Four games on again tonight, beginning with...
The Columbus Blue Jackets hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky tend the twines. Columbus opened in the first period with an Alexandre Texier power play goal, powered by Seth Jones and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Blue Jackets added on with a Dubois goal, assisted by Oliver Bjorkstrand and Adam Clendening. Tampa Bay got on the board with a Steven Stamkos goal, made possible by Nikita Kucherov and Anthony Cirelli. Columbus shot back in the second period with a Jones goal, his second of the postseason, coming off of Cam Atkinson and Matt Duchene. The Lightning replied with a Cedric Paquette goal, passed from Braydon Coburn and Jan Rutta. Tampa Bay tied it on a Brayden Point power play goal, with assists provided by Stamkos and Kucherov. The Blue Jackets regained the lead on a Bjorkstrand goal, his second of the playoffs, helped along by Scott Harrington and Dubois. Columbus extended the lead on an unassisted Artemi Panarin empty net goal, his second of the postseason. The Blue Jackets padded the lead as Texier scored his second of the game into an empty net goal, thanks to Zach Werenski and Nick Foligno. Columbus iced it at 7-3 with a Duchene empty net goal, his third of the playoffs, set up by David Savard and Harrington. The three stars were Texier, Dubois, and and Bjorkstrand, while Duchene, Jones, Harrington, Stamkos, and Kucherov get the honorable mentions. The Blue Jackets advance to the second round on a 4-0 series sweep, where either the Boston Bruins or Toronto Maple Leafs will meet them.
Over in Pittsburgh, the Penguins welcome the New York Islanders. Robin Lehner and Matt Murray are the masked men. Pittsburgh started in the first period on a Jake Guentzel goal, via Sidney Crosby and Jared McCann. New York tied it on a Jordan Eberle goal, his fourth of the postseason, fueled by Mathew Barzal and Scott Mayfield. The Islanders took the lead with a Brock Nelson goal, his third of the playoffs, coming off of Josh Bailey and Tom Kuhnhackl. New York iced it at 3-1 in the third period with a Bailey empty net goal, his third of the postseason, set up by Valtteri Filppula. The three stars belonged to Lehner (32 for 33 in saves), Bailey, and Nelson. The Islanders swept the Penguins 4-0, and will wait for the Washington Capitals or Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.
Southwest to St. Louis, as the Blues bring in the Winnipeg Jets. Connor Hellebuyck and Jordan Binnington man the creases. St. Louis dented the scoreboard in the third period with a Vladimir Tarasenko power play goal, his second of the postseason, powered by Alex Pietrangelo and Ryan O'Reilly. Winnipeg tied it with a Mark Scheifele goal, his second of the playoffs, guided in by Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler. The Jets won 2-1 in overtime with a Connor goal, his third of the postseason, coming off of Scheifele and Wheeler. The three stars were Connor, Hellebuyck (31 for 32 in saves), and Scheifele, while Wheeler gets an honorable mention. Heading back to Winnipeg, the series is tied at 2.
Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights host the San Jose Sharks. Martin Jones and Marc-Andre Fleury protect the nets. Vegas kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Max Pacioretty goal, his third of the postseason, made possible by Mark Stone. The Golden Knights added on with a Shea Theodore goal, assisted by Reilly Smith and Pacioretty. Aaron Dell relieved Jones in the second period. Vegas extended the lead in the second period on a Pacioretty power play goal, his second of the game and fourth of the playoffs, powered by Stone and Theodore. The Golden Knights padded the lead in the third period as Alex Tuch scored, thanks to Nate Schmidt and Pacioretty. Vegas capped it at 5-0 with a Jonathan Marchessault power play goal, powered by Schmidt and Smith. The three stars were Pacioretty, Theodore, and Fleury (28 save shutout), while Schmidt, Stone, and Smith get the honorable mentions. The Golden Knights leave home ahead 3-1 in the series.
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