The New York Rangers can become the first team to reach the third round of the post-season with a win tonight against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes, while the Colorado Avalanche will aim to level their series with the visiting Dallas Stars.
And in Edmonton, where the Canucks lead the Oilers 2-1, Vancouver defenceman Nikita Zadarov is trying to figure out what to do between games in a city with B次元官网网址渘othing to do except watch hockey.B次元官网网址
Here are five things to know about the NHL playoffs:
CANUCKS REMAIN UNBEATEN ON THE ROAD
The Vancouver Canucks, unbeaten on the road in the NHL playoffs, added another puck to their victory collection last night by shocking the host Edmonton Oilers 4-3 B次元官网网址 despite being outshot 45-18 B次元官网网址 to take a 2-1 lead in their second-round, best-of-seven series.
Brock Boeser scored two goals and added an assist, Elias Lindholm had two power-play goals, and rookie backup netminder Arturs Silovs put on a show, especially in the third period when the Canucks were outshot 22-3.
VancouverB次元官网网址檚 J-T Miller, who had two assists in the win, felt his team defended well and limited the number of quality shots by the Oilers. Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch figured his squad was B次元官网网址渦nluckyB次元官网网址 pointing to goalposts and a disallowed goal.
BRUINS IN A GRIZZLY MOOD
The Boston Bruins wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be the first team to point a finger at officials after a playoff loss, but two critical non-calls involving Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers have the bears growling foul.
Still steamed that Bennett wasnB次元官网网址檛 penalized for his Game 3 hit B次元官网网址 Bruins called it a sucker punch B次元官网网址 that sidelined captain Brad Marchand, BostonB次元官网网址檚 bench was livid when a the tying goal by Bennett last night was allowed despite protests of goaltender interference.
Four minutes after that goal was allowed, Aleksander Barkov scored the winner to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The Bruins said last night that GM Don Sweeney would be addressing the media this morning.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?
The Colorado Avalanche, down 2-1 to the Dallas Stars, and trying to get big guns Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Valeri Nichushkin playing at the elite level they are accustomed, were called out by The Denver Post yesterday for being outcoached.
A Post sports columnist scribbled that if AvsB次元官网网址 coach Jared Bednar doesnB次元官网网址檛 adjust, StarsB次元官网网址 bench boss Peter DeBoer will smother him out of the Stanley Cup post-season B次元官网网址 again.
Yeah, the B次元官网网址減layoff painB次元官网网址 has been insufferable in the Mile High City. Poor fans havenB次元官网网址檛 seen their team hoist a Stanley Cup since 2022.
B次元官网网址楥ANES NEED TO SOLVE RANGERS AT MSG
Medical researchers have gone to great lengths to reveal the negative health effects of MSG. The Carolina Hurricanes are hoping to stay healthy, and alive after their full intake of hockeyB次元官网网址檚 MSG B次元官网网址 Madison Square Garden B次元官网网址 tonight in New York City.
Trailing 3-1 in their best-of-seven series B次元官网网址 two losses coming in overtime B次元官网网址 the Hurricanes need to put pucks past Igor Shesterkin, and contain the likes of Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trochek, both on seven-game point streaks.
Trochek has five goals and seven assists in the past seven outings, while Zibanejad has three goals and nine assists in his past seven games. The Rangers have not lost at home in the post-season.
THE GOOD OLB次元官网网址 HURTING GAME
Former blue liner Willie Mitchell once said playing defence in the NHL was like getting into a car wreck six times a night. You kind of get used to the pain, the ice bags and never-ending bumps and bruises B次元官网网址 then it gets turned up even more for the punishing post-season.
Entering play Sunday, the Boston Bruins had four players in the top seven playoff hitters B次元官网网址 Charlie Coyle (44), Charlie McAvoy (43), Trent Frederic (41) and Jake DeBrusk (39). Jordan Stall of the Carolina Hurricanes lead the group with 46.
Dakota Joshua of the Vancouver Canucks (40) and Jacob Trouba (33) of the New York Rangers were also included on the hit list.
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