Flyers face elimination; Blackhawks fire Mike Haviland; Ryan Kesler out 6 months (Playoff Puck Previews)

Back by popular demand, here are your Puck Previews: Spotlighting the key games in NHL action, news and views as well as general frivolity. Make sure to stop back here for the nightly Three Stars when the games are finished.

Game 5 Preview: New Jersey Devils at Philadelphia Flyers, 7:30 p.m. The Devils lead the series, 3-1. The Flyers are without the suspended Claude Grioux but get defenseman Andrej Meszaros back. Jakub Voracek moves up to skate with Hartnell and Briere. For the Devils, discipline has been the key. Ryan Carter returns to the lineup after missing Game 4 with food poisoning. One theory, according to Carter: "Some people are thinking I got sick because there's some old food in my mustache."

Check out previews and updated scores for all of today's games on the Y! Sports NHL scores and scheds page. For tonight's starting goalies, check out Left Wing Lock.

Evening Reading

• Listen to today's Marek Vs. Wyshynski here.

• The Chicago Blackhawks make their coaching move … well, OK, assistant coaching move: "The Chicago Blackhawks announced today the team has relieved Assistant Coach Mike Haviland of his duties. Haviland spent four seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Blackhawks after being named to the coaching staff on July 23, 2008." So does Barry Smith get his office, too? [Blackhawks]

• Ryan Kesler "tore his labrum a few weeks before the regular season ended and he was not the same player afterwards." Hence, he had surgery, is out six months and could miss the first month of next season. [Province]

• Looking at Roberto Luongo's trade value. [Raw Charge]

• Dean Lombardi on the Los Angeles Kings being four wins away from playing for the Cup: "I remember five years ago when we were a bad team, we were picking second in the draft and on Fan Appreciation Day this place was filled. … Now, those people are being rewarded. Like anything in life, it's what you do during the tough times that really says what you're all about and these people were here and I was meeting them at those GM breakfasts and things. But, you know what, they wear the crest on their sleeves. And when you talked to them, they were willing to get behind this. Now, they're being rewarded. I think of those people and nobody deserves this more than them." [Mayor's Manor]

• The Nashville Predators' blue line could look quite different next season. [Examiner]

Puck Daddy Reader Comment of the Day: From Steven W on the Swedish karaoke:

Only in Hockey: where players can smash each other into the boards on the ice, and sing karaoke together off the ice.

Bold Prediction: We get a Game 6 between the Devils and Flyers.