Granted it's not as bad for the defending Stanley Cup Champions as it is for the other five teams that are down 3-1 in their respective series but there is cause for concern if you are a Bruins fans.
Last night was the fourth game in a row where the top forwards for Boston failed to score a goal. The only one to secure a point in the series is Patrice Bergeron who had an assist in game three.
In the meantime David Krejci and Milan Lucic have been both held off the scoresheet. In fact one of the reasons for the Capitals success is the ability to get under the skin of Lucic, causing him to take a bad penalty.
It hasn't cost Boston yet but they need Lucic to keep cool on the ice and stay out of the penalty box. He is one of their best forwards. The Bruins can't afford to have him serving penalties.
While Boston's top forwards are having trouble finding the back of the net that isn't the case with Washington.
Alexander Semin has two goals in this series to lead the Capitals while Alex Ovechkin has one goal and three assists. Their other top forward, Nicklas Backstrom has returned from injury and has a goal and an assist in the series. If this continues, Washington has an excellent chance to win this series.
The other reason the Capitals have a chance to win this series is the play of Braden Holtby in net.
The Stanley Cup playoffs are famous for having the unknown goaltender come out of nowhere to make an impact and lead his team farther that people expected.
This season it looks like Holtby could be that goaltender.
Through four games Holtby has only allowed seven goals while facing 148 shots. His GAA is 1.60 and his save percentage is .953. That is the best of any goaltender who has played in all four games.
The series moves back to Boston this weekend for game five. Right now this is anybody's series. The Bruins should still be considered the favorite to win this series but their top forwards need to start scoring.
I think whoever wins game five will end up winning the series.
Working Overtime:
Last night at United Center Chicago and Phoenix went to overtime for the fourth game in a row.
It was the first time since the 1951 Stanley Cup finals when the first four games of the series would go into overtime.
And for the third time in the series the Coyotes found a way to come out on top in the extra session as Mikkel Boedker scored the game winner for the second time in a row.
Boedker got control of the puck as Blackhawks defenseman Nick Leddy was trying to chip it back into the offensive zone. Boedker was then able to race down the ice and get a shot on goaltender Corey Crawford and slip it past him to secure the victory for Phoenix.
With the victory the Coyotes are now one win away from their first playoff series win since 1987 when they were the original Winnipeg Jets.
If it is any consolation to Blackhawk fans, three times since the Coyotes moved to the desert have they had a chance to close out a series on home ice (1997, 1999, 2010) and all three times they have failed.
With all four games having gone to overtime in my mind the series is still up for grabs. Chicago may be down but in no way are they out of this yet.
Sharks on the brink of elimination:
I can't say the same for the San Jose Sharks however.
Since surprising St. Louis by winning game one in double overtime the Sharks have not been able to do much else against the Blues.
Brian Elliott has done a great job in net since Jaroslav Halak was run over in game two, winning all three games and turning away 71 of the 75 shots he has faced.
The other reason this series is one game away from ending is special teams.
The Blues have scored six power play goals in sixteen opportunities. Only Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have scored more power play goals. On the penalty kill, St. Louis has only given up two goals in fifteen chances.
With the Blues winning the battle on special teams it feels like it's just a matter of time before this series ends and st. Louis moves on to the second round.
Martin Brodeur:
I haven't been able to watch as much of the Florida/New Jersey series as I would have liked but from what I have seen whoever wins this series will depend on one thing.
The play of Martin Brodeur.
Now I realize that seems like an obvious thing to write but if you think about it you don't know which Brodeur you are going to get.
You could have the one in net that led the Devils to four Stanley Cup Finals, winning three of them in an eight year span.
Or you could get the Brodeur who has played subpar and been knocked out of the playoffs in the 1st round six times in his career.
We saw that Brodeur in game three against Florida as he was pulled in the 2nd period after giving up three goals on twelve shots.
The Brodeur we saw in game four is similar to the one that was dominant during the years the Devils played for the Stanley Cup, turning away all 26 shots en route to a 4-0 win for New Jersey.
The series is now tied 2-2 and as goes Marty Brodeur go the New Jersey Devils.
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