Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs: East 1st Round Game 1 – Tuesday 7 ET on ESPN. These same 2 teams met for the first time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs a year ago with the Lightning winning in 7 after trailing 3 games to 2.
Tampa Bay cashed in 7 power play opportunities in the series while Toronto converted just 4-of-28 PP chances. It marked the first time Tampa Bay won a playoff series when trailing 3-2 since the 2015 First Round against Detroit.
It marked the 3rd straight series the Maple Leafs surrendered after leading the series, 3-2.
According to Stathletes, Tampa Bay generated 10 more shot attempts per game than Toronto in their 3 head-to head meetings.
But the Maple Leafs produced nearly double the scoring chances and over twice as many higher danger scoring chances.
Stathletes Head-to-Head
TB TOR
5v5 goals 5 4
Shot attempts PG 63.7 -53.7
Shots off rush PG 11.0- 12.7
Scoring chances PG 9.3- 17.3
Higher danger scoring chances PG 1.3- 3.3
Tampa Bay Lightning/Toronto Maple Leafs playoff series trends and fun facts
Teams that win Game 1 of a best-of-7 Stanley Cup Playoff series have gone on to win the series 68.3 percent of the time (507-235), though Game 1 winners won only 8 of 15 series a year ago.
Toronto has lost its opening-round playoff series in 6 consecutive seasons, which ties with Carolina for the longest streak in NHL history (lost opening series from 1987-92 as Hartford Whalers).
Toronto has the 2nd-most Stanley Cup titles (13), but its 54 consecutive seasons without an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final is the longest drought in NHL history.
Toronto is 0-10 in games with a series-clinching opportunity since the 2013 playoffs. Tampa Bay is 18-12 in such games over that same span.
More on this game today on Shemon and Sheppard 2-6pm.
PATRIOTS DAY IN BOSTON
It's Patriots Day in Boston. That means a lot of stuff is happening. The Red Sox play morning baseball and the Boston Marathon takes place. And it's usually cold outside. Never the less, it is a traditional day celebrated throughout New England.
It also means we will do New England Patriots trivia on Wiki-Pete-ia on the Shemon and Sheppard Show on ESPN Southwest Florida.
For those of you who are new to the show, we test Pete's trivia (and trivial) knowledge during Wiki-Pete-ia every weekday at 4:45ish for prizes. Just be lucky caller number 9 at 239-337-ESPN. That's 239-337-3776. If you are not lucky enough to get through, then play at home or at work with your friends with the questions and answers posted below!
For those of you NOT new to the show, you know going up against Pete in Patriots trivia may be difficult. That's in his wheelhouse for sure. I've tried to make his questions more difficult. But, hey, if you're caller number 9 you win no matter what. So give it a shot and help celebrate Patriots Day in Boston during Wiki-Pete-ia today on the Shemon and Sheppard Show.
Good luck to you. I'll be rooting for you to win!
-Craig Shemon
ESPN Southwest Florida
1. WHO IS THE OWNER OF THE PATRIOTS?
A: ROBERT KRAFT
2. WHAT YEAR WERE THE PATRIOTS FOUNDED?
A: 1960
3. IN 1960 THEY WERE THE _____________ PATRIOTS?
A: BOSTON
4. THE PATRIOTS FIRST HEAD COACH?
A: LOU SABAN
5. WHICH QB DID TOM BRADY REPLACE IN 2001?
A: DREW BLEDSOE
6. WHAT PATRIOT WAS OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR IN 1985?
A: CURTIS MARTIN
7. WHAT PATRIOT TE WAS CHARGED AND CONVICTED OF MURDER?
A: AARON HERNANDEZ
8. WHEN THE. SULLIVAN'S OWNED THE TEAM, WHAT ILL-FATED MUSICAL TOUR DID THEY INVEST IN AND FORCED THEM TO SELL THE TEAM?
A: MICHAEL JACKSON'S VICTORY TOUR
9. WHO'D ROBERT KRAFT BUY THE PATRIOTS FROM?
A: JAMES BUSCH ORTHWEIN
10. IN 2000 TOM BRADY WAS 4TH ON THE DEPTH CHART. WHO WAS THIRD?
A: MICHAEL BISHOP
