Saturday Preview

         Though there’s only one elimination game, all of the games today are very important. Both playoff series in the west are tied at 2, and each have a crucial game 5. Statistically speaking, teams that win game 5 when series are tied end up winning 76% of the time. The Pittsburgh vs. Washington series also has a crucial game 5 which the Capitals must win to avoid elimination. Teams that go up 3-1 in the series win 90% of the time, so it doesn’t look so good for Washington right now.

         However, I know Washington is capable of coming back in this series. I think the only way they do is if their superstars step up. Former NHL player and coach Craig Berube, who has taken the role of analyst, thinks that Backstrom and Kuznetzov should be the ones to power the Capitals comeback. It will certainly be a tough task for the Capitals to do so this series. Not only do their superstars need to make plays, they also need to beat rookie goalie Matt Murray, who has been tremendous so far. While it’s definitely possible for the Capitals to come back, it’s very unlikely.

         Game 5 of the Blues vs. Stars series is currently in progress, with St. Louis leading 3-1 in the 3^rd. If the Blues successfully close out this game, they’ll have a chance to win the series at home in game 6 on Monday. While the Stars have certainly been good, their main issue is their goalie carousel. Both Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi have struggled at times, causing the Stars to constantly switch between them. While Lehtonen has been the better goalie of late, the Blues offence combined with the uncertainty in Dallas is making it look as if the Blues are on their way to winning this series.

         Lastly, either the Predators or Sharks will be up 3-2 after game 5 tonight. The highly contested series most recently featured a triple overtime thriller in Nashville. I give Nashville the advantage in this game because their confidence is high after winning their longest game in franchise history. While the SAP Center in San Jose can be a very intimidating place to play for opposing teams, the Sharks have struggled there all year. I would in no way count them out though, as they have a high powered offence with players like Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, and Brent Burns. With all that in mind, I would call this game a toss-up. However, I see the Predators barely squeaking out a win at the “Shark Tank”.