May 15, 2021. Madison, Mississippi. Hockey Playoffs.

The playoffs have begun. This is the most exciting time of the hockey season. No slacking. Maximum effort. And just sometimes, unknown players become stars. Anything can happen during the playoffs. This evening Washington played Boston in the first game. Chara who played for years for Boston is now playing for Washington so that was interesting. When I watch him play I wonder why on earth Boston allowed him to leave. The game was tough with lots of solid hits and at the end of three periods the score was 2 to 2, thus overtime. They played the regular overtime system and not the 5 minute overtime with 3 players before moving to the shootout. Toniht they played 5 on 5 for the full 20 minute period. Washington won the game. Hurrah. 16 teams qualified to get into the playoffs. Due to Covid, the teams were playing in different divisions than normal. So each division will playoff, with their winner playing another division winner. During the season there were no games between the divisions so you did not know how good a team really was because they only played the other teams in their own division. This makes it more difficult for someone such as me to say who might win the cup. Most commentators pick Las Vegas to get into the finsl. They also said that Boston would beat Washington during their series and now Boston is down a game. Toronto and Edmonton are both excellent teams with players who have great skills. But I await their games against Tampa Bay or Florida to find out how good Toronto and Edmonton really are. We are going to find out. My Nashville team is not playing too well recently even though they got into the playoffs, so I expect they might lose in the first round. I am not a betting person but it is my guess that Las Vegas will get into the finals and will play either Tampa Bay or Florida for the Stanley Cup. I for one will enjoy the whole process. Hockey playoffs are fun.