2024/25 Playoffs Day Two

‘Canes, Leafs, and Knights begin with a win

Leafs 6 – Senators 2 Watching Toronto RW Marner score on a breakaway and then watching Ottawa Captain LW Tkachuk not score on a breakaway, sums up how the whole game played out.

No penalties in the first period, only seven penalties (former Sabres C Dylan Cozens earned a misconduct penalty) whistled with three of them coming with just three seconds remaining in the second period, then bedlam…17 penalties awarded in the third period, 12 of them with 44 seconds remaining in the game.

Just when fans thought it was over, Toronto RW Holmberg was mauled by Ottawa Defenseman Jensen at the end of the game that earned the Senators’ player a roughing penalty with no time remaining on the clock.

Hurricanes 4 – Devils 1 New Jersey Goaltender Markstrom played solidly posting a .932% save percentage while allowing three goals on 44 shots, but no offense (supposedly because Center Hughes is out), meanwhile Carolina launched 45 SOG with 38 of them coming in the first two periods building a 3-1 lead after the second period before their empty net goal near the end of the third period.

Knights 4 – Wild 2 Overlooked Center Howden who quietly scored over 20 goals this season for Nevada scored his first two goals of the playoffs to help his team win game one, this is the one series prognosticated to be a sweep mainly because of Minnesota’s regular season double digit negative goal differential.