance.