Morning Skate: Touchdown

Folks, I’m taking a bit of a risk here: I’m writing and scheduling this before the Tampa-Islanders game ends.

Currently, the Lightning are up 7-0 at the start of the third period, so I’m going out on a limb here and saying that the Lightning are probably taking a 3-2 series lead.

As a bitter Bruins observer, it’s nice to see the Islanders finally not get every bounce to go their way and get pummeled; on the other hand, it gets the Lightning a step closer to another Cup Final.

There’s a loss behind every door, folks.

One of the more noteworthy incidents from this game (aside from the deluge of goals) occurred late in the second period, when Mat Barzal decided he was going to be a big tough guy in a blowout loss:

Yes, that’s a crosscheck to the face of Jan Rutta. Good stuff from Barzal.

He was given five-and-a-game. So much for the New York Saints.

Today’s discussion topic

This might be old by the time you read it, but do you think Barzal gets a game for that?

He absolutely does in the regular season, but I don’t think the league has the nerve to do it in the playoffs.

Instead, you can probably set your clock by the “...fined the maximum amount allowed by the CBA” Tweet from the league tomorrow morning.