“Rick Nash, thanks for coming. One goal in Toronto series, two in Tampa series (the G1 blowout). Can’t see the Bs making him a UFA offer… he ultimately came as advertised.” –Barstool Sports
FLIN FLON
, SK – And then there were four. We’re down to the Conference finals in the NHL. Vegas and the Peg are locked in a pitched battle to represent the Western Conference in this year’s final. The Golden Knights lead the J-E-T-S Jets 2-1 heading into tonight’s tilt in Sin City.
Marc-Andre Fleury has been stellar in net for the Knights. Fleury won three Cups with the Penguins but was given up for adoption in last year’s expansion draft and sent packing to sunny Las Vegas. And now he’s within two wins of a Stanley Cup Final appearance and six wins away from having one more Stanley Cup than Sid the Kid. What Vegas has done in their inaugural season has been amazing. They seem like the team of destiny. Winnipeg has a tough task ahead of them to get past this Knights team.
The Jets have had a stellar season of their own but it will probably be over in the next few days. Sometimes it’s just not your year. Like every year for the NY Rangers (Tampa’s farm team). They played an amazing series against the Predators and won a tough game-7 in Nashville. But I think the bell tolls for them. I think Vegas wins in six games to head to the finals.
Back east, things are even-Steven between the Tampa Bay Rangers Lightning and the Washington Capitals. The road team has won each of the first four games of the series. The Caps took the first two games in Tampa. The Lightning have won the last two in Washington. Now the series heads back to Tampa where the hosts will look to break the current trend of road teams winning.
To get to this point, Tampa made quick work of Cheesy’s Bruins in the conference semifinals, winning in five games. Tuukka “El Matador” Rask and Rick “Houdini” Nash played a big part in the Bruins’ demise. It was a playoff performance Rangers fans have come to expect from Nash. And Tampa didn’t miss their opportunities against a shaky Rask. Now the Lightning are primed to move onto the Stanley Cup Final. Their contingent of former Rangers, including half of their defensive core have plenty of experience against the Capitals and have dealt with Alex Ovechkin flawlessly in the past two games.
The CAPITALS finally got past the Penguins in the conference semifinals. It was only the second time in a dozen or so playoff meetings that the Caps beat the Penguins. And thankfully Pittsburgh won’t be hoisting the Cup again this season. The D.C. boys and Ovechkin are looking to win their first Stanley Cup but the series has tilted in Tampa Bay’s favour (Canadian spelling). I think the Lightning will win tomorrow night and could seal the deal in Washington Monday night.
A Vegas-Tampa finals would be amazing. The Golden Knights could get there in their first season. They haven’t been around long enough for other fans to hate them yet. But I think that would change pretty quickly if they pull of the unprecedented. They still need two more wins against a great Winnipeg Jets side, but they’ve already made history.
The Lightning bet the farm to win the Stanley Cup this season and/or next. They’re two wins away from a return to the finals. The Capitals are still in this series but the ice has tilted. Ovi and company could find themselves watching the finals from the sidelines again. Its all still up for grabs. Let’s see how things play out over the next few days.
Speaking of up for grabs, come back tomorrow for Junoir Blaber, a HUGE fan of Liberace.
