It’s a night off in the NBA playoffs tonight, as Memphis-San Antonio resume their Western Conference Finals matchup on Tuesday, and Miami-Indiana don’t start in the East until Wednesday. That allows the NHL to be the focal point of the daily sports menu on Monday.
If the NHL’s Western Conference got its playoff semi-finals set in short order, the East is going to the max. Three of the four series will go to a Game 7 over the next two nights, the last of which was ensured when New Jersey beat Florida 3-2 in overtime to ensure this series takes its talent to South Beach one last time.
The Detroit Red Wings had the history, the heritage and the record home-ice winning streak this season behind them as they came into the playoffs. But they also had TheSportsNotebook’s endorsement to win the Stanley Cup, and that’s too much to overcome. Oh, and Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne, and the defense in front of him led by Shea Weber had a little something to do with the Predators ouster of Detroit last night in a 2-1 final that ended the series four games to open.