TAMPA
http://www.bluejacketsshoponline.com/authentic-sergei-bobrovsky-jersey , Fla. (AP) Tampa Bay hasn’t played in a week, while Boston is coming off a hard-fought, seven-game playoff series.Neither the Lightning nor the less-rested Bruins expect that to mean anything when their second-round playoff series begins Saturday.A single point separated the Atlantic Division rivals in the standings after the race for the top seed in Eastern Conference came down to the final night of the regular season, and there’s every reason to believe this best-of-seven matchup will be just as tight.”Obviously, these were the top two teams in the division, and it was a close call until the last game on who was going to finish first and second,” Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman said.”It’s going to be a tough matchup. They are great team, so are we,” the Norris Trophy finalist said. ”It’s going to come down to the small detail in the game. We have the skill and depth up front to score goals, but we have to keep the puck out of our net.”Boston won three of four meetings between the teams the regular season.The Bruins won their opening round playoff series against Toronto in seven games. Tampa Bay, led by Nikita Kucherov’s 10 points (five goals, five assists) eliminated New Jersey in five games after going 0-3-1 against the Devils.”I think you learn that the regular season means nothing,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. ”We know how they play. Very competitive group, very well structured, especially that top line. … We’re expecting a very tight series against a very good hockey team.”The Bruins are bracing for a tough test
Womens Seth Jones Jersey , too.”It’s going to be a battle,” Bruins forward Brad Marchand said. ”They were a top team all year. They compete very hard, have a ton of skill, and they have a lot of depth.”THEY ALL COUNTThe Lightning earned home-ice advantage for the series by finishing one point ahead of Boston in the standings. In fact, it all came down to the final night of the season, when the Bruins were playing Florida in a makeup game for a Jan. 4 game postponed by a snowstorm.The Panthers won 4-2, leaving Boston with 112 points to 113 for Tampa Bay.”We’re not going to allow one game to define us, yet we understand the meaning,” coach Bruce Cassidy said then. ”We let one get away, an opportunity lost to have home-ice advantage, and we’ll see if that haunts us down the road. I think it’s too early to tell that right now.”NOT THE FIRST TIMEThe Lightning and Bruins are facing each other in the postseason for only the second time. The other meeting was in the 2011 Eastern Conference Final, won by Boston in seven games.FALLING IN LINEIn the four playoff games the Bruins won against Toronto, the trio of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand had a combined 30 points. In the three games they lost, they were held completely scoreless.”They’re our most important line
Sonny Milano Jersey ,” defenseman Torey Krug said after they tallied three goals with four assists in Game 7. ”They’re the best line in the NHL, and when they’re going it’s hard to stop.”TONGUE LASHINGMarchand will do whatever it takes to get under the skin of his opponents, and in the first round that meant skating up to Toronto forward Leo Komarov and appearing to lick his face. (In November, he appeared to kiss Komarov on the cheek.)”I thought he wanted to cuddle. I just wanted to get close to him,” Marchand explained after the playoff game. ”He keeps trying to get close to me. I don’t know if he’s got a thing for me or what. He’s cute.”Several news organizations reported this week that the NHL sent a message to Marchand to knock it off, but he said he has received no such message. ”This is false,” he tweeted in response to a Boston Globe story that picked up on the original report, from Sportsnet.I KINDA LIKE HIMLightning coach Jon Cooper was asked how he views Marchand.”To be honest, what I have seen of him, what goes on out on the ice, he’s a competitive you know what and I love that. I think some of the greatest comments you can give a player is I hate that kid but I do wish he was on my team,” Cooper said.”I was fortunate enough during the All-Star game to meet him … and off the ice to spend a little time. It actually was disappointing, I was hoping he was going to be an idiot. I was hoping I wasn’t going to like him,” Cooper added. ”But he was unreal, and it’s amazing that a guy who is that kind and nice and outgoing and friendly is the same guy who jumps on the ice. You have to respect that about him. And when that kids jumps on the ice
http://www.bluejacketsshoponline.com/authentic-zach-werenski-jersey , he comes to play.”—AP Sports Writer Jimmy Golen in Boston contributed to this report.— The New Jersey Devils will try to bounce back from their first loss of the season when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers for a Saturday matinee.The Devils (4-1) surrendered a 3-2 third-period lead and dropped a 5-3 decision on two late goals to the visiting Colorado Avalanche Thursday night.“We found a way to dig in there in the third and give ourselves a chance, but at that point we just have to make sure, with four minutes left, that we’re smart and protecting the house there,” Devils captain Andy Greene told NHL.com. “We needed to live to fight for another day and, at that point, make sure we play for the point and go from there.”Article continues below ...Taylor Hall had a goal and two assists, Nico Hischier had a goal and an assist, and Keith Kinkaid made 29 saves for New Jersey, which was last remaining undefeated team in the NHL and was denied a chance at its first 5-0 start since starting 1993-94 7-0.The Devils also lost a pair of skaters Thursday. Center Travis Zajac and defenseman Ben Lovejoy are both day-to-day with a lower body injury and won’t pay Saturday.On the plus side, the Devils activated goaltender Cory Schneider, who will head to Binghamton of the American Hockey League for a conditioning assignment. The 32-year-old is rehabbing after May 1 surgery to repair torn cartilage in his hip.“We want to see him get through a game, see how he responds to 60 minutes while working in more read-and-react situations than just practice,” Devils coach John Hynes told NHL.com. “It’s important for him to play a live-game situation against another opponent where the score of the game matters.”The Flyers are also coming off a Thursday night loss, 6-3 at Columbus.Philadelphia (3-4) has allowed 11 goals in its last two games
Authentic Alexander Radulov Jersey , though one was a 6-5 win over Florida.“It’s pretty embarrassing,” center Sean Couturier told NHL.com. “Offensively, we’re trying too much, making high-risk plays. We’re creating chances, but when we’re not, we’re giving up odd-man rushes and getting caught defensively. “It’s got to stop. This high-risk, almost summer hockey is getting out of hand.”Philadelphia has given up 31 goals in its first seven games. The last time they endured a similar stretch was 2008 when they allowed 32 goals in seven games. adStreetHockey.com.Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist, and Claude Giroux had two assists for the Flyers. Calvin Pickard allowed six goals on 28 shots in his second start for Philadelphia.“What you see are at times is guys trying to do a little too much,” Flyers coach Dave Hakstol told the team’s website. “When you try and extend a shift, try to make one more play, most times that’s when negative plays are going to come right back at you.”Kinkaid has started all five games for New Jersey and had 1.61 goals against average and a .941 save percentage. Versus the Flyers he’s 6-1 with a 2.38 GAA and .918 save percentage. Philadelphia’s Brian Elliott is 5-4 with a 2.69 GAA and .894 save percentage against the Devils.Devils right wing Kyle Palmieri is off to the best start of his NHL career with seven goals and eight points in five games.Flyers center Nolan Patrick was a full participant in practice Friday for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury in Ottawa, though his status for Saturday is uncertain.
