Very Likely Lightning Title and Lakers/Heat Final

It very much looks like a Lakers/Heat final, (both LeBron James and Pat Riley going vs their former teams) and a Tampa Bay Lightning title, yet stranger things have happened.

The Lightning, who lost game 1 (4-1) and won the second (3-2), rolled past the Dallas Stars last night, to take a (2-1) Final round lead. 

A great player, (often criticized by Lightning “analyst,” another great player, Phil Esposito)– Nikita Kucherov “opened’ with a breakaway goal while the returning star, Steven Stamkos, ripped in a goal to make it (2-0) “T.B.”

Victor Hedman had 3 points for the Lightning, who also lost (4-1) in the final round opener, the one time they won the final, that in 2004, vs the Calgary Flames.

“T.B.” did lose the final after taking a (2-1) series lead vs the “Chi” Blackhawks in 2015. Thus, in both previous Lightning (final) rounds, the team down 2 games to 1, rallied to win the title.

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat, a slight “series underdog,” and already having helped the Lakers (it is “his” league and I do NOT like it!) by 5’ing the top ranked Milwaukee Bucks in the “quarters,” likely will help them again, as they lead the Boston Celtics 3 games to 1.

Sure, either or even both the Stars and Celts could come back to win (Celts overcame (3-1) “semis” series deficits to win and eventually title in ’68 and ’81), but do not count on it. I have no “get back” in me!

Nikita Kucherov, pictured above.