Yes
Cheap Customized Atlanta Falcons Jerseys , Predators forward Filip Forsberg has watched the video of his jaw-dropping goal against Colorado a couple times, and
even he agrees putting the puck through not only his legs but a defender’s with
a dangle ranks as his most creative yet.
”I had some opportunities, but I haven’t finished any of them off,” Forsberg said. ”But it was good.”
The Colorado Avalanche showed that they can give Nashville fits with their speed and too-young-to-know-better attitude with the youngest roster this
postseason. Having a chance in this first-round Western Conference series
against the NHL’s Presidents’ Trophy winners will mean figuring out a way to
slow down the Predators’ top scorer.
Forsberg’s two goals in the third period not only rallied Nashville to a 5-2 win in Game 1 , the forward is averaging more than a point per game for his
career against Colorado. Forsberg now has 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) and
five game-winning goals in 21 games.
He also outscored Colorado’s top line as Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen each had assists setting up the Avs’ opening goal.
Coach Jared Bednar said he thought his Avalanche, playing without top defenseman Erik Johnson (knee injury), did a nice job on Forsberg most of the
game. Sam Girard played 22 minutes, 7 seconds in his postseason debut against
the team that drafted him.
”He uses his skill and beats a guy one-on-one,” Bednar said of Forsberg. ”The go-ahead goal at 3-2 was a lucky bounce. They shot it wide, and he got to the
right spot on the ice and hit maybe his stick and a shin pad. He just goes to
the hard areas.”
The Avalanche are catching Forsberg at a bad time. The 23-year-old forward from Ostervala, Sweden, now has 32 points in his last 31 games after leading the
balanced Predators with 64 points in the regular season.
The Predators have a chance Saturday in Game 2 at something they haven’t managed yet as a franchise: Taking a 2-0 series lead in their own building.
”We’ve got to be better to get this done,” Forsberg said.
Some things to watch Saturday:
—
Devils at Lightning, Tampa Bay leads 1-0 (3 p.m EDT
Ito Smith Color Rush Jersey , NBC/CBNBC)
The Lightning look and sound like a team rejuvenated by playing meaningful games again.
The Atlantic Division champions spent the final three weeks of the regular season essentially biding time while awaiting the start of the playoffs. Captain
Steven Stamkos said it was important to re-establish an edge in the series
opener, and now the top seed in the Eastern Conference can take a commanding
lead on the underdog Devils.
”There’s a wealth of experience in this room, with guys that have been in this situation,” Stamkos said. ”I think you could tell, once the puck dropped,
that we were very determined to set the tone and play the right way.”
About half of New Jersey’s roster entered this series with no playoff experience. Coach John Hynes expects that to be less of a factor in Game 2.
”I don’t really want to get into what the exact message with our team was, but it (basically) was don’t get too high, don’t get too low,” Hynes said. ”We
have to make sure we understand the areas we’ve got to be better at, and I think
mentally make sure that we’re ready to play a certain way.”
—
Maple Leafs at Bruins, Boston leads 1-0 (8 p.m. EDT, NBC)
The Bruins may be without forward Tommy Wingels, who did not skate Friday after taking a hit from Toronto forward Nazem Kadri. Boston coach Bruce Cassidy
said Wingels was being evaluated by doctors and lists him as questionable as the
Bruins try to take a 2-0 lead.
If Wingels can’t play, a possible replacement could be rookie forward Ryan Donato. Cassidy said the former Harvard star could make his postseason debut
Saturday. Donato skated with Noel Acciari and David Backes in practice. Cassidy
said they have options with Brian Gionta as a right wing and Danton Heinen, who
can slide over.
”I think Ryan played really well when he was here for his 12 games
Stephen Vogt Jersey ,” said Cassidy. ”We plan on using Ryan, just want to pick the right time.”
The Maple Leafs know they have to play better on special teams after giving up three power-play goals. They also spent Friday waiting to learn what
punishment the NHL would give Kadri.
”I don’t know what they’re going to do so might as well get prepared,” Toronto coach Mike Babcock said.
—
Sharks at Ducks, San Jose leads 1-0 (10:30 p.m. EDT, NBCSN)
The Ducks looked largely lifeless as they gave away their home-ice advantage by failing to maintain the momentum from their impressive finish to the regular
season. This is a familiar pattern for the veteran Ducks, who have lost Game 1
at home in four of their last five playoff series over the past three seasons.
They won two of those series.
Perhaps Evander Kane’s gritty two-goal performance in his playoff debut will get the Ducks’ attention, reminding them that they can’t play into the Sharks’
hands by skating on the perimeter of the ice and failing to generate consistent
traffic in front of Martin Jones.
Or maybe the Sharks are hitting their stride after losing five of their final six games in the regular season. San Jose was better on both ends to win the
opener 3-0 .
”They played how you’re supposed to play in the playoffs,” Anaheim forward Andrew Cogliano said of the Sharks. ”They played patient and played the right
way. When you get chances, you have to score on them. You just execute the game
plan. They did that. I
MIAMI — Monday is a day that Shelby Miller has been waiting for since he underwent elbow surgery more than 14 months ago.
The Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander will make his first major-league appearance since April 23, 2017, facing the Miami Marlins and right-hander Dan
Straily (2-3, 4.89 ERA).
The Diamondbacks, who lead the National League West with a 44-33 record, have won four games in a row.
Now they get back Miller, a 27-year-old former first-round pick who was drafted 19th overall by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009. He went 15-9 with a
3.06 ERA in 2013 Colts Cheap Jerseys , finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting.
Since then, however, Miller has been traded twice — by the Cardinals to the Atlanta Braves and then to Arizona before the start of the 2016 season.
So far, the Diamondbacks haven’t gotten much return on their investment. Miller went 3-12 with a 6.15 ERA in 2016 and 2-2 with a 4.09 ERA before getting
hurt a year ago, lasting just four starts.
“I definitely have some things to prove over here,” Miller, an All-Star with Atlanta in 2015, told azcentral.com. “I feel I was throwing pretty well last
year. Unfortunately, I got hurt.”
Monday represents a fresh start for Miller, who made four starts in extended spring training earlier this year followed by four minor-league rehab
appearances.
“I’m super excited to be here,” Miller said. “For me, it’s a huge accomplishment.
“Command was the last thing to come back. But I feel it is there now. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t feel I was ready to pitch.”
Straily, who will be Miller’s counterpart on Monday, faced Arizona earlier this year, allowing one run in 4 1/3 innings of a 6-1 loss to the Diamondbacks
on June 3.
In Straily’s most recent start http://www.coltsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-nyheim-hines-jersey , he lasted just 1 1/3 innings before he was ejected for the first time in his
career, exiting during a 6-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants.
Straily was tossed out after he hit Giants star catcher Buster Posey with a pitch.
“I don’t know,” Posey said when asked by the media if the hit-by-pitch was intentional. “It sure seemed that way.”
Of much bigger concern for the Marlins (31-47) is the fact that they have lost their past five games when Straily starts. Straily has zero quality starts
during that span.
The Marlins, who are in last place in the NL East, beat the Colorado Rockies 8-5 on Sunday for their second straight win.
Miami finished 5-4 on its road trip to the Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants and Colorado, taking two of the three series. It is Miami’s first winning
road trip of the year.
The Marlins are 11-11 in June, which has already made this their best month of the season. And they have more road wins (17-26) than home victories
(14-21).
Meanwhile, Arizona has a winning record at home (23-16) and on the road (21-17). They are 16-6 in June after a poor May (8-19). The Diamondbacks are
also 3-0 against the Marlins.
Hot Miami hitters include left fielder Derek Dietrich, who was 4-for-5 on Sunday to raise his batting average to .302, and catcher J.T. Realmuto, who went
1-for-3 and is batting .308.
Dietrich batted .476 for the week with three homers and three multi-hit games. Realmuto hit .360 this week with five doubles, one homer, six RBIs and at
least one hit in all six games.
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