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Carolina is favored. Fug everything else- it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is bringing it, taking it and leaving nothing behind. Period. That's all from me until game time.

I like the offensive zone time and the blue liners getting shots.

Boston is favored tonight.

Lindholm is back after missing a couple games and a lot of skating time- he'll be weak after 30 minutes. Scrambling their top lines is also advantage Canes as far as I'm concerned. I have a good feeling and it'll be nice to see the Bruins lining up to shake hands on their ice.

Talking heads on TV serve no better purpose than fantasy football does. Both have turned fans and the game into nothing but an analytics exercise. Ever been at a Panther game and some idiot behind you in his Luke jersey starts cheering for someone on the opposing team while shouting, "I got him on my fantasy team!" Or some guy scores on a 50+ yard run, but the fan next to you is pointing out what a fine 3-technique the right tackle has... How many concerts have you attended where the majority of the audience has their fugging phones in front of them watching the band perform on a screen rather than see and experience what's right in front of them? For me, if the kickoff is 1:07PM, that's when I'll turn the TV on. The game is the game; it's entertainment and the clowns putting it on are making a ton of money trying to entertain you, you may as well enjoy it.

I think we end it tonight. The Canes are more confident now than they were last week, so I expect a defensive effort like we saw Tuesday. Oh, and I'm going on a Zoom meeting with a software company in Boston is a couple minutes, should have brought one of my caps or wore my sweater...

So, the old Boston Garden and the famous parquet floors, which were a nightmare for opposing teams because there were known dead spots in those floor sections, known valleys and the playing surface was atrocious. But, it looked good on TV back in the day. When the Bruins played hockey in the old Garden, and there was a hockey game the day before, it wasn't unusual for water to seep up thru the seams of the basketball floor during the games!

It's a 27-year old dump that hasn't seen any hockey upgrades in years. The ice base is just as, if not more, important than the ice itself. And, like baseball and football, when you're playing a team much faster, you let the grass grow just a bit higher to slow them down. Boston is an old, slow team. They have no one on the roster who can skate with Aho, Turbo or Necas. So yeah, a little wetter, mushier ice makes perfect sense.

I eliminate a couple Bruins every morning.....

Complete effort from everyone. Don't know that I've seen them play 60 minutes as strong as that.

Huge mistake not to.

Mr. Trocheck is gonna go get a $6M contract next season...

Raanta makes me hold my fugging breath a lot, but he's been studly tonight.

Since Sunday's Final Horn: For the first time this series the Canes held a full team practice in between games Monday. The team skated for about 40 minutes with Jordan Martinook (lower-body injury) and Brady Skjei being (maintenance) the only absentees. Scouting The Other Side: The Bruins held a limited skate Monday, featuring Hampus Lindholm, who has been out of the lineup since his hit from Andrei Svechnikov in Game Two. Following skate Head Coach Bruce Cassidy said that Lindholm had not yet been cleared to play, but if he gets clearance, he'll be in. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy is not expected to play in Game Five after entering COVID Protocol Sunday. Power Play Woes: The Canes have gone 2/22 on the power play thus far this series and 0/10 over the last two games. They've been provided momentum-changing opportunities in each game on the man advantage, but have lacked the execution necessary to capitalize. Staying Disciplined: In addition to their lack of success on the power play, the Canes have also provided Boston with just as many chances on the man advantage. The difference is that Boston is 5/22 on the series, including 2/9 on Sunday. DeAngelo vs. Marchand: Throughout the two games in Boston, Tony DeAngelo and Brad Marchand were no strangers to one another. The two were involved in a sequence during Game Three that resulted in both of them going to the box. Then, in Game Four, the two came together after a DeAngelo cross-check on Curtis Lazar for another exchange. The head-to-head rivalry will be one worth keeping an eye on tonight. Home Cooking: The Canes have won 10 consecutive Round One playoff games at PNC Arena entering tonight. History Says: Carolina is 5-2 all-time in the postseason when tied at 2-2 and playing Game Five on home ice. ADDITIONAL NOTES: What Are We Wearing?: The Canes will be wearing their black sweaters tonight and for every home game in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. More Milestones: Sebastian Aho is one point shy of passing Rod Brind'Amour for the second-most points in franchise playoff history. Forwards: Svechnikov - Aho - Jarvis Domi - Trocheck - Teravainen Niederreiter - Staal - Fast Stepan - Kotkaniemi - Necas Defensemen: Slavin - DeAngelo Skjei - Pesce Smith - Cole Starting Goalie: Raanta Injuries: Frederik Andersen Jordan Martinook Scratches: Ethan Bear Steven Lorentz

Does he spend more time on IR or IG?

Apologies, I didn't start the thread as a harbinger of bad things to come (no pun intended). I just thought it would be nice to have other relevant hockey conversations besides the games themselves. And, playoff hockey tends to let you see who you really have come game day. Who steps up to the mic and who shrinks under the glare of the spotlight? Who made a name for themselves and is looking to parlay that into a big payday? Who didn't gain the confidence of the coach to be part of the lineup this time around? You guys know what's up- hell, I thought this was a 3-1 series by now... lol. Not counting the boys out.

So, here's my thoughts on who stays and who doesn't: Not here next season: Trocheck, Stepan, Cole, Smith (all UFA) Staying with new deals: Nino, Domi (both UFA) Which RFAs will not get an offer? Lorentz and LaFontaine Which RFAs stay? Bear, DeAngelo And who's the wildcard? Martin Necas, a 23-year old, RFA.

Yeah, I didn't put that correctly. I would assume KK gets the second line while Domi takes over the 4.

I think RBA has been a lot more patient with #88 than anyone might have expected. He took a seat earlier in the year for a few games because he wasn't producing and RBA has plugged him in with a wide variety of line combinations trying to find something that would help get him off the parked bus. Nothing has worked. Necas is an RFA at the end of the season and his year doesn't help his situation any. I don't think it matters a lot since I have to believe Vinny will leave and get paid handsomely and Domi will likely take the middle of that line with a new contract.

Boston's 9 goals in 2 games, including 4 PP and 1 shorty. In both games Boston won, their top line scored all the goals.

The Panthers have the best PK in the league, but you can't expect them to work miracles when they're doing it for 20 minutes a game. The Canes fell yesterday because they lost discipline and let an inferior team get into their heads. The Bruins are crippled defensively and have a single line that can score against the Canes on home ice, thanks to the last change rule. That changes dramatically when they come back to Raleigh. My biggest concern, though, is the inability to get pucks to the net when they're missing their 2 best D-men in McAvoy and Lindholm. Had the Canes played smart and stayed out of the box yesterday, they would have won the game.

Not nervous so much as disappointed when neither Boston, Rangers or Pittsburgh are nearly as good as the Canes.

Boston's only line has beaten Carolina.

I thought the interference was pretty obvious, but with Carolina very rarely getting a call their way, I'd be very careful about challenging.

See? What'd I tell you?