Stanley Cup Playoffs Review May 16, 2021
DOWD SCORES OVERTIME GOAL AS CAPITALS WIN PLAYOFF OPENER
Nic Dowd deflected a shot by T.J. Oshie (0-2—2) past Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask to record his first career overtime goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and power Washington to a 1-0 lead in its First Round series.
Dowd (Huntsville, Ala.), one of three Alabama-born players to play in the NHL (also Aud Tuten & Jared Ross), established a single-season career high with 11 goals in 2020-21 (11-4—15 in 56 GP). He won a Calder Cup with the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs in 2015 before making his NHL debut with the Kings during the ensuing season.
Each of the last 10 postseason games between the Capitals and Bruins have been decided by a one-goal margin, extending the longest such run by a set of franchises in NHL history. That total includes all seven contests in their last head-to-head series, which was during the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals (including four which required overtime).
ANDERSON EARNS GAME 1 WIN IN RELIEF JUST DAYS BEFORE 40TH BIRTHDAY
Craig Anderson, who turns 40 on Friday, made 21 saves in relief of Capitals goaltender Vitek Vanecek to earn a win in his first playoff appearance since Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Final (w/ OTT).
Anderson (39 years, 359 days) became the oldest goaltender in franchise history to record a postseason victory, eclipsing the previous mark held by Mike Liut (34 years, 110 days) in Game 5 of the 1990 Division Finals.
Anderson improved to 24-22 in 47 career postseason appearances (2.32 GAA, .929 SV%, 4 SO), including a 5-2 mark in seven against Boston. His 24 playoff wins are the 10th-most in NHL history among U.S.-born goaltenders.
PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION
Three more First Round series are set to start during today’s slate, which opens at 12 p.m. ET when the Penguins host the Islanders.
PENGUINS, ISLANDERS SET TO CLASH IN SERIES OPENER
Sidney Crosby and the Penguins are set to host Mathew Barzal and the Islanders at PPG Paints Arena for Game 1 of their First Round series, marking the sixth all-time postseason meeting between the clubs and first since New York swept Pittsburgh in the 2019 First Round. The Islanders hold a 4-1 edge in the five previous head-to-head series.
Crosby (68-121—189 in 168 GP) needs one postseason point to tie Brett Hull (103-87—190 in 202 GP) for seventh place on the NHL’s all-time list.
Barzal (7-17—24 in 30 GP) can become the sixth-fastest player to reach 25 postseason points with the Islanders (NHL debut or otherwise), following Denis Potvin (24 GP), Butch Goring (25 GP), Jude Drouin (25 GP), Mike Bossy (28 GP) and J.P. Parise (29 GP).
GOLDEN KNIGHTS, WILD READY TO SQUARE OFF IN FIRST-EVER PLAYOFF MEETING
Mark Stone and the Golden Knights welcome Kirill Kaprizov and the Wild to T-Mobile Arena for the first-ever postseason meeting between Vegas and Minnesota. The Wild own the NHL’s best regular-season record versus the Golden Knights, having only lost two games in regulation against the club since 2017-18 (11-2-3, 25 points).
Stone, who led the team in scoring this season, dons the “C” as Vegas enters the playoffs with a designated captain for the first time. Only nine NHL players have more postseason points than Stone (13-16—29 in 27 GP) since he joined the Golden Knights in 2019.
Kaprizov (27-24—51 in 55 GP) became the fourth rookie since 1993-94 to lead his team in points during the regular season while also helping them qualify for the playoffs. He joined Auston Matthews (2016-17 w/ TOR), Filip Forsberg (2014-15 w/ NSH) and Trent Hunter (2003-04 w/ NYI).
“SUNSHINE STATE” RIVALS PRIMED TO MEET IN THE PLAYOFFS FOR FIRST TIME
The Lightning officially begin their title defense when they visit the Panthers for Game 1 of the first-ever playoff series between the “Sunshine State” rivals. Florida, which went 5-2-1 against the defending champions this season (TBL: 3-5-0), is set to compete in its first best-of-seven series since the 2016 First Round.
Nikita Kucherov (36-59—95 in 90 GP), the Lightning’s all-time leader in postseason goals, assists and points, is expected to play in Game 1 after missing the entire 2020-21 regular season. He is one of six current Tampa Bay players with at least 20 career playoff goals (also Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn, Steven Stamkos & Brayden Point).
Aleksander Barkov (Tampere, Finland) of the Panthers aims to become the first Finnish-born captain in NHL history to lead his team to a Stanley Cup.