Who's Hot . . . Who's Not

We're through four games in each of the series in this second round so time to check out who is toasty and who is toasted.

Boston vs. Carolina
Well, who's winning that battle between Eric Staal and Zdeno Chara? The 3-1 series lead that the Canes have pretty much tells you who.

Hot
Jussi Jokinen, Car 3G 3A +2
Eric Staal, Car 4G 1A +2
Marc Savard, Bos 3G 0A -2
Cam Ward, Car .932 save pct

Not
Zdeno Chara, Bos 0G 0A -4

Washington vs. Pittsburgh
This series may go down as one of the greatest ever. Certainly through four games we've seen enough wild hits (and missed hits), shots, saves and classic flubs (Simeon Varlamov's glove hand in Game 4) that you often don't see over seven games in any series. Also, although Alexander Semin has 4 points in the series, he's not scored and is as lazy backchecking as Evgeny Malkin is for the Pens. Speaking of which, one strong game out of four does not do the Art Ross Trophy winner any justice unless Malkin is channeling Patrick Marleau out there.

Hot
Sydney Crosby, Pitt 5G 3A +4
Alexander Ovechkin, Wash 5G 2A +2
Bill Guerin, Pitt 1G 3A +4
Sergei Gonchar, Pitt 1G 3A +2

Not
Alexander Semin, Wash 0G 4A -5
Evgeny Malkin, Pitt 1G 2A -3
Marc-Andre Fleury, Pitt .884 save pct

Detroit vs. Anaheim
Another terrific series that shows why the West is best. In case you're wondering who the best player in the NHL is, you've got to now add Ryan Getzlaf's name in with Crosby and Ovechkin's.

Hot
Ryan Getzlaf, Ana 1G 7A -1
Corey Perry, Ana 3G 3A -1
Nicklas Lidstrom, Det 2G 3A +1
Johan Franzen, Det 4G 1A +3
Chris Pronger, Ana 1G 4A -2
Henrik Zetterberg 2G 2A +1
Jonas Hiller, Ana .933 save pct

Not
Pavel Datsyuk, Det 0G 1A -1
Bobby Ryan, Ana 0G 1A -3

Vancouver vs. Chicago
The most boring series so far in the entire playoffs through two rounds. Somehow Hawks' Coach Q is trying his best to lose this series by playing the wrong goalie. Meanwhile Nux Coach Yogi Bear is doing the same by playing defense first when the Nux had a chance to go up 3-1 in the series. The weirdest stats are the fact that Henrik Sedin has three goals and his brother, Daniel, has none while Patrick Kane has contributed offensively, he has been more of a liability five-on-five. Lastly, the lead singer of Green Day shows he can play some hockey as he leads all players with five points after four games.

Hot
Dave Bolland, Chi 3G 2A +3
Martin Havlat, Chi 1G 3A +2
Alexander Edler, Van 1G 4A +1
Duncan Keith, Chi 0G 4A +3
Henrik Sedin, Van 3G 1A -2


Dave Bolland's punk rock twin

Not
Willie Mitchell, Van 0G 0A -4
Jonathan Toews, Chi 0G 1A -3
Patrick Kane, Chi 3G 1A -4
Alexander Burrows, Van 0G 1A -1
Nikolai Khabibulin, Chi .867 save pct