Spinnable Sports Your Sports, Our Spin
Re-cap from last night’s action:
Bruins – Canes: Charlie McAvoy returned and Boston has all the momentum. Easy win, right? WRONG! Antti Raanta stifles the critics and puts on an amazing performance. Have to wonder if the Bruins make another goaltending change after that debacle in Raleigh last night. HUGE game from Carolina who takes another step towards advancing to the second round. This one wasn’t close after Raanta stoned Marchand in Boston’s best chance.
Lightning – Maple Leafs: Austin Matthews DID continue his surge with a dagger of a goal late after Jack Campbell makes a huge save on Kucherov in the 3rd period. Tampa has gotten used to Vasilevskiy stealing a game or two every series, but his struggles continue, notching a .840 SP% last night. Has the long post season runs for the Lightning finally taken their toll? Toronto hopes so as they look to end their cup drought…1967 was a looooong time ago.
Blues – Wild : Vladdy Tarasenko with playoff magic in the 3rd period last night! A natural hat trick, including two goals in 1:28, to seal any hope of Minnesota mounting a comeback. I always laugh when announcers mention Marcus Foligno after he takes another cheap shot. How many times do you have to say that’s our of character for a guy before you realize that is his nature? Watch the tape, it doesn’t lie. Do the Wild turn to their regular season wins leader in Cam Talbot finally? Or will it be too little too late? Game 5 winners take the series 79.1% of the time.
Kings – Oilers: This one continues to be mind-boggling. If feels like the high-powered Edmonton Oilers are annoyed and bothered that they have to actually try when playing the Kings. They seem frustrated and the players have to decide if after the whistle shenanigans is more important than putting the puck in the net. Careless penalties are also mounting, like the high sticking taken by Ryan McLeod that led to LA’s 3rd goal. For as much as the talk was the lack of upgrade in goaltending (which I agree with), Edmonton’s all-or-nothing goal scoring from their top players has been the true Achilles heel. McDavid, Draisaitl, Kane can’t score every goal, although they’re trying. Also, credit to the Kings for playing one of the best team series we’ve seen. They’ve rebounded incredibly after being outscored 14-2 in games 2 and 3. Since then? 9-4 Kings outscoring the Oil in the last two, including last night’s OT winner by Adrian Kempe.
*UPDATE* Apparently the NHL has decided Darnell Nurse won’t have to decide which option is more important as they’ve suspended him for 1-game for his headbutt of Phillip Danault, who’s been incredible for the Kings this playoff year. Now the Oilers face even more pressure with their top defensemen out for game 6.
On tap for tonight…only 3 games coming our way thanks to the Avalanche’s not so shocking sweep of Nashville.
Pens – Rangers: In the only match-up not tied at two, the Penguins look to knock off the Rangers. Their regular season success looks like a thing of the past at this point. As good as Igor Shesterkin was this season, the playoffs are a whole different animal. In the long run it’s a good thing, but the cup drought continues for the Rangers. Jake Guentzel and Sid the (once was a) Kid lead the way and the Pens send New York to the golf course and close out the series.
Caps – Panthers: Washington let a potential 3-1 series lead slip away in the waning moments of Game 4. Can they put that out of their minds and snatch one on the road? Sergei Bobrovsky still has a lot to prove in the playoffs and the nerves show again tonight. Some Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie magic will be just what Washington fans ordered. Capitals take this one to go up 3-2 heading back to the Nation’s capital.
Stars – Flames : In the lowest scoring series will one team finally break out to take control? Jamie Benn has been ice cold, zero points in the series and $10,000 in fines is not what the Dallas faithful were hoping for from their captain. Let’s hope we get more airtime from Meaghan Mikkelson (@mikkelson12) as she was insightful, humorous and spot on during the game she worked earlier in the series between the glass. The Calgary crowd will be rocking and the offense finally shows up for back-to-back games as Calgary cruises once again.
2022 Playoff Predictions: 1-3…slightly better than Kevin Fiala or Justin Faulk’s shooting percentage -_-
Written by Chris Dittmer
