2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thursday May 7: Sweepstakes

Canadiens @ Lightning

7:00 PM EST, NBCSN, CBC, TVA

Before this year, there were two GWGs in the final two seconds of regulation in playoff history. There have been two in the past week.

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) May 7, 2015

Our long national nightmare is almost over. The Bolts have the chance to complete the season and series sweep of the Habs tonight. Get out the good stuff for a celebration if it happens. According to Sprotsnet, they would become the first team in NHL history to sweep a team 4-0 in one postseason and then be swept 0-4 by the same team in following postseason.

#TBLightning- #Habs Game 4 is sold out. For those fans asking, brooms aren't allowed.

— Joe Smith (@TBTimes_JSmith) May 7, 2015

It's not like it's impossible for the Habs to win; Tampa's offense was anemic at times, and Price should be able to hold off the Lightning; but it sounds like there's a little problem behind the bench.

#Habs coach Michel Therrien on rebounding from Game 3: "it's a tough one. It is a tough one to swallow"

— Matt Baker (@MBakerTBTimes) May 7, 2015

Montreal media are clearly unable to cope with this sweep, and are searching for any reason they can find to trash the Bolts. Apparently this series hasn't been good for ticket scalpers. Won't somebody please think of the ticket scalpers?

Raw Charge preview here.

Habs Eyes on The Prize preview here.

Blackhawks @ Wild

9:30 PM EST, NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports 2

Dubnyk: "Nobody’s pretending we’re in a good situation, but all we can do is win tonight and move forward. That’s what we’re going to do."

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) May 7, 2015

Oh yeah, there's that other series quietly working its way to a sweep too. The Hawks-Wild series has been a bit lower in profile around here for obvious reasons, but it's not playing out much differently than the Bolts-Habs series. The Blackhawks also have a chance to end it tonight and sweep the Wild.

After a rocky start in the first round that even saw him replaced by a backup for a time, Crawford has come back to fine form, holding down a 0.924 sv%, though he's still far off the insane paces of Holtby and Lundqvist, both approaching 0.950.

Meanwhile the Wild probably jinxed themselves with this score up before the game.

Wishful thinking by the Wild? #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/9oQn5qBa2D

— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) May 7, 2015

Hockey Wilderness preview here.

Second City Hockey preview here.

Tonight's winners will be: