SCOREBOARD
Tuesday, April 17
Anaheim at Minnesota (9 p.m. EDT). The Ducks look to be the first team to advance to the Conference semifinals with a four-game sweep of the Wild.
STAR
Monday
-Vincent Lecavalier, Lightning, scored his fourth goal of the playoffs, helping Tampa Bay beat New Jersey 3-2.
SLUMPING
The New York Islanders have dropped five straight home playoff games after Monday night’s 3-2 loss to Buffalo. … Nashville has yet to win a road playoff game in six tries over three seasons after Monday’s 3-1 loss at San Jose.
SNAPPED
The New York Islanders snapped their home playoff scoreless streak at 187 minutes, 4 seconds with Trent Hunter’s second period goal in Monday’s 3-2 loss to Buffalo. The drought dated to Adrian Aucoin’s goal in Game 4 against Ottawa exactly four years earlier. New York was shut out twice at home by Tampa Bay in 2004, the last time the Islanders qualified for the postseason.
BEATING BRODEUR
Martin Brodeur entered the playoffs with a 1.89 career goals-against average, but has given up three goals in each game of New Jersey’s series against Tampa Bay. The Lighting also won three of four regular-season meetings against Brodeur, who won a league-record 48 games. Tampa Bay beat the Devils 3-2 on Monday to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
OKAY, BUT OUT
Ottawa forward Patrick Eaves, knocked out by a hard hit from Pittsburgh’s Colby Armstrong on Sunday, will miss Game 4 of the Senators-Penguins first-round playoff series on Tuesday night. While Eaves was not hospitalized, and could be seen congratulating teammates following their 4-2 victory in Game 3, he will be replaced for at least one game by Oleg Saprykin.
PASSING
Gaetan Duchesne, who played in the NHL for 14 seasons and helped the Minnesota North Stars reach the 1991 Stanley Cup final, died while training at a gym Monday. He was 44. Duchesne collapsed and could not be resuscitated. The cause of death was not immediately known. Duchesne had 179 goals and 254 assists for Washington, Quebec, Minnesota, San Jose and Florida.
SPEAKING
“We all know what he’s capable of, and that he’s carried this organization for years during the regular season and the playoffs. Maybe he hasn’t been at his best yet, but we know it’s there.” – New Jersey’s Jamie Langenbrunner on teammate Martin Brodeur. Brodeur, who entered the playoffs with a 1.89 career goals-against average, has given up three goals in each game of the Devils’ series against Tampa Bay. The Devils trail the Lightning 2-1 after Monday night’s 3-2 loss.