The Eastern Conference playoff picture is close to being blown wide open. President’s Trophy winners Tampa Bay are in a 3-0 hole after having never lost three straight games in the regular season, while Pittsburgh is in a 3-0 deficit of its own. The Lightning and Penguins were considered two of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. Seeing both those teams eliminated would give the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals a huge boost in their bid to repeat.
The Lightning look like toast: https://t.co/vkIoxTrXte pic.twitter.com/CdKBv0wdGZ
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) April 15, 2019
Tampa Bay looks nothing like the 62-game winner we saw in the regular season. The Lightning just seem gassed, and they now have to do something only four teams have done before in order to prevent one of the biggest postseason collapses in NHL history. Tampa will at least have Nikita Kucherov back after a one-game suspension, but the Lightning are in dire straits.
The Penguins fall to the Islanders at home, 4-1.
Game 4 will be on Tuesday, April 16 at 7:30PM ET. pic.twitter.com/xtlJTtbzsb
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 14, 2019
Pittsburgh is on the verge of being swept in the first round too. The Penguins decided to cancel practice on Monday to have their players rested before Tuesday’s pivotal Game 4, where they will at least be on home ice.
WINNIPEG HAS AN ANSWER.
The #Jets take their first win of the series over the #Blues with a 6-3 victory in St. Louis. pic.twitter.com/pwvyctoGFo
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 15, 2019
Home ice has been meaningless in the series between Winnipeg and St. Louis with the Blues winning the first two games in Winnipeg, and the Jets winning last night’s game in St. Louis 6-3. Patrik Laine looked sharp in the win, and Winnipeg can even the series on Tuesday.
Mark Stone playoff hat trick!
Vegas leads San Jose 6-3 pic.twitter.com/EgV2Rximqp
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) April 15, 2019
Sin City went wild last night as Mark Stone secured the franchise’s first playoff hat trick to lead the Golden Knights to a 6-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. Vegas is now ahead of San Jose 2-1 in what has been the highest scoring series in the playoffs with 24 goals through three games.
Finland got hosed and USA won gold: https://t.co/F1OoUNy8xZ pic.twitter.com/64Wx4KQ4wT
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) April 15, 2019
Deadspin nailed it right on the head with this one as Team Finland was robbed of a game-winning overtime goal against Team USA in the IIHF Women’s Ice Hockey World Championship Final last night. The Americans nominally won their fifth straight world championship, but even former Team USA stars like Julie Chu were perplexed as to the referee’s decision making:
What is going onnnnn? If it's not a goal, then Finland should have a penalty for goalie interference. If it's a goal, then it means USA tripped Finland and the Finnish goal is good…? If it's no goal, then how does USA have penalty? Someone help me🙄 honest question
— Julie Chu (@juliechu13) April 14, 2019
Top Stories
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Lightning on verge of elimination after Game 3 loss to Blue Jackets | Tampa Bay Times
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Pittsburgh Penguins Cancel Practice Ahead Of Pivotal Game Four Against New York Islanders | KDKA CBS Pittsburgh
- Connor scores twice as Jets bounce back with win over Blues | TSN
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Vegas Golden Knights nab their first playoff hat trick in historic win over Sharks | KTNV ABC Las Vegas
- Finland Got Hosed and USA Won Gold | Deadspin
