FLA 1 – CAR 0 In what is considered a “defensive clinic” Florida outlasts Carolina as the Hurricanes took over 30 SOG and 15 of them came from one forward and two defensemen as well as taking three slashing penalties in the second period allowing Mr. Reinhart to score the game’s lone goal.
The Hurricanes switched goaltenders again, took more than enough SOG, had breakaways and odd-man rushes, and pulled the goalie with over three minutes remaining in the game, but deflections, shots wide, and Mr. Bobrovsky caused Carolina to come up empty offensively.
The Stars host their first home game of the Western Conference Finals versus the Knights tonight at eight o’clock EST.
SC 3 – DAL 2 OT Historically this is the first time the first two games from each series of the Conference Finals / Stanley Cup Semi-Finals have resulted in overtime.
This game was all Dallas until the final five minutes of play through the end of regulation and into overtime, the Knights had only 10SOG combined for the first and second periods and only three more SOG halfway through the third.
The Stars built a 2-1 lead with the Knights’ lone goal earned on a (5 on 3) power play and with less than three minutes remaining in the game Jackie Vegas throws a blind pass from the end boards that found Mr. Marchessault who scored his sixth of the postseason.
After the tying goal, the announcer proclaimed Mr. Eichel as the Master Playmaker and then reflected out loud that it was his first point of the series, the Knights now have to count on him and Mr. Hill to repeat their efforts in Dallas.
The Florida Panthers host the Carolina Hurricanes after building a 2-0 games series lead in Raleigh at 8pm tonight EST.
FLA 2 – CAR 1 OT Not since 1977 has the first two games of the NHL semifinals series begun with overtime and nearly 30 seasons since a player scored two overtime goals in the Conference Finals additionally Florida is now 6-0 in overtime with five of the victories on the road.
In the first period, Carolina did all it could, a new goalie, scored first, took 20 SOG, and had Florida’s first goal called back on an offsides review although they had one called back for the same reason the Hurricanes took the 1-0 lead into the second period.
Both teams combined for 31 SOG in the first period, 16 SOG in the second period, and 11 SOG in the third with each goaltender playing well over a .900 save percentage.
As both teams were committed to hitting and blocking with some glorious scoring chances for both sides it was a hooking call in the final frame that produced the overtime winning goal by Mr. Tkachuk.
The Western Conference Finals game two is an afternoon game in the desert between the Stars and Knights beginning at 3pm EST.
SC 4 – DAL 3 OT The murkiness surrounding goaltender interference is maddening, up until last night interference on the goalie was not called if the offensive player was not in the blue ice, clearly, there was blue ice occupation for the Knights on their third tally.
It should not have counted, the Knights player deliberately skated toward the blue ice and slid into the goaltender without assistance from the two defending Stars, and remained prone on the blue ice until his teammate shot the puck and scored.
The rest of the game was very entertaining, all even strength goals, 30 SOG combined in the first period, outstanding play by both goaltenders, with golden opportunities missed, and as expected by these two evenly matched teams, a close game.
Perhaps I was the only one who cheered here along the Lake when Jackie Vegas did not score on a breakaway I did not intend to, it just popped out.
Game Two pressure to win is squarely on the Hurricanes at home to split their series with the Panthers tonight at eight o’clock and after literally playing over two games during the first game both teams look to end this one in regulation.
FLA 3 – CAR 2 OT Both teams were undefeated when scoring first, and both teams were undefeated in overtime, last night one team scored all their goals on the power play, and the other could not score on the power play, throw in some sketchy officiating and viola one the most entertaining games to date.
The Florida Panthers and Mr. Bobrovsky continue their torrid pace through the playoffs by winning against all odds placed against them in Raleigh with a well-earned game-one road victory that took seven periods to decide.
The Panthers had earned penalties in the game but not the one that gave the Hurricanes a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:22 which Carolina failed to capitalize on but with seconds remaining in the period and still on the power play the Hurricanes did score the game’s first goal.
Florida silenced the crowd by scoring twice in two minutes and 15 seconds late in the second period but Carolina poured it on early in the third period scoring again on the power play and outshooting the Panthers 14 to 2 for the period.
Less than three minutes into the first overtime Florida’s winning goal is negated by a determination of interference, the Carolina player causing the Florida player to clash skates with the goaltender is overlooked and the game continues, and continues, and continues.
Florida is tagged for a hooking penalty in the fourth overtime but Carolina does not score and with seconds remaining in the period the Panthers score the winning tally to capture game one.
Game 1 between the Stars and Knights begins at 8:30pm EST tonight in sin city, you will not be able to escape the constant barrage of gambling adverts, but at least they put some “gamblers anonymous” information as well, so all is good.
Buffalo Winter 