The NHL announced on Wednesday that Sergei Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers and Antti Niemi of the San Jose Sharks are the three finalists for the 2012-13 Vezina Trophy, which is awarded “to the goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at his position,” as voted on by the League’s 30 general managers.

Getty ImagesThis is the first time all three Vezina finalists were born and trained in Europe, according to Adam Kimelman of NHL.com.

One imagines the first runner-up for the Vezina also was European: Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins, who had nearly identically numbers to Lundqvist save for games played, which is typically a vital number for the GMs in determining a Vezina candidate.

Also snubbed: Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks, who split too much time with Ray Emery for either to make the cut; Cory Schneider of the Vancouver Canucks; Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings; and Craig Anderson of the Ottawa Senators, who might have been the best goalie in the NHL this season but was limited to 24 games due to injury.

Who wins the Vezina?

Game 4 got away from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night, as the New York Islanders scored three straight third-period goals to win 6-4 and even their series at 2-2.

That frustration manifested itself on a few occasions during the game, such as when Brenden Morrow decided to use the ice as a wrestling turnbuckle on Casey Cizikas’s head:

So basically: Morrow = Weber; Cizikas = Zetterberg; ice = glass.

Unless of course he was simply trying to pry his stick loose. That too.

Here’s how it looked from the cheap seats, via reader Nick Colletti

There was no penalty on the play.

Meanwhile, at the end of the game, things got tense and defenseman Kris Letang took his frustrations out on … a linesman.

APIn Dec. 2011, Jack Jablonski’s hockey dreams were shattered.

Then a sophomore for Benilde-St. Margaret's (Minn.) High, Jablonski was paralyzed when he was accidentally checked from behind into the end boards at a holiday tournament.

His story captured the sympathy and attention of the hockey world, as donations poured in to help his medical expenses and support arrived from visiting NHL players.

He even spent some time with the Stanley Cup when Davis Drewiske of the Los Angeles Kings brought it by.

There have been plenty of surreal hockey moment for Jack Jablonski, including his "carrying the flag" for the Minnesota Wild before Game 3.

Another one arrived on Tuesday, courtesy of the United States Hockey League.

The USHL, the top junior hockey league in the U.S., was holding its Phase 2 Draft on Tuesday as teams filled out their 45-player lists. Jablonski put the following request on Twitter on Monday morning:

Dear USHL teams, Just thought I'd let u know I am eligible for tomorrow's draft. Sincerely Jack Jablonski

— Jack Jablonski (@Jabs_13) May 7, 2013

The Chicago Steel took his draft advice, and made Jack Jablonski their final selection in the 2013 Phase 2 Draft.

USHLThe Steel congratulated Jablonski on Twitter for the selection; the 17-year-old hockey fanatic responded with one simple phrase: “Best Night Ever.”

Kudos to the Steel for making another one of Jack Jablonski’s dreams come true.

You can follow his rehab progress on his Caring Bridge journal.

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No. 1 Star: Kyle Turris, Ottawa Senators

The Senators forward played a role in the game-tying and game-winning goals in Ottawa’s improbable comeback in Game 4 against the Montreal Canadiens. Turris picked up an assist on Cory Conacher’s tying goal with 23 seconds remaining, and his presence in Carey Price’s crease was critical on the play. Then, at 2:32 of overtime, Turris scored his second of the playoffs past Habs backup Peter Budaj to give Ottawa a 3-2 win and a 3-1 series lead.

No. 2 Star: Patrick Sharp, Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks forward beat Josh Harding in the first period, and then beat his injury replacement Darcy Kuemper in the second period as Chicago shut out the Minnesota Wild, 3-0, behind 25 saves from Corey Crawford and 20 blocked shots from the Hawks. Chicago took a 3-1 series lead.

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The Vancouver Canucks probably weren’t many hockey fans’ pick to leave the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs first; even fewer likely thought they’d be ousted in a sweep by the San Jose Sharks.

But Patrick Marleau’s fourth goal in four games at 13:18 of overtime on Tuesday night sent the Canucks home, and the Sharks to the second round with a 4-3 victory.

It was a power-play goal; and the reason the Sharks were given that power play made the defeat sting even more for Vancouver:

Daniel Sedin was given a 2-minute minor for boarding Tommy Wingels at 13:03 of overtime on a shoulder-to-shoulder hit that saw the Sharks forward’s head crash into the boards.

A borderline call? Nope, just a bad call, especially in overtime of an elimination game.

TSN got comments from referee Kelly Sutherland:

Referee Kelly Sutherland on Daniel call: Deemed it a violent shove into the boards where the player couldn't defend himself from the hit.

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) May 8, 2013

As Sedin said:

"It's playoff overtime and it was shoulder to shoulder. I thought it was a bad call"

That said, he continued:

"We didn't lose the series on that call, we should have been better early on. It sucks."

The postmortem on the Canucks is going to be epic.

Getty ImagesIt can all go wrong so quickly in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as one break leads to other breaks before leading to the ultimate break.

The Montreal Canadiens had a 2-0 lead, thanks to goals by P.K. Subban and Alex Galchenyuk, with 8:05 left in the third period of Game 4, looking very much like that they’d head back to Bell Centre with the series knotted at 2-2.

Then Mika Zibanejad scored a fluke goal that might many felt should have been wiped away for a distinct kicking motion.

Then Cory Conacher scored with 23 seconds remaining to tie the game.

Then Habs goalie Carey Price injured himself making a save before overtime, necessitating that Peter Budaj enter the game for the extra session.

Then Kyle Turris ended it at 2:32 of the extra session, giving Ottawa a 3-2 win and a 3-1 series lead.

"I guess there are hockey gods out there and they were on our side tonight,” said Conacher.

This goal by Mika Zibanejad of the Ottawa Senators looked like it might end up as a controversial footnote in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal.

That was until Cory Conacher scored at 19:37 of the third period to force overtime between the host Senators and the Montreal Canadiens, where the Senators would win, 3-2, to take a 3-1 series lead:

A Chris Neil shot deflected off of Canadiens defenseman Jarred Tinordi on its way to Zibanejad, who then sent it past Carey Price with his left skate.

How the NHL saw it:

At 11:55 of the third period in the Canadiens/Senators game, video review upheld the referee's call on the ice that the puck deflected off Mika Zibanejad's left skate and into the net in a legal fashion. Good goal Ottawa.

According to Rule 49.2 "A puck that deflects into the net off an attacking player's skate who does not use a distinct kicking motion is a legitimate goal."

So the NHL doesn’t see a “distinct kicking motion.” We think they’re right, as it appeared Zibanejad was in the act of stopping and there wasn’t a kicking motion per se. He angled the puck home, in a legal fashion by the letter of the law. But what say you?

Pass or Fail: Mika Zibanejad’s “kicked” goal in Game 4.

Oh, this is devious. From Tuesday night’s Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals in Ottawa, the eagle eyes of reader Krazy Kanuck caught the following:

In a series during which tensions ran high between Montreal Canadiens Coach Michel Therrien and Ottawa Senators Coach Paul MacLean, it appears MacLean’s evil doppelganger has taken up residence behind the Habs bench.

Fake Paul MacLean first came to prominence during a Senators home game against the Florida Panthers in January, when he freaked everyone out.

The twin turned out to be Mike Watson, 54, who manages an auto supply store in Ottawa. His company had seats behind the Sens bench, and he finally showed up to the delight of fans who watched Paul MacLean coach while Paul “MacClone” watched.

Now, Watson’s back for the playoffs.

Someone tell Brandon Prust that this is just a carbon copy, and that a herd of bug-eyed fat walruses isn't coming to maul him ...