In Memoriam: 2005-2006 Philadelphia Flyers (6th of 15)

Rarely do hockey fans get to see a playoff matchup between teams with such disparite styles as the Flyers and the Buffalo Sabres. Where the Sabres are built around speed and a balanced attack, Philadelphia is a more physical squad. Surprisingly, it was the Sabres' Brian Campbell who delivered the first huge hit of the series in the Sabres' opening game win over the Flyers, as Buffalo prevailed on a Daniel Briere tip in almost halfway through the second overtime to take the opener.

Home ice advantage would hold until the finale, with the Sabres taking advantage of seventeen Flyer penalties en route to an 8-2 win in the second game. When the series shifted to Philadelphia for the third game, it looked as if it might become another chapter in the playoff success of Peter Forsberg, as he netted his first two of the playoffs in earning the Flyers a 4-2 win, and tallied two more goals and an assist in the fourth game to knot the series at two games apiece.

Shifting back to Buffalo, the tide turned against the Flyers once again as they were whitewashed 3-0 by the Sabres. Moving to the sixth game, back in Philadelphia, the Sabres showed off their youth and speed against a Flyers team which seemed to be tired en route to claiming the series with a 7-1 triumph.

In Memoriam: 2005-2006 Montreal Canadiens (7th of 15)

Losing your team leader is a difficult obstacle to overcome at any time, and the life-or-death environment of the NHL playoffs makes it even more difficult.

After a pair of road victories in Raleigh, the Montreal Canadiens came home up two games on the Carolina Hurricanes and looking strong. Back-to-back six goals against performances by the 'Canes Martin Gerber saw him shelved in place of rookie netminder Cam Ward for the balance of the series, but emotionally, the turning point came with just over fifteen minutes left in the second period of game three when Habs captain Saku Koivu left the game with an eye injury resulting from a high stick. With centre Steve Begin sidelined after a groin injury sustained in early April, the departure of Koivu left Montreal extremely thin at the pivot position.

The Habs didn't quit though. After the 2-1 loss in game three on Eric Staal's overtime goal, they dropped the fourth by a 3-2 margin, evening the series at two games apiece.

After that, it stayed the Cam Ward show, as Montreal dropped a pair more 2-1 decisions- the final one in overtime, and headed off the ice at the Bell Centre with their heads held high despite their defeat.