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Sports

Tampa Bay vs. Boston Game 5 live blog

By National Hockey League
Published | Updated

8:05 p.m. It is official now, Mike Smith is in for the Lightning. The goalie who passed through regular waivers and re-entry waivers after signing a big-ticket deal to be Lightning savior this summer -- only to b e replaced by Dwayne Roloson after a mid-season trade -- now gets his chance to save the Tampa Bay Lightning season. You can't write a script better than this. Will be amazing drama to see how it all plays out. By the way, Steve Downie is also in for Lightning and it appears he will resume third-line duty.

7:40 p.m. Guy Boucher may have refused to give Dwayne Rolson a vote of confidence because he didn't feel confident in his veteran keeper, who has allowed 11 goals in the past 6 periods he has played -- stretched acrosss three games. Mike Smith led the club onto the ice for warmups, suggesting that Smith is the starter for Game 5.  If that is indeed the case, it is a bold move by Boucher. Yes, Smith has not allowed a goal in his two relief appearances in this series, but he has not started yet in the pLayoffs and has had a bit of time to think about what is at stake here in Game 5 instead of coming in unexpectedly. The guess here is thaty Boucher feels he can go back to Roloson in Game 6 if Smith falters here. If Roloson started and wasn't good in Game 5, it would be tough to go to Smith in an elimination game. We'll find out if Smith is starter in a few minutes.

7:19 p.m. For the first time in this series, there are severalo lIneup decisions that need to be made after warmups tonight here at TD Garden. Claude Julien is dressing 23 players -- letting Shane Hnidy, Steve Kampfer and Shawn Thornton all take the warmups. He says if there are changes to be made, he will do so after the warmups. Best guess is he goes with the same 20 as In Saturday's Game 4. On the Tampa Bay sdide, their is even more intrique. The biggest question is who will start in goal. The big money has to be on starter Dwayne Roloson, but he has been pulled in two of the past three games and Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher refused to annoint him the starter, despite being asked directly several times in past two days. Also, will Steve Downie play? The pesky forward suffered an upper-body injury in Game 4 and is listed as day-to-day. Boucher said there is a chance Downie could play in Game 5, but the odds are against him.