Newsmakers in the NHL is a weekday morning attempt to clear yesterday's rebounds and look to the day ahead.Rangers 4, Flyers 3: With a win on Sunday -- or a loss in overtime -- the Philadelphia Flyers could have secured the No. 4 seed and home ice advantage in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Instead, the Flyers watched a 3-2 lead after two periods turn into a 4-3 loss, at home, against a New York Rangers team that had absolutely nothing to play for in terms of playoff positioning. As a result, the Flyers are going to begin their opening round series in Pittsburgh against a Penguins team that is extremely difficult to beat on home ice.
Blues 1, Avalanche 0: Not only did the St. Louis Blues qualify for the postseason, they completed their meteoric rise up the standings with a 1-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, securing the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. The Blues first trip to the postseason since the 2003-04 season will begin with an opening round match up with the Northwest Division Champion Vancouver Canucks. Brad Boyes scored the only goal for the Blues on Sunday, while Chris Mason turned aside all 28 shots he faced to earn his sixth shutout of the season.
The Rest Of Sunday's Action
-- Chicago closes out its regular season with an impressive 3-0 win against the Detroit Red Wings.
-- Led by Phil Kessel's hat trick, the Bruins beat the Islanders by a 6-2 margin on Sunday afternoon. The Islanders finish their season on a four-game losing streak that saw them get outscored 24-5.
Daily Rebounds
-- According to Darren Dreger, Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff is going to coach team Canada at the World Hockey Championships. [TSN]
-- Are the Capitals a championship team? [Puckhead's Thoughts]
-- Jacques Lemaire is no longer the head coach of the Minnesota Wild. Does this mean it's the end of boring hockey in Minnesota? [TSC]
Monday's Key Games
No games on Monday, we're all just waiting for the playoffs to begin.
