Your NHL Playoffs Open Thread

Both the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning attempt to take two-game leads in their respective playoff series. For the Sharks, that'd mean holding rink against the Detroit Red Wings. For the Lightning, that'd mean heading south only needing to win two of three home games against the Washington Capitals to advance to the conference finals.

Detroit/San Jose's on at 3 p.m. eastern. Tampa/Washington follows at 7 p.m.

Noon start may be better for Red Wings than Sharks [San Francisco Chronicle]

Red Wings' Johan Franzen is moving closer to playoff form [Free Press]

Capitals were undone by their poor power play [Washington Post]

Injured Simon Gagne, Pavel Kubina not expected to play for Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2 of East semifinal vs. Washington Capitals [St. Petersburg Times]

(Photo H/T Don Smith/NHLI)