If you told me a 1-1 game would go to triple-OT this playoff round, my first guess would've been Coyotes-Predators. But my second guess would definitely be Capitals-Rangers.

Those two are engaged in a collapsing shot-block fest that's awful for regular season hockey, but when everything is on the line in the postseason it does make for tense, entertaining drama. Lots of bloody jerseys and ugly stitches and welts added to the "this is playoff hockey" feel, while message-sending hits disappeared as players went into energy conservation mode.

I admit, send a game to triple OT and I'm hooked, even if it's D#$% Hunter's turn every game into a coin flip squad. Their loss last night adds to the annals of torturous multiple-OT losses for them, including some Easter one that was won by some [name redacted] guy.

Kirill Petrov's reported contract extension in the KHL is discussed here. The rest of the A.M. bits follow below (as always, share more in comments) ...

• Frans Nielsen is trying to get his Danish team to think bigger at the IIHF, while waiting to see which NHLers are added to their opponents. | Speaking of which, figure out who has the TV rights in Andorra. And in your country. (NBC Sports? Yes, at least 13 games.) | And are the Americans pretenders in this tourney? | Sticking internationally, Euro debuts in the NHL are down again.
• Interesting signing from the Flames, bucking up the rookie max for a 26-year-old Czech KHL star.
  
• So true from Down Goes Brown (at Grantland): Playoffs are misery, but it's the kind of misery you want.
• Hockey fans are just different: Haberdashery: A Forest of Hockey Jerseys " Slim Charles Barkley
• The Canadiens could have saved hockey fans everywhere from a monster on the airwaves, but they hired Marc Bergevin instead. Scotty Bowman approves. Here's a roundup of coverage.
  
• The craziest thing in Elliotte Friedman's 30 Thoughts is that Carey Price could command more than $5.5 million per year.