# NHL season begins Jan 13 with new divisions **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** hockey-nhl\ **Created:** [December 21, 2020, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521 "2020-12-21T08:59:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2021, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/201 "2021-07-04T23:02:57Z")
Wow what a drag it’ll be if the Habs are swept. Sure, TB’s solid as shit, but still - Montreal’s gotta win at least ONE game. And this could be a repeat for the Bolts from last season, when they won the Cup in Edmonton: > **[Lightning families can't go to Canada to celebrate](https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/31756144/tampa-bay-lightning-family-members-denied-entry-canada-possible-stanley-cup-celebration)** > > The Canadian government has not granted an exemption for family members of Lightning players and staff to travel to Montreal for a potential Stanley Cup celebration, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed to ESPN. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/202 "2021-07-05T20:42:25Z")
Matiss Kivlenieks, a backup goalie for the Columbus Blue Jackets and their AHL affiliate, died in a freak accident last night. There were some fireworks being shot off at a private party, and a malfunction shot some toward a hot tub. The people in the tub jumped out, and Kivlenieks slipped and hit his head on the concrete. There is some discrepancy in current reports if this led to his death or if it was due to internal injuries from a mortar shell that hit him. > **[Firework accident that killed NHL goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks was at coach's...](https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/05/sport/matiss-kivlenieks-death-spt-intl/index.html)** > > Matiss Kivlenieks, a goaltender for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League, died Sunday night after a fireworks accident at the home of the team's goaltending coach, a spokesperson for the organization said Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/203 "2021-07-05T23:21:44Z")
> **[Tampa mayor wants Canadiens to beat Lightning in Game 4](https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/tampa-mayor-wants-canadiens-to-beat-lightning-in-game-4-142603592.html)** > > If this isn't bulletin board material for the Canadiens then what is? Cheeky mayor! ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/204 "2021-07-05T23:34:20Z")
I guess she’s never heard of the [1942 Maple Leafs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1942_Stanley_Cup_Finals). ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2021, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/205 "2021-07-05T23:45:08Z")
Oh if that team ever went into time travel to meet browbeat their 2013 descendants. 😆 ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2021, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/206 "2021-07-06T00:41:42Z")
A prediction of team X in seven might make sense if there are evenly matched teams and home field/court/ice is a big factor. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2021, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/207 "2021-07-06T01:16:43Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > [NHL: Tampa mayor wants Lightning to lose Game 4 to Canadiens - Yahoo Sports](https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/tampa-mayor-wants-canadiens-to-beat-lightning-in-game-4-142603592.html) I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bolts themselves secretly want to give this game to Montreal. If they’re super confident about their dominance over the Canadiens, I’m sure they’d love to engineer a home-ice Stanley Cup celebration. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2021, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/208 "2021-07-06T20:09:09Z")
Not for one instant would I believe an NHL team would ever want to give another team a breather and a chance to come back in the Stanley Cup Finals. They were obviously trying to win, as of course such insanely competitive athletes would be. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2021, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/209 "2021-07-07T00:00:26Z")
Yeah, after watching the game, I agree – both teams were going flat-out! Montreal barely squeaked out a win in OT. Still rooting for Montreal, but I’m not hopeful. If anyone on TB was hoping for a home win, I think they’re going to get it tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2021, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/210 "2021-07-08T03:51:37Z")
Well there you go, TB. Meh - covid-y season. Tremendously crappy Habs coaching - with 2:10 to go and down a goal, they could’ve pulled Price with the puck in the Tampa zone, but didn’t. Ultimately there was only a minute and change before they were able to go up a man. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2021, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/211 "2021-07-08T04:05:03Z")
Well, TB got their home-ice celebration. I’m not happy about calling this win, but I have to admit the better team won, by almost any measure. TB dominated control of the puck, outshot the Habs by nearly 2:1 on the game overall, and arguably had better goaltending. Price made some fantastic saves but Vasilevskiy got a shutout. Yeah, I’m surprised they waited as long as they did to pull Price, but TB is really good at grabbing the puck and scoring on an empty net, like they did in Game 3. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2021, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/212 "2021-07-08T05:13:14Z")
Coverage from the Tampa Bay Times: > **[Tampa Bay Lightning | Tampa Bay Times](https://www.tampabay.com/sports/lightning/)** > > Get the latest hockey news, scores and analysis for the Tampa Bay Lightning and the NHL from the Tampa Bay Times. It seems that Vasilevskiy was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy. He was also in second place for the Vezina, but got beat out by Marc Andre Fleury of the Vegas Knights. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2021, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521/213 "2021-07-08T05:39:05Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > [B]ut TB is really good at grabbing the puck and scoring on an empty net, like they did in Game 3. Even with TB’s proficiency at those goals, IMO if elimination is on the brink (with the Cup looming), I would’ve tried to pull Price even closer to the three-minute mark. Congrats to that 36 y.o. coot for the Vezina. _So_ looking forward to an 82-game starting at the correct time next season. (Or, in my unicorn-with-dual-headers world, a 68-game season) Should maybe nip down to Seattle for a Kraken game or two - hopefully them (they?) and Vancouver will get some regional rivalry going. I expect a lot of support and well-attended Kraken games. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nhl-season-begins-jan-13-with-new-divisions/928521.md?page=10)