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NEW YORK 4 OTTAWA 1 (Senators lead 2-1)
The Rangers got the bounce-back game they needed against a listless looking Ottawa squad in a 4-1 victory at MSG last night. Mats Zuccarello, Rick Nash, Michael Grabner and Oscar Lindberg scored for the Rangers while JG Pageau notched the only goal for Ottawa. The Rangers can tie the series up at 2 games a piece with a win Thursday at home.
NASHVILLE 2 ST LOUIS 1 (Predators lead 3-1)
Ryan Ellis and James Neal scored for Nashville and Pekka Rinne held the fort apart from a late Joel Edmundson goal as the Preds won 2-1 sending the series back to St Louis on Friday night with an opportunity to move to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. Rinne had 32 saves in the victory.
Whether or not you agree with the punishment, or lack thereof, with the hit on Sidney Crosby in Game 3, you can't deny this is an opportunity for the Capitals to get back into a series they have been getting their asses kicked in. Crosby will be out for at least tonight's game with a concussion, but given his history with head injuries, it's utterly frightening to think that the Penguins might rush him back if the series becomes tied.
The Penguins will do as they have done before, and lean on Evgeni Malkin to pick up the slack offensively, but the thing to be mindful of with this game is the potential for retribution. The Pittsburgh media have been fanning the flames for revenge by asserting this was a deliberate action to take Crosby out of the series, and should the Caps get a sizeable lead in the game it has the potential for ugliness.
Home ice certainly hasn't been friendly to the home squads in this series so far with the road teams winning all 3 games. In Edmonton they're even taking it a step further and converting some of the women's restrooms to men's after complaints about long lines in the series against San Jose (caused by their ludicrous $80 concourse ticket scam) packed hundreds more into an already sold out arena. They even had some supposed 'data' that said there were more men then women and it was all pretty ridiculous.
The Ducks are starting to feel the sting of the Injury Ninja, with Patrick Eaves joining Kevin Bieksa on the injured list, while the Oilers continue to traipse along with nary a scratch.
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
New Orleans death dealers GOATWHORE are back with a new album this June on Metal Blade Records, and they've just released the title track, 'Vengeful Ascension'.