Author: Buffalo Winter

Rangers and Canucks Prevail

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)

Dallas versus Colorado (Quarter Finals Stars 3-2)

Florida and Vancouver Leads Increase

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, 156^th 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)

Dallas versus Colorado (Quarter Finals Stars 2-1)

Carolina and Dallas Win

Carolina 4 – New York 3 (Quarter Finals Rangers 3-1)  The Hurricanes scored their first power play goal (1-16) of the post season late in the third period and it could not have come at a better time as it became the game winner and Carolina lives to fight another day.

The one statistic that glaringly stands out is giveaways, New York gave away the puck 22 times compared to Carolina doing it only once for the entire game as the Hurricanes scored the only power play of the game to take the lead and win avoiding the sweep.

Dallas 4 – Colorado 1 (Quarter Finals Stars 2-1)  Dallas scored the only goal in the first period as well as earning one unsportsmanlike conduct as they went on to score again in the second and two more goals in the third period for the road victory.

Stars goaltender Oettinger was the difference in this game posting a .966 SV% while stopping two shorthanded, and two power play shots on goal that halted the Avalanche’s string of playoff games with three or more goals scored.

Tonight’s Matchups

Florida versus Boston (Quarter Finals Panthers 2-1)

Vancouver versus Edmonton (Quarter Finals tied 1-1)

Florida and Edmonton Victorious

Florida 6 – Boston 2 en (Quarter Finals Panthers 2-1)  Blessed with a questionable double minor power play Florida took full advantage and scored twice in 60 seconds during the last five minutes of the second period for the 3-0 lead heading into the final frame.

Boston’s lack of success in getting shots to the net is highlighted by the eight SOG they earned over the first two periods before scoring twice on nine SOG during the third period, and now with Captain Marchand injured Bean Town’s playoff future is Bleak.

Edmonton 4 – Vancouver 3 OT (Quarter Finals tied 1-1)  Three times the Canucks scored to take the lead and the Oilers would bounce back scoring sometimes in minutes or just seconds to tie the game, and it was Edmonton who scored first in overtime.

Each team scored on one of their three power plays and faceoffs were about even, where the discrepancy lay was the SOG where Vancouver was able to get only two shots on net during the third period.

Tonight’s Matchups

New York versus Carolina (Quarter Finals Rangers 3-0)

Dallas versus Colorado (Quarter Finals tied 1-1)

New York and Dallas Win

New York 3 – Carolina 2 OT (Quarter Finals Rangers 3-0)  The Rangers have pushed the Hurricanes to the brink of elimination even after Carolina changed up their starting goaltender and took 20 SOG in the second period as they were tied by a New York shorthanded Mr. Kreider backhand.

In the third period Carolina pulled the goaltender and tied the game at 2-2 with 96 remaining with one of the Hurricanes’ net presence players holding a broken stick, for the game Carolina won over 60% of faceoffs but 0-5 on the power play and 0-15 for the series.

Each team took one SOG during overtime but it was the Breadman who scored a beauty between his legs for New York and the Rangers take a formidable three game lead.

Dallas 5 – Colorado 3 en (Quarter Finals tied 1-1)  Dallas scored four straight goals with the last one shorthanded to take a 4-0 lead heading into the third period.

Then Colorado comes back with three consecutive scores in the third period the last one with the netminder pulled to get within one of Dallas, but with 21 seconds remaining the Stars score one from the length of the ice into the empty net for the 5-3 win.

Tonight’s Matchups

Boston versus Florida (Quarter Finals tied 1-1)

Edmonton versus Vancouver (Quarter Finals Canucks 1-0)