Sean Bergenheim is earning his way to a cool nickname... "The Dagger." What Ben Ferriero did for the Sharks, scoring the overtime game-winner in his first NHL playoff game, is the stuff legends are born from. But let's see where he's at after game 3 of his playoff career. I say this mocking my point a little with Bergenheim. But look at what a player who couldn't break through in the Islander organization, has done in the past two games. Game Seven against the Penguins, game and series winner on a slick reverse backhand play the had already scored on earlier in the series. No one else scored in that pressure-packed elimination game. Game One against the #1 seed Capitals? He scores the ice-breaking first goal just over two minutes in.
My point in this: this is the time of the year where depth start making a difference. Teams can excel in the regulare season, mainly due to the slanted conference and divisional imbalance of games. Chances are, top line players will have different points per game averages when they play non-playof caliber teams. So a dominant top line or two on a weak team can dominate lesser teams, in some cases where only one or two teams in a division are good enough to qualify for post-season play. That team, by average alone, can pad there win total as well as pad their individual stats.
But the second round of the playoffs is where having depth on the bottom two lines starts making a difference. And Tampa's 3rd line of Dominic Moore centering Steve Downie and Sean Bergenheim is proving to be one of the best going. Moore I very good on faceoffs, and has a knack for scoring timely goals. Which is the trait Bergenheim is also earning a reputation for, as I mentiones above.
If Tampa keeps winning the battle of the third lines, this could spell trouble for the top-seeded Capitals. Condiser: Alex Ovechkin is not posting dominant numbers. Granted, the team shifted to more of a defense-first philosophy specifically for the effectivenes it has proven in terms of recently succesful playoff teams. Tampa's top line of Steven Stamkos, Ryan Malone and Martin St.Louis has been one of the best in the league. And after an extended cold period, Stamkos looks as if he's heating up. I'd have to give the edge to the Bolts when comparing these lines.
Alexander Semin played very well in game one. He had a few bad bounces with the puck turn into turnovers, but he generated several good chances after scoring Washington's first goal of the game. But Tamps's second line also scored a goal, as Downie's goal came after he was put with Vincent Lecavalier and Teddy Purcell following the scary injury to Simon Gagne. These two I have to call a wash.
So I will enjoy watching how the Battle of the Bottom Six plays out. Washington counters with Eric Fehr, Jason Chimera (who playes like a bigger version of Moore and also possesses the clutch factor) and young Marcus Johansson. Gagne's injury elevates Adam Hall, a 6-4 right-handed physical presence who also is good on draws, to the third line I assume with the promotion of Downie. Hall also played a couple shifts alongside Lecavalier after Gagne got hurt, so Downie has motivation to stay as much on the "good" side of the proverbial line spoken in regards to agitating play.
This is gonna be fun to watch.
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