Getty ImagesJust when you think Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov couldn’t get more, uh, interesting, he speaks about the virtues of Cold War leader and socialist icon Joseph Stalin while wondering what kind of conversation he’d have with Albert Einstein.

From a much longer interview here with journalist Maria Rogovskaya that can be found here (ED NOTE: Since removed), Byrzgalov said:

Q. All journalists try to interview you. And is there a person who you would like to talk to?

“A lot of them are not alive anymore… I would love to talk to Genghis Khan, Stalin, Einstein.”

Stalin is a very controversial figure. How do you feel about him?

“Positive. I see logic in his action. Not without going too far, of course. But he came to power in a country that had just lived through a revolution. There were so many spies, enemies, traitors there. A lot of people still had guns after the civil war. The country was in ruins, [people] needed to survive somehow. The country needed to be rebuilt, and in

We can't keep track with how many NHL teams have adopted the "pesky" dscription over the past few seasons to describe their team's feistiness on the ice, but we're probably in double digits by now.

The most recent team is the Ottawa Senators, who lost Game 1 Tuesday night in their series with the Pittsburgh Penguins. That's OK, you see, 'cuz the Senators are bringing pesky back, or so says the people from CTV Ottawa's Morning Live:

The thing about parody songs is often times the new lyrics will replace the original lyrics in your head for a long time. Next time you hear the Justin Timberlake version, don't think you won't hear "coach looks like a walrus" instead of "take 'em to the bridge".

Also, Macklemore's "Thrift Shop" must be huge up there seeing as how both CTV Ottawa and the Team 1200 both used it for first-round anthems for the Sens.

We'll give them credit for one thing: the appearance of Paul MacLean's "twin" was an unexpected surprise. Who knew he could be found somewhere other than behind the coach's benches in ScotiaBank Place?

We're disappointed, however, that the Spartan wasn't brought back for this. Maybe for the Conference Final video, if they advance?

Stick-tap Jordan

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy

Some fans scream at the game. Some fans express themselves with a sign. Others paint their faces or, in David Puddy’s case, their chests.

And then there’s this Pittsburgh Penguins fan captured by Seth Rorabaugh of Empty Netters at Game 1 vs. the Ottawa Senators, who shaved “LETS GO PENS” into his chest hair:

@emptynettersWhat, no apostrophe?

Wow. That is … wow. We’re mostly impressed that all the letters face the right direction, which speaks to either his impressive mastery of mirror reflections or the creepy implication that he has an accomplice in his man-scaping.

When we spotted this photo on Twitter, we had a sense of hair-story repeating.

Was this guy the same guy who spotted this hirsute billboard during the Penguins vs. Washington Capitals series back in May 2009? Based on these strands of evidence, we think so:

DC Sports BogAs Dan Steinberg of the DC Sports Bog wrote:

This guy cancels everything else out. This guy rules. I'd proudly sit next to this guy for 60 minutes, or as long as it takes, really.

But what say you about using your chest fur to support the team?

Pass or Fail: The shaven chest NHL fan tribute.

Getty ImagesNo. 1 Star: Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings

The Kings’ Conn Smythe winner kept rolling, winning his fifth straight game and posting his second shutout of the postseason with a 2-0 win over the San Jose Sharks. Quick made 16 of his 35 saves in the third period to secure the Game 1 victory.

No. 2 Star: Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins’ leading scorer in the playoffs assisted on Paul Martin’s power-play goal and scored the eventual game-winner just under 10 minutes later in the first period. The Penguins took Game 1 against the Ottawa Senators, 4-1.

Raffi Torres of the San Jose Sharks has been on his best behavior since coming back from his suspension for that head shot on Marian Hossa last postseason. Meaning that he successfully pushed the limits on his aggressive hits but didn’t cross the line.

But in Game 1 against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night, Torres may have slipped up … and Jarret Stoll paid the price.

Torres was given a 2-minute minor for charging at 19:02 of the second. Stoll didn’t return to the game after that shift. The Kings took Game 1, 2-0.

The NHL will take a look at this one, especially with Torres’s track record.

What did you think of the hit? Did he get the shoulder first or was the head the principle point of contact?

Getty ImagesIn which your friends at Puck Daddy attempt to pick the winners of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Our first-round picks are here.

Greg Wyshynski, Editor

Penguins in 6
Rangers in 6

The Penguins’ goaltending situation scares the bejesus out of me. So does Craig Anderson’s goalie prowess. So does the fact that Ottawa is one of those teams piling up compelling storylines – Karlsson’s comeback, Spezza’s potential one, Paul MacLean-as-walrus, a ton of unsung heroes – that sometimes lead to a team of destiny vibe. But the Penguins are too good and too deep to lose this series.

The Rangers and Bruins is going to be a slobber-knocker. I give the Rangers the advantage in goal with Lundqvist and their scoring depth is a bit better than expected. That said, it’s time for Nash to become a force, and I think this is the spot for it. The Bruins were exposed a bit in the Leafs series, miracle comeback be damned.

Blackhawks in 6
Sharks in 7

If Detroit plays as it did in Game 7 against the Ducks, this is going to be a very tight series. But I think Chicago knows it played average hockey against the Wild and will course correct. Plus, they’ll exploit the Wings’ defense in ways the Ducks did not.

The Sharks and Los Angeles Kings are the series of the semifinals. Two teams at the top of their games. Can the Sharks crack the Kings’ defense? Can the Kings solve a locked-in Antti Niemi. This could be a classic, but in the end, it’s the Sharks. Who seem like a team of desti … I can’t even finish that yet.

The opening round had its share of weirdness for both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Ottawa Senators. The former was nearly pushed to the brink by the New York Islanders. The latter saw a grown man compared to a walrus by an opponent.

Now, the No. 1 and No. 7 seeds meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals, with a little playoff history between them.

Who wins this second-round battle?

Getty ImagesIf the San Jose Sharks feel like a different team than in previous postseasons, Logan Couture has something to do with it.

The Sharks forward had eight points in four games against the Vancouver Canucks in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs, logging big minutes (22:02) and netting three power play goals. He led by example, and the example was this: The San Jose Sharks have weapons that go beyond Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, and that Couture and teammate Joe Pavelski are ready to put their stamp on this franchise.

We spoke with Couture last week – after the Sharks won, but before their second-round matchup with the Los Angeles Kings was cemented – about inheriting that leadership role, as well as accusations that he’s a diver; sweeping a Canucks team he hated; and the pressures of the postseason.

Todd McLellan said you’re “driving the bus” and Dan Boyle said you’re “the man”. How do you feel about the notion that this team is less about Thornton and Marleau and more about, say, Couture and Pavelski?

COUTURE: I still think those two are the leaders. They’re great players. I’ve learned so much from those two guys and from Boyler as well. We’re the guys who play a lot of minutes, so we’re expected to contribute. We’re expected to play a lot every single night. That’s one of the reasons why we beat Vancouver in four games. Everyone played so well.

Do you think it helps them to be out of the spotlight, or at least share it? Especially in Patty’s case, as it seems he’s a punching bag every postseason.

I don’t know, maybe if helps that other guys are stepping up. Patty does face a lot of heat. I think a lot of the time is unfair and not warranted. He handles it perfectly. Doesn’t let him effect him.

I’m guessing you thought sweep before the Vancouver series.

Yeah, I wish. Obviously not, but it’s nice that we got it done in four games.