#NHLPeachy @NHL NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Qualifiers Edition – Aug. 6, 2020
THREE HARD LAPS
* The 12th-seeded Canadiens and Blackhawks each rallied from deficits to take a 2-1 series lead against the Penguins and Oilers, respectively.
* Mike Hoffman recorded his second consecutive multi-point game to help the Panthers stay alive in their series with the Islanders. It marked Florida’s first win in a postseason game when facing elimination since 1996.
* The Lightning and Avalanche both earned wins on Wednesday to improve to 2-0-0 in round robin play.
PETRY CAPS CANADIENS’ RALLY AS MONTREAL STUNS PITTSBURGH IN GAME 3
The Canadiens scored three unanswered goals – capped by Jeff Petry potting the winner at 5:33 of the third period – to erase a 3-1 deficit and defeat the Penguins in Game 3. Montreal rallied from a multi-goal deficit to win a postseason contest for the first time since Game 1 of the 2008 Conference Semifinals.
* Petry, who scored the overtime winner in Game 1, became the sixth defenseman in franchise history with multiple game-winning goals in a single postseason and first since Chris Chelios over 31 years ago. He also became the fourth member of that cohort to score two game-winning goals in a single postseason series.
* Petry became the seventh defenseman in NHL history – and fourth in the modern era (since 1943-44) – to score two game-winning goals through his team’s first three contests in a postseason. He joined Georges Mantha in 1931 (w/ MTL), Baldy Northcott in 1935 (w/ MMR), Babe Pratt in 1937 (w/ NYR), Scott Stevens in 1986 (w/ WSH), Brian Leetch in 1994 (w/ NYR) and Nicklas Lidstrom in 2007 (w/ DET).
* Petry wasn’t the only Canadiens defenseman to leave his mark on Game 3. Shea Weber (1-2—3) established a single-game career high for points in a postseason contest and became the first Montreal blueliner with three or more in a playoff outing since Andrei Markov in Game 5 of the 2014 Conference Finals (0-3—3).
* Carey Price made 30 saves to earn the 27th postseason win of his NHL career and move into a tie with Bill Durnan for fifth place on the franchise’s all-time list. He now trails only Ken Dryden (80), Patrick Roy (70), Jacques Plante (59) and Gump Worsley (29).
BLACKHAWKS ALSO RALLY TO TAKE 2-1 SERIES LEAD
Trailing 3-2 late in the third period, the Blackhawks scored a pair of goals in the final 5:47 of regulation, including a game winner by Jonathan Toews (2-0—2) with just 1:16 remaining in the third period, to take a 2-1 series lead against the Oilers.
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* It marked the sixth time in Blackhawks history they scored a game-winning goal in the final 2:00 of regulation in a postseason game and the first since Dave Bolland’s Stanley Cup-clinching goal with 59 seconds remaining in the third period of Game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final. In that game, Chicago was also trailing late in the third period before Bryan Bickell’s tying goal with 1:16 remaining in the final frame set the stage for Bolland’s dramatic clincher.
* Toews recorded his ninth career multi-goal game in the playoffs. Only Bobby Hull (14) and Denis Savard (10) have more with the Blackhawks franchise.
* Toews has now scored 44 career postseason goals for the Blackhawks to break a tie with Patrick Sharp (42) for sole possession of sixth on the franchise’s all-time list – one back of Steve Larmer (45) for fifth.
HOFFMAN, PANTHERS STAVE OFF ELIMINATION
Panthers forwards Mike Hoffman (1-1—2) and Brian Boyle (1-0—1) scored two third-period goals in 2:07 to defeat the Islanders and stave off elimination for the first time since the 1996 Conference Finals. Florida improved to 3-5 in the postseason when facing elimination, with their only other such victories coming more than 24 years ago against the Penguins.
* Hoffman, who led Florida with 29 goals during the regular season, has registered 1-1—2 in consecutive games. This marks the first time he has recorded multiple points in consecutive playoff contests (28 GP), and just the fifth time a Panthers player has done so - Reilly Smith (3 GP) was the last in 2016, while Stu Barnes (2 GP), Ray Sheppard (2 GP) and Jason Wooley (2 GP) all accomplished the feat in 1996.
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COYOTES TAKE 2-1 SERIES LEAD AS KUEMPER ESTABLISHES FRANCHISE RECORD
Darcy Kuemper turned aside 39 of 40 shots – including 19 in the first period – to backstop the Coyotes to a 2-1 lead in their qualifying round series. The Coyotes own a 2-1 lead in a best-of-five postseason series for the second time in franchise history – the first instance was as the Winnipeg Jets against the Flames in the 1985 Division Semifinals, an eventual four-game win.
* Kuemper established a franchise record for most saves in a postseason period. He eclipsed the previous mark of 18, which he achieved in Game 1 along with three other goaltenders: Sean Burke (Game 4 of 2000 CQF), Ilya Bryzgalov (Game 1 of 2010 CQF & Game 7 of 2010 CQF) and Mike Smith (Game 5 of 2012 CF).
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LIGHTNING, AVALANCHE IMPROVE TO 2-0-0 IN ROUND ROBIN PLAY
The Lightning and Avalanche both earned wins on Wednesday to remain undefeated in round robin play.
* The Bruins rallied to tie the game after facing a 2-0 deficit, but Tyler Johnson (1-1—2) scored the go-ahead goal with 1:27 remaining in regulation as the Lightning improved to 2-0-0 in round robin play. Johnson scored his eighth career game-winning goal in the postseason to move into a tie with Martin St. Louis for the most in franchise history.
* Johnson’s winner on Wednesday was the second-latest go-ahead goal in regulation in Tampa Bay postseason history. He scored the latest at 19:58 of the third period in Game 3 of the 2015 Second Round.
* The Lightning will contest their third and final round robin game on Saturday versus the Flyers (1-0-0).
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* Pavel Francouz turned aside all 27 shots he faced as the Avalanche improved to 2-0-0 in round robin play. Francouz became the first goaltender in Avalanche/Nordiques history to record a shutout in his postseason debut and the third to earn a win, following Mario Gosselin (Game 1 of 1985 DSF) and Craig Anderson (Game 3 of 2010 CQF).
* The Avalanche will play their third and final round robin game on Saturday against the Golden Knights (1-0-0).
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CROSBY CLIMBS NHL’S ALL-TIME POSTSEASON POINTS, ASSISTS LISTS
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby collected an assist to record the 189th postseason point of his NHL career (68-121—189 in 167 GP) and pass Joe Sakic (84-104—188 in 172 GP) and Doug Gilmour (60-128—188 in 182 GP) for sole possession of eighth place on the League’s all-time list.
* Crosby recorded the 121st postseason assist of his NHL career, tying him with Al MacInnis (39-121—160 in 177 GP) and Glenn Anderson (93-121—214 in 225 GP) for 10th place in League history.
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