NHL 2022 Western Conference Finals - Game 3

We've got a new location for Game 3, with the Edmonton Oilers hosting the Colorado Avalanche. Pavel Francouz and Mike Smith man the nets. Edmonton led off in the first period with a Connor McDavid goal, his ninth of the postseason, via Zach Hyman and Darnell Nurse. Colorado tied it on a Valeri Nichushkin goal, his fourth of the playoffs, courtesy of Bowen Byram and Devon Toews. The Avalanche took the lead in the second period with another Nichushkin goal, his second of the game and fifth of the postseason, assisted by Toews and Nathan MacKinnon. The Oilers tied it on a Ryan McLeod goal in the third period, his third of the playoffs, guided in by Brett Kulak and Derek Ryan. Colorado regained the lead with a J.T. Compher goal, his fifth of the postseason, made possible by Andrew Cogliano. The Avalanche iced it at 4-2 with a Mikko Rantanen empty net goal, his fourth of the playoffs, going in unassisted. The three stars were Nichushkin, Toews, and Compher. The Avalanche lead the series 3-0, just one win away from the Stanley Cup Finals. 

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NHL 2022 Eastern Conference Finals - Game 2

We're in New York again, with the Rangers bringing in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin tend the twines. Tampa Bay started in the first period with a Nikita Kucherov power play goal, his fifth of the postseason, powered by Victor Hedman and Anthony Cirelli. New York tied it on a K'Andre Miller goal, his second of the playoffs, guided in by Frank Vatrano and Chris Kreider. The Rangers pulled ahead with a Kaapo Kakko goal, his second of the postseason, made possible by Adam Fox and Filip Chytil. New York added on with a Mika Zibanejad goal in the third period, his ninth of the playoffs, passed from Fox and Kreider. The Lightning got one back with a Nick Paul goal, his third of the postseason, assisted by Corey Perry and Kucherov. The final stood from here at 3-2, with the three stars going to Fox, Kreider, and Kucherov. The Rangers leave home with a 2-0 series lead. 

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NHL 2022 Western Conference Finals - Game 2

We're back in Colorado as the Avalanche welcome the Edmonton Oilers. Mike Smith and Pavel Francouz man the nets. Colorado got going in the second period with an Artturi Lehkonen goal, his fifth of the postseason, via Nazem Kadri and Mikko Rantanen. The Avalanche added on with a Josh Manson goal, his second of the playoffs, guided in by Kadri and Lehkonen. Colorado extended the lead as Rantanen scored his third of the postseason, thanks to Kadri and Gabriel Landeskog. The Avalanche padded the lead in the third period with a Nathan MacKinnon power play goal, his tenth of the playoffs, powered by Cale Makar. This stood for a 4-0 win, with the three stars awarded to Francouz (24 save shutout), Kadri, and Lehkonen, while Rantanen gets an honorable mention. The Avalanche head north with a 2-0 series lead. 

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NHL 2022 Eastern Conference Finals - Game 1

The second Conference Finals series begins with the New York Rangers hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin tend the twines. New York led off in the first period with a Chris Kreider goal, his ninth of the postseason, coming off of Mika Zibanejad and Frank Vatrano. Tampa Bay tied it on a Steven Stamkos goal, his fifth of the playoffs, via Jan Rutta and Anthony Cirelli. The Rangers took the lead in the second period with a Vatrano goal, his fourth of the postseason, courtesy of Adam Fox. The Lightning tied it on an Ondrej Palat goal, his fifth of the playoffs, assisted by Stamkos and Mikhail Sergachev. New York regained the lead with a Filip Chytil goal, his sixth of the postseason, passed from Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere. The Rangers added on with another Chytil goal, his second of the game and seventh of the playoffs, helped along by K'Andre Miller and Lafreniere. New York extended the lead in the third period as Artemi Panarin scored his fifth of the postseason, made possible by Andrew Copp and Jacob Trouba. The Rangers padded the lead with a Zibanejad power play goal, his eighth of the playoffs, powered by Panarin and Fox. This made it 6-2, with the three stars going to Chytil, Vatrano, and Zibanejad, with Stamkos, Fox, Panarin, and Lafreniere getting the honorable mentions. The Rangers own a 1-0 series lead. 

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NHL 2022 Western Conference Finals - Game 1

The Colorado Avalanche open the Western Conference Finals against the Edmonton Oilers. Mike Smith and Darcy Kuemper are the goalies. Edmonton started in the first period with an Evander Kane goal, his thirteenth of the postseason, assisted by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto. Colorado tied it on a J.T. Compher goal, his third of the playoffs, via Alex Newhook and Andre Burakovsky. The Avalanche took the lead with a Nathan MacKinnon goal, his ninth of the postseason, passed from Devon Toews and Cale Makar. The Oilers tied it again with a Zach Hyman goal, his ninth of the playoffs, guided in by Brett Kulak and Connor McDavid. Colorado retook the lead on a Makar goal, his fourth of the postseason, going in unassisted. The Avalanche added on with a Nazem Kadri power play goal in the second period, his sixth of the playoffs, powered by Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen. Edmonton pulled one back with a Ryan McLeod goal, his second of the postseason, with helpers from Warren Foegele and Darnell Nurse. Colorado fired back with a Rantanen goal, his second of the playoffs, made possible by MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen. The Avalanche extended the lead as Compher scored his second of the game and fourth of the postseason, thanks to Makar and Toews. Mikko Koskinen replaced Smith in goal. Pavel Francouz also replaced Kuemper in goal shortly after that. Colorado padded the lead on an Andrew Cogliano goal, his second of the playoffs, fueled by Logan O'Connor. The Oilers pulled one back on a McDavid goal, his eighth of the postseason, coming off of Leon Draisaitl and Kane. Edmonton got closer in the third period with a Derek Ryan goal, courtesy of Zack Kassian and Evan Bouchard. The Oilers pulled closer with a power play goal by Nugent-Hopkins, his fifth of the playoffs, with assists provided by Draisaitl and McDavid. The Avalanche iced it at 8-6 with a Gabriel Landeskog empty net goal, his seventh of the postseason, an unassisted goal. The three stars were Makar, Compher, and MacKinnon, while McDavid, Rantanen, Nugent-Hopkins, Kane, Toews, and Draisaitl get the honorable mentions. The Avalanche established a 1-0 series lead. 

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NHL Playoffs 2022 - Day 27

The second round ends here, with the Carolina Hurricanes hosting the New York Rangers. Igor Shesterkin and Antti Raanta are the goalies. New York opened in the first period with an Adam Fox power play goal, his fifth of the postseason, powered by Alexis Lafreniere and Andrew Copp. The Rangers added on with a Chris Kreider power play goal, his seventh of the playoffs, with assists provided by Mika Zibanejad and Fox. New York extended the lead in the second period as Ryan Strome scored his second of the postseason, thanks to Artemi Panarin and K'Andre Miller. The Rangers padded the lead on a Kreider goal, his second of the game and eighth of the playoffs, coming off of Frank Vatrano and Zibanejad. Carolina got on the board with a Tony DeAngelo goal, his second of the postseason, fueled by Sebastian Aho. New York shot back with a Filip Chytil goal, his fifth of the playoffs, guided in by Kaapo Kakko. The Hurricanes got one back with a Max Domi goal, his third of the postseason, helped along by Jordan Martinook and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The Rangers iced it at 6-2 with a Copp empty net goal, his sixth of the playoffs, set up by Zibanejad and Barclay Goodrow. The Rangers won the series 4-3, and they'll face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

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