NHL Playoffs Daily 2023 – Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes begin their quests

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Kane Dane
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Two additional time video games, and one absolute barnburner in entrance of a wild crowd in Florida. The highway groups went 3-0. Nobody held greater than a one-goal lead. The second day of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs introduced the warmth. And to suppose, half of the sequence haven’t even began but.

Two of these sequence but to start out contain No. 1 seeds. The Colorado Avalanche have been the highest group within the West Division, and in addition took residence the Presidents’ Trophy because the No. 1 total seed. They’ll start their sequence in opposition to the St. Louis Blues. In the meantime, the Central Division champion Carolina Hurricanes sq. off in opposition to the Nashville Predators.

Try the ESPN NHL Playoffs Each day to catch up every single day of the postseason till the Stanley Cup is handed out in July.

Monday’s video games

First spherical, Sport 2: No. 3 Boston Bruins at No. 2 Washington Capitals (Caps lead 1-0) | 7:30 p.m. ET

Earlier than the commerce deadline, the Bruins’ prime line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak carried the offense, accounting for 48% of Bruins objectives. Boston needs a extra balanced assault, however will probably be searching for extra from its prime stars, who accounted for only one help within the sequence opener. Washington goalie Ilya Samsonov was again on the ice Sunday for the Caps after coming off COVID-19 protocols. He’s eligible to play, however will coach Peter Laviolette journey the all of a sudden scorching hand of Craig Anderson, the 39-year-old unlikely savior in Sport 1?

First spherical, Sport 1: No. 4 Nashville Predators at No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes | 8 p.m. ET

The Predators went 19-7-1 during the last two months to salvage what was wanting like a misplaced season. One other sequence storyline to look at: It’s doubtlessly Pekka Rinne’s final go in Nashville, because the 38-year-old hits free company this summer time. The Canes have been one of many NHL’s greatest groups all season — they’ve depth, top-end expertise, and play quick. Carolina is prone to begin veteran goalie Petr Mrazek for Sport 1, but it surely wouldn’t be surprising to see it flip to Alex Nedeljkovic sooner or later on this sequence. After occurring waivers earlier this season, the rookie made 23 begins, and posted a .932 save share and a 1.90 goals-against common. Collection preview

First spherical, Sport 1: No. 4 St. Louis Blues at No. 1 Colorado Avalanche | 10 p.m. ET

These groups meet within the playoffs for the primary time for the reason that 2001 Western Convention finals, which Colorado gained, en path to its most up-to-date Stanley Cup. The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avs are closely favored, and welcome Nathan MacKinnon again to the lineup after he missed 4 of the final 5 regular-season video games with minor accidents. That’s excellent news, as he posted 14 factors (six objectives, eight assists) in eight video games in opposition to the Blues this season. St. Louis could possibly be with out its prime scorer, David Perron, who entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol listing over the weekend. Collection preview

About final night time

New York Islanders 4, Pittsburgh Penguins 3 (OT) (Isles lead 1-0)

No Evgeni Malkin for the Penguins, no Semyon Varlamov for the Islanders, however loads to love on this sport. For Pittsburgh, Sidney Crosby scored on a terrific deflection for his 69th profession playoff objective — which ties Alex Ovechkin for 18th-most all time. Tristan Jarry was shaky in his second profession postseason begin, permitting two objectives from low-danger photographs, per Pure Stat Trick. The Islanders grinded it out, and GM Lou Lamoriello’s acquisitions on the previous two commerce deadlines turned the celebs. Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who joined the group in 2023, had a objective and two assists, whereas Kyle Palmieri — the longtime New Jersey Devils winger who came to visit in 2023 — scored twice, together with the additional time winner. Full recap

Minnesota Wild 1, Vegas Golden Knights 0 (OT) (Wild lead 1-0)

This sport was 0-0 for 60 minutes, but it surely was something however boring. This was an final goalie duel between Marc-Andre Fleury and Cam Talbot. Vegas leaves pissed off after controlling many of the sport, together with an 81-47 edge in shot makes an attempt. The one which lastly received by required a deflection off Vegas defenseman Alec Martinez’s skate. However the scorer, Joel Eriksson Ek, was a deserving hero. It has been a breakout season for the 24-year-old, who upped his objective complete from eight final season to 19 in 2023. “Clearly, it was an enormous second,” coach Dean Evason mentioned. “He does all the things for us.” Full recap

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Joel Eriksson Ek’s shot deflects off Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez and goes within the internet within the Wild’s 1-0 win.

Tampa Bay Lightning 5, Florida Panthers 4 (Lightning lead 1-0)

It was the one sport of the opening weekend to not require additional time, however it might have been probably the most entertaining. The Panthers welcomed 9,000 followers into the constructing, and the vitality was electrical. Relentless tempo, together with some nastiness. “Definitely Sport 1 is a feel-out sport,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos mentioned. “They usually got here out extraordinarily arduous.” The celebs additionally got here out; Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Brayden Level and Nikita Kucherov have been all implausible. There have been 4 lead adjustments in complete, however the important thing element is that this: The Lightning have been the one group within the common season to not lose a sport when main after two durations. After coming into the third up 3-2, they saved that streak alive. Full recap

Three stars of the night time

Kyle Palmieri, RW, New York Islanders

The Isles gave up a first-round decide to accumulate Palmieri and Travis Zajac from the division-rival Devils. Palmieri scored solely two objectives in 17 regular-season video games with the Islanders, however he was acquired to make an affect within the postseason. Did he ever. The Smithtown, New York, native scored twice, together with the additional time winner, in opposition to the Penguins.

Stated coach Barry Trotz: “He needed to indicate he was price all the things that we gave up on the commerce deadline. So there’s a distinct stress for him, and we simply labored by it and caught with it and hopefully we get rewarded by the playoffs.”

Cam Talbot, G, Minnesota Wild

After a 42-save efficiency in opposition to the Golden Knights within the opener, propelling a 1-0 additional time win, Talbot has now recorded playoff shutouts with three franchises: the Wild, the Flames and the Oilers. Solely Curtis Joseph has recorded a playoff shutout for extra franchises (4).

Brayden Level, C, Tampa Bay Lightning

In Sport 1 of the Lightning’s first-round sequence in opposition to the Blue Jackets final season, Level scored two objectives, together with the sport winner within the fifth additional time. In Sport 1 of this yr’s first-round sequence … Level scored two objectives, together with the sport winner with 1:14 to go within the third interval.

This one got here on a breakaway, and it was a magnificence:

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Brayden Level will get the transition objective giving Tampa the lead with a bit of over a minute remaining within the third interval.

Speaking level of the day

Nikita Kucherov missed all the common season after present process hip surgical procedure. It was a blow for the Lightning to overlook their prime winger, who was simply two years faraway from profitable league MVP. It was additionally considerably of a aid.

Tampa Bay was tight in opposition to the wage cap, and inserting Kucherov and his $9.5 million cap hit on long-term injured reserve made GM Julien BriseBois’ life a bit simpler within the common season. Conveniently, Kucherov was deemed good-to-go for the playoffs — when the wage cap turns into moot.

Loads of followers cried cap circumvention, although the Lightning insist it’s a confluence of luck and timing (don’t you suppose they might have needed their prime objective scorer out there for the common season?). All we all know now’s that the 27-year-old is again, and making an unbelievable affect. Kucherov scored a pair of power-play objectives, and notched the first help on one other.

Stated teammate Victor Hedman: “It’s very spectacular to see him ship like that within the first sport again. The scary half is he’s solely going to get higher.”

File breaker of the day

Marc-Andre Fleury received the Sport 1 begin for the Vegas Golden Knights, a yr after he misplaced his beginning job to Robin Lehner within the 2023 bubble. (You’ll be able to count on Vegas to rotate each goalies this spring).

By suiting up, Fleury turned the primary goalie in NHL historical past to look in 15 consecutive postseasons.

It’s an incredible accomplishment, and much more unbelievable contemplating it got here after probably the most making an attempt season of Fleury’s skilled profession, as he additionally continued to mourn the lack of his father, André. The 36-year-old made 29 saves on Sunday, together with some spectacular ones:

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