Coyotes Win First Series, Rangers Force Game 7

The Phoenix Coyotes have won a playoff series. I've never had the chance to write that before. Given the ownership situation, I'm not sure if I ever will again, but it's happened. Phoenix may have won the division, but the Chicago Blackhawks had the better record this season and many experts picked the Hawks to win.

The Coyotes franchise hasn't won a series since they were the original Winnipeg Jets in 1987.

The series went into overtime for the first five games before the Coyotes shut it down 4-0 in game 6. It could have been Shane Doan praying enough to make Tim Tebow look like an atheist. Or it could have been Mike Smith looking like a Conn Smythe winner already.

The Coyotes will play the Nashville Predators in the second round. Queue the “yes, they play hockey there” jokes you'll hear on ESPN all week. Ha yuck yuck.

Kane & class

Patrick Kane, still trying to escape the reputation of the taxi incident from a few years ago, showed some major class last night. He received a misconduct with a few minutes to go in the game and left the ice. The game was over, the series was lost, and he came back onto the ice for the traditional handshake. That's class, and one of the reasons I love hockey.