The best outcome for the Wings is to have the Bolts and the Jets win tonight to extend their series, and then for the Isles to lose tomorrow night (sorry, Kas). That would make the Isles the first out of the playoffs, and I assume that would mean their pick (the one the Wings own) would be #17.

As I said, I hate to see Kas' Isles booted so soon, but it's what's best for the Wings. As consolation, I hereby grant the Isles the right to win it all next year. :-)

Ticket prices for tonight's Bolts/Leafs ranged from $583 to $10,800. (Canadian dollar)

0-1 Leafs

1-1 Bolts tie it up.

Palat has 50 playoff goals since 2015, only Kucherov has more.

Leafs Nation has to have some pretty collectively squinched-up asses about now. 

2-0 NJD

Leafs will start the 3rd on the pp, down 2-1.

3-0 Devils

The Devils seem to be playing with a lot of confidence. The Toronto announcers are acting like it's their  game 7 of the SCF's

Bolts 3-1

3-2 Leafs score

15 and two tents....

Bingo BANGO! 

ENG Killorn, Bolts win 4-2.

Bolts 4-2

Ahhhh the planets have realigned....

Again: I am not a Leafs hater and legit feel bad for their fans, but when you dont have a dog in the fight, this is so fun to watch. Collectively across greater Leafs Nation, theyre saying here we go again, and if it happens that TBL win this series, there needs to be a documentary. 

Ahhhh Bissonette... like a hemorrhoid that won't go away....

More ointment STAT!!

4-0 Jersey

Tatar and Devils move up on the Rags. I was saying a week ago how some teams make dramatic moves up or down between seasons, while the wings are on a long march laterally.

New Jersey had 63 points last season.  And finished two places below Detroit in the eastern conference.

Tatar incidentally, about a career 0.5 ppg player in the regular season, has 6-6-12 in 44 career playoff games, including 0-0-0 in 4 before tonight.

1-0 Vegas

Vegas has made some good roster moves to stay elite, adding Stone and Eichel.  And they let him get the neck surgery that he wanted unlike Buffalo.

Red Wing fans know a rebuild takes more than 7 years.  That's a fact... Tick, Tick, Tick....

2-0 VGK.  And I will be back later.

It's 4-0 early in the 3rd period between the Jets and the Golden Knights.  Late night chatter has the Winnipeg Jets fans clamoring for big changes.  

Perhaps I can interest the management team of the Jets in a Kyle Connor trade?

NEW YORK (April 28, 2023) The National Hockey League today announced the following updates to the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round schedule:

Saturday, April 29

• The start time of Game 6 of the First Round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning is set for 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 29, in Tampa. The game will be televised on TBS in the U.S. In Canada, the game will be on Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports.
  
• As previously announced, the start time of Game 6 of the First Round series between the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers is set for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 29, in New York. The game will be televised on ABC and ESPN+ in the U.S. In Canada, the game will be on SN360 and TVAS2.

• The start time of Game 6 of the First Round series between the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings is set for 10 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 29, in Los Angeles. The game will be televised on TBS in the U.S. In Canada, the game will be on Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports.