The four remaining teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs have tonight off. It’s the calm before the storm. The semi-finals begin tomorrow afternoon, with the Lightning facing the Islanders, and then on Monday night the Canadiens start their series against the Golden Knights. The odds makers say the Golden knights will crush the Habs, and we all hope it is so.

Golden Knights the biggest favourites in semifinal since 1990 - LV Review-Journal
After eliminating the Avalanche in six games, the Golden Knights were installed as -500 series favourites over the Montreal Canadiens (+375) at Station Casinos.

Meanwhile, all is quiet on the Maple Leafs front. Whatever they are working on, no one is talking about it.

Other News

Coyotes to interview Blues assistant Mike Van Ryn for head-coaching job
The Arizona Coyotes are expected to interview St. Louis Blues assistant Mike Van Ryn. The former Maple Leafs player has risen quickly through the coaching ranks after retiring from his playing career only 11 years ago.

Tuukka Rask faces hip surgery, only wants to play in Boston - Stanley Cup of Chowder
He was the man everyone wanted to hear from on the Boston Bruins break-up day, and Tuukka Rask didn't disappoint.

Flames Change Up Their Assistant Coaches - Matchsticks and Gasoline
The Calgary Flames have hired Kirk Muller as an assistant coach. Muller was fired by the Montreal Canadiens earlier this season along with Claude Julien after spending four and a half seasons with the team

Is There Any Sense in Moving Matthew Tkachuk? - Matchsticks and Gasoline
This was a very un-Tkachuk-like season for him, and that has to raise some questions considering it felt like he would be the type of player to excel under Darryl Sutter.

Mark Scheifele and the Winnipeg Jets victim mentality - Arctic Ice Hockey
Scheifele’s lack of acceptance for his suspension is a microcosm for a lot of the Jets issues this season: they have an abdication for their play and believe that it is always the cause of something out of their control that they lost.

A battle of wits broke out in this Ontario town. Welcome to the sign wars. - Macleans
The quirky town that inspired Canadian TV show 'Letterkenny' went all-in on witty public one-liners, bringing laughs and joy to residents during lockdown.

Akim Aliu, Hockey Diversity Alliance continue push to end racism in hockey - Sportsnet
“I sent a tweet and now I’m dealing with CEOs and CMOs a couple months later and just in circles that I never thought I’d be in. And I think it’s for the right reasons,” Aliu said. “To be able to get some recognition is nice but that’s really not what I’m in it for. I’m in it to make impactful change.”

And here’s a non-hockey sports clip which is amazing to watch. Camryn Rogers is from Richmond, BC, and she has broken the NCAA distance record for hammer throwing. She plans to compete for Canada at the Olympic Games next month in Tokyo.

Please have fun out there and stay safe as Ontario business reopen for us to patronise this weekend. To finish off, here’s a whale of a tale for your Saturday.

Lobster diver swallowed by humpback lives to tell the tale - The Guardian
He thought he had been attacked by a shark, common in area waters, but then realized he could not feel any teeth and he wasn’t in any pain. “Then I realized, oh my God, I’m in a whale’s mouth ... and he’s trying to swallow me.”

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