NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 31

The Conference Finals begin in the east this Wednesday, with the New York Rangers hosting the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Igor Shesterkin man the nets. Florida led off in the first period with a Matthew Tkachuk goal, his fifth of the postseason, via Gustav Forsling and Carter Verhaeghe. The Panthers added on in the third period with a Verhaeghe goal, his seventh of the playoffs, going in unassisted. Florida iced it at 3-0 with a Sam Bennett empty net goal, his third of the postseason, set up by Tkachuk. The three stars were Bobrovsky (23 save shutout), Tkachuk, and Verhaeghe. The Panthers start the series up 1-0. 

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NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 30

The final game of the second round is in Vancouver, as the Canucks host the Edmonton Oilers. Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs are in goal. Edmonton got going in the second period with a Cody Ceci goal, his second of the postseason, assisted by Brett Kulak and Dylan Holloway. The Oilers added on with a Zach Hyman goal, his eleventh of the playoffs, guided in by Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Edmonton extended the lead on a Nugent-Hopkins power play goal, his fourth of the postseason, powered by Bouchard and Leon Draisaitl. Vancouver got on the board in the third period with a Conor Garland goal, his third of the playoffs, going in unassisted. The Canucks pulled closer with a Filip Hronek goal, made possible by Quinn Hughes and Elias Lindholm. This only made it 3-2, the final, with the three stars being Nugent-Hopkins, Bouchard, and Hyman. The Oilers won the series 4-3 and will face the Stars in the Western Conference Finals. 

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NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 29

It's a one-game Saturday, with the Edmonton Oilers hosting the Vancouver Canucks. Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner are in the blue paint. Edmonton started in the first period with a Dylan Holloway goal, his third of the postseason, coming off of Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard. Vancouver tied it on a Nils Hoglander goal, via Elias Pettersson and Filip Hronek. The Oilers retook the lead in the second period with a Zach Hyman goal, his tenth of the playoffs, assisted by Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Edmonton added on with a Bouchard goal, his fifth of the postseason, passed from McDavid and Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers extended the lead in the third period as Nugent-Hopkins scored his third of the playoffs, thanks to McDavid and Bouchard. Edmonton padded the lead on an Evander Kane goal, his fourth of the postseason, guided in by Draisaitl. The final stood at 5-1, with the three stars going to Bouchard, Nugent-Hopkins, and McDavid, while Draisaitl gets an honorable mention. The series is tied at 3-3, with the series heading back to Vancouver for Game 7. 

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NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 28

We're back with two games this Friday. First up...

The Boston Bruins welcome the Florida Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky and Jeremy Swayman are the masked men. Boston opened in the first period with a Pavel Zacha goal, via Jake DeBrusk and Parker Wotherspoon. Florida tied it in the second period with an Anton Lundell goal, his second of the postseason, coming off of Carter Verhaeghe. The Panther won 2-1 with a Gustav Forsling goal in the third period, his second of the playoffs, fueled by Lundell and Matthew Tkachuk. The three stars were Lundell, Forsling, and Bobrovsky (22 for 23 in saves). The Panthers won the series 4-2 and will face the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Out west, the Colorado Avalanche bring in the Dallas Stars. Jake Oettinger and Alexandar Georgiev tend twines. Colorado got going in the second period with a Mikko Rantanen power play goal, his fourth of the postseason, powered by Jonathan Drouin and Cale Makar. Dallas tied it in the third period with a Jamie Benn goal, his third of the playoffs, fueled by Evgenii Dadonov and Tyler Seguin. The Stars won 2-1 in double overtime on a Matt Duchene goal, his second of the postseason, courtesy of Joe Pavelski. The three stars were Duchene, Oettinger (29 for 30 in saves), and Georgiev (36 for 38 in saves). The Stars won the series 4-2 and will head to the Western Conference Finals. 

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NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 27

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

The Carolina Hurricanes welcoming the New York Rangers. Igor Shesterkin and Frederik Andersen guard the cages. Carolina began in the first period with a Martin Necas goal, his fourth of the postseason, via Jordan Martinook and Dmitry Orlov. The Hurricanes added on with a Seth Jarvis power play goal in the second period, his fifth of the playoffs, powered by Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. New York answered with a Vincent Trocheck goal, his sixth of the postseason, made possible by Artemi Panarin. Carolina shot back with an Aho goal, his fourth of the playoffs, guided in by Svechnikov and Jaccob Slavin. The Rangers replied in the third period with a Chris Kreider goal, his fifth of the postseason, assisted by Mika Zibanejad and Jack Roslovic. New York tied it on a Kreider power play goal, his second of the game and sixth of the playoffs, with assists provided by Panarin and Trocheck. The Rangers took the lead with a Kreider goal to complete his hat trick on his seventh of the postseason, fueled by Ryan Lindgren and Roslovic. New York iced it at 5-3 with an empty net goal by Barclay Goodrow, his third of the playoffs, set up by K'Andre Miller. The three stars were Kreider, Panarin, and Trocheck, while Roslovic, Aho, and Svechnikov get the honorable mentions. The Rangers won the series 4-2 and will play in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Out west, the Vancouver Canucks bring in the Edmonton Oilers. Calvin Pickard and Arturs Silovs are the backups in goal. Edmonton led off in the first period with an Evander Kane goal, his third of the postseason, assisted by Leon Draisaitl and Vincent Desharnais. Vancouver tied it on a Carson Soucy goal, going in unassisted. The Oilers retook the lead on a Mattias Janmark goal, helped along by Connor Brown and Brett Kulak. The Canucks tied it in the second period with a Phillip Di Giuseppe goal, an unassisted goal. Vancouver took the lead in the third period on a J.T. Miller goal, his third of the playoffs, via Elias Lindholm and Elias Pettersson. This held for a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Miller, Di Giuseppe, and Soucy. The Canucks are ahead 3-2 in the series. 

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NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 26

There's just one game on today, as the Dallas Stars host the Colorado Avalanche. Alexandar Georgiev and Jake Oettinger guard the cages. Dallas kicked off the scoring in the first period with a Joe Pavelski goal, via Matt Duchene and Jason Robertson. Colorado tied it on an Artturi Lehkonen power play goal, his sixth of the postseason, powered by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. The Stars retook the lead in the second period with a Miro Heiskanen power play goal, his fifth of the playoffs, with assists provided by Robertson and Pavelski. The Avalanche retied it on a Makar power play goal, his fourth of the postseason, made possible by Jonathan Drouin and Mikko Rantanen. Colorado pulled ahead in the third period with a Casey Mittelstadt goal, his third of the playoffs, guided in by Zach Parise and Samuel Girard. The Avalanche added on with a Makar goal, his second of the game and fifth of the postseason, going in unassisted. Dallas got one back with a Logan Stankoven goal, his third of the playoffs, fueled by Esa Lindell. Colorado replied with a MacKinnon goal, his fourth of the postseason, passed from Lehkonen. This stood for a 5-3 win, with the three stars going to Makar, MacKinnon, and Lehkonen, while Pavelski and Robertson get the honorable mentions. The Stars remain ahead 3-2 in the series. 

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NHL Playoffs 2024 - Day 25

We've got two games this Tuesday. First up...

The Florida Panthers welcome the Boston Bruins. Jeremy Swayman and Sergei Bobrovsky protect the nets. Boston opened in the first period with a Morgan Geekie goal, his fourth of the postseason, via Jake DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy. Florida tied it in the second period with a Sam Reinhart goal, his fifth of the playoffs, going in unassisted. The Bruins retook the lead with a McAvoy goal, passed from Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic. The final stood from here at 2-1, with the three stars being McAvoy, Swayman (28 for 29 in saves), and Geekie. The Panthers remain ahead 3-2 in the series.

Across the continent, the Edmonton Oilers bring in the Vancouver Canucks. Arturs Silovs and Calvin Pickard are the backups in goal. Edmonton started in the first period with a Leon Draisaitl power play goal, his eighth of the postseason, powered by Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard. The Oilers added on in the second period with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal, his second of the playoffs, coming off Mattias Ekholm. Vancouver got on the board in the third period with a Conor Garland goal, his second of the postseason, via Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov. The Canucks tied it on a Brock Boeser goal, his eighth of the playoffs, assisted by Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson. Edmonton retook the lead with a Bouchard goal, his fourth of the postseason, helped along by Evander Kane. This stood for a 3-2 win, with the three stars being Bouchard, Draisaitl, and Nugent-Hopkins. The series is tied at 2-2 heading back to Vancouver. 

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