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Box score from the Stanley Cup finals game 25 years ago that was cancelled because of a power outage at the Boston Garden:

EDMONTON 3 @ BOSTON 3 CANCELLED GAME
FIRST PERIOD
1. EDMONTON, Glenn Anderson 9 (Mark Messier, Craig Muni) 0:10
2. EDMONTON, Esa Tikkanen 8 (Wayne Gretzky) 15:33 PPG
3. BOSTON, Greg Hawgood 1 (Rick Middleton, Bob Sweeney) 16:56
Penalties – Kasper B Lacombe E 1:59, McSorley E 5:30, Messier E 8:01, Pederson B 14:22, Bourque B 14:30,
Tikkanen E 19:25

SECOND PERIOD
4. BOSTON, Glen Wesley 5 (unassisted) 6:12 SHG
5. BOSTON, Glen Wesley 6 (Ken Linseman) 7:37 PPG
6. EDMONTON, Craig Simpson 12 (Steve Smith, Wayne Gretzky) 16:37 PPG
Penalties – Edmonton bench 0:44, Lemay B 4:46, Lowe E 7:34, Anderson E Markwart B 10:28, Smith E
Sweeney B 13:05, Simpson E 14:15, Crowder B 15:10

Game stopped at 16:37 (2131 h et) of second pd due to total power failure at Boston Garden
All statistics from this game are counted in players' Stanley Cup totals
Shots on goal by
OILERS 14 7
BRUINS 11 8
EDMONTON, Grant Fuhr; BOSTON, Andy Moog
Power play – EDM – 2 for 4, BOS – 1 for 6
At Boston Garden

Eastern Conference Semifinals - Game 5
Senators at Penguins, 7:30 ET (Penguins lead series, 3-1)
* Penguins: lead a playoff series 3-1 for 1st time since 2011 Conf. Quarterfinals vs Lightning (PIT lost that series in 7 games)
* Penguins: 4-1 at home this postseason (won 3 straight since loss in Game 2 of Conf. Quarterfinals vs Islanders)
* Penguins: lead postseason with 12 power play goals
* Senators: have never won a playoff series when they have trailed 3-1 after 4 games (0-5 all-time)
* Senators: 2-6 in playoff games when facing elimination since start of 2006 postseason (1 of the 2 wins was a Game 5 at Penguins in 2010 Conf. Quarterfinals)
* Senators: allowed 16 goals in 4 games in this series (allowed 9 goals in 5 games in Conf. Quarterfinals vs Canadiens)

Not In Our House: The Senators try to avoid elimination tonight, but being on the road won’t help. From Elias: With three more wins Thursday night, home teams are now 44-20 (.688) in this year’s playoffs, including 14-3 (.824) in this round. Since the NHL expanded in 1967, the highest winning percentage by home teams in the second round came way back in 1976 (.792).

PITTSBURGH -- In the wake of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lopsided win in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference second-round series against the Ottawa Senators, there is the expectation that this team is not yet done winning this spring.

And if the Penguins are going to keep winning -- a victory in Game 5 on Friday night would send them to their first conference finals since winning the Stanley Cup in 2009 -- there will be the inevitable comparisons to those teams that advanced to the Stanley Cup finals in 2008 and 2009, winning the Cup on the second try.

While it might be fun for the media to ruminate, you don’t have to go far in the Penguins’ locker room to realize that the players do not view themselves through the prism of the past.

Sidney Crosby said that change is inevitable regardless of whether a team has been successful.

“I think obviously there’s a few guys still around, but we’ve definitely changed a lot. I don’t think any team year to year, whether you’ve won or whatever’s happened, I don’t think any team’s ever the same. I think there’s always differences,” said Crosby, who has been dynamic since coming back from a broken jaw, with 14 points in nine games. “There’s changing of players and identity and things like that. But, no, we’re a different team for a lot of different reasons.”

Still, it’s inevitable that people will want to connect the dots between the Penguins of 2008 and 2009 and this deep, talented team, as if to discern whether their paths were similar.

“I think that’s pretty common, but it’s not as easy as that,” Crosby said. “Because you’ve won in the past, because certain guys have been together, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything.

“That experience, though, is something that can’t really be taught; you have to go through it. It is definitely an added bonus, but it’s kind of up to you what you do with it.”

Forward Matt Cooke was with the Penguins team that won the 2009 Cup, but he’s not expecting that experience to have any bearing on how the team performs in the coming days.

“I think each team is completely different. Makeup is different. Lines are different. Everything’s different. You can look back on those experiences to guide you moving forward, but I don’t think it has any comparison as to what this team did ... because it’s a different makeup,” said Cooke, who is coming off a strong performance in Wednesday's 7-3 win that saw him set up a short-handed goal and draw a penalty that led to the go-ahead goal.

If there is an obvious difference between the two versions of the Penguins, it’s the startling depth the current roster boasts.

Whereas Pittsburgh used a variety of players en route to the finals in 2008 and 2009, this team is rich in NHL talent from top to bottom.

Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson referred to that depth and the team’s dangerous power play, saying after Game 4 that it wasn’t likely the Senators could win three straight games and upset the Penguins.

All of the Penguins skated Friday morning, and if coach Dan Bylsma has a full roster at his disposal, he will be forced to sit a handful of bona fide NHL players. He made a couple of roster moves before Game 4, inserting youngster Beau Bennett and veteran forward Jussi Jokinen in place of Tanner Glass and Brenden Morrow, and Pittsburgh outscored the Senators 6-1 in the final two periods -- including four goals in the first half of the third.

“I think in the playoffs, though, you don’t usually expect that,” Crosby said. “I think when you look at your team or you look at offense or anything like that, I think you’re more looking at the depth of our team. To be able to do that is, obviously, it’s great, but it doesn’t happen too often in the playoffs. It was nice we were able to, but I don’t think we expect that every period. But we have guys in here that are capable of scoring, that’s for sure.”

As if to highlight the belief that one game does not necessarily relate to or suggest the outcome of the next game, Crosby talked about watching the other playoff games Thursday night.

There are lessons to be learned, he said -- mostly that you don’t know what’s going to happen.

“I think you’re always trying to learn, but I think you realize year after year the playoffs are tough and there’s no guarantees, there’s no gimmes,” Crosby said. “You have to make sure that you’re at your best, and even when you’re at your best, that doesn’t guarantee anything.

“I think the other series are a good example of that. You see last night the Rangers hang in, find a way to win in overtime, so they’re not rolling over and quitting. So I think you can always kind of take things away from other series, but I think the thing that seems to be common every year is that there’s no real kind of guideline to how it goes. Anything can happen.”

MacLean wants more O

The Senators are tinkering with their lineup a little as coach Paul MacLean tries to coax more offense out of his squad while also trying to instill some calm to the proceedings, especially in the early going Friday.

It appears that top center Jason Spezza will rejoin former linemates Alfredsson and Milan Michalek on the team’s top line in Game 5.

“Obviously Mac’s probably looking for us to give us a jump,” said Spezza, who is playing his third game of the playoffs after missing most of the regular season and the first round recovering from back surgery. “Haven’t played with Alfie very consistently over the last couple of years, so it’ll be nice to play with him. We’d like to have a good game. Hopefully we can find some old chemistry and have a good night.”

Spezza played 18:40 in his first game back, which the Senators won in double overtime, and 17:48 in Game 4. He has yet to register a point.

“I think guys are excited for the challenge ahead of us,” he said. “We know that they’re going to want to try and close us out tonight, and we know we’re going to try and give our best game of the series. It’s a good opportunity for us to play a big game.”

MacLean said the coaching staff has always viewed the three veteran forwards as fall-back options because of their experience, and the expectation is for them to see lots of ice time early in the game.

Alfredsson, at the center of a controversy with his comments after Game 4, said he’s excited to play with his old linemates, but that the team needs to start better than it did in Games 1 and 2 in Pittsburgh, when the Penguins scored early in both.

Alfredsson also noted that Ottawa cannot give the Penguins, owners of the most explosive power play in the postseason, as many chances as they’ve been getting.

“We’ve got to be disciplined both with and without the puck,” he said.

Mark Stone, who played with Spezza and Michalek in Game 4 and had a number of good scoring chances, was injured in that game and did not travel to Pittsburgh. It’s expected Cory Conacher will be back in the lineup.

The Rangers avoided being swept by the Bruins, overcoming a 2–0 deficit to win Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. It was the third time in Rangers playoff history that they won a game facing elimination after trailing by two or more goals, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Their other such wins were a triple-OT win in Game 6 of their series against the Blackhawks in 1971, and the Mark Messier “guaranteed win” in Game 6 at New Jersey in 1994.

Two things happened to the Blackhawks on Thursday that did not happen during the regular season. The Blackhawks lost Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals to the Red Wings 2-0, the first time this season in 57 regular-season and postseason games that the Blackhawks have been shut out. Also, the Blackhawks have lost the last three games in this series, their first three-game losing streak this season (regular season or postseason).

Eastern Conference Semifinals - Game 4
Rangers 4, Bruins 3 (OT) (Bruins lead series, 3-1)
* Chris Kreider (NYR): GW goal at 7:03 of OT, 1st career playoff OT goal
* Kreider: 6 playoff goals in 25 playoff games (he has just 2 goals in 23 career regular-season games)
* Brian Boyle (NYR): Game-tying power play goal (3), Rangers' first PPG since Game 4 of Conference Quarterfinals vs Capitals (454:05 of game time between PPG)
* Bruins: Loss snaps 4-game playoff win streak
* Rangers: 5th time in team history they win a postseason game in overtime when facing elimination. It's the first since 1994 when they beat the Devils in Game 7 of the Conference Finals to advance to the Stanley Cup
* Bruins: are one of three teams in NHL history to lose a best-of-7 series after holding a 3-0 lead in 2010 vs Flyers (other teams to lose after leading 3-0: 1942 Red Wings and 1975 Penguins)
* FROM ELIAS: Rangers avoided being swept by the Bruins by overcoming a 2–0 deficit to win Game 4. It was the third time in Rangers playoff history that they won a game facing elimination after trailing by two or more goals. Their other wins of that description were a triple-OT win in Game 6 of their series against Chicago in 1971, the Mark Messier “guaranteed win” in Game 6 at New Jersey in 1994. Thursday’s victory was the first time that the Rangers won any playoff game in which they trailed by two goals since 1995 against Quebec.

Bruins Road Games Since 2010, Chance To Clinch Playoff Series
2013 Game 4 at NYR Lost
2013 Game 6 at TOR Lost
2011 Game 7 at VAN Won <<
2011 Game 6 at TB Lost
2011 Game 6 at MTL Lost
2010 Game 6 at PHI Lost
2010 Game 4 at PHI Lost
2010 Game 5 at BUF Lost
>> Won Stanley Cup

Western Conference Semifinals - Game 4
Red Wings 2, Blackhawks 0 (Red Wings lead series 3-1)
* Blackhawks: Shut out for the first time this season (were not shutout in 48 regular season games or 8 previous playoff games)
* Blackhawks: Lost 3 straight games in series (they did not lose 3 straight games during the regular season)
* Red Wings: Won 4 straight playoff home games
* Jakub Kindl (DET): 1st career playoff goal
* Blackhawks: 0-3 on power play; 0-11 on power play on the road this postseason
* Jonathan Toews (CHI): 9th straight game this postseason without a goal (longest goal-less drought during regular season was 4 games)
* FROM ELIAS: Jimmy Howard recorded the second playoff shutout of his career, this after beating Chicago 4–1 in Game 2 and 3–1 in Game 3. This is the first time that Howard has allowed no more than one goal in each of three consecutive playoff games. Before his current run of three straight wins, Howard had held an opponent to fewer than two goals in only five of his 36 career postseason games and only one of 24 games over the last three playoff years.

Blackhawks This Season
Regular Conf Semis
Season vs Red Wings
Games shut out 0 1
3-game losing streaks 0 1
Goals PG 3.2 1.5

Western Conference Semifinals - Game 5
Kings 3, Sharks 0 (Kings Lead Series, 3-2)
* Home team has won all 5 games in series
* Kings: 6-0 at home in 2013 playoffs (won 13 straight home games, dating to regular season)
* Kings: 21-0 over the last two playoffs when they score at least 2 goals (SOURCE: ELIAS)
* Jonathan Quick (LA): 7-0, 3 shutouts in last 7 home playoff games dating back to last season (7th career playoff shutout)
* Sharks: 1-19 on power play in ROAD games this postseason (0-3 in Game 5)

Patrick Roy Named Avalanche Head Coach
* Roy spent final 7+ seasons with Avalanche from 1996-2003 (won 2 Stanley Cup titles)
* Roy is the first goalie already in the Hockey Hall of Fame to coach in the NHL. Gerry Cheevers and Hugh Lehman coached in the NHL and were inducted into the HHOF as players (goalies) but were inducted after they began coaching
* Avalanche have the first pick in the NHL Draft, which starts June 30th

Lowest Point Percentage
Since Avs Moved To Colorado In 1995
2012-13 .406 <<
2010-11 .415
2008-09 .421
>> 2nd Lowest in NHL This Season

LOS ANGELES -- Big Matt Greene roared in from the blue line and thumped James Sheppard right onto his behind.

A few shifts later in the opening period, Greene did it again to T.J. Galiardi. Bam.

Two thunderous body checks that set the tone for the Los Angeles Kings in their critical, 3-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks in Game 5 on Thursday night.

"Those hits are exactly the ones that stick out in my mind," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said.

It was just Greene’s second game back after missing the opening nine of the playoffs, and it shows exactly what the Kings have been missing most of the season when he was injured.

"His leadership is important to us," said Sutter.

Greene? He just shrugged when asked about being a one-man wrecking crew.

"If I’m not doing that, then I’m probably not worth a damn for anybody out there," the veteran said.

Greene set the stage in an opening period in which the Kings outhit the San Jose Sharks 24-12, imposing themselves physically in a way they really hadn't up to that point in this series.

Overall, the hit count was a massive 51-24 by the end of the night.

"Just trying to get physical and try to slow these guys down a little bit," Greene said. "I think they had everything they wanted in Game 4 up there. We were trying tonight to establish our game and slow them down, slow down their offense."

Slow it they did, as Jonathan Quick earned a 24-save shutout and the Kings delivered their best overall performance since Game 1 of the series, raising their game just as they had promised they would the day before.

"I think it's fair to say this is probably our best effort in the playoffs, most consistent effort in the playoffs," said star center Anze Kopitar, who opened the scoring. "We carried that emotion and desperation that we had in Game 4, in that last period."

You could see it in their eyes on Wednesday after practice, when two-time Cup winner Justin Williams talked about the hunger that still existed in that dressing room to win another championship.

Well, they had no choice but to step up on this night. The Sharks had stolen momentum in the series by winning two straight at home to tie the series 2-2 and did so in impressive fashion, bottling up the Kings for long stretches in their zone and limiting their offensive chances at the Shark Tank in a pair of 2-1 victories.

The Sharks headed into Game 5 truly believing this was their series to take.

As such, the Kings were under the gun to stand up and be accounted for on this night, or else risk heading to San Jose facing elimination on Sunday evening. Instead, Los Angeles can advance to the Western Conference finals with a Game 6 victory.

"You got to answer back. You have to answer that adversity," Greene said. "They’re a great team over there, they play well. We have to answer the bell. Our goal is to move on and to keep this going. But that’s their goal, too. So it’s just two good teams going at it right now."

Two key Kings who were under pressure to deliver did just that Thursday night, as Kopitar scored his second goal in 11 playoff games -- but what a big one it was, with 1:52 to go in the second period -- and captain Dustin Brown nailed everything in sight, leading the team with 11 hits.

Williams, Rob Scuderi, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Drew Doughty -- all the key veterans stepped up on this night.

In San Jose, it was the Sharks’ top players outplaying the Kings’ top guys.

Not Thursday. Not even close.

"Myself included, we were bad tonight," Sharks star Logan Couture said. "That’s why we lost. We’re not going to win if our best players are not our best players. We need to step up."

The line changes Sutter concocted for the Kings the day before did the trick, as Kyle Clifford fit in well with Kopitar and Williams, while Brown found a home with Trevor Lewis and Dwight King.

But Game 5 was about the Kings setting a physical tone early and often.

"That's a part of our game," Brown said. "But I thought we did it tonight in the right way, in the sense that we didn't run out of position to make a hit -- and that's what we need more of. It's being smart and aggressive out there."

The belief is if you hit hard and often early in a game, it’s an investment that pays off later if your opponent wears down. Suddenly, you’ve got an opponent that’s perhaps a little too beaten down to chase loose pucks.

The Kings took over puck possession in the second period and carried that over into the third period, when Slava Voynov’s point shot found a hole through a maze to give the Kings a 2-0 lead just 53 seconds in.

Game over.

"I think their desperation level, in my opinion, went up," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said of the Kings. "That was the biggest change."

The home team has won all five games to date. So don’t write off the Sharks just yet.

And if you ask me, this dandy of a series sure feels like a seven-gamer.

DETROIT -- The cameras, microphones and growing media covering the Detroit Red Wings' surprising playoff run filled the space around Jimmy Howard’s dressing room stall minutes after Thursday's game ended.

They worked to establish position while waiting for Howard to emerge and explain exactly how he became the first goalie all season to shut out the powerhouse Chicago Blackhawks, like he did so effectively in Detroit’s 2-0 win over Chicago in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals -- a win that gave the Red Wings a stunning 3-1 series lead.

The cameras moved closer to the center of the Red Wings' dressing room when it became clear that’s where he would conduct his interview.

Howard came out and patiently answered question after question as the cameras recorded.

Then, surprisingly, the crowd parted.

Right down the middle, a path among the media opened up and Gordie Howe stepped forward.

A reporter’s question was stopped midsentence, and Howard leaned forward to shake the hand of the greatest Red Wing who ever lived.

Howard managed to greet the 85-year-old Howe, who was congratulating him on his outstanding game against the Blackhawks.

“Mr. Hockey,” Howard whispered. “How are you? Nice to see you.”

Then he smiled, answered a few more questions, and reflected on what just happened.

“It’s great to have that history around here, and have guys that are still fully invested and fully interested in us,” Howard said. “For us, it is about going out there and carrying on the tradition.”

And what a job Howard is doing right now to build on the tradition started by those before him in Detroit. He has the Red Wings one win away from knocking out a Blackhawks team that absolutely dominated the regular season and established themselves as the clear-cut Stanley Cup favorites. One win away from the Western Conference finals.

With his perfect performance (28 saves), Howard is threatening to wipe out Chicago’s year, and turn a season of incredible promise to one of immense disappointment.

“We’re just happy he’s playing so well right now,” Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall said of his goalie. “We know we haven’t accomplished anything more than set up for a good run here. We have to stick with what we’re doing.”

With revamped lines that featured Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa along with a second line that reunited Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, the Blackhawks came out flying in Game 4. They played with the kind of energy and urgency you’d expect from a heavy favorite that has been awakened suddenly by a No. 7 seed.

In the first period, Chicago had odd-man rushes and scoring chances every few minutes, with the Red Wings looking like nothing more than spectators.

Three minutes into the game, Toews and Kane skated in on a 2-on-1, with Howard stopping Toews’ shot. A couple of minutes later, Toews set up Kane for a wide-open shot that Howard turned away.

Ten minutes later, it was Sharp on a breakaway denied by the Red Wings goalie. At some point, while he carried them, Howard’s teammates decided to join their goalie in the upset effort.

“I thought it got better as we went on, still Howie kept coming up with big saves giving us a chance to win,” Kronwall said. “That was the difference tonight.”

For most of this postseason, Howard has been an afterthought among the mentions of outstanding playoff goalies such as New York’s Henrik Lundqvist and reigning champion Jonathan Quick. With his performance Thursday night, Howard’s postseason now stacks up with any of them. There’s not a goalie remaining playing better; he is now 7-4-1 with a 2.22 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in the playoffs.

Detroit has seen extended playoff runs by its hockey team in the spring, but really nothing quite like this. The Wings are used to being the heavy favorites who run up against the hot goalie, not the other way around.

And these fans are clearly embracing this team’s role as the underdog. The highest levels of Joe Louis Arena actually shook when Daniel Cleary’s empty-net goal at 19:21 of the third period sealed the win.

There’s a bond forming between a city that’s starting to believe in its hockey team -- one that isn’t nearly as loaded with the talent as some in the past -- and the group of players making it happen.

Especially the goalie.

Detroit isn’t a town that’s known for treating its netminders particularly well. And yet, on the day of the Red Wings' biggest game of the season, the local sports talk radio station was debating which of its current star athletes fans trusted more for a big-time performance: Howard or Tigers ace Justin Verlander.

Howard got overwhelming support.

The Red Wings are the pesky underdog. The goalie is the local folk hero. It’s all backward this spring in Detroit.

Howard laughed when he was asked if he’s winning over this city.

“That’s a good question, you’re going to have to ask the fans that,” Howard said. “For me, it’s about going out and performing -- not only for these guys in the dressing room, but the guys like [GM] Kenny [Holland] and [goalie coach] Jim Bedard who had a lot of faith in me to give me the ball and run with it four years ago and stick with me. It’s about proving myself to the guys in here in the organization."

And on this night, proving it to guys who came long before him in this organization. A blessing from Mr. Hockey -- if that doesn’t win over the last remaining Howard doubters, nothing will.

“I don’t know if you can ask much more from Howie than what he’s done for us since he’s got here,” Kronwall said. “If you’re not appreciating what he’s doing right now, I don’t know if you’re a true fan, to be honest with you. That’s how good he’s been. He’s been the backbone of our team.”

PITTSBURGH –- Flash back to the third period of Game 5, 2007 Stanley Cup finals.

The Ottawa Senators are sunk. They are trailing in the third period of what would be a 6-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks in the final game in that final series, and the fans at the Honda Center were buzzing at the anticipation of their team's first Stanley Cup win.

But although the inevitable seemed to have sapped the entire Senators team of any remaining strength, one player doggedly pursued the puck, steadfastly tried to create scoring chances, never gave up, never quit.

His name? Daniel Alfredsson.

A year later, the Senators would be the underdogs in a first-round series against an emerging Pittsburgh Penguins team. In spite of injuries that kept him out of the first two games of that series, Alfredsson returned to the lineup for the final two games of what would be a sweep at the hands of the Penguins.

Although it was obvious he was playing through significant pain, Alfredsson was again the last Senator to concede defeat, the last one to take a knee.

We have watched up close as Alfredsson has patiently answered question after question after gut-wrenching playoff defeats. We have seen him accept blame for disappointments, sometimes when it’s been earned and other times because it was the right thing to do.

We have seen him bask in the glow of adoration at an All-Star Game held in Ottawa in 2012, as he captained one of the teams in the annual celebrity shinny.

Those are important touchstones as Alfredsson and his Senators face yet another long, uphill battle against the Penguins, against the backdrop that Game 5 might in fact be the classy Swede's final NHL game.

On Wednesday night, after Alfredsson and the Sens were whipped 7-3 by the Penguins and fell into a 3-1 series hole, the captain was asked whether it was probable that his team could win three straight games against the Penguins.

"Probably not," he told a group of reporters. "With their depth and power play right now, it doesn't look too good."

It is a sad reflection of our time, and perhaps the nature of sport, that a moment of raw candor from one of the game's most respected players -- and certainly the most popular Senator of all time -- has somehow morphed into a question about Alfredsson's commitment or leadership.

A little perspective, please.

If the Penguins do close out the Senators on Friday night in Pittsburgh, we are relatively certain the last player fighting for that last loose puck will be Alfredsson.

It is who he is. It is woven into the fabric of his being.

That he simply spoke the truth after his team was torched for four goals in the third period of Game 4 by the most fearsome offensive team in the postseason after taking a 2-1 lead out of the first period, is something that should be admired if not celebrated.

The Penguins have outscored the Senators 16-9 in the first four games of this second-round series. In three of the four games, the powerful Penguins have scored at least four goals.

The Pittsburgh power play -- which features Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jarome Iginla and James Neal, among others -- is the most deadly of any team in the playoff field and has scored 12 times in 10 games thus far this postseason.

Although there was discussion of the context in which his words were used, give credit to Alfredsson, who reiterated to reporters in Ottawa on Thursday that he believes his team is facing a tough road.

"There’s no denying we're in tough. Was it taken out of context? Probably, but that's fine. I can handle that," Alfredsson said before the team chartered its way to Pittsburgh for Friday's win-or-pack-'em-up tilt.

But if people think he was implying that he and the Sens have quit, they're wrong, Alfredsson said.

"If you ask anyone and they looked at our series, I don't think there's too many people that would pick us right now. That's what I meant,” he said. "Maybe I should have continued right away where I left off on the answer that I don't doubt one second that we're going to come out with a great effort tomorrow."

The playoffs are an emotional time for anyone involved, but when you're a 40-year-old who is approaching the finish line in a career that should and will earn Hall of Fame discussion, the dynamics are even more powerful.

Much was made of the fact that Alfredsson paused before leaving the ice after Game 4 to collect the puck from one of the linesmen. Who could blame him?

He has played his entire career with the Senators and is their leader in every important offensive category. Why shouldn't he have a memento if Wednesday's game was indeed his last home game?

Alfredsson hasn't said whether he will retire at the end of the season, and he acknowledged that he wasn't exactly sure why he took the puck with him.

"There's no specific reason. Could this be my last playoffs, could this be my last season? I don't know. I don't collect sticks or keep a lot of memorabilia at home, but there's no specific reason," he said.

A year ago, when the Senators lost in the first round of the playoffs to the New York Rangers, Alfredsson stopped the team bus as it was leaving Madison Square Garden to shake hands with a group of Senators fans. Some saw it as a sign that he was done.

It didn't turn out that way, of course. And who knows how the rest of this series will turn out?

One thing's for sure: The Penguins are well aware of Alfredsson's comments and don't believe they will have any impact on the kind of game the Senators will play Friday.

"I think that Ottawa's a team that we know has no quit. They're not going to stop coming at us," said Matt Cooke, who had a strong showing in Game 4 that included drawing an important penalty that led to a power-play goal and setting up a short-handed goal by Pascal Dupuis.

"I think he's a smart guy. He's a great leader for their team and organization, and I'm sure that he’s got the right intentions and motives behind his comments," Cooke said of Alfredsson.

Neal also knew of the comments, but likewise believed them to have little to do with the effort he's expecting from a Senators team that has walked tall in the face of adversity all season.

"I don't think by any means are they going to give up or roll over," said Neal, who broke out in Game 4 with a pair of goals and an assist. "We know that, and you saw it from their coach when he walked up to the podium last night and said they're coming to Pittsburgh with their best game and they're coming to play, and we expect that."

Neal was referring to the dramatic postgame summation given by Ottawa coach Paul MacLean, who simply held up the score sheet and said that all anyone needed to know about the game was on the sheet and that the Senators were going to Pittsburgh to play a game.

On Thursday, MacLean had little to say about Alfredsson’s comments.

"The playoffs are hard all the time, it's just harder [now]," MacLean said. "Daniel, I've got no issue with that."

Neither should anyone else.

Alfredsson has earned that kind of respect. As has been the case for many years, we have little doubt that people will remember Alfredsson's play far longer than his words at the end of a tough night in Ottawa.

What had become almost a doormat (dormant?) NHL franchise now has life again.

First, Joe Sakic agreed last month to become more of a factor in the day-to-day running of the Colorado Avalanche, becoming executive vice president of hockey operations.

Then on Thursday, confirming weeks of speculation, Patrick Roy became the team's new coach.

Next month in Newark, N.J., the Avs will have the first overall pick in the NHL draft, which most believe they will use to select stud defenseman Seth Jones, a kid who dreamed of playing in the NHL because he grew up watching Roy and Sakic win two Stanley Cups in Colorado.

Bang. Just like that, the Avalanche are back.

With two Hall of Famers now at the helm, and perhaps a future Hall of Famer to be drafted June 30, the team in Denver has been rescued from irrelevancy.

Because frankly, that's what the Avs had become the past few years, irrelevant in their market and certainly around the league. There was no buzz whatsoever surrounding the team.

Greg Sherman is a very nice man, and I've always enjoyed my conversations with him, but is there a general manager with less of a profile in the entire league?

In many ways, that reflected what the franchise has become. The problem in Colorado is that ownership hasn't cared about the hockey team for a few years, and it showed on the ice.

Suddenly, the Avs' image has undergone a drastic makeover. And it took two of the legends who first made hockey cool in Denver two decades ago to make it happen.

Sakic and Roy. Back together. Running the Avalanche.

And yes, I include Roy in the "running the Avalanche" category because that's exactly what he'll be doing.

He didn't leave Quebec City just to stand behind the bench. As the news release stated Thursday: "The organization has reached an agreement in principle with Patrick Roy to become the franchise’s Head Coach/Vice President of Hockey Operations."

If I were the Avs' public relations department, I would have put the "Vice President of Hockey Operations" part in bold letters.

Because you had better believe Roy never would have agreed to join the club without a guarantee that he will have a say in the makeup of the team. He will have a say in any future trades or signings.

And you have to believe he one day will be the general manager of the team.

For now, Roy and Sakic will have to pull the club back into the playoffs for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Colorado has missed out in four of the past five seasons.

Roy inherits a team with good young players, particularly up front with the likes of Gabriel Landeskog, Matt Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly.

The Avs are thin on defense, and the aforementioned Jones certainly would help change that if the team does indeed draft him over electric forward Nathan MacKinnon. And it just so happens Roy has seen MacKinnon play up close in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League the past two seasons. Just saying.

Of course, some will wonder if Roy is up to the task of coaching in the NHL. I think there's no question about it. His eight seasons coaching the Quebec Remparts is more than enough to help him learn the coaching ropes. He's ready for this.

And you can be sure it won't be boring with Roy in the fold. He's cocky and confident, and boy, can he be emotional. But he's a winner.

Buckle up, Avs fans, because this is about to get really interesting. Been a while since you heard that about your team, right?

The Dallas Stars continue to restructure their front office under new general manager Jim Nill. Longtime assistant GM Frank Provenzano and the Stars have parted ways in a split both sides said was amicable.

“Frank is well-known throughout the league. He’s one of the top assistant GMs and hockey operation guys there is,” Nill told ESPN The Magazine. “He has done a great job for Dallas for many years. We just wish him the best.”

Nill said he expects to fill the position from within the organization.

Provenzano spent seven seasons as assistant GM for the Stars, specializing in contract negotiations, and he is known for being one of the league’s best capologists. Before joining the Stars, Provenzano was an assistant GM with the Washington Capitals in 1997-2003 and also worked in the Vancouver Canucks’ hockey operations department.

He and his wife plan to stay in the Dallas area, and Provenzano is working on starting a sports business advisory group.

LOS ANGELES -- The Kings’ new forward lines were still a go at the pregame skate Thursday morning, meaning captain Dustin Brown and star center Anze Kopitar were on different units.

If the morning lines stand for Game 5 Thursday night, Kopitar will start with Kyle Clifford and Justin Williams, and Brown will be on the third line with Trevor Lewis and Dwight King.

“When you score two goals in 120 minutes, you got to mix it around,” Brown said after the morning skate. “With Kinger and Lewis, they’re both really hard-working guys with pretty good skill low. They have that two-man cycle game down pat. For us, it should be about simplifying our game, getting it into their zone and cycling. The important thing, and I mentioned this to Lewy and Kinger: it’s one thing to cycle; we have to bring pucks to the net when we have the opportunity. Sometimes that’s just bearing down, dropping your shoulder and going. With the size and skill we have on this line, that should be our goal.”

For Clifford, it’s a big promotion from the fourth line to Kopitar’s line.

“It’s definitely a big role, I just have to play my game, keep it simple and not change anything,” Clifford said.

Dustin Penner remained with Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, Penner having joined that duo midway through Game 4 in San Jose -- although Penner’s promotion to that line doesn’t mean Kings coach Darryl Sutter is completely satisfied with his play in this series.

“We need a bigger, heavier game from Dustin Penner. Very simple,” Sutter said.

Stoll update

Jarret Stoll is still not close to playing -- he hasn’t even resumed skating -- but there was some news reported by Sutter on Thursday morning.

“He rode the bike yesterday for a few minutes,” Sutter said. “He’ll do that again today. It is protocol. Is it progress? It is if it’s good today [how he feels on the bike ride].”

Sharks at Staples

The Kings have won 12 straight at home, where they’re a comfortable bunch. What do the Sharks have to do to get traction here?

“I think we can build off of Game 2; we played a good enough game to win here,” center Logan Couture said. “Obviously we took a couple of penalties at the end of that game that cost us. I think we played a really good road game that night. Hopefully we can build off that.”

Veteran defenseman Dan Boyle agreed.

“It’s important for us not to be complacent, not to be satisfied with what we’ve done so far,” he said. “I’ve seen it in the past, I’ve been on teams where you come back a little bit in the series and then there’s a letdown, you almost exhale for a second. I just think this team needs to keep going on what we’ve done over the past four games. We just need to keep going.”

Better starts

The Sharks have had better starts three games in a row, and that’s something the Kings were keying on heading into Game 5.

“I think it’s based on your top guys,” Sutter said. “I know we keep coming back to that, but if you look at how especially their top two lines early have been really good, we’ve had to sort of weed into that. That’s the challenge for those groups.”

The Sharks know the Kings were preparing for a big start and have also talked about that heading into Game 5.

“The first 5-7 minutes are going to be important for our team,” San Jose coach Todd McLellan said. “We’re going to have to get on our toes and make sure that we’re aggressive and try to play those minutes in their end. I think they’ll try to make the start a focal point on their behalf. We have to be prepared for it.”

AT A GLANCE: On the brink of elimination, the Rangers will try to avoid a series sweep against the Bruins at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. A deep, balanced and physical team that has outmatched the Rangers thus far, the Bruins will try to close it out in four games to avoid another white-knuckle series like in Round 1.

SURPRISING SCRATCH: Veteran center and alternate captain Brad Richards will be a healthy scratch. The former Conn Smythe Trophy winner said coach John Tortorella called him Thursday morning to give him the news. The two won a Stanley Cup together while with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. The 33-year-old Richards, who has struggled throughout the 2013 season, was recently relegated to the fourth line with Arron Asham and Chris Kreider, playing only 8:10 in Game 3, just 5:58 of which was at even strength.

BEEN HERE BEFORE: The Bruins are still haunted by memories of 2010, when they coughed up a 3-0 series lead to the Flyers, allowing Philadelphia to advance to the Eastern Conference finals. According to Boston coach Claude Julien, the team “still lives with that,” but is playing “in the zone” now. The Bruins also let the Toronto Maple Leafs erase a 3-1 series deficit this year, forcing a stunning Game 7.

MORE CHANGES: The Richards move will not be the only lineup change for the Rangers. Asham is also expected to sit out Game 4, with rugged forwards Kris Newbury and Micheal Haley drawing into the lineup. Chris Kreider, who took a stick to the face in Game 3 and did not skate with the team in Wednesday’s optional practice, is expected to play.

DEPLETED D: The Rangers will try to send the series back to Boston without one of their top four defensemen, as Anton Stralman will miss the game with a suspected shoulder injury. Stralman was injured in Game 3 after absorbing a hard hit from the Bruins' Milan Lucic late in the second period. Veteran Roman Hamrlik, who has not played since April 1, will likely play.

IMPACT PLAYERS: Earlier in the week, Tortorella called Boston’s Brad Marchand “the best player in the series so far,” but it was the Bruins’ fourth line of Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton that made the difference in Game 3. Bruins defensemen Johnny Boychuk and Torey Krug both have two goals in the series.

With a 3-0 series lead, the Bruins on Thursday can eliminate the Rangers and advance to the Eastern Conference finals. The Rangers are 0-10 all-time in playoff series when trailing 3-0; however they are playing one of the three teams in playoff history that has blown a 3-0 series lead: 1942 Red Wings (up 3-0 on Maple Leafs), 1975 Penguins (vs Islanders) and 2010 Bruins (vs Flyers).

Sweep Justice: The Bruins look to finish off the Rangers Thursday night and increase their chances for a Stanley Cup. Over the previous 10 postseasons, six teams have posted sweeps in the conference semifinal round. Four of them went on to win the Stanley Cup (Kings in 2012, Bruins in 2011, Red Wings in 2008 and Lightning in 2004).

Where’s The Scoring? The Blackhawks look for offense Thursday night after being held to just one goal in each of their last two games. From Elias: Chicago was the only team to go through the 2012-13 regular season without a streak of two or more consecutive games in which it scored fewer than two goals.

Eastern Conference Semifinals – Game 4
Bruins at Rangers, 7 ET (Bruins lead series, 3-0)
* Bruins: seeking 2nd series sweep in Conference Semifinals in last 3 postseasons (swept Flyers in 2011 Conference Semifinals)
* Bruins: 6 of 10 games this postseason have been decided by 1 goal (4-2 in those games – won last 3)
* Tuukka Rask (BOS): 3-0, 1.53 GAA, .948 save percent (5 GA on 96 SA in 195:40 played) in this series (4-3, 2.49 GAA, .923 save percent in Conference Quarterfinals vs Maple Leafs)
* Rangers: 0-10 all-time in playoff series when trailing 3-0
* Rangers: 0-10 on power play in this series, 2-38 (5.3 percent) on power play this postseason (worst among remaining playoff teams)
* Rangers: have scored 2 goals or less in 7 of 10 games this season (1-6 in those games)
* Rangers: have not been swept in a playoff series since 2006 postseason (lost 4-0 to Devils in Conference Quarterfinals)

Western Conference Semifinals – Game 4
Blackhawks at Red Wings, 8 ET (Red Wings lead series, 2-1)
* Red Wings: won last 3 home playoff games, 2 coming in overtime
* Red Wings: 1-15 on power play in 4 HOME playoff games)
* Jimmy Howard (DET): 4-1, 2.00 GAA, .942 save percent (10 GA on 171 SA in 300:13 played) over last 5 games
* Blackhawks: only team yet to allow a power play goal in 2013 playoffs (29-29 on penalty kill)
* Blackhawks: 0-8 on power play in ROAD games this postseason (3-14 in home games)

Western Conference Semifinals – Game 5
Sharks at Kings, 10:30 ET (Series tied, 2-2)
* Home team has won all 4 games in series
* Kings: 5-0 at home in 2013 playoffs
* FROM ELIAS: Kings are 20-0 when they score at least 2 goals over the last two playoff years
* Jonathan Quick (LA): 6-0, 1.33 GAA, .949 save percent, 2 shutouts (8 GA on 158 SA in 359:51 played) in last 6 home playoff games dating back to last season
* Sharks: 1-16 on power play in ROAD games this postseason (9-24 at home)
* Logan Couture (SJ): has goals in each of last 2 games (all 5 goals this postseason have come on the power play)

Trailing 2-1 after the first period, the Penguins scored the next six goals to beat the Senators, 7-2, and take a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Semifinals. Sidney Crosby tallied his 40th career playoff goal in his 77th playoff game. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that’s the fewest playoff games needed among active players to reach 40 playoff goals (the previous record was 86 games by Jaromir Jagr).

Eastern Conference Semifinals - Game 4
Penguins 7, Senators 3 (Penguins lead series, 3-1)
* Penguins: score 6 unanswered goals after trailing 2-1 at end of 1st period (scored 2 goals in 0:40 span in 2nd period, 3 goals in 1:45 span in 3rd period)
* Sidney Crosby (PIT): Goal (7), assist, 40th career playoff goal (FROM ELIAS: Fastest to 40 career playoff goals among active players)
* Jarome Iginla (PIT): 2 goals (4), 5th career multi-goal playoff game (1st with Penguins)
* Kris Letang (PIT): 4 assists, ties Penguins single-game playoff record (done 8 previous times in club history, most recently by Sidney Crosby vs Senators on April 11, 2008)
* Senators: have never won a playoff series when they have trailed 3-1 after 4 games (0-5 all-time)
* Senators: tie franchise record for most goals allowed in a playoff game (also allowed 7 goals vs Penguins in 2010 and vs Sabres in 2006)

Fewest Games To 40 Career Playoff Goals, Active Players
40th GOAL
Sidney Crosby 77 Wednesday
Jaromir Jagr 86 1996
Henrik Zetterberg 87 2010
Johan Franzen 90 2013
Danny Briere 92 2011
>> SOURCE: Elias Sports Bureau

Most Goals Allowed In A Playoff Game, Senators History
Wednesday vs Penguins 7
April 20, 2010 vs Penguins 7
May 5, 2006 vs Sabres << 7
>> Overtime

Canucks Fire Head Coach Alain Vigneault
* Vigneault is franchise's winningest head coach (313-170-57)
* Won 6 Northwest Division titles, lost in Game 7 of 2011 Stanley Cup Final
* 2130 was 1st time in 12 seasons the Canucks were swept in the postseason

Kris Letang tallied four assists and both James Neal and Jarome Iginla scored twice to power the Penguins to a 7-3 win over the Senators. Barry Melrose breaks all it all down.

OTTAWA -- A crucial fourth game that began with an optimistic bang for the Ottawa Senators ended with an embarrassing whimper.

There was something more than a little symmetric about the Penguins’ emphatic 7-3 victory in Game 4: A playoff year that began with a whimper for sniper James Neal took a decidedly more upbeat turn in Game 4 on Wednesday night as he scored twice, including the game winner, and added an assist.

It is a turn of events that bodes ill not just for the seemingly overmatched Senators, but those teams that might yet encounter the Penguins this playoff year.

"He’s a guy who just needs one. And he’s been talking about that and felt that last game, but he came through for us and was a big factor -- his line and the power play -- in getting those two goals," coach Dan Bylsma said after the game.

Trying to force the heavily favored Pittsburgh Penguins into a best-of-three showdown by evening this Eastern Conference semifinal at two games apiece, the Senators got a dramatic early short-handed goal from Milan Michalek and took a 2-1 lead into the second period. But they were ultimately overwhelmed as the Penguins scored twice in 40 seconds early in the second and then chased starting netminder Craig Anderson for the second time in three games with four more in the first half of the third period.

By the end of the evening, with the Scotiabank Place faithful gamely chanting for the Senators, it was difficult to recall that this game started with such promise for the home side.

Although the place was fairly buzzing early on as the first period went along, it was Pittsburgh that carried the play, and the best line on the ice by a wide margin throughout the night was the trio of Neal, Jarome Iginla and Evgeni Malkin.

This was noteworthy because Bylsma has tried different ways to get his considerable offensive pieces in the right place this spring. And there has been much discussion and tinkering aimed at getting it just so.

Much of the focus has been on Iginla, given his stature in the game and the drama that accompanied his acquisition by the Penguins at the trade deadline. But, really, the key is Neal.

While Iginla spent time playing with Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis and flip-flopped from one wing to another, Neal’s slow start to the playoffs made finding the right groove more difficult.

Slowed by a concussion late in the regular season, Neal played in Game 1 against the Islanders and then missed the next two. He had just one goal heading into Game 4 and looked out of sorts.

The fact that he had scored just three postseason goals in 12 games was no doubt adding to the angst.

But on Wednesday night, Neal was the dangerous offensive presence that saw him score 61 times during his last 120 regular-season games.

He actually looked like he’d scored early in the first period when a shot beat Anderson but caromed off the inside of the post. But with 5:04 left in the first period, Neal stepped into a hard wrist shot off the draw after Iginla had tied up center Zack Smith and beat Anderson to tie the game at 1-1.

"That first one we got was a pretty special shot by James. I don’t think very many guys can pull that one off to be able to get the first one by him," Bylsma said.

Although the Senators answered quickly with a Kyle Turris goal to regain a one-goal lead, the Penguins would begin their dismantling of the Senators with two goals in 40 seconds in the first two minutes of the second period.

Neal would earn an assist on the second of those goals, and later he would add what would turn out to be the winning goal on the power play, pounding home the carom of a Crosby shot from the opposite side of the net.

"I thought you saw it from Nealer right away. It was good that he got the goal right away, because I think he got that goal and you could kind of see his confidence grow exponentially right away and the rest of his game started getting a lot better," defenseman Brooks Orpik said.

"Not just his offensive game," Orpik added. "He looked like he had more jump and his defensive game was better and he was just going. I think it just shows you how big confidence is in this game."

How demoralizing was the Penguins’ onslaught?

Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson, who reached the 100-point plateau in playoff scoring with a power-play goal with the game out of reach in the third, was asked whether it was feasible to win three straight against this Pittsburgh team.

"Probably not," he answered with brutal candor. "With their depth and their power play right now, it doesn’t look too good.

"I’m just saying that I don’t think there’s much going for us. Maybe that’s the way we like it."

Senators coach Paul MacLean didn’t take any questions from reporters but simply held up a copy of the scoring summary.

"I think everything’s right here," he said.

"It’s 7-3. See you in Pittsburgh. We’re going to Pittsburgh and we’re coming to play. Have a good night," he said before exiting the press room.

In the short term, if the triumphant return of James Neal to form Game 4 has any traction, it means big trouble for an Ottawa Senators team now down to its last out in this series and its season.

"Felt good, obviously,” said Neal who is now enjoying his deepest playoff run as an NHLer. "I felt a little snake-bitten after having some good looks and not being able to finish. But our team’s been playing well, so as we’re winning; I’m not too worried about scoring. But it did feel good to chip in tonight.

"You’re always tough on yourself, you know what you’re capable of but, at the same time, if you start gripping the stick too tight and putting too much pressure on yourself, you’re just making it harder.

"You just want to enjoy this and have fun with it. It’s exciting playing in the playoffs and being in the second round and playing with a special group of guys. Saying that we found a way to get another win and going into our rink in a great spot."

But, big picture, if the Penguins do close out the Senators and the Boston Bruins do not have another epic playoff collapse having built a 3-0 series lead against the New York Rangers, it sets up an intriguing matchup in the Eastern Conference finals between two teams whose strength is a balanced attack.

If Neal and his linemates, who on this night combined for four goals and an assist, are rolling, that will present a mighty challenge for whomever they might face.

"Those guys have been playing good hockey and I think in the playoffs obviously everyone’s under the microscope, especially the guys that score a lot," Crosby said. "So to see them score, I mean, that’s great, but they’ve been doing a lot of good things for us."