The Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets were locked in a duel for the ages on Tuesday night, playing into a fifth overtime in a game that began at 3:00pm ET – the fourth-longest game of all time. As a result of this historic game and the unprecedented circumstances of the bubble postseason, Game One of the Boston Bruins-Carolina Hurricanes series that was supposed to begin at 8:00pm ET has now been postponed. The league has announced that the two teams will square off at 11:00am ET on Wednesday, which should allow for the Washington Capitals-New York Islanders game to proceed as scheduled at 3:00pm ET.
With Game Two of the Bruins-Hurricanes still scheduled for Thursday night, the teams will open their first round series with back-to-back games. As with every series this year, there is already a back-to-back scheduled, for Games Five and Six on Wednesday and Thursday of next week. As a result, Boston and Carolina could end up playing six games in nine days in this series. Backup goaltenders Jaroslav Halak and James Reimer could very well see a start or two in this series.
Additionally, the Hurricanes long wait has been extended even further. Carolina was the only team to sweep their qualifying round series, knocking out the New York Rangers last Tuesday, August 4. The team had already waited a week, but now will have gone eight days between action. The Bruins meanwhile played their final round robin game on Sunday.
So, B’s fans, what is worse? Starting game 1 at maybe 11:00 PM ET, or 9:00 AM ET the following morning. Seems like a jam-job or … a jam-job. Who’da thunk it? For what it’s worth, I’d like to see Big-Z and company take it out on CAR tomorrow morning, but I hope both squads have a designated team member screaming “WAKEY-WAKEY!” at their crews before they hit the ice.
Correction, there – make that 11:00 AM ET…boys, you can now sleep in an extra two hours!
Shame Korpisalo set the record for saves in a loss. No offense, Tampa.
Need to tweet the OT and move on with the times. Start the 2nd it at 3 on 3. 5 ot’s is really ridiculous. The “tradionalists” who still prattle on about how great fighting was, will resist.
Go watch Manfred’s Little League trainwreck, Einstein.
That game was legend. Pens-Flyers. Cap-Isles. Still legend to this day.
Seriously, dumbest thing I have ever read. On the INTERNET. EVER. Quite an achievement.
@forwhomjoshbelltolls – Both Pens-Flyers & Cap-Isles were epic, watched both in their entirety, but had to find out later about David Poile’s infamous Easter Egg hiding for the kids. He & his wife were trudging up the stairs to hit the sack, and she says to him “Where are you going?” He says “To bed!” She replies “You still have to hide the Easter eggs!” So he does. And David says “I think some of those eggs haven’t been found to this day!”
There should only be one OT period followed by a shootout in all rounds preceding the final. No one benefits if players reach the finals dog tired with no legs left.
That’s what separate champions from the rest.
That’s what makes the Stanley Cup playoffs the greatest thing in sports.
Go watch Food Network and leave hockey for the rest of us.
if anything they need to return regular season OT back. No more skills competitions to determine the winner. 3 points for Regulation win, 2 points for an OT win, 1 point for a tie, 0 for a loss period.