Sunday, April 21, 2024

NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 2

We're back in earnest with four more games this Sunday. First up...

The Florida Panthers host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky guard the cages. Florida led off in the first period with a Sam Reinhart goal, via Gustav Forsling and Aleksander Barkov. Tampa Bay tied it on a Brandon Hagel goal, guided in by Anthony Cirelli and Steven Stamkos. The Panthers retook the lead in the third period with a Carter Verhaeghe power play goal, powered by Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. Florida added on with a Tkachuk empty net goal, set up by Aaron Ekblad. The Lightning got one back with a Stamkos power play goal, with helpers from Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Tkachuk, Barkov, and Stamkos. The Panthers have a 1-0 series lead.

Up in New York, the Rangers welcome the Washington Capitals. Charlie Lindgren and Igor Shesterkin are the masked men. New York got going in the second period with a Matt Rempe goal, assisted by Jimmy Vesey and Barclay Goodrow. The Rangers added on with an Artemi Panarin goal, guided in by Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere. New York extended the lead as Vesey scored, thanks to Goodrow. Washington got on the board with a Tom Wilson goal, fueled by Aliaksei Protas and Martin Fehervary. The Rangers countered in the third period with a Chris Kreider goal, via Mika Zibanejad and Jack Roslovic. This stood for a 4-1 win, with the three stars being Besey, Goodrow, and Shesterkin (20 for 21 in saves). The Rangers are holding a 1-0 series lead.

West to Winnipeg, as the Jets bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Alexandar Georgiev and Connor Hellebuyck protect the nets. Colorado began in the first period with a Valeri Nichushkin goal, via Josh Manson. Winnipeg tied it on a Josh Morrissey goal, coming off of Kyle Connor and Brenden Dillon. The Jets took the lead with a Vladislav Namestnikov goal, assisted by Alex Iafallo. The Avalanche retied it on a Miles Wood goal, passed from Joel Kiviranta and Ross Colton. Colorado took the lead with a Nathan MacKinnon goal, fueled by Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. Winnipeg tied it on a Mark Scheifele goal, courtesy of Gabriel Vilardi. The Jets pulled ahead in the second period with an Adam Lowry goal, with helpers from Dillion and Nino Niederreiter. Winnipeg added on in the third period with another Lowry goal, passed from Mason Appleton and Niederreiter. The Jets extended the lead as Connor scored on the power play, with the help of Morrissey and Scheifele. The Avalanche got one back with an Artturi Lehkonen power play goal, powered by Makar and MacKinnon. Winnipeg shot back with a Connor goal, his second of the game, guided in by Vilardi and Scheifele. Colorado replied with an unassisted Makar power play goal. The Avalanche got closer on a Casey Mittelstadt goal, helped along by Lehkonen and Rantanen. This only made it 7-6, the final, with the three stars being Connor, Lowry, and Scheifele, while Morrissey, Dillon, Niederreiter, Vilardi, Makar, MacKinnon, Lehkonen, and Rantanen get the honorable mentions. The Jets are up 1-0 in the series. 

Finally, the Vancouver Canucks host the Nashville Predators. Juuse Saros and Thatcher Demko tend the twines. Nashville struck first in the first period with a Jason Zucker goal, via Roman Josi and Mark Jankowski. Vancouver tied it in the second period with an Elias Lindholm goal, assisted by Dakota Joshua and Nikita Zadorov. The Predators took the lead back with a Ryan O'Reilly power play goal, powered by Gustav Nyquist and Filip Forsberg. The Canucks tied it in the third period with a Quinn Hughes goal, fueled by Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek. Vancouver took the lead with a Joshua goal, with a lone helper from Conor Garland. The Canucks iced it at 4-2 with a Joshua empty net goal, his second of the game, set up by Teddy Blueger and J.T. Miller. The three stars were Joshua, Hughes, and Lindholm. The Canucks own a 1-0 series lead. 

Follow me on Twitter @OutsiderSports0 and on Bluesky @outsidersports0.bsky.social.

No comments :

Post a Comment