Just a few things that caught my eye.

• All those years slugging sod on his parents' farm sure taught Eric Staal a lesson -- doing the dirty work pays off. Staal was a force all game long and all zones of the ice.

• Dead men skating. You know who I'm talking about. Even zombies show more emotion when they're coming to get you. The Rangers are in trouble. 

• Chad LaRose is the new Ruslan Fedotenko is the new Johan Franzen. OK, I won't go that far. But five points in six games? A plugger always seem to rise to the top in the playoffs.

• Another day, another suspension looming. Donald Brashear is going to get one but not for what you think. Sure, that hit to Blair Betts was mighty late. But Brashear's antics in the warm-ups won't be tolerated by NHL brass. He not only crossed the center line on the skate around but then shoved a Blueshirt who chirped at him for doing it. He can't forecheck anymore -- I guess he has to do something?

• Viktor Kozlov is a top-five player in the land of unfulfilled dreams. That outside-in move he made to score roof daddy and then crash King Henrik was supreme. Too bad it only happens every 12 years or so.

• Speaking of dreams, Henrik Lundqvist must not be getting enough REM sleep. He looks exhausted out there and his glove hand slips a bit low when that happens. How many goals went top shelf? Yah, the Rangers are in trouble. 

• Zach Parise and Martin Brodeur can't win by themselves. I'm talking to you, Patrick Elias, Travis Zajac, Brian Rolston, Brendan Shanahan, Danius Zubrus... you get the picture.

• Washington got really sloppy in the third -- I think New York started to get into their heads a bit. Those penalties by Alexander Ovechkin and Boyd Gordon weren't just sloppy, they were the result of anger and frustration. Maybe the refs weren't catching the cheap crap but these guys have to stay in control.