The highest-scoring team in the NHL is playing a stingy brand of defense in the playoffs.
Andrei Vasilevskiy and the Tampa Bay Lightning know ultimately that will be the key to the chances for a deep run for the third time in four years.
The top seed in the Eastern Conference won its opening round series 4-1 over the New Jersey Devils
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”We did a good job. They’re a good team, but we were better a little bit,” the 23-year-old goaltender said after Saturday’s 3-1 clinching victory.
”The guys played well,” Vasilevskiy said. ”When your team is playing well, I’m feeling much better, more confidence. … ”Now it’s in the past and we have to move on and think about the second round.”
Nikita Kucherov scored goals in four of the five games, including three game-winners.
With five goals and five assists, he set a franchise record for points in a playoff series and also tied Vincent Lecavalier for second place on the Tampa Bay’s postseason scoring list with 52 points in 50 games.
But as well as the league’s third-leading scorer and the rest of the offense performed over the course of the series
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The Devils scored seven goals in the four games they lost. Before yielding one goal in each of the final two games, Vasilevskiy had never allowed one or fewer goals in a playoff start.
”He’s been unbelievable. He’s so young, but it seems like he’s been in the league for 20 years,” Kucherov said. ”When he makes the saves, it gives energy to our group and the bench, everyone is fired up.”
In his first season as a No. 1 goalie, the finalist for the Vezina Trophy tied for first in the NHL in victories (44) and shutouts (eight) and finished with a 2.62 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.
Those numbers might have been even better if the Lightning had played better defense in front of him over the last half of the season.
”He was on it from Game 1,” coach Jon Cooper said of the young goaltender’s performance against the Devils.
”He just came up huge in every big situation. … The timely saves were phenomenal for us
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And, that gives the Lightning reason to feel good heading into the Eastern Conference semifinals against the winner of the first-round matchup between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs.
”We don’t care who’s going to be there. There’s no easy teams in the playoffs,” Kucherov said. ”We have to make sure we play the same way and we play our way.”
Cooper appreciates being able to close out the Devils early, avoiding a return trip to Newark, New Jersey, for Game 6.
”Ultimately, you just don’t want to get on the plane, again. It’s not that there’s still series left
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The Denver Broncos are staying in the Bowlen family after the team announced an agreement to buy back a portion of John Bowlen’s minority stake in the franchise.
The brother of majority owner Pat Bowlen announced his intention late last year to sell his non-voting interest in the team. His share of the team, which Forbes magazine values at $2.6 billion, is believed to be about 33 percent.
The Broncos didn’t say how much of John Bowlen’s share was bought back nor did they reveal the purchase price.
They said they’re expecting approval of the transaction from the NFL ”in the next few days.”
”This transaction further consolidates Pat Bowlen’s majority, controlling ownership interest in the Broncos while keeping 100 percent of the team in the Bowlen family. The acquisition of this share is independent of Mr. Bowlen’s succession plan that is being administered by the Pat Bowlen Trust,” the team said in a statement.
”John has been a great partner for many years
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Pat Bowlen and his siblings bought the team from Edgar Kaiser in 1984 for $78 million. Pat Bowlen later bought out his brother William Bowlen and sister Mary Elizabeth Jagger, making John the sole minority owner.
The team was placed in a trust when Pat Bowlen stepped down in 2014 because of Alzheimer’s. The trust is overseen by three people, including team president and CEO Joe Ellis, who has final say on day-to-day operations until one of Bowlen’s seven children can succeed him as controlling owner.
John Bowlen told the Denver Post last year that his intention to sell was not due to any discord with the club or the trust but was simply in his best interest financially.
Notes: The Broncos signed unrestricted free agent Clinton McDonald to a two-year contract Wednesday. The ninth-year defensive lineman has appeared in 97 career games and five playoff games with Tampa Bay (2014-17), Seattle (2011-13) and Cincinnati (2010). He had five sacks in 14 games with the Buccaneers last season.
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