Mikko Rantanen has a ton of playoff superstitions.
B次元官网网址淏ut IB次元官网网址檓 not going to go into them,B次元官网网址� the cautioned.
You know, because heB次元官网网址檚 superstitious. And because he doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to jinx things since they .
Rantanen and the Avalanche are trying to join the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins on the list of teams that have captured back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in the salary cap era (circa: 2005).
They know all too well the long road that awaits. The grind. The toll. A shorter offseason should all go well.
Worth it, of course.
WonB次元官网网址檛 be easy, though, especially with sidelined by a lingering knee injury thatB次元官网网址檚 kept him out all season.
Also, thereB次元官网网址檚 this: B次元官网网址淎 target on your back,B次元官网网址� said Rantanen, whose squad kicks off their title defense Tuesday in a first-round series against a second-year franchise in the . B次元官网网址淏ut we feel good. Our energy levels feel good. WeB次元官网网址檙e not tired. WeB次元官网网址檙e ready to play for hopefully two months. ThatB次元官网网址檚 our goal.B次元官网网址�
It was an injury-riddled regular season for the Avalanche after hoisting their third Cup in franchise history last June. The team used 43 different players this season, which is the most since the franchise moved to town before the 1995-96 season.
B次元官网网址淥bviously, weB次元官网网址檙e not the same team (as last season), but weB次元官网网址檙e very similar,B次元官网网址� said defenseman Josh Manson, who was limited to 27 games this season due to injuries. B次元官网网址淎re we going to win the same way and with the same type of style? IB次元官网网址檓 not sure. WeB次元官网网址檒l see as we go here.
B次元官网网址淏ut I donB次元官网网址檛 think that means that we doubt the room just because weB次元官网网址檙e different than last year. WeB次元官网网址檙e going to have to play to our style and with confidence.B次元官网网址�
Leading the way on offense for Colorado will be the duo of (111 points) and Rantanen (105). TheyB次元官网网址檙e the first Avalanche teammates to surpass 100 points in the same season since Peter Forsberg (116) and Joe Sakic (120) in 1995-96.
B次元官网网址淲ith Landy being gone, weB次元官网网址檝e got to step up even more,B次元官网网址� said Rantanen, who scored an Avalanche-best 55 goals this season.
Colorado draws a Kraken team thatB次元官网网址檚 made immense improvement this season. They notched 19 more wins and 40 more points in Year 2.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not going to change a whole lot,B次元官网网址� Seattle coach Dave Hakstol said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got to be the best version of ourselves.B次元官网网址�
This may be the first time the Kraken venture into the postseason, but they do have a significant amount of playoff experience on their roster. Yanni Gourde, Justin Schultz, Vince Dunn and Jaden Schwartz have won Stanley Cup crowns. Goaltenders and Martin Jones, too. Jordan Eberle has 62 career playoff games under his belt.
B次元官网网址淪hort-term memory,B次元官网网址� Dunn said of what heB次元官网网址檚 learned about playing successful postseason hockey. B次元官网网址淚f you have a (bad) shift forget about it, move on, find a way to fix it. DonB次元官网网址檛 go for home runs every shift. Just chip away at it, trust the system.B次元官网网址�
A franchise making its postseason debut against a defending Stanley Cup champion doesnB次元官网网址檛 happen all that often. This will mark the fifth time in league history, with the Kraken joining Columbus (2009 against Detroit), Washington (1983 versus the New York Islanders), Hartford (1980 against Montreal) and the New York Americans (1929 against the New York Rangers), according to NHL Stats.
On Saturday, the Kraken will host their first playoff game. But Seattle was once home to the Seattle Metropolitans of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. The team played the Montreal Canadiens for the Stanley Cup in 1919. Both won two B次元官网网址� and tied another B次元官网网址� in a series that was halted by the influenza epidemic, according to NHL research.
While Seattle and Colorado wonB次元官网网址檛 begin hostilities until Tuesday, four other series get underway tonight.
BOSTON BRUINS VS FLORIDA PANTHERS
Alex Lyon started this season in the American Hockey League. He actually wasnB次元官网网址檛 even eligible for the opening two games of the season down there, since he had to first serve a suspension for excessively celebrating a championship in the minors last year.
And now he may be the goalie the Florida Panthers will bet on to start the Stanley Cup playoffs B次元官网网址� against the team that just posted the best regular season in NHL history, no less.
Lyon B次元官网网址� as had been expected B次元官网网址� was announced as FloridaB次元官网网址檚 pick to be the starting goaltender for Game 1 of an Eastern Conference first-round series against the Boston Bruins on Monday night. ItB次元官网网址檒l be LyonB次元官网网址檚 NHL playoff debut.
The Bruins, who went an unheard-of 65-12-5 in the regular season and won their last eight games even with nothing left to play for, now await.
EDMONTON OILERS VS LOS ANGELES KINGS
Leon Draisaitl was a prolific, post-season playmaker for the Edmonton Oilers even with a high-ankle sprain less than a year ago.
If the big centre can stay healthy through the 2023 NHL playoffs, the No. 2 in EdmontonB次元官网网址檚 potent one-two punch can pack an even heftier wallop.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Draisaitl scored an astounding 116 goals and compiled 281 points between them, including a combined 53 power-play goals, during the regular season.
ItB次元官网网址檚 a tall order for opposing teams to contain one, let alone both. Still, star LA defenceman Drew Doughty canB次元官网网址檛 help but focus on McDavid, coming off the best individual NHL season in years.
B次元官网网址淚 love the moment. I love the challenge,B次元官网网址� Doughty said. B次元官网网址淓verybody knows how good he is and how hard he is to shut down.
DALLAS STARS VS MINNESOTA WILD
Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson is quick to point out that while he finished second behind MinnesotaB次元官网网址檚 Kirill Kaprizov for the Calder Trophy, it wasnB次元官网网址檛 even a close vote to determine the NHLB次元官网网址檚 top rookie two years ago.
Kaprizov, who got 99 of the 100 first-place votes back then, and Robertson are now the leading scorers on their respective teams. They face each other in the first round of the NHL playoffs, with the Central Division rival Stars and Wild opening their best-of-7 series Monday night.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 an amazing player,B次元官网网址� Kaprizov said of Robertson, the 23-year-old who this season became DallasB次元官网网址� first 100-point scorer (46 goals, 63 assists). B次元官网网址淗e gets opportunities from nothing.B次元官网网址�
Neither Dallas, going into the postseason on a six-game winning streak, or Minnesota made it out of the first round of the playoffs last year. Robertson scored only one goal in seven games against Calgary. Kaprizov, who would turn 26 during this series if it goes past five games, had seven goals in a six-game loss to St. Louis. It was the WildB次元官网网址檚 sixth consecutive loss in the opening round.
CAROLINA HURRICANES VS NEW YORK ISLANDERS
The challenge is familiar for the Carolina Hurricanes entering the Stanley Cup playoffs.
TheyB次元官网网址檝e established themselves as perennial playoff team, one that has claimed three straight division titles. But theyB次元官网网址檙e again working to turn a strong regular-season run into the deep postseason push that has eluded them of late, starting with a first-round series against the New York Islanders.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not looking to just make it past the first or second round, or just have a little bit of success,B次元官网网址� Carolina forward Seth Jarvis said. B次元官网网址淲e want to win the whole thing. I think thatB次元官网网址檚 everyoneB次元官网网址檚 kind of mindset in this group, that we have a group to go deep and a group that wants to make some noise.B次元官网网址�
The Islanders are back in the postseason after a one-year absence. They won three of their last four games to earn the top wild-card spot in a tight race to the seasonB次元官网网址檚 final week.
Joining the Avalanche/Kraken in kicking off tomorrow are the Vegas Golden Knights and the Winnipeg Jets, the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils, and the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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