The NHL and NBA playoffs are underway and on weekend nights with them a short recap. This is the night before, a quick look inside the NHL and NBA playoffs.
NHL Playoffs
Florida Panthers Tampa Bay Lightning game 1: The Panthers get the game 1 W. Largely on the back of Sergei Bobrovsky and his tremendous goaltending. Bobrovsky stopped 17 of 19 Tampa shots and was only beaten for the second late on the Power Play. The Panthers by and large controlled most of game 1.
Sam Reinhart’s 50-goal season translated into the playoffs as he got his first playoff goal early and the Panthers got going. Another tremendously physical series with each team tallying 50-plus hits. Home ice advantage will play a massive role in not just this series but the entire playoffs. Series don’t really begin until the road team gets a victory.
This one looks like a solid dog fight though and one that I can’t wait for game 2 in.
New York Rangers Washington Capitals game 1: The story of this game, is the young Matt Rempe who immediately made his presence felt with an early hit and then the first goal of the game for the Rangers. Rempe snuck in front of the goal mouth and shoveled home an opener.
The breadman Artemi Panarin delivered as well and now all-time leading Rangers postseason scorer, Chris Kreider got a goal as well. This series might be over in four or five, the Caps simply don’t have the firepower to keep up with this tremendous Rangers squad.
Western NHL Playoffs
Winnipeg Jets Colorado Avalanche game 1: A football game breaks out on an ice rink. 13 goals, one of the highest-scoring playoff games ever comes together as the Jets take a 1-0 series lead. This is a game the Avs will kick themselves over though, solving Connor Hellebuyck six times is probably not going to happen again in this series.
The Avs cannot go back to goalie Alexander Georgiev at this point. 7 goals on under 30 shots is entirely unacceptable. It is frankly one of the worst goaltending performances of all time. The Jets will roll this series if AG remains in the net for the Avalanche. Justus Annunen needs to get healthy, and fast.
Vancouver Canucks Nashville Predators game 1: A classic playoff series. Hockey is played in a phone booth, with no space, and no breathing room, just physical and gritty hockey.
The fact the Canucks depth showed up big for them in this game is an extremely positive sign. It is a young team, with no playoff experience, winning game 1 is huge. This will be a long series, as will most of the series written about.
The truth in hockey is that series do not truly begin until a road team wins, once that happens, all bets are off. Both Thatcher Demko and Juse Saros looked excellent in game 1. This is a series to watch moving forward.
NBA tidbits
- Dame time. This is why they bought Lilard to Milwaukee. Surviving without Giannis in game 1 is huge for the Bucks.
- The Thunder pass the first playoff test, win a rock fight.
- Celtics in four.
- If the Mavericks can’t play defense, it’s probably time to blow it up. Luka needs to go God mode in game 2.
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