Game 7 … well, let’s face it, I was hoping it was over by now, but the Strangers disrupted the party at Amalie Arena Tuesday night and now we move on to the big finish. Although we completely outplayed the Strangers in the 2nd Period of Game 6, the 3rd period was more a horror story than anything else … and now there may well be an explanation—the flu. Apparently we still had it after Braydon Coburn (above) tossed his cookies all over the bench during game 5 (a 2-0 Bishop shutout), and was limited to just 5+ minutes of ice time. Then Matt Carle was sick and it was still being called “food poisoning” … hmmmm, poisoning suggests to me something more nefarious ...,well … okay, so now it’s being called a flu bug that’s making its way throughout our locker room … and the timing couldn’t be worse.
Until hearing about the flu, I wouldn’t have a clue how to begin to handicap this game tonight, especially the way the series has gone since it started … but the Strangers remain the favorite because of their goalie and his/their history with elimination games … but the games aren’t scripted, nor can history play a role in what’ll happen tonight on the ice. The flu, however, can make a difference. Let’s hope it doesn’t.
It’s been a wild series, no doubt, and the young upstarts from down south would be taking a gigantic step if they found themselves victors tonight. On the other hand, the Strangers have more to prove (and lose) than going to the Finals again. This time they’re expected to win it all.
The Bolts are 4-1 in the Garden this year (including 2-1 during the series) … the Strangers are 7 0 in Game 7’s at MSG (but 1-2 there in the same series) … only the hockey Gods know what’ll happen next.
GO BOLTS!
—Knucks
