Month: April 2023

Los Angeles and Tampa Bay are dismissed

TOR 2 – TB 1 OT, The Maple Leafs beat the Lightning in six games as Toronto won each game in Tampa Bay with overtime goals and have earned advancement to the second round to battle either Boston or Florida.

A great game for Awesome Matthews who literally pointed to where he required the puck before he spun and shot the puck past Mr. Vasilevskiy for the game’s first goal, his fifth of the series as well as blocking four shots.

EDM 5 – LAK 4, The Kings took 33 SOG just in the first two periods and scored three times, unfortunately, their goaltender could barely play at a .800 save percentage as he let in four goals on 19 SOG and Edmonton headed into the third period up by one.

In the third period, Los Angeles poured on 11 more SOG and even scored shorthanded to tie the game but with a few minutes remaining in the game Edmonton gets the game-winner, the series, and advancement to the second round.

NYR 5 – NJD 2, New Jersey won three consecutive games, one in OT, a shutout, and the other a 3-1 decision, New York in their three victories demonstrated offensive effectiveness by scoring five times in each win.

The Schmid streak has stopped as the Devils had to pull their new favorite goalie, so it will be interesting to see who will start in net for New Jersey this upcoming game seven.

Two more teams are advancing to the second round tonight as Boston and Colorado once heavily favored to advance are hosting game seven with the excitement beginning at 6:30pm EST with Panthers roaring at Bruins and then an Avalanche endeavoring to overtake a sea creature three hours later.

The Islanders and Wild are Eliminated

CAR 2 – NYI 1 OT, In a game where 71 SOG total were taken only two regulation goals were scored with the Hurricanes surviving a first-round goaltending duel that could have gone either way, unfortunately for Islanders fans…the dream is over.

FLA 7 – BOS 5, Who would have thought, currently in a series where most fans expected a possible sweep the historic Bruins are on the cusp of making Hockey history of the most dreaded kind.

Together Florida and Boston scored one dozen goals in last night’s game with the last one scored on a beautiful billiards bank shot from Mr. Reinhart for the Happy Net goal as the Panthers force a game seven.  

DAL 4 – MIN 1, The Stars’ offense was the eventual deciding factor as Minnesota opened the series by winning a double overtime game and gaining the split in Dallas, and taking a 2-1 series lead after winning their first home game but dropping game four and missing an opportunity to possibly advance.

The Dallas Stars scored four times in each of the last two games whereas the Minnesota Wild scored once in the third period of the last game to continue an eight-consecutive season stretch of not advancing past the first round.

COL 4 – SEA 1, Stanley Cup champions rise to certain occasions and in game six on the road facing elimination the Colorado Avalanche did just that after Seattle took the late first-period 1-0 lead evoking euphoria in most of their fans.

The Avalanche outshot the Kraken 14 to 4 and scored twice in the second to carry a 3-1 lead into the third period. And the 9 SOG taken by Seattle in the third period produced nothing offensively and one Happy Net goal later there is a 4-1 Colorado victory and game seven in Denver.

There are three elimination games tonight as Toronto, New Jersey, and Edmonton look to advance to the second round by winning on the road.

Two Shutouts and one expulsion

The Winnipeg Jets sadly are done for this season as everything that could go against them did in a game they needed to win, with poor goaltending and little scoring, the Jets found themselves being pushed out of the playoffs.

New Jersey wins at home to take a 3-2 series lead and now goes to New York to eliminate a team that was not supposed to be this close to elimination this soon.  Mr. Schmid who after half a season in the AHL has become a better backup and now with a shutout over the Rangers has solidly become the Devils’ starter.

An odd bounce provided an easy Happy Net goal for a desperate Lightning team that is playing for their very playoff lives, the only knock against the Leafs game last night was the power play came up empty, otherwise a well-played game.

There are four game sixes tonight as the Hurricanes, Bruins, Stars, and unbelievably the Kraken can eliminate their opponents and advance to the second round.

Seattle and Florida Win Big

Seattle came out skating hard in the first period taking 15 SOG but the period ended in a scoreless tie, and in the second period both teams score their first goal of the game 80 seconds apart but it was Seattle that scored the all-important second goal two minutes later.

When the Kraken took a two-goal lead 100 seconds into the third period you could just feel that Seattle was on the verge of Hockey History but then the Avalanche pull their goaltender and scored to get within one with 3:37 remaining on the clock.

In an evenly played game where the only advantage won was Colorado in faceoffs and it was Seattle behind the strong play of the Avalanche’s former goalie that seems to be the difference in this series.

Boston was a beast in the regular season demonstrating excellence in all areas of the game…not so much in the playoffs.

It took the Bruins 40 SOG to score three times and it took the Panthers only 17 SOG to score their three goals, it seems the wrong team is boasting about goaltending.

Boston has to win just one more game to advance to the second round and if Florida wins game six at home then both teams only have to win once to advance.

The Jets and Lightning find themselves in the near impossible position of having to win the next three games to extend their seasons, on the other glove both the Maple Leafs and Knights have earned the right to win and advance tonight in front of their fans.

In now what has become an impossible series to call one way or the other New York hosts New Jersey tonight in the important game five.

Two out of three home teams won

NYI 3 – CAR 2, Goaltending brings New York home for game six while Carolina was out of sync having a goal called back, and the Hurricane’s Mr. Aho took a bloody shot off his jaw/mouth and while the puck was dropping the Islanders Mr. Nelson smacked it out of the air into the net.

EDM 6 – LAK 3, The Kings’ two victories are in overtime and if they do not keep the score close in Los Angeles for game six, the Edmonton Oilers scoring machine will skate over them into the next round.

DAL 4 – MIN 0, Dallas wins game five in Texas to push Minnesota to the brink of elimination and perhaps The Flower will be in the net when the Wild endeavor to win game six at home this Friday night.

Boston has Florida skating on thin ice and the Bruins at home with their Captain returning from injury could be the end for the Panthers.

If Colorado wants to earn their second consecutive Stanley Cup they need to win game five at home tonight versus Seattle, no excuses, or the Kraken will be in the envious position to be able to eliminate the defending champs at home.

Three Game Fives Tonight

NJD 3 – NYR 1, The New York Rangers annihilated the Devils in New Jersey by a combined 10-2, total goals for the first two games then coming home New York scores only once per game, and instead of a sweep New York and New Jersey have the only tied series in the East.

TOR 5 TB 4 OT, The party in Florida has gone pretty much silent after game one now that Toronto has a chokehold on the series versus Tampa Bay and no amount of “but what about last season?” The Lightning will not strike twice or can change the fact that the addition of Mr. O’Reilly and the emergence of rookie Mr. Knies’s play is helping to propel the Maple Leafs into the second round.

SEA 3 COL 2 OT, Seattle has shown much promise in the series versus the defending Stanley Cup Champions they have used the power-play, a former Colorado goaltender, and fourth liners producing to even things up with their first home playoff victory in over a century.

LV 4 WIN 2, Winnipeg has already won in sin city but with the injury to Mr. Scheifele coupled with the heartbreaking double OT loss at home and now being down 3-1 in the series versus the Knights the wildcard Jets now are burdened with having to win the next three games.

The Islanders are first up to face elimination from the playoffs this season after giving the Hurricanes fits in Raleigh additionally will Dallas and Edmonton win their home game fives tonight?

Boston and Carolina each take a 3-1 series lead

CAR 5 – NYI 2 Carolina takes advantage of the power play and scored late in the first and early in the second period for the two-nothing lead and 80 seconds into the third period built a 4-0 lead that the Islanders with no offense and Mr. Sorokin posting a .828 save percentage could not overcome.

BOS 6 – FLA 2 Boston’s first goal was a loose puck in the blue paint that was pushed across the goal line before/after the whistle, never the less the puck was uncovered and the goaltender did not know where it was, good goal. Mr. DeBrusk scored twice and was a beast all game, Florida did have 40 SOG halfway through the third period but to no avail as Boston wins convincingly.

DAL 3 – MIN 2 Dallas ties the series with Minnesota as two closely matched teams play a low-scoring game with the Stars scoring first early in the second period and when Dallas scored again a few minutes into the third period it seemed like a stranglehold.

The Wild get on the board and the game goes back to being a white-knuckle stick-gripping game before Dallas scores on the power play with only three and a half minutes remaining but the Wild were not finished and on the power play and with the goaltender pulled Minnesota scored to get within one goal with 80 seconds left, still pressuring and getting looks and a good shot but Dallas hung on for victory in game four.

EDM 5 – LAK 4 OT Edmonton gutted one out on the road as the two most evenly matched teams are tied at two games apiece with the Kings dominating the first period with three goals prompting Edmonton to switch goaltenders. Then the Oilers score three goals of their own to tie the game in the second period with the third goal coming on the 20th SOG of the period on the PP with 10.5 seconds left on the clock.

Just as the announcer spoke about the Oilers possibly pulling the goalie Edmonton scored even strength to tie the game at four with a few minutes remaining in the game that afforded the Oilers their opportunity to win in overtime.

The Lightning, Jets, and Kraken all must win at home tonight to even up their series or face the challenge of winning three in a row, and the Devils have to win on the road in order to avoid the same fate.

Three overtimes last night

TOR 4 – TB 3 OT, The Maple Leafs come from behind last night as Awesome Matthews fought Mr. Stamkos, Mr. Samsonov out-dueled Mr. Vasilevskiy in net, Mr. Knies a pleasant surprise, Mr. Rielly, Mr. Marner, and Mr. Nylander contributing offensively, and Mr. O’Reilly blocking, scoring and assisting last minute goals for the tie and OT win.

COL 6 – SEA 4, Seattle scored on their sixth power play at the end of the game when it did not matter as Colorado early in the third period with the game tied three apiece scored twice in 88 seconds for the two-goal lead before tacking on a Happy Net Goal for the eventual win.

NJD 2 – NYR 1 OT, The second-best road team in the regular season needed to be last night and they were as the Devils scored their lone regulation goal on the power play as the Rangers failed on five power-play attempts against Mr. Schmid New Jersey’s 6’ 5” goalie in his first playoff game.

LV 5 – WIN 4 OT, A heartbreaker in Winnipeg after scoring three times on 17 SOG to forge a tie game with 22 seconds remaining in the third period and to survive into the second overtime period only to lose on an unlikely deflection to an open Knights player.

From early this afternoon until late this evening the Islanders, Panthers, Wild, and Oilers must win.

Foligno and Staal brothers prominent

The power play could not bail out Carolina through four attempts and even scoring short-handed could not spark any offense for the Hurricanes but the Islanders with 17 SOG in the third period opened up a tight one-goal game by scoring twice in succession early and late in the period. NYI 5 – CAR 1

Cherry picker Pasta’s score sent Florida’s newest net sensation Mr. Lyon to the bench with the game 3-0 on 23 SOG as Mr. Bobrovsky allowed only one goal in relief as Florida scored twice at the end of the third period. BOS 4 – FLA 2

In a game where each team could barely muster two dozen SOG total and Minnesota rotated their goaltenders again by playing their winning goalie Mr. Gustavsson who posted a .958 save percentage, and by allowing just one goal in the second period the Wild earned home ice advantage. MIN 5 – DAL 1

Mr. McDavid scored two laser pinpointed shots, one above the glove and the other above the blocker to forge Edmonton into a 2-1 lead in the second period but the Kings answered in only 18 seconds to tie the game and score in overtime. LAK 3 – EDM 2

This afternoon’s matchup has Winnipeg hosting the Knights, then the early evening games have Toronto endeavoring to keep their momentum going in Tampa Bay and New York fans with their brooms ready for New Jersey followed by the late game in Seattle as Colorado needs to win.

The Hurricanes and Rangers are Undefeated

Toronto took it to the Lightning as their top players scored at will on the power-play and at even strength enabling the Leafs to take back control of this series with a convincing victory as Tampa Bay had no answers, no goaltending, and no offense. TOR 7 – TB 2

New Jersey after scoring first on the power-play and winning most face-offs, took 14 penalties, their goaltender only posted a .818 save percentage, and Mr. Hughes was held pointless while taking six shots and giving the puck away four times, all of which contribute to their loss. NYR 5 – NJD 1

Seattle had it in the palm of their gloves up 2-0 after the first period but Colorado highlighted why they are the defending Stanley Cup Champions by taking more shots, winning more face-offs, hitting and blocking more, and coming from behind. COL 3 – SEA 2

Winnipeg dropped game two in sin city, but not until after they scored on the power play building a 1-0 lead in the first period that had the denizens contemplating the worst as the Knights eventually outshot and outscored the Jets in the third period for the win. LV 5 – WIN 2

Time for the Kings, Wild, and Panthers to take full advantage of their earned home-ice advantage tonight while the Islanders must prove they belong and can beat Carolina in games three and four in New York.