NHL Peachy: Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition – April 28, 2017
THURSDAY’S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
OTTAWA 2, NY Rangers 1 – OTT leads 1-0
Pittsburgh 3, WASHINGTON 2 – PIT leads 1-0
CROSBY, OVECHKIN EACH SCORE AS BONINO LIFTS PENGUINS IN GAME 1
Sidney Crosby scored twice in a span of 52 seconds to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead, but Alex Ovechkin notched the first of two straight Capitals goals to help even the score, setting the stage for Pittsburgh’s Nick Bonino to tally the game-winning goal in the third period in Game 1 of their Second Round series.
* Bonino scored his sixth career playoff game-winning goal and second against Washington; he notched the series-clinching overtime goal in Game 6 of the 2016 Second Round against the Capitals, inspiring the famous “Bonino! Bonino! Bonino!” call by play-by-play broadcaster Harnarayan Singh.
* Crosby scored each of his goals in the opening 1:04 of the second period, including a marker 12 seconds into the frame that equaled the franchise playoff record for fastest goal to start a period – a mark he set in Game 3 of the 2008 Conference Quarterfinals at OTT. Elias adds that Crosby scored the fastest two goals by one player to start a period in franchise playoff history.
* Crosby, who has at least one point in each of his past five games (4-5—9), registered his 51st career multi-point game in the postseason (all w/ PIT) to tie Mario Lemieux for the most in franchise history and surpass Jaromir Jagr (50) for the most among active NHL players.
* Crosby has collected 10-7—17 in 14 career playoff meetings against the Capitals (1.21 PPG), while Ovechkin has compiled 11-11—22 in those contests (1.57 PPG).
KARLSSON'S LATE GOAL GIVES SENATORS GAME 1 VICTORY
Erik Karlsson scored the go-ahead goal from the Rangers goal line with 4:11 left in regulation to lift the Senators to a 1-0 series lead on home ice.
* Karlsson, who scored his first career playoff game-winning goal (36 GP), leads all skaters with 30:11 TOI/GP and all defensemen with 1-6—7 in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He shared second among all blueliners with five decisive tallies during the regular season, one behind Brent Burns.
* Karlsson became the second Senators defenseman to score a game-winning goal in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, joining Dion Phaneuf (Game 2 vs. BOS). The last time Ottawa had at least two defensemen score a winning goal in the postseason was 2007, when a franchise-record four different blueliners notched game-winners to help the Senators reach the Stanley Cup Final.
LATE GOALS STAND AS WINNERS YET AGAIN
All four games in the Second Round have featured a go-ahead, game-winning goal in the final eight minutes of regulation.
Game-Winning Goals in Second Round of 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs
12:36 of third period: Nick Bonino (PIT)
14:55 of third period: Vernon Fiddler (NSH)
15:20 of third period: Adam Larsson (EDM)
15:49 of third period: Erik Karlsson (OTT)
* Overall, there have been 13 go-ahead, game-winning goals scored in the third period this postseason, including five in the final five minutes of regulation.
FOLIGNO, GETZLAF AND GIORDANO NAMED FINALISTS FOR MESSIER AWARD
Blue Jackets left wing Nick Foligno, Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf and Flames defenseman Mark Giordano are the three finalists for the 2016-17 Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, which is presented “to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season.”
Mark Messier solicits suggestions from club and League personnel as well as NHL fans to compile a list of potential candidates for the award. However, the selection of the three finalists and ultimate winner is Messier’s alone.
The winner of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, as well as the winners of the NHL Foundation Player Award and King Clancy Memorial Trophy, will be announced Tuesday, June 20, at the 2017 NHL Humanitarian Awards, a special event at the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas that will honor the League’s leaders both on and off the ice. The winners of the 2017 NHL Humanitarian Awards also will be recognized the following day at the 2017 NHL Awards at T-Mobile Arena.
Click here for more information.
LOOSE PUCKS
Henrik Lundqvist (41 saves) stopped all 21 shots he faced in the opening frame – a playoff career high for any period. Elias notes that in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68), the only Rangers goaltender with more saves in the first period of a playoff game was Ed Giacomin (22) in Game 4 of the 1968 Quarterfinals at CHI . . . Senators goaltender Craig Anderson made 34 saves to improve to 5-2 in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (1.81 GAA, .930 SV%, 1 SO) . . . Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 33 saves – including a series of stops late in the third period – to improve to 5-1 this postseason (2.43 GAA, .934 SV%) . . . The Penguins won Game 1 against the Capitals for the second time in 10 all-time playoff meetings (also 2000 CQF at WSH: 7-0 W) . . . Former television personality David Letterman was part of the crowd at Verizon Center for Game 1 between the Penguins and Capitals.
SNEAK PEEK AT FRIDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Nashville @ St. Louis, NSH leads 1-0, 8 p.m., CBC, TVAS, NBCSN
Edmonton @ Anaheim, EDM leads 1-0, 10:30 p.m., SN, TVAS, NBCSN
