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It looks like the Hollywood scriptwriters are moonlighting for the NHL in the Stanley Cup playoffs. At least that what it seemed like tonight with two phenomenal game sevens between the Capitals and the Rangers and the Devils and the Hurricanes.

In Washington the Capitals looked tentative through the first two periods of the game, and the Rangers were the better team through 40 minutes. However, after a lucky goal by Semin in the first period tied the game 1-1 the Rangers' inability to score goals continued to haunt them. The Caps hung around and the game stayed tied until late in the 3rd period, setting the table for late game heroics by veteran Sergei Fedorov. Fedorov rushed down the right wing, cut back and whipped a wrist shot high short side over Henrik Lundqvist's glove. Ovechkin, who looked listless most of the night, summoned all his energy to come flying across the ice and take Fedorov down with a bear hug. (Obviously he never saw the footage of Radulov taking out Jason Arnott last year.) The Caps hung on for the 2-1 win and advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1998. The win, coupled with Carolina's victory in New Jersey, sets up a dream match-up against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Crosby, Malkin and Gonchar vs. Ovechkin, Semin and Green. Buckle your seat belts! This could be the best playoff series in years.

In the other game 7 in New Jersey the action was even better. The two teams went toe to toe right from the drop of the puck, and the Devils took advantage of their home ice to head into the third period nursing a 3-2 lead. Brodeur looked on top of his game, and with their experience and stifling defensive system the Devils looked like they would hold on to advance to round two of the playoffs. Well, perhaps the hockey gods wanted to see a Pittsburgh/Washington series as much as the rest of us because they intervened with 1:20 left in the third period. After a strong cycle, Carolina finally managed to open up the back door play, and Jussi Jokinen snapped the puck under a stretching Brodeur to tie the game. Before the Devils could recover from the shock Eric Staal came flying down the wing and snapped the puck far side past Brodeur with just 32 seconds left to give Carolina a 4-3 lead. Carolina managed to overcome a desperate Devils flurry to win the game and advance to the second round. All of the Devils have to be absolutely crushed by the way the game played out, but perhaps none more so than John Madden who twice led two on ones late in the third and both times fired the puck right into Cam Ward's chest. Had he managed to score on either one it is almost certain the Devils would be celebrating right now instead of booking tee times.

With the victory Carolina will advance to play the Boston Bruins. The Bs were the Beast of the East all season and rolled easily over Montreal. However, Carolina has been hot down the stretch and have a number of veterans from their 2006 Stanley Cup run. Should be a hell of a series folks. Round two action starts Thursday night. Can't wait!

They used to call Jaromir Jagr the human highlight reel. I think it is fair to say that that moniker has been passed on to Alexander Ovechkin. He scored arguably the goal of the regular season (video of Ovechkin's spectacular goal against the Montreal Canadiens) and now you can add to that the goal of the playoffs (so far). Ovechkin was an absolute wrecking ball through the first half of the game, steaming up the ice on rush after rush until he finally buried a beauty where he turned two Rangers inside out before beating Henrik Lundqvist.

Ovechkin has been a man on a mission this series and is finally getting rewarded for his efforts, scoring in the past 2 games after going oh-for on the first 32 shots he fired on Lundqvist in the series. Look for the game Sunday afternoon against the Rangers to be an absolute barn burner.

See the video of Alexander Ovechkin's goal against the New York Rangers below:

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Well, it appears that the 2nd honeymoon between Sean Avery and the New York Rangers is officially over. After a brutal finish to game 4 that saw Avery take two dumb penalties when his team was clinging to a late third period lead the league's biggest antagonist is going to sit out tonight's game to think about his actions.

Following the game Rangers' coach John Tortorella refused to discuss Avery and the penalties he took, but TV cameras caught him staring daggers at Avery on the ice after Avery took the second penalty late in the 3rd period. Though many hockey fans asserted that Avery should be sat out, it still comes as something of a surprise that Tortorella took him out of the lineup.

However, when you think about it, Avery hasn't exactly been a force for the Rangers in the series. Sure, he has arguably been the team's best forechecker and has thrown a number of punishing hits, but he has yet to register a single point in the series, and has earned 24 minutes in penalties in just 4 games so far.

So, will Avery be back for game 6 if there is one? Logic would dictate that he will, and this temporary banishment is intended to send a message. And if there is a game 6 that would mean that the Rangers lost without Avery. But what if they win? Will Avery start game of the next series which would take place against original six rival Boston Bruins? Again, the answer is most likely, but John Tortorella is as unpredictable as he is ornery, so you never really know. In the meantime Avery will have plenty of time to think about his actions...again.