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Canucks face elimination; Pens too slow for Isles? (Puck Previews)

Back by popular demand, here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Well, clearly someone disagreed with the Justin Abdelkader besides this clown.

Preview: Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m. ET (Sens lead 2-1) So the Habs fans seem pretty not OK with Eric Gryba returning to this series after the Lars Eller hit. No Brian Gionta or Ryan White for the Habs.

Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Islanders, 7 p.m. ET. (Pens lead 2-1) Brett Cyrgalis of the NY Post with a money quote from Frans Neilsen: "We felt they had a lot of guys on their team, especially the older guys, that can’t skate with us." You know what? In Game 3, he was right. Do the Isles have another win in them, or was last game the must-win?

Preview: Chicago Blackhawks at Minnesota Wild, 9:30 p.m. ET (Hawks lead 2-1) No Dave Bolland and Ray Emery again for the Blackhawks. Jason Pominville was expected to be a game-time decision. Said Jonathan Toews: “We need to show the kind of hatred for Minnesota that they showed for us in Game 3."

Preview: Vancouver Canucks at San Jose Sharks, 10 p.m. ET (Sharks lead 3-0) The Sharks go for the first elimination of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Cory Schneider gets the start for Vancouver in would could be coach Alain Vigneault’s final game. Will we see a diving call in Game 4?

Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page. For tonight's starting goalies, check out Goalie Post.

Evening Listening

Jason York and Norris Trophy voting chatter on today’s podcast. [Marek Vs. Wyshynski; subscribe via iTunes]

Puck Daddy Reader Comment of the Day: On Sidney Crosby’s SI cover, it’s Eddie Spaghetti:

Okay, I'm a pens fan and I'll come clean. I know he whined sometimes in his early years. I think it partly the faces he makes that sometimes may be perceived as whining as well. He may have taken a few dives along the way as well but I think sometimes his opposing fans want a dive every time he goes down. I do not think he dove last game and if you look at the replay his right foot was kicked out from under him but most people were foused on the hold. Anyone complaining about Ovie's dive last night? I think it was a penalty and I heard others in the media agree it was a penalty (and others did not). I know he was at his worst behavior last year in the playoffs. He did some cheap stuff but he wasn't the only one, there was stuff going on from a lot of players including Giroux who doesn't get ridiculed at all. Any time Crosby does anything the average player does it is magnified 10X. This year he is different. I watched every game and I did not see any episodes of any whining or cheap shots. Maybe he is growing up or maybe somebody had a talk with him. Other players are still doing that stuff so maybe the attention should be thrown on them. You have to realize he is probably hounded and guarded closer than any other player in the league so in turn I think that would lead to more penalties much like Michael Jordan or Shaq getting fouled all the time.

Bold Prediction: The Sharks close it out, and it’s Cory Schneider’s fault.