Stanley Cup Playoffs Game Thread, 5/11

Let’s watch some playoff hockey!

Scroll down to the comments to discuss Thursday night’s games.

Eastern Conference

New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes 6 p.m. CT (TNT)

Carolina leads the series 3-1

Well goddamn, Hurricanes media team.

The Devils are in all kinds of trouble after Carolina (and The Jordan Martinook Experience) ran wild all over them in the second period of Game Four. The big question for New Jersey tonight will be who starts in goal after they’ve tried their luck with both Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid so far this series (with both of them getting yanked on separate occaisons) and neither one of them has looked particularly good. Mackenzie Blackwood Haily Mary time, perhaps? Meanwhile the Hurricanes’ Black Knight impression continues as they somehow seem to get stronger after every major injury that they suffer. It would be pretty insane if this is the year that Carolina finally makes it through the East after losing Max Pacioretty, Andrei Svechnikov and our sweet prince Teuvo.

Western Conference

Seattle Kraken at Dallas Stars 8:30 p.m. CT (TNT)

Series is tied 2-2

Philip Grubauer finally Grubaur-ed in Game Four (he was pulled after surrendering five goals on just 22 shots). The Stars got huge games from both Joe Pavelski (who continued his old man scoring run with a crucial power play goal) and Miro Hiskanen – who came back from being hit in the face with a puck during Game Three to skate a ridiculous 31 minutes. The Kraken had their own star player return from injury – recent 40 goal-scorer Jared McCann had been out since Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar dropped him with an after the whistle check during round one – but you could definitely see the rust at times. McCann is arguable Seattle’s most dangerous scorer so if they can get him going tonight that would be a huge boost.