Unfortunately for the Nashville Predators, Vancouver's Ryan Kesler has stepped his game up to a whole new level in the second round of the playoffs. Kesler was the focus of a lot of scrutiny and criticism in the first round when the Chicago Blackhawks came back to force a game seven after being down three games to none. Kesler currently sits in 6th in the NHL with eleven points (three goals, eight assists), just two points behind league leader Martin St Louis who has thirteen points (six goals, seven assists.) At the completion of the first round, Kesler only had four assists, but has registered three goals, including two game winners, and four assists in just the first four games of the second round.
It's a good thing that Kesler has been hot lately, because Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who finished first and second in regular season points respectively, have combined for only one goal and four assists so far against Nashville. That's how good teams win games; when the players you count on to score goals are struggling, other players must rise to the occasion and produce.
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| May 5, 2011 - Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images North America |
It is interesting to note, despite a short four game series in the second round against the Washington Capitals, the top three league leaders in postseason points, Martin St Louis (six goals, seven assists), Vincent Lacavalier (five goals, seven assists) and Steve Downie (two goals, ten assists) are all members of the Tamps Bay Lightning. On top of that, Dwayne Roloson leads the NHL in postseason save percentage (.941), goals against average (2.01) and wins (eight). Tampa Bay is going to be a tough team to beat as the playoffs progress.
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