Just a few things that caught my eye:

• Lacrosse is, by far, the best cross-training regimen for hockey -- did you see that Phil Kessel mid-air tip for a goal?

• Sean Avery needs to pick his spots better. Avery clearly didn't know that 20-year-old Simeon Varlamov can't speak English when he started with the trash talk. The kid was so unfazed that Avery snapped and popped the kid in the mask, earning his fifth minor penalty and first misconduct of the night. I smell a bag skate for Mr. Avery; Torts wasn't impressed.

• The secret to Montreal's success? Relying on a guy (Yannick Weber) with three regular-season games and one playoff game under his belt to lead the way. Where for art thou, Alex Tanguay? 

• Nicklas Backstrom's passing is truly sublime. Alexander Semin's finish is, too. Then there's Alexander Ovechkin's back checking -- wow. If you can't score, you do something else...

• Good thing the Bruins have the series all but sewn up. Tim Thomas would like both those goals back. Sketchy.

• Rene Bourque discovered the meaning of "sea legs" after being flattened by Brent Seabrook in the first period. Bourque left the game, obviously woozy. He did return but I doubt he'll make that mistake again. Seabrook is a horse, a Clydesdale in fact.

• Patrick Kane was notable for his absence; he was down with the flu. Uh-oh. It's not an excuse but it could be an explanation a couple weeks down the road. Bugs like that spread around the dressing room faster than bad egg salad at the family picnic. Other teams have faded and then collapsed in the same situation.