Saturday Previews

Pittsburgh Penguins v Tampa Bay Lightning

Game 1 on Saturday afternoon sees Pittsburgh returning home looking to finish off Tampa Bay 4-1. Neal's double overtie winner in game 4 has set up this opportunity and the Penguins will be looking to grasp it with both hands. Kunitz will return after a 1 game suspension but don't expect to see Crosby. He has been training with the team but he won't be pushed into this series with his team in control. Pittsburgh will be looking for more sterling play from their 4th line and if they can limit the Lightning to less than 3 goals they will be headin into the Conference Semi Finals.

Tampa Bay have blown a big chance after taking 1 of the opening games on the road, going back home and losing both. In both game 3 and 4 they allowed Pittsburgh to get leads on them and never got off to a good start. They need a 1st period similar to that of game 2 to give themselves a great chance of extending this series. My last preview for this series said that Stamkos needed to get going. He never did. So much expectation lies at this young players feet and his play on the ice is indicating the pressure has got to him. He has only picked up 1 assist through the first 4 games and i just want to see him get his playoff career going and pick up multiple points. If he can do that, the Lightning might hold on to the coat tails of the Penguins a bit longer in this one. My feelings however, are that the Penguins will get this done on home ice tonight and Stamkos will have to return another season to make his mark.

Washington Capitals v New York Rangers

Well the Capitals have been at this point not that long ago. It was this stage last year, heading 3-1 up into game 5 against the Canadiens that the Caps playoff challenge became unhinged. They went on to lose the next 3 to Montreal and lose the series 4-3. Surely that will be in their minds and they will want to get this over and done with tonight. They have home ice advantage and they must have the confidence coming into this one after stealing game 4. Mike Knuble is an injury doubt still for the Caps after missing the last one with a hand injury.

The Rangers have to pick themselves up off the floor after that loss last time out and try and get back into this series. They have never come back from being 3-1 down in a series and have lost the last 5 in game 5. They have blown 2 3rd period leads and lost 2 in overtime, with this being one of the closest series so far. 3 of them hav been won by 1 goal and the other by 2.
New York will be hoping they can get their powerplay going tonight, having only scored 1 on 18 so far, the PP% less than 6%. Whatever the Rangers do, they will need to keep the Caps scoring low and try and hold onto the lead once they get it.

I think the Capitals will wrap this series up tonight. They won't want to lose and start the nerves going. I can see it being another close game, keeping to the same pattern of the recent games.

Boston Bruins v Montreal Canadiens

So far both teams have failed in finding a way to win at home. Montreal had taken a 2-0 lead after beating a poor looking Boston team in the first 2 games. Boston then came back to produce some good hockey in games 3 & 4 to tie the series up 2-2.

Boston failed to get goals in those first games. They were blanked in game 1 and only managed a solitary goal in game 2. The Canadiens defence were awesome in those games. Since then Boston's forwards have found their golden touch, scoring 9 times away in Montreal and they will need to carry this back onto home ice. If they can, they should get themselves ahead in this series. Thomas, despite conceeding 4 goals in game 4 was still forced into making some outstanding saves. He will be hoping for some help from his defencemen this time out. Boston haven't had a powerplay goal all series and will be looking at getting it going if the chance arises.

Montreal need Price to reproduce his form of game 1 & 2. If Montreal can rid themselves of defensive lapses that seem to hit at home the will be formidable on the D again. Gomez, Gionta and Cammalleri have looked dangerous all series and will be the players to watch out for going forward, expect some attacking flair from these. This has been another close series with games only being won by 1 or 2 goals. Again, expect game 5 to be much the same. For me, another away win in the series,continuing the current trend. Both teams seemed nervous at home with the expectations of the fans laying heavily on their shoulders. There has been nothing to lose for the away team and that has allowed them to win.

San Jose Sharks v LA Kings

The Sharks go back to San Jose having scored 6 goals in both game 3 & 4. They have put themselves in prime position for this series after finding out how to dominate the Kings Defence. After being booed of the ice the last time they played at home, they will want to bring the entertaining play and the netbusting back with them. Clowe had more goals in game4, Couture played well and Ian White leads the team with 5 assists. Maybe these aren't the name you'd expect to see leading the Sharks point scoring at this stage but these are the players getting it done on the ice. As long as Vancouver see out their series against Chicago, the Sharks will be facing the Redwings in the next round. They won't be wanting this series to go further than tonight to give themselves as much rest as possible as that could be a mouthwatering clash.

LA will be hoping they can find some sort of form, some sort of rhythm. They need to get back to defending well and find a way of stopping the Sharks. Scott Parse will be in the forward line, the first time since November, to try and create some attacking opportunities. As i have said all series, they will need to get scoring from Johnson and Doughty and tonight will be no different. LA won't want the game going into overtime as they have failed in both games that have ended like that but i can't see them taking the Sharks that far in this one. San Jose's forwards have got it going now and expect them to hit another 5 or 6 tonight to see them through.