NHL Peachy: MORNING SKATE: STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS EDITION – APRIL 19, 2017
TUESDAY’S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
NY RANGERS 2, Montreal 1 – series tied 2-2
COLUMBUS 5, Pittsburgh 4 – PIT leads 3-1
SAN JOSE 7, Edmonton 0 – series tied 2-2
SHARKS BURST OUT OFFENSIVELY, EVEN SERIES WITH OILERS . . .
The Sharks rebounded from consecutive shutout losses with a 7-0 victory to even their series with the Oilers.
* San Jose matched a franchise record with seven goals in a playoff game, achieved in Game 4 of the 1999 Conference Quarterfinals at COL (7-3 W) and Game 2 of the 2014 First Round vs. LAK (7-2 W). The Sharks also established a franchise record with four power-play goals in a playoff game.
* Elias notes that the Sharks became the first team to win a postseason game by a seven-goal margin since the Penguins in Game 4 of the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals at PHI (10-3 W). Elias adds that the Sharks became the first team to do so in a playoff shutout since the Rangers in Game 3 of the 2007 Conference Quarterfinals vs. ATL (7-0 W).
* Joe Pavelski (2-1—3) opened the scoring 15 seconds into the contest to establish a franchise record for the fastest goal to begin a playoff game, eclipsing the mark set by Dany Heatley in Game 1 of the 2011 Conference Quarterfinals vs. LAK (0:28).
* Brent Burns (0-3—3) matched a playoff career high with three assists (also Game 5 of 2016 FR at LAK).
* Martin Jones (23 saves) recorded his fourth career postseason shutout (all w/ SJS); only Evgeni Nabokov has registered more in franchise playoff history (7).
. . . RANGERS WIN TO PULL EVEN IN SERIES WITH CANADIENS
Rick Nash scored the go-ahead goal at 4:28 of the second period and Henrik Lundqvist made 23 saves to record the win as the Rangers evened their series with the Canadiens.
* The Rangers have won six of their last eight postseason contests when trailing in a series dating back to Game 5 of the 2015 Second Round vs. WSH.
* Lundqvist earned his 57th career playoff win (all w/ NYR) to extend his franchise record for most by a goaltender and move within three of tying Turk Broda (60) for 15th place in Stanley Cup Playoffs history. Lundqvist also made his 120th career playoff appearance to pass Tom Barrasso and Dominik Hasek (119) for 10th on the all-time list among goaltenders.
WHEN A SERIES IS TIED 2-2
Elias notes that when teams are tied 2-2 in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoffs series, the winner of Game 5 holds an all-time series record of 193-54 (78.1%).
BLUE JACKETS HANG ON TO AVOID ELIMINATION
Five different skaters scored to help the Blue Jackets stave off elimination and force Game 5 in their First Round series against the Penguins. Columbus earned its first-ever postseason victory in regulation and won a playoff game in which it faced elimination for the first time in franchise history.
* Markus Nutivaara (1-1—2) registered a goal and an assist in his first career playoff game while Boone Jenner (1-1—2), William Karlsson (1-1—2) and Brandon Saad (0-2—2) also recorded multi-point efforts.
LOOSE PUCKS
Penguins rookie Jake Guentzel (1-0—1) leads all skaters with five goals in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (5-1—6 in 4 GP). Elias notes that Guentzel became the first player to score five goals in his first four career postseason games since Maurice Richard in 1944 (w/ MTL) . . . Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (0-2—2) leads all skaters with 2-6—8 in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (4 GP) . . . Sharks forward Patrick Marleau (1-1—2) scored his 66th career playoff goal to tie Joe Nieuwendyk and Denis Savard for 18th on the all-time list. Only Jaromir Jagr (78) has scored more postseason goals among active players . . . T-Mobile Arena will host the 2017 NHL Awards and NHL Expansion Draft on June 21 in Las Vegas.
SNEAK PEEK AT WEDNESDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Washington @ Toronto, TOR leads 2-1, 7 p.m., CBC, TVAS2, NBCSN, CSN-DC
Ottawa @ Boston, OTT leads 2-1, 7:30 p.m., SN, TVAS, USA, NESN
Minnesota @ St. Louis, STL leads 3-0, 9:30 p.m., SN360, TVAS2, NBCSN, FS-MW, FS-N
Anaheim @ Calgary, ANA leads 3-0, 10 p.m., CBC, TVAS, USA, PRIME
DUCKS, BLUES LOOK TO ADVANCE TO SECOND ROUND
The Ducks and Blues look to become the first two teams to advance to the Second Round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs when they face the Flames and Wild, respectively, in Game 4 on Wednesday.
* The Pacific Division champion Ducks took a 3-0 series lead on Monday after rallying from a three-goal deficit to win a postseason game for the first time in franchise history. Anaheim is aiming for the club’s fifth four-game sweep in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (most recently 2015 FR vs. WPG).
* The Blues are looking to sweep an opponent in a best-of-seven series for the sixth time in franchise history and first time since the 2001 Conference Semifinals vs. DAL. St. Louis has not trailed at any point during the series (197:48) and has held the lead for 103:51 of total playing time (52.5%).
