New York 2 – Florida 1 2OT (Semifinals tied 1-1) The Rangers are in trouble after winning only one of their two home games while scoring once in seven periods of playoff hockey while unable to score on six power plays but the heroics of netminder Shesterkin is why this series is tied.
Florida played their usual mauling and suffocating game, scoring on the power play, and goaltender Bobrovsky allowing just two New York shots to get past him over two games earning the split to return home 1-1 with the opportunity to take a strangle hold on this series.
Edmonton 3 – Dallas 2 2OT (Semifinals Oilers 1-0) The Dallas Stars hosted game one of the Stanley Cup Semifinals and were defeated 32 seconds into the second overtime which came to be partly because of not scoring on five power play opportunities during regulation.
The Edmonton Oilers took to the road and beat the Conference champs with a fortunate deflection in double overtime after the shot counter generously gave Edmonton three SOG during the first period, then they took 14 SOG in the second period to take the 2-0 lead.
Panthers 3 – Rangers 0 en (Semifinals Florida 1-0) A disallowed goal, shutout, empty net, and the Rangers scoring on themselves all contributed to Florida winning 3-0 on the road to begin the series.
The Panthers seemed to be in the Rangers zone most of the game, Florida netminder Brick Wall Bobrovsky stopped New York four times during two Rangers’ power plays and all 19 even strength shots that New York threw at him.
The unprepared Rangers took only five SOG during the first period falling behind 1-0 and the much anticipated return of Mr. Chytil who took no shots, blocked nothing and hit no one while earning no offensive points in just over nine minutes of playing time did not help either.
New York needs to develop a better system of applying pressure (forecheck) and generating more SOG or Mr. Bobrovsky, Captain Barkov and their fellow Panthers will maul and suffocate the Rangers into submission and win the series in a sweep.
New York 5 – Carolina 3 en (Quarter Finals Rangers 4-2) Host Carolina twice built a two goal lead during the second period and as the teams headed into the third period 3-1 the Hurricanes and their fans could not be faulted for feeling pretty good.
But before the party began in Raleigh the Rangers took 10 SOG during the third period and scored four times with the final tally into the empty net as the Broadway Blueshirts become the first team to advance to the Semifinals.
Vancouver 3 – Edmonton 2 (Quarter Finals Canucks 3-2) Oilers goaltender Pickard played a very solid .914 SV% while stopping all of the Canucks seven power play shots and two shorthanded shots and allowed three goals on 26 even strength shots.
The Canucks played physical, outshot, and won most of the faceoffs in a game where both teams’ penalty killers were 100% effective and it was Mr. Miller’s shocking bat/deflection shot that scored with less than a minute remaining in the game that gave Vancouver the win.
Tonight’s Matchups
Florida versus Boston (Quarter Finals Panthers 3-2)
Two teams last night took only 18 SOG, one of these teams lost by one goal and the other won by one goal.
Florida 3 – Boston 2 (Quarter Finals Panthers 3-1) Boston was outshot in the first period 15 – 5 while taking the 2-0 lead, after that it was all Florida as the Panthers took 41 SOG for the game and scored once in the second period then twice in the third for the win.
Bruins fans can be sympathized with after watching Florida’s Mr. Bennet cross check a Boston player into their goaltender and then scored the equalizer, and after further review from on ice officials and Toronto HQ…they determined no real goaltender interference.
Vancouver 4 – Edmonton 3 en (Quarter Finals Canucks 2-1) The Canucks took a 4-2 lead after two periods of play on 15 SOG and then took only three more shots on the Oilers goaltender Skinner who posted a horrid .733 SV%.
Vancouver played with heart blocking 23 shots compared to Edmonton’s 6 blocks, both teams scored twice on the power play, and although the Oilers took 45 SOG for the game they also gave the puck away three times the amount the Canucks committed.
Ultimately Vancouver’s sixth round, 156th pick overall in the 2019 draft, with 15 regular season games under his belt Canucks netminder Arturs Silvos stopped 21 of 22 SOG the Oilers threw at him during the third period securing Vancouver’s one goal lead and the win.
Tonight’s Matchups
Carolina versus New York (Quarter Finals Rangers 3-1)
Buffalo Winter 