Your NHL Playoffs Open Thread

Let's look at tonight's pair of Game Sevens through the lens of potential second-round match-ups.

If Boston defends home ice against the Canadiens, they'll face the Philadelphia Flyers in the next round. That would be interesting, if only to see how many different ways the fact that last year's Bruins valiantly ceded 3-0 leads in Eastern Conference Finals games and Game 7 goals can be worked into the narrative.

Montreal is playing for the right to, in all likelihood, lose to the Washington Capitals. If they accomplish their evening goal, the winner of the Tampa Bay/Pittsburgh game will then face Philadelphia.

Montreal/Boston starts at 7 p.m. Tampa Bay/Pittsburgh commences an hour later. Enjoy.

Bruins up against a Game 7 [Boston Herald]

Habs heading back to Boston for Game 7 [Montreal Gazette]

Lightning's Gagne has history of coming through in the postseason [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Back from the brink, Bolts can't hold back now [Tampa Tribune]