Pierre McGuire's In the Crease

How about the courage of Wild forward Branko Radivojevic? In Game 2 of the Minnesota-Colorado series he hurt his right knee early in the first period, returned to play in the second, reinjured the knee in the third period yet came back to help win the game in overtime.... The Rangers' signing of former Devils forward Scott Gomez (above) looks like the best free-agent move of last summer. Gomez, second on the team in regular-season scoring, assisted on four of New York's first eight goals in the playoffs.... Should the Senators get swept by the Penguins, the long-term deals that Ottawa gave Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza earlier this season won't look good. Each player clearly suffers when not skating alongside captain Daniel Alfredsson, 35, who has been out since April 3 with knee, neck and back injuries.

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LOU CAPOZZOLA (GOMEZ)