The New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks won first round series in less than six games.
Those two series were very competitive. The Rangers’ four wins in the series were all by (2-1) scores as they won in five games vs the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Ducks were the first team in NHL playoffs history to trail at some point of the third period, but win in three consecutive games. They did so en route to a four game sweep of the Winnipeg Jets.
The other six NHL opening round series all will go at least six games.
While as cited the NHL playoffs have been extremely competitive, the opposite and then some is the case in the NBA playoffs.
Five series have teams ahead three games to none and two others stand two games to none.
Only the Spurs/Clippers series has produced wins by both teams and last night the Spurs took a (2-1) series lead with a rout victory.
Only the Washington Wizards’ three games to none lead vs the Toronto Raptors is an upset and it is not a big one.
I will stick with my prediction that the Chicago Blackhawks win their series vs the Nashville Predators in six games. They are favored in game six at home.
Also I will stay with my prediction that the Calgary Flames vs Vancouver Canucks series goes to a seventh game.
I do this despite the fact that the Flames, up three games to two, are favored to wrap up the series in game six at home.
Speaking of home, as usual teams are losing home games in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
After the Tampa Bay Lightning’s comeback win at Detroit vs the Red Wings last night, only four of the sixteen playoff teams, the Flames, Blackhawks, Ducks and Canadiens have not lost a home game.
Unlike the Cleveland Cavaliers and their “double dipping” great player LeBron James (not once, but twice he got to pick his team, each time opting to play in the exponentially weaker NBA Eastern Conference) the San Antonio Spurs’ road to the NBA finals is not only “long and winding,” but truly difficult.
Being in the far tougher NBA West is not the Spurs’ fault. However they can blame themselves for that last night of the regular season loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, which dropped San Antonio from the “2” to the “6” seed.
That result makes the road, (that is the operative word as most likely the Spurs will be sans home advantage in any Western Conference Series) to the finals and the title so much more difficult.
So far in the playoffs, the Spurs got the split in L.A. vs the Clippers, and while that helps, the task of winning three series in the Western Conference appears too tough even for this near great to great Spurs team/franchise to overcome.
Of course it is very early in the baseball season, but I do believe, as I did before the season started, that there is reason to believe the New York Mets will have a good season.
Right now, they are playing great: 9 straight wins, (8-0) at home, and winning against the so called lesser teams, which is not that easy to do.
I also believe their great record in spring training helped. Perhaps this team will do the “little/big things” that it takes to be a contender.
Surely on paper the Mets have a tremendous starting staff led by the returning Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom.
Veteran everyday player, Michael Cuddyer, who played on six playoff teams with the Minnesota Twins, is a big addition.
The Minnesota Wild have put the St. Louis Blues in trouble in their preliminary series, as they took a (2-1) series lead with a home win last night.
A part of the first NHL expansion, in time for the 1967-1968 season, the Blues have gone longer than any other team without ever winning the Stanley Cup.
Last year, the Blues collapsed both in the regular season and in their first round playoff series vs the Chicago Blackhawks.
They blew a big, late season divisional lead and fell to second place, before dissipating a (2-0) series advantage and losing in six games, to Chicago.
Meanwhile the Wild are bidding for a second straight first round upset, having beaten the Colorado Avalanche last season.
Jane Elias gives a magnificent, heartfelt performance in her autobiographical one woman show “Do This One Thing For Me,” now playing through May 3rd at TBG Theater at 312 West 36th Street.
A magnificent talent, gifted with a flair for accents, Ms. Elias plays all the roles, by far the two biggest, those of her father Beni and herself.
His story as a Holocaust survivor, one liberated from Bergen-Belsen, is told along with his desire to dance at his daughter Jane’s wedding and all that entails, is told in a highly meaningful, insightful way.
There is humor and surely pathos as Jane goes from just wanting to watch the television show, “Fantasy Island” to an emotional visit to Auschwitz, another horrible concentration camp, where her efforts to contribute are truly rewarded.
I felt exponentially rewarded seeing this amazing performance directed by Tracy Bersley.
Afterward in addition to meeting the personable Ms. Elias, I talked with Jane’s aunt, her father’s sister and also a Holocaust survivor (her father died in 2010, his story and remembering such stories hopefully never will) Lina Russo.
What an inspiration, as she told people “see you next Sunday,” and repeated her mantra that she tells later generations and what she said “got her through” when she was imprisoned, that is “never give up.”
It was an extraordinary performance by Ms. Elias and a truly inspirational day. You will also be inspired and moved greatly by “Do This One Thing For Me.”
For ticket info click here
The beautiful, vivacious and extremely talented Lynda Carter really “wowed” the audience in her show at the Appel Room in the Time Warner Center.
What a view at the venue, as is the case with Lynda, one simply described as beautiful.
Ms. Carter’s new show showcased her considerable singing ability and opened with a song she wrote, “Long Legged Woman,” which is the name of her current tour. The show/tour features almost all new songs for Lynda (only her real favorites are holdovers).
“Long Legged Woman” got the performance off to a rousing start. After, with a slew of big hits such as “Crazy,” the Patsy Cline classic written by Willie Nelson, “A Rose in Spanish Harlem,” and “My Momma Done Told Me,” Lynda continued to dazzle the audience.
There was dancing and a heartfelt song Lynda wrote for her son Jamie, appropriately “Jamie’s Song.” Having seen him, I can confirm his great appearance and more important, his polite demeanor.
The band which included the legendary “Blue” Lou Marini was superb.
Lynda is a great performer, with her heart in the right place. Additionally she embraces, not runs away from her role, as “Wonder Woman.”
If that is not enough my level of appreciation soared when Lynda in a most personable manner, signed items and posed for pictures with her appreciative audience.
A “Wonder”ful woman indeed!
For more info on Lynda Carter and her tour, click here
The Montreal Canadiens took a two games to none series lead winning at home in overtime vs the Ottawa Senators.
Three teams evened their NHL opening round series to 1-1 records with home wins last night.
After the New York Islanders won Game One at Washington, the Capitals got even at home last night and I predict will win the series in six games.
I believe the Chicago Blackhawks, who will return home with the series tied (1-1) will win the series in seven games vs the Nashville Predators.
My prediction in the Calgary Flames vs Vancouver Canucks series, which the Canucks squared with a home win last night, will evoke memories of great 7 game opening round series between the teams in both 1994 and 2004.
In each case, the Canucks (vs the New York Rangers) and the Flames (vs the Tampa Bay Lightning), the series winner made it to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Finals, before losing.
This series will go 7 games and really is too close to call.
There have been some memorable playoff battles between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Those series were eventually won by the Celtics.
This year’s series, it says here, will have neither of those results. I predict the Cavaliers to win easily, say in 5 games.
I am predicting a fairly big upset in the Memphis Grizzlies vs Portland Trailblazers series.
Though roughly two to one underdogs, I think Portland will win the opening round series in six games.
