It's starting to get serious for the first round. Today's action starts with...
The New York Islanders hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. Antti Raanta and Ilya Sorokin man the nets. Carolina opened in the first period with a Seth Jarvis power play goal, powered by Stefan Noesen and Brent Burns. The Hurricanes added on in the second period with a Martin Necas power play goal, with assists provided by Noesen and Sebastian Aho. Carolina extended the lead as Aho scored his second of the postseason, thanks to Mackenzie MacEachern. The Hurricanes padded the lead in the third period with Jarvis' second goal of the game, made possible by Aho. New York got on the board with an Adam Pelech goal, via Brock Nelson. Carolina shot back with a MacEachern goal, helped along by Brady Skjei. The Islanders got one back with a Bo Horvat shorthanded goal, set up by Scott Mayfield. This only made it 5-2, with the three stars given to Aho, Jarvis, and Noesen, while MacEachern gets an honorable mention. The Hurricanes are up 3-1 in the series as they head back home.
Down in Florida, the Panthers welcome the Boston Bruins. Linus Ullmark and Sergei Bobrovsky guard the cages. Boston started in the first period with a Brad Marchand power play goal, his third of the postseason, powered by Pavel Zacha and Tyler Bertuzzi. The Bruins added on in the second period with a Jake DeBrusk power play goal, his second of the playoffs, guided in by Dmitry Orlov and Taylor Hall. Florida got on the board with a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his second of the postseason, assisted by Carter Verhaeghe and Brandon Montour. Boston replied in the third period with a Bertuzzi goal, his second of the playoffs, made possible by Brandon Carlo and Nick Foligno. The Panthers countered with a Sam Bennett power play goal, his season of the postseason, coming off of Montour and Tkachuk. The Bruins shot back on DeBrusk's second goal of the game and third of the playoffs, fueled by Zacha and Hall. Boston extended the lead as Hall scored his third of the postseason, thanks to Tomas Nosek and the goalie Ullmark. Jeremy Swayman entered the game after Ullmark received a misconduct penalty. The Bruins iced it at 6-2 with a Hall empty net goal, his second of the game and fourth of the playoffs, set up by Nosek and Garnet Hathaway. The three stars were DeBrusk, Bertuzzi, and Hall, while Tkachuk, Zacha, Nosek, and Montour get the honorable mentions. The Bruins return home with a 3-1 series lead in hand.
Northwest to Minnesota, as the Wild bring in the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Filip Gustavsson tend the twines. Dallas got going in the second period with a Tyler Seguin power play goal, his second of the postseason, powered by Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson. The Stars added on in the third period with an Evgenii Dadonov goal, his third of the playoffs, fueled by Hintz and Esa Lindell. Minnesota got on the board with a John Klingberg goal, guided in by Mats Zuccarello and Ryan Hartman. Dallas shot back with a Seguin power play goal, his second of the game and third of the postseason, with assists provided by Jamie Benn and Hintz. The Wild pulled one back with a Frederick Gaudreau goal, his second of the playoffs, assisted by Matt Boldy and Klingberg on the power play. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars going to Seguin, Hintz, and Klingberg. The series is tied at 2-2 heading back to Dallas.
Finally, the Los Angeles Kings host the Edmonton Oilers. Stuart Skinner and Joonas Korpisalo draw the starts in goal. Los Angeles kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Gabriel Vilardi goal, his second of the postseason, helped along by Kevin Fiala and Alex Iafallo. The Kings added on with a Viktor Arvidsson goal, via Trevor Moore and Phillip Danault. Los Angeles extended the lead as Anze Kopitar scored a power play goal, his second of the playoffs, powered by Fiala and Adrian Kempe. Jack Campbell replaced Skinner in goal for the second period. Edmonton got on the board in the second period with an Evan Bouchard power play goal, his second of the postseason, with assists provided by Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. The Oilers got closer with a Draisaitl goal, his fourth of the playoffs, guided in by McDavid and Zach Hyman. Edmonton tied it as Draisaitl scored his second of the game and fifth of the postseason on the power play, with the help of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Bouchard. The Kings pulled ahead in the third period with a Matt Roy goal, helped along by Arvidsson and Danault. The Oilers tied it on an Evander Kane goal, his second of the playoffs, passed from McDavid and Mattias Ekholm. Edmonton won 5-4 in overtime with a Hyman goal, with a lone assist by Bouchard. The three stars were Draisaitl, McDavid, and Bouchard, while Hyman, Fiala, Arvidsson and Danault get the honorable mentions. The series is tied at 2-2 heading back to Edmonton.