2015 NHL Playoffs: 4/23 Open Thread
Two potential elimination games? Sign me up.
Tonight there are four big playoff games on the menu for us to enjoy. Two of those games could be the last playoff hockey that two Western Conference teams play in the 2015 Playoffs. Both the Nashville Predators and the Vancouver Canucks, despite having stronger regular seasons than their first round opponents, will have to find a way to defend their home ice tonight to keep their Cup journey alive. We all know what it means to be down in a 3-1 hole and how rarely teams manage to claw their way out of that situation. Something tells me we're in for some pretty intense hockey tonight.
Lightning at the Red Wings, 7:00 PM. Detroit leads the series 2-1.
Islanders at Capitals, 7:00 PM. Series is knotted up at 2-2.
Blackhawks at Predators, 9:30 PM. The Blackhawks lead 3-1.
Flames at Canucks, 10:00 PM. The Flames lead the series 3-1.
In addition to the two potential elimination games, we have Game 4 of the Bolts and Red Wings series and Game 5 of the Islanders and Capitals series tonight. Tampa needs a road win in the worst way to knot the series up with Mike Babcock's boys and the Capitals are looking to finally get on top of the Islanders with a win on home ice to give themselves an opportunity to wrap the series up in six games. Damn, I love playoff hockey.
So, what are your picks for tonight's games? Which series has been the bigger surprise to you; the Predators going down 3-1 through four games, or the Flames being up 3-1 through four games?
Mike's Game to Watch:
It's hard to believe that the Predators are just 60 minutes away from being eliminated after their amazing 2014-15 regular season. Tonight the Predators will have to find a way to climb themselves out of a 3-1 hole by winning Game 5 on their home ice. Honestly, I can't not like the Nashville Predators, so I'm pulling for them to take the first step towards making franchise history by taking tonight's game and pushing the series to Game 6. In order to do that they're going to have to find a way to beat the unknown monster Scott Darling, Toews, Kane, Sharp, and Keith tonight... yikes. Go Preds.
Enjoy tonight's games and please be decent and courteous to one another.
Let's go hockey, let's go Rangers!
