NHL Peachy: Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition – May 10, 2017
TUESDAY’S RESULT
Home Team in Caps
Ottawa 4, NY RANGERS 2 – OTT wins 4-2
KARLSSON, ANDERSON LEAD SENATORS TO CONFERENCE FINALS
Erik Karlsson (1-1—2) scored the series-clinching goal and Craig Anderson made 37 saves as the Senators defeated the Rangers at Madison Square Garden to reach the Eastern Conference Final for the third time in franchise history (also 2003 and 2007).
* The Senators also clinched their First Round series as visitors, in Game 6 at TD Garden in Boston. The only other playoff year that Ottawa earned multiple series-clinching wins on the road was in 2007, when they posted series-clinching victories in New Jersey (Game 5 of CSF) and Buffalo (Game 5 of CF) en route to the Stanley Cup Final.
* Karlsson posted his second consecutive multi-point game (0-3—3 in Game 5) and tallied his second game-winning goal of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Karlsson, who leads the Senators with 2-11—13 in 12 outings, extended franchise records for assists and points in one playoff year by a defenseman and also became the first blueliner in franchise history to score multiple game-winning goals in a single postseason.
* Anderson (33 GP) earned his 18th career playoff win with the Senators to tie Ray Emery (18 in 30 GP) for second place in franchise history, three behind Patrick Lalime (21 in 41 GP).
* Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored into an empty net to seal the victory, his team-leading seventh goal this postseason (and sixth vs. NYR). Elias notes that Pageau matched the franchise record for most goals in a single playoff series, a mark set by Martin Havlat in the 2006 Conference Quarterfinals vs. TBL.
* The Senators will start the next round on the road against the winner of the Capitals-Penguins series. Ottawa has faced Pittsburgh four times previously in the postseason (1-3), most recently in the 2013 Conference Semifinals (4-1 L), and Washington only once, in the 1998 Conference Semifinals (4-1 L).
SABRES, RANGERS TO PLAY IN 2018 BRIDGESTONE NHL WINTER CLASSIC
The 2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic will feature the Sabres playing host to the Rangers on Jan. 1, 2018 at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. The New Year’s Day contest will mark the 10-year anniversary of the NHL Winter Classic and will be broadcast live at 1 p.m. ET on NBC in the U.S. and on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada.
Click here for more information.
LOOSE PUCKS
Senators forward Mark Stone (1-1—2) tallied three goals in the Second Round vs. NYR (3-1—4 in 6 GP) after scoring once in the First Round vs. BOS (1-1—2 in 6 GP) . . . Forty-one of 66 games contested thus far in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs have been decided by one goal and another eight have been decided by two goals following an empty-net tally . . . The Stars acquired goaltender Ben Bishop from the Kings in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft . . . The Kings signed forward Tanner Pearson to a four-year contract . . . ICYMI: The Penguins and Capitals were mic’d up for Game 6 of their Second Round series.
SNEAK PEEK AT WEDNESDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Pittsburgh @ Washington, series tied 3-3, 7:30 p.m., CBC, TVAS, NBCSN
Edmonton @ Anaheim, series tied 3-3, 10 p.m., SN, TVAS, NBCSN
GAME 7 DOUBLEHEADER CLOSES OUT SECOND ROUND
The final day of the Second Round features a Game 7 doubleheader that begins with the Penguins and Capitals playing out the latest chapter of their long and spirited rivalry at Verizon Center in Washington and closes with a decisive contest between the Oilers and Ducks from Honda Center in Anaheim.
* The Capitals will ice a roster that has skated a total of 76 career Game 7s, with forward Justin Williams boasting a perfect 7-0 lifetime record in winner-take-all contests. Williams collected 1-1—2 in his last such contest – a 5-4 victory with the Kings in the 2014 Western Conference Final at CHI that included an assist on the overtime winner – to increase his career Game 7 totals to 7-7—14, surpassing Doug Gilmour (13) for the most points in Game 7 history and tying Glenn Anderson for most goals.
* The Penguins, meanwhile, have won each of their previous Game 7s against the Capitals (1992, 1995 and 2009), including two victories in Washington, and own a perfect 5-0 road record in Game 7s – the best among all major pro sports franchises. Forward Carl Hagelin (0-2—2) owns a 7-1 record in eight career Game 7s, while teammate Matt Cullen (0-3—3) is 5-0.
* Eight players that skated in the last Game 7 between the Capitals and Penguins are expected to be in the lineup tonight: Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Chris Kunitz and Evgeni Malkin as well as Washington’s Brooks Orpik (who played for PIT in that game), Nicklas Backstrom, Jay Beagle and Alex Ovechkin. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (injured) also played in their last winner-take-all showdown.
* The Ducks will play host to a Game 7 for the fifth consecutive year as they try to snap a five-game losing streak in all Game 7s that dates to the 2009 Conference Semifinals at DET. The Oilers, meanwhile, will play their first Game 7 in nearly 11 years – a 3-1 loss in the Stanley Cup Final at CAR. The winner will own home-ice advantage against the Predators in the Western Conference Final.
* Oilers forward Milan Lucic has the most Game 7 experience among all players in the series, collecting 4-2—6 in 10 such contests in his career (all w/ BOS). Ducks forwards Ryan Getzlaf (0-3—3) and Corey Perry (3-1—4) have played in six Game 7s apiece, second on the Anaheim roster behind Patrick Eaves (1-0—1 in 7 GP).
GAME 7 TRENDS
* Home teams are 97-69 (.584) all-time in Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including a 3-2 mark in 2016.
* The team that scores first is 124-42 all-time (.747), including a 5-0 mark in 2016.
* Forty Game 7s have required overtime (40-of-166, 24.1%). Home and road teams each have 20 wins.
