Two Southeast Division teams have never faced off after the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs -- until now. The Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning kick off their series Friday night.
Lightning Vs. Capitals Schedule Screwed Up By University Graduation
This is the playoffs! That sort of thing shouldn’t happen. Well, there is a reason. The University of South Florida will hold its commencement ceremony at Tampa’s St. Pete Times Forum, home of the Lightning, on Thursday. That pushes Game 4 up one day, to Wednesday, creating a back-to-back, three games in four days situation.
It’s certainly not ideal if you’re one of the players, and it creates a weird gap from Wednesday to Saturday between Games 4 and 5.
Read Article >2011 NHL Playoffs, Lightning Vs. Capitals: Southeast Rivals Battle In Round Two
And you wondered where the Southleast jokes came from?
Tampa brings a lot to the table under Guy Boucher. They’re able to score at will when they have all their big guns firing, but they’re also able to fall back into the trap when they have the lead. Obviously, the Capitals have a lot of firepower on their own, and with Washington’s new-found commitment to defense, this series could easily come down to the wire.
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