Hello Bruins, my old friend

I’ve come to play with you again

Because a first round series creeping

Left its seeds while off-season weeping

And the nightmare that was planted in my brain

Still remains

Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I skate alone

Narrow hopes of game 7 at home

’Neath the halo of a goal lamp

My neck guard I don’t wear for some stupid reason turns cold and damp

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of Saturday night lights

That split the night

And touched the sound of silence

And from the naked ice I saw

Ten thousand people, maybe more

People cheering without speaking

People jeering without listening

People singing songs that arenas always share

No one dared

Hope for victory to stall the silence

”Fools” said I, “You do not know

Silence like a cancer grows

Hear my words that I might teach you

Take my arms that I might reach you”

But my words like silent raindrops fell

And echoed in the chambers of twitter

And the people bowed and prayed

To the paywalled gods they made

And the sign flashed out its warning

In the words that it was forming

And the sign said, “The words of the prophets

Are written on the arena walls

And tenement halls”

And whispered in the rink of silence.

Maple Leafs lineup options without John Tavares | by Hardev

Alexander Kerfoot gets the nod with John Tavares out | by Katya

How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Leafs | by Fulemin

Marlies hang on to beat Hershey Bears 4-3 | by Hardev

UPDATED with a resolution: The NHL as Unreliable Narrator | by Katya

Auston Matthews stars in ‘Lazlo Holmes’ video | by Thomas Williams at TLN

Mike Babcock: “We’d been looking for a fourth line over four years… Now Goat seems to have come of age and Shore seems to be able to do it” | transcript by MLHS

AROUND THE NHL

DGB Grab Bag: Coaches on the hot seat, when refs don’t suck and teenage Joe Sakic rides a bicycle with one leg | by Sean McIndoe

Canucks’ Quinn, Devils’ Jack Hughes hate to lose, but love each other | by Iain McIntyre

Devils sign Hischier to seven-year extension | by TSN.ca

Avs beat the Panthers in overtime thanks to Nathan MacKinnon.

Penguins beat the Stars thanks to Kris Letang.

Darren Helm was not suspended for a blatant slash to the legs of Elias Lindholm, who will face no discipline at all for elbowing Helm in the head right before, in front of a fan who apparently spit on Helm as he exited the game for his match penalty. Hockey is stupid.

From The Branches