tonights selections:
Tampa Bay Lightning+160(LOSER)
Philadelphia Flyers-115(LOSER)
NYR@PHILLY
Game 1 at msg was close up until the 3rd quarter when jason akinson received a double minor penalty for high sticking. Ny broke what was a 1-1 tie wide open to the get the W. In game 2 the rangers tried to finish off Philly by taking a 2-0 lead in the first, and then tried slam the Door by outshooting the Flyers 17-9 in the 2nd. Only it was the Steve Emery show as nothing got by him and Philadelphia seized the opportunity getting the victory taking home ice advantage. Gm 3 is tonight in Philadelphia and I expect to see more of the same from Emery. #1 Goalie Steve Mason is close to returning but if Emery plays the way he's been it's unlikely Mason will get the call anytime soon. Although I think this will be a tight one, the flyers played their hearts out to gain the advantage and I see them giving the same effort to keep it.
TAMPA BAY@ MONTREAL
Although the Tampa Bay lightning should feel helpless and dejected being down 0-3 and on the brink of elimination, they are not. Head coach John Cooper believes they played their best hockey of the season in game 3 and they did! They had a goal taken from them in the second period that would have given them a 2-1 lead. They Bolts continued playing well after that but eventually fell 3-2 to go down 0-3 in the series. The last time a team was able to come back from a 0-3 deficit in a 7 game series was the 2010 Philadelphia flyers. A flyers team that Lightning defensemen Matt Carle happened to be on. "You think about the task at hand, not trying to win four straight," Carle said. "You lose three and it seems like the world is collapsing a little bit. To win four straight seems pretty tough, but you win one and you get some momentum going." And just last year Some of Tampa's players who played with AHL Syracuse also were down 0-3 and fought back to take the series to a game 7. Montreal is probably feeling really comfy in the drivers seat right now but Tampa bay still has faith; "We just have to win one game," captain Steven Stamkos said. "Our backs are against the wall, so I'm pretty sure you're going to see a good effort from us. That's our motto right now: win one, go back home and see what happens." I believe Tampa Believes and thats enough for me! Tampa says "not so fast," gets the win to keep the door ajar and hope alive.
Best to all,
Ziggybeats
Playoff record 1-6 -4.5 Units