Just a few things that caught my eye:

• Dirty is a relative word, isn't it? Some see an elbow to the head; others see a fine young Boy Scout helping grandma across the street. Frankly, I'd keep my grandma away from Mike Brown.Or better yet, let her loose on him.

• Niklas Lidstrom is a special player, plain and simple. He ranks up there behind Bobby Orr and Doug Harvey. Hell, he may even be between those two.

• If I were starting a team from scratch, I'm pretty sure I'd pick Ryan Getzlaf to build around. Pretty soon, his name will be mentioned in the same breath as the big three. And I'm not talking GM, Chrysler and Ford.

• What do Phil Kessel and Michael Ryder have in common? Both have potted a point in every Bruins' playoff game this season. Neither gets the respect he's due but for very different reasons. Maybe both are changing people's minds...

• Tim Thomas still scares the daylights out of me every time I watch him but he deserves major props, regardless of the aesthetic. Eleven straight wins? Priceless.

• Where-o-where has Eric Cole gone? Eight games and nary a point. Ditto Rod Brind'Amour. I've put out an A.P.B. on both.

• The Brampton Battalion are playing the Windsor Spitfires for the OHL championship; the Spits lead the series 2-0 after a 5-3 win tonight. The Canucks have caught themselves a good one in Brampton's Cody Hodgson -- smart and skilled, and he's always in the right place at exactly the right time. The Spits will win, though, and they'll be a serious contender at the Mem Cup. Mark my words.