1. Kris Letang will serve his one-game suspension tonight, which means an already depleted Pens’ blueline takes a huge hit. How will they try to cope?
Even the #Penguins admit it won’t be easy to play w/o Kris Letang in Game 4. ‘He’s impossible to replace, really.’ https://t.co/lKimkH82ga
— Mark Giannotto (@mgiannotto) May 4, 2016
Pens’ top 6 D-men for Game 4: Playoff ice time
Daley 22:26
Dumoulin 19:35
Cole 16:31
Lovejoy 14:55
Pouliot 12:10 (1 GP)
Schultz 5:52 (1 GP)— Yahoo Sports NHL (@YahooSportsNHL) May 3, 2016
@seamullet1 I would just be guessing
Dumoulin-Daley
Pouliot-Lovejoy
Cole-Schultz— Ryan Wilson (@GunnerStaal) May 3, 2016
That’s… definitely a list of six names. Real talk: if the Caps can’t take advantage of that blueline, they’re not the team we thought they were.
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2. Pittsburgh has also made a couple of recalls (one of whom could be in the mix above):
The #Pens have recalled forward Tom Sestito and defenseman Steve Oleksy from the @WBSPenguins. Details: https://t.co/iuXIer4sek
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 3, 2016
Best options or a response to the physicality of the series and little ol’ Tom Wilson?
Tom Wilson: “I’d love to be able to go out there and drop the gloves and grab Letang, but it’s a new age.”
— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) May 3, 2016
Tom Sestito: “People are going to be hitting everybody. Maybe the hands slip out (for a fight), maybe they don’t.’ #CapitalsTalk
— Chuck Gormley (@ChuckGormleyCSN) May 4, 2016
Penguins recall Steve Oleksy and Tom Sestito.
Game 4 introductions: https://t.co/cfiiCiJPix— Seth Rorabaugh (@emptynetters) May 4, 2016
Possible Sestito plays for the Penguins. Weber will play for the Capitals. Did the physicality just escalate even higher in this series?
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) May 4, 2016
Because that’s what this series needed. More physicality.
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3. Win tonight and the series goes back to Washington as a best-of-three with the Caps holding home ice advantage; lose, and, well…
(Source: WhoWins.com)
The Caps might well win Game 5 despite a loss tonight, but that far right column is your reality check – go down 3-1 and the task becomes less than 13% likely to be achieved (especially because the Caps don’t get to play the Caps… zing!). In other words…
— Japers’ Rink (@JapersRink) May 4, 2016