Around The NHL: Game 7s Galore, Elimination Game Andrei, Rangers Reeling, More

A whole lot going on in the NHL this week, as the first round starts to wind down. It’s been a wildly fun opening round that’s seen some rallies, some collapses, some insane goals, and everything in between. If we’re being honest, I’m going to need Patrick Kane to put the Rangers on his back tonight. We’ll get into it in a bit, but the Rangers have dropped three straight after taking the first two games of the series on the road. Need to see Showtime tonight at The Garden.

Elsewhere in the NHL, the Canes closed out the pesky Islanders, the Stars finished off the Wild in six games, and Vegas took care of business in five over the Jets. Let’s talk about this weekend’s hockey.

Game 7s Galore

We have three Game 6s tonight around the NHL and a pair of Game 7s tomorrow night. Hopefully, tonight leads us to a few more Game 7s next week. The most surprising of all of them has to be the Panthers winning a WILD game on home ice last night to force Game 7 with the best regular season team of all time, Boston.

The Panthers stunned the Bruins in Game 5 in Boston with a 4-3 OT win despite being outshot 47-26. Impending Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark made a brutal giveaway in overtime that led to Matthew Tkachuk’s game-winner. Then in Game 7, Ullmark had himself a rough game again letting in 6 goals. Game 7 tomorrow is going to be MUST WATCH. All the pressure in the world on Boston. Florida is playing freely, and Matthew Tkachuk might have become my favorite player in hockey to watch.

The other Game 7 tomorrow is the defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche hosting the Seattle Kraken. This has been a really fun series, and Seattle had the Avs on the ropes. Game 6 in Seattle with a chance to close out Colorado seems like a missed opportunity. Closing out the Avs in Game 7 will be a tall task for the young Kraken.

Here We Go Again?

It seemed different, and hey it still might be. After the Leafs erased a 4-1 deficit in Tampa to take their second in a row on the road and a 3-1 series lead, it had to be, right? But the Leafs did Leafs things in Game 5, they lost 4-2 on home ice and gave the 3x-defending Eastern Conference Champion Lightning life headed back home for Game 6. This Leafs team felt different, and it still might be. Ryan O’Reilly has been a perfect addition and provided that playoff player Toronto needed. He’s been great in this series, too. But after that Game 5 loss, doubt HAS to be creeping back into the Leafs’ heads. I’m fascinated to see what happens tonight.

One thing that might worry Toronto – Andrei Vasilevskiy seemed to snap out of his “slump” in Game 5. He was facing a ton of outside criticism after struggling early this series, despite being the Lightning’s best player during their dynastic run the last three seasons. If Vasilevskiy is back to his old self, watch out. Similar to the Grizzlies poking the bear with LeBron, those taking shots at Vasilevskiy might have woken him up.

Since the start of the 2019-20 playoffs, Vasilevskiy is 5-1 with a .944 SV% when the Lightning face elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs. Last season against Toronto in Games 6 & 7, he stopped 60 of 64 shots faced. Don’t count out Elimination Game Andrei.

Rangers Reeling

Everything seemed fine on Broadway prior to Game 3. The Rangers had just dominated the Devils in Games 1 & 2 in New Jersey. They outscored the Devils 10-2 in the opening two games. Their stars were playing well. Kane & Tarasenko were producing. Shesterkin was stopping everything. Then the Devils came into The Garden, Jack Hughes tied Game 3 at 1-1 midway through the second period of that game, and the Devils never looked back. Since falling down 1-0 in Game 3, the Devils have outscored the Rangers 9-1 and have taken a 3-2 series lead. Since taking over as the starting goalie in Game 3, Akira Schmid has stopped 80 of 82 shots faced. It’s been a WILD flip of the script in this series.

As good as the Devils have been, I won’t count out Patrick Kane with his back against the wall. Can’t wait for this matchup tonight. Side note, this is one of my favorite uniform matchups in hockey. The Rangers’ home blues against the Devils’ road whites just looks so nice.

One-Timers

  • Ottawa could have new ownership soon. It’s been rumored for a while now, but it appears a group headed by actor and Wrexham Football Club owner Ryan Reynolds could be nearing a purchase of the Senators to become the newest NHL owner.
  • The Jets were eliminated by Vegas on Thursday night in Game 5 of that series. Jets’ head coach Rick Bowness was NOT happy with his team and let everyone know about it. He essentially ripped the teams “fight” and “push back” after falling behind. Then after those comments, Jets veteran Blake Wheeler said he didn’t appreciate his coach’s comments. Winnipeg has been stuck in neutral for years now as a team that can’t get by the first or second round. With some roster decisions to make this offseason, a shakeup might not be out of the question.
  • Valeri Nichushkin mysteriously remains away from the Colorado Avalanche, though more details appear to be emerging. Seattle police reported at a “severely intoxicated” woman had to be taken to the hospital after being found in Nichushkin’s room last weekend. Avalanche team physician Dr. Bradley Changstrom was one of several team employees that found this woman while checking on Nichushkin. Changstrom also told police the woman struck Nichushkin, but he wasn’t pressing charges. Nichushkin remains away from the team, though the Avalanche insist it’s not due to a legal matter. Obviously, this is a very sensitive case with a lot of unknown details still out there.
  • written by

    Matt is from the Chicagoland area and has been working in Chicago sports since 2015 with stops at WGN Radio, the Chicago Blackhawks, Stadium, and NBC Sports Chicago prior to landing at Betsperts. Matt covers just about everything for Betsperts and Bleacher Nation but focuses on the NHL and college football.

    more news news

    2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open Tee Times, TV Channel, Live Stream

    The excitement is heating up in Houston, Texas as the 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open tees off this week! After a stint as a fall event, the tournament returns to its traditional spring schedule, gracing the fairways of Memorial Park...

    Stefon Diggs Trade Rumors: Don’t Sleep on These 3 Landing Spots

    Stefon Diggs trade rumors have been more than rumbling for some time now. He recently tweeted "Ready for Whatever" during Free Agency and there seems to be a real chance he is traded. Diggs finished with his sixth-consecutive thousand-yard season...

    2024 Masters Schedule, TV Coverage, and Live Stream Options

    2024 Masters Schedule: A Day-by-Day Breakdown for the Ultimate Fan Experience The 2024 Masters Schedule explodes onto the golfing calendar from April 8 to 14th, offering a full seven days of watching the world's best players tackle iconic Augusta National. ...

    NFL Keeping “Tush Push” Legal for the 2024 Season

    The NFL's executive vice president of football operations, Troy Vincent, told the media on Thursday that there will not be any proposals to ban the "tush push" at the year's annual league meetings. This goal-line sneak was popularized by Jalen...

    2024 Valspar Championship Tee Times, TV Channel, Live Stream

    The PGA Tour continues its stay in Florida this week for the 2024 Valspar Championship! Held on the infamous Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort, this tournament boasts a rich, albeit young, history. From its early days as the Tampa Bay...

    Champions League Quarterfinal Draw Revealed: Real Madrid vs Manchester City, PSG vs Barcelona, More

    The Champions League Quarterfinal draw is out and we are set for the next round in the top competition for Europe's soccer clubs. We have some amazing matchups with plenty of storylines as the field has been narrowed down to...

    The 2024 PLAYERS Sleeper Picks: Target Adam Hadwin and Aaron Rai as Profitable Long Shots

    Finding PLAYERS Sleeper Picks may not be easy considering the strong field, but with this many good golfers competing, there are bound to be some big prices on guys who can compete here. The PLAYERS Championship, held annually at TPC...

    2024 THE PLAYERS Championship Tee Times, TV Channel, Live Stream

    THE PLAYERS Championship 2024: Stars Align at TPC Sawgrass for a Million-Dollar Showdown The stage is set and the pristine greens of TPC Sawgrass await. THE PLAYERS Championship brings together the world's best golfers for a week of high-stakes competition...

    Baker Mayfield to Sign Three-Year Contract with Buccaneers

    The next quarterback domino fell on Sunday as Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers worked on a deal to keep the signal caller in Tampa Bay for three more years. That came on the heels of former New England quarterback Mac...

    Top 5 Active North Carolina NASCAR Drivers

    This article about the Top 5 Active North Carolina NASCAR drivers and is part of a series of top North Carolina athletes and teams. As North Carolina sports betting gets set to launch on March 11th, take a look at the top...

    Latest News

    MVC Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | April 2

    There is one game on the postseason college basketball schedule on Tuesday that feature MVC squads, and we have best bets recomendations. That matchup is the Utah Utes versus the Indiana State Sycamores.How to Bet on MVC Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Best...

    Pac-12 Basketball Predictions, Computer Picks and Best Bets | April 2

    There is one game featuring a Pac-12 teams on the Tuesday postseason college basketball schedule, the Utah Utes versus the Indiana State Sycamores. Make sure you check out below for today's best bets!How to Bet on Pac-12 Games[lasso rel="draftkings-promo-1" id="299003"]Best...

    Marlins vs. Pirates: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    In their season opener on Friday, Andrew Jacob Puk will take the mound for the Miami Marlins against Martin Perez and the Pittsburgh Pirates, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 PM ET at LoanDepot park.See how to watch the Miami-Pittsburgh...

    Warriors vs. Hornets Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Golden State Warriors (38-34) hit the court against the Charlotte Hornets (18-54) as double-digit, 11.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under of 218 points.Dig into the best bets...

    Pacers vs. Lakers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Los Angeles Lakers (41-32) are 2.5-point underdogs as they look to extend a five-game win streak when they visit the Indiana Pacers (41-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The game airs at 7:00 PM ET on...

    Clippers vs. Magic Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Los Angeles Clippers (45-27) are slightly favored (by 1 point) to continue a three-game road win streak when they visit the Orlando Magic (42-30) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET. The point total in the matchup...

    Wizards vs. Pistons Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Detroit Pistons (12-61) are slight underdogs (by 2.5 points) to stop a five-game road losing streak when they visit the Washington Wizards (14-59) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET. The over/under is 229 in the matchup.Check...

    Rome Odunze Has a Visit With the Bears Coming Soon

    If you aren't already familiar with Rome Odunze's name or game, your time will come. The University of Washington wide receiver is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. At this point of the year, I've officially...

    Matt Eberflus Opens a Window to the Chicago Bears Draft Plans

    NFL coaches are notoriously tight-lipped. And in his first two seasons as Bears head coach, Matt Eberflus has been no different. But every once in a while you'll catch Eberflus peel back the curtain and provide some insight regarding the...

    How to Watch Braves vs. Phillies: Live Stream or on TV

    Spencer Strider will take the mound for the Atlanta Braves when they square off against starter Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 3:05 PM ET.The article below will provide you...

    more news news