-- That Chris Osgood save on Patrick Elias' shot is as good as you'll see this year. Total reach-back. Total swat out of midair with the stick.

-- Speaking of superlatives, that Darren McCarty fight with David Clarkson is about as long of a fight as you'll see this year. The linesmen asked, but neither McCarty nor Clarkson wanted the bout stopped. I wonder if Johan Franzen's imminent return has anything to do with McCarty's recent fights.

I've always thought that left-handers like McCarty have a slight fighting advantage. Life forces them to be more capable with their off-hand than are most righties. McCarty, like most lefties, throws well with either hand and switched effectively against Clarkson.

-- When Zach Parise was by the side of the Detroit net, banging at a rebound, it was Pavel Datsyuk who knocked Parise on his backside. Datsyuk isn't looked at as a physical player by many, but Pavel does use his body and he is one of the strongest players on the ice. In last spring's playoffs, Datsyuk was second to Brad Stuart in hits, ninth overall in the league.

-- Derek Meech's contact with Brian Gionta had an unfortunate result with the Devil crashing hard into the boards shoulder-first. But the play did display Meech's ability to be physical as well. He's not big, but he's such a good skater with such good balance.