As the NHL Stanley Cup finals go into their fifth game in the best-of-seven series between the Calgary Flames and the Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary’s Finnish forward Ville Nieminen will have to sit out tonight’s game in Florida. He has been suspended for one match following an incident in the fourth game on May 31st, which Calgary lost 1-0.
Nieminen was penalised 5 +10 for a hit from behind that sent the Tampa Bay center Vincent Lecavalier head first into the boards, and on Wednesday the NHL announced the disciplinary measures. It is not the first time in recent months that Nieminen has been hauled up for rough play; he was suspended for one game during Calgary’s semi-final encounter with the Detroit Red Wings, for a rash challenge on Detroit goalie Curtis Joseph.
The Stanley Cup final series is finely balanced at two games apiece, and Thursday night’s match is made even more interesting by the fact that neither of the teams has lost a #5 game in the play-offs this season. Calgary are 3-0 in fifth-match results and Tampa Bay have won both their fifth-match encounters.
Even without the presence of Ville Nieminen there will be at least one Finn on the ice, as the Calgary goalie Miikka Kiprusoff will attempt to keep up his excellent record. In three previous fifth-game matches in the play-offs he has only conceded one goal.
The Flames may be the slight favourites for tonight’s game, as they have the best on-the-road record of any team in the play-offs this year, winning nine times and losing only three games away from home.
