NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 19

We're back for another two-game Wednesday. First up...

The Florida Panthers welcome the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Sergei Bobrovsky are in goal. Boston opened in the first period with a Charlie Coyle goal, via Pavel Zacha and Brad Marchand. Florida tied it in the second period with a Steven Lorentz goal, his second of the postseason, coming off of Brandon Montour. The Panthers pulled ahead on an Aleksander Barkov goal, his third of the playoffs, assisted by Sam Reinhart and Aaron Ekblad. Florida added on with a Gustav Forsling goal, fueled by Anton Lundell and Montour. The Panthers extended the lead in the third period as Eetu Luostarinen scored, thanks to Barkov and Reinhart. Florida padded the lead on a Barkov power play goal, his fourth of the postseason, powered by Reinhart. The Panthers iced it at 6-1 with a shorthanded Montour goal, his second of the playoffs, set up by Barkov and Reinhart. The three stars were Barkov, Montour, and Reinhart. The series is tied at 1-1 heading up to Boston. 

Out west, the Vancouver Canucks bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs are set to start in goal. Edmonton started in the first period with a Zach Hyman power play goal, his eighth of the postseason, powered by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers added on with a Mattias Ekholm goal, coming off of Draisaitl. Vancouver got on the board in the second period with a Dakota Joshua goal, his third of the playoffs, guided in by Ian Cole and Elias Lindholm. Edmonton answered with a Cody Ceci goal, made possible by Derek Ryan and Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers extended the lead as Hyman scored his second of the game and ninth of the postseason, thanks to Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid. The Canucks got one back with a Lindholm goal, his third of the playoffs, fueled by Joshua and Carson Soucy. Vancouver pulled closer with a J.T. Miller goal, his second of the postseason, helped along by Brock Boeser and Soucy. The Canucks tied it on a Nikita Zadorov goal, his third of the playoffs, passed from Teddy Blueger and Nils Hoglander. Vancouver pulled ahead on a Conor Garland goal, with helpers from Joshua and Zadorov. This stood for a 5-4 win, with the three stars being Joshua, Zadorov, and Hyman, while Lindholm, Soucy, Draisaitl, and Nugent-Hopkins get the honorable mentions. The Canucks established a 1-0 series lead. 

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NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 18

There's two games on this Tuesday, beginning with...

The New York Rangers welcoming the Carolina Hurricanes. Frederik Andersen and Igor Shesterkin patrol the creases. New York led off in the first period with an Alexis Lafreniere goal, coming off of K'Andre Miller and Alex Wennberg. Carolina tied it on a Jake Guentzel goal, his second of the postseason, via Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. The Hurricanes took the lead back with a Dmitry Orlov goal, his second of the playoffs, courtesy of Brady Skjei and Aho. The Rangers tied it in the second period with a Lafreniere goal, his second of the game, passed from Adam Fox and Artemi Panarin. Carolina retook the lead with another Guentzel goal, his second of the game and third of the postseason, helped along by Aho and Tony DeAngelo. New York tied it in the third period on a Chris Kreider power play goal, his third of the playoffs, powered by Vincent Trocheck and Panarin. The Rangers won 4-3 in double overtime with a Trocheck power play goal, his fifth of the postseason, with assists provided by Mika Zibanejad and Panarin. The three stars were Panarin, Trocheck, and Aho, while Lafreniere and Guentzel get the honorable mentions. The Rangers leave home with a 2-0 series lead. 

Down in Dallas, the Stars bring in the Colorado Avalanche. Alexandar Georgiev and Jake Oettinger tend the twines. Dallas began in the first period with a Ryan Suter goal, made possible by Matt Duchene. The Stars added on with a Wyatt Johnston goal, his fifth of the postseason, via Joe Pavelski and Jamie Benn. Dallas extended the lead as Benn scored his second of the playoffs on the power play, with the help of Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen. Colorado got on the board in the second period with a Valeri Nichushkin power play goal, his eighth of the postseason, powered by Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche pulled closer with a Makar power play goal, his third of the playoffs, with helpers from Nichushkin and Mikko Rantanen. Colorado tied it on a MacKinnon goal in the third period, his third of the postseason, fueled by Rantanen and Makar. The Avalanche won 4-3 in overtime with a Miles Wood goal, his third of the playoffs, guided in by Andrew Cogliano and Samuel Girard. The three stars were Makar, Nichushkin, and MacKinnon, while Benn and Rantanen get the honorable mentions. The Avalanche established a 1-0 series lead. 

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NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 17

There's one game on this Monday. The Florida Panthers host the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Sergei Bobrovsky are in goal. Florida got going in the second period with a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his fourth of the postseason, assisted by Aleksander Barkov. Boston tied it on a Morgan Geekie goal, his third of the playoffs, via Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak. The Bruins pulled ahead on a Mason Lohrei goal, guided in by Parker Wotherspoon and Zacha. Boston added on with a Brandon Carlo goal, his second of the postseason, fueled by Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic. The Bruins extended the lead in the third period as Justin Brazeau scored, thanks to James van Riemsdyk and Lohrei. Boston iced it at 5-1 with an empty net goal by Jake DeBrusk empty net goal, his fourth of the playoffs, set up by Brad Marchand. The three stars were Lohrei, Zacha, and Swayman (38 for 39 in saves). The Bruins established a 1-0 series lead. 

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NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 16

The second round begins and the first round ends on this two-game day. First up...

The New York Rangers host the Carolina Hurricanes. Frederik Andersen and Igor Shesterkin guard the cages. New York opened in the first period with a Mika Zibanejad goal, his second of the postseason, via Jack Roslovic and Adam Fox. Carolina tied it on a Jaccob Slavin goal, helped along by Sebastian Aho and Jake Guentzel. The Rangers took the lead back with a Zibanejad power play goal, his second of the game and third of the playoffs, powered by Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck. New York added on with a Trocheck power play goal, his fourth of the postseason, with assists provided by Zibanejad and Kreider. The Hurricanes got one back in the third period with a Martin Necas goal, his second of the playoffs, passed from Jordan Martinook and Dmitry Orlov. The Rangers countered with an Artemi Panarin goal, his third of the postseason, made possible by Alexis Lafreniere. Carolina responded with a Seth Jarvis goal, his fourth of the playoffs, fueled by Aho and Brent Burns. The final held from here at 4-3, with the three stars going to Zibanejad, Trocheck, and Kreider, while Aho gets an honorable mention. The Rangers established a 1-0 series lead with the win. 

Down in Dallas, the Stars host the Vegas Golden Knights. Adin Hill and Jake Oettinger tend the twines. Dallas started in the first period with a Wyatt Johnston goal, his fourth of the postseason, going in unassisted. Vegas tied it in the second period with a Brett Howden goal, guided in by Michael Amadio and William Karlsson. The Stars retook the lead in the third period on a Radek Faksa goal, fueled by Craig Smith and Thomas Harley. This stood for a 2-1 win, with the three stars being Oettinger (22 for 23 in saves), Faksa, and Johnston. The Stars won the series 4-3 and will face the Avalanche in the second round. 

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NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 15

It's just a single game for Saturday, with the Boston Bruins hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ilya Samsonov and Jeremy Swayman are in goal. Toronto got going in the third period with a William Nylander goal, his third of the postseason, via Auston Matthews and Tyler Bertuzzi. Boston tied it on a Hampus Lindholm goal, courtesy of James van Riemsdyk and Justin Brazeau. The Bruins won 2-1 in overtime with a David Pastrnak goal, his third of the playoffs, assisted by Lindholm and Brandon Carlo. The three stars were Lindholm, Pastrnak, and Swayman (30 for 31 in saves). The Bruins won the series 4-3 and will face the Panthers in the second round. 

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NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 14

There's two games on this Friday, beginning with...

The Nashville Predators welcoming the Vancouver Canucks. Arturs Silovs and Juuse Saros start in goal. Vancouver dented the scoreboard in the third period with a Pius Suter goal, his second of the postseason, made possible by Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson. This stood for a 1-0 win, with the three stars going to Silovs (28 save shutout), Suter, and Saros (28 for 29 in saves). The Canucks won the series 4-2 and will face the Oilers in the second round. 

Out west, the Vegas Golden Knights bring in the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Adin Hill tend the twines. Vegas got going in the third period with a Noah Hanifin goal, his second of the postseason, going in unassisted. The Golden Knights iced it at 2-0 with a Mark Stone empty net goal, his third of the playoffs, set up by William Karlsson and Alex Pietrangelo. The three stars were Hill (23 save shutout), Hanifin, and Oettinger (28 for 29 in saves). The series heads to Dallas once more tied at 3-3. 

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NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 13

There's just one game tonight, as the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Joseph Woll guard the cages. Toronto got going in the second period with a William Nylander goal, made possible by Timothy Liljegren and Morgan Rielly. The Maple Leafs added on with a Nylander goal, his second of the game, set up by Matthew Knies and Rielly. Boston got one back with a Morgan Geekie goal, his second of the postseason, assisted by Kevin Shattenkirk and James van Riemsdyk. The three stars were Nylander, Woll (22 for 23 in saves), and Rielly. The series will head back to Boston once more tied at 3-3. 

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