the cup

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Las Vegas - Lacing up my Stanley Cup skates tonight in Edmonton for Game 5 of this amazing series. So what changed? The Panthers DESTROYED the Oilers in Game 3, 6-1, then had a 3-0 lead after one period in Game 4. That's a 9-1 bulge. NINE to ONE! What changed? Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch pulled Stuart Skinner and put Calvin Pickard back in goal. Florida was able to score only one goal the rest of the game. That's what changed. Pickard, or Pick as they call him in the locker room, was brilliant early in the playoffs. He won four in a row against the Kings then two straight against Vegas before leaving with an injury. Skinner had given up 17 goals in the first four games before being pulled and you can not expect to win the Cup allowing 4+ goals per game. Seems like the Panthers got in his head, BIGLY! Could be wrong, but don't think that Florida will intimidate Pick. Edmonton has won seven of nine on home ice in the playoffs and have a perfect 3-0 record in Game 5 of each series. Gonna buy Oil this evening.

Also gonna make a quick afternoon stop in Motown and grab the Tigers over the Reds. Detroit has the BEST home record in the American League (23-9) and as long as Jack Flaherty in on the hill (3-0, 18 innings, 1 earned run in his last three starts), gimme some Tigers.

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