Stanley Cup Playoffs News May 26, 2023 – ROBERTSON, PAVELSKI HELP STARS STAVE OFF ELIMINATION

After Jason Robertson scored two game-tying tallies, Joe Pavelski found the back of the net in overtime to help the Stars stay alive in the Western Conference Final and force a Game 5 in Vegas on Saturday. Dallas earned a comeback win to stave off elimination for the sixth time in team history and first since Game 5 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.

• Robertson became the second player in Stars/North Stars history to score two tying goals in a game when his club is facing elimination, following Joel Kiviranta (2 in Game 7 of 2020 R2). Robertson also became the 10th player in Stars team history with multiple goals in a contest when facing elimination and the first since Corey Perry in Game 5 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
• Pavelski scored his fourth career playoff overtime goal, tying Nicklas Backstrom and Patrice Bergeron for the second most among active players behind only Patrick Kane and Perry (both w/ 5).
• Pavelski’s goal marked the 73rd of his career in the postseason, moving him past Alex Ovechkin for sole possession of the most among all active players. He also tied Dino Ciccarelli for 13th place on the NHL’s all-time playoff goals list.
• Pavelski, who now has the 10th-most points among all active players when facing elimination (8-10—18 in 29 GP), also surpassed Mario Lemieux and tied Nicklas Lidstrom (30) for the fifth-most playoff power-play goals in NHL history.

LEAGUE TRENDS

Game 4 of the Western Conference Final between the Stars and Golden Knights became the 23rd to require overtime in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

• Seven of eight games so far in the Conference Finals have been decided by one goal, including five that required overtime. Only five postseasons have seen more one-goal contests in the round before the Stanley Cup Final, with each of those accumulated from a minimum of 11 games played: 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals (9 in 13 GP), 2002 Conference Finals (9 in 13 GP), 2017 Conference Finals (8 in 13 GP), 2007 Conference Finals (8 in 11 GP) and 1945 Semifinals (8 in 13 GP).

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL CONTINUES ON SATURDAY

The Western Conference Final will shift back to T-Mobile Arena for Game 5 on Saturday as the Stars continue their pursuit to become the fifth team in NHL history to rally from a 3-0 series deficit to win a best-of-seven. Vegas has an all-time record of 5-3 in potential series-clinching games on home ice, while the Stars/North Stars are 14-17 when facing elimination on the road.

NHL Commemorates 60th Anniversary of the NHL Draft

The National Hockey League will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first NHL Draft in 1963 with a new series counting down the top 60 NHL Draft picks of all time, as voted on by NHL.com staff writers and editors.

The series, 60 Diamonds – The Greatest Picks of the 60 NHL Drafts, premieres Sunday, May 28 on NHL.com and includes an article and video segment each week featuring a panel of hockey writers discussing the most influential draft picks in NHL history. The five-week series will conclude with a half-hour show premiering on NHL Network on Saturday, June 24, at 7 p.m. ET and re-airing that night at 10:30 p.m. ET. Produced by NHL Productions, the finale special with host Kathryn Tappen will count down the top 20 picks and reveal the writers’ choice for the number one NHL Draft pick of the past 60 years.