DUCKS PREDATORS MEET IN LAST SERIES OPENER
The Ducks – who clinched the Pacific Division title on the final day of the regular season – welcome the Predators to Honda Center for Game 1 of their opening round series.
Anaheim, coming off its third consecutive 100-point season, became the first team since 1984-85 to lead the NHL in both power-play (23.1%) and penalty-kill (87.2%) efficiency.
Nashville, who clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season and ninth time in the past 12 campaigns, is led by All-Star defensemen Shea Weber and Roman Josi as well as forward Filip Forsberg, who equaled a single-season franchise record with 33 goals in 2015-16.
This marks the second all-time playoff meeting between these clubs and first since 2011, when the Predators won their first series in team history (4-2 W in CQF).
LEHTONEN, BENN LEAD STARS IN GAME 1 SHUTOUT
Kari Lehtonen turned aside all 22 shots he faced and Jamie Benn (1-2—3) posted his first career multi-point game in the postseason to lead the Western Conference champion Stars manhandle the Wild in their series opener, 4-0.
HOLTBY FLAWLESS IN GAME 1 VICTORY
Braden Holtby made 19 saves to record his third career playoff shutout and John Carlson scored his first career postseason game-winning goal to lead the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Capitals past the Flyers in their series opener, 2-0.
SHARKS EMERGE IN HOLLYWOOD THRILLER
The Sharks erased deficits of 1-0 and 3-2 before Joe Pavelski (2-0—2) scored the go-ahead goal 17 seconds into the third period to lift the Sharks over the Kings in the series opener between the California rivals, 4-3.
ISLANDERS WIN SEE-SAW AFFAIR IN SERIES OPENER
John Tavares (1-2—3) scored one of three game-tying goals for the Islanders and Ryan Strome (1-1—2) notched what stood as the winning tally to lead the Islanders past the Panthers in their first ever playoff meeting, 5-4.
MILESTONES & MUSINGS
- Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr played in his 203rd career playoff game (tops among active players) to move past Brett Hull and Scott Niedermayer (both w/ 202) into sole possession of 18th place in NHL history among skaters/goaltenders.
- Flyers forward Sam Gagner, who has played 615 career regular-season games, made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut.
- Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (19 SV), who won a Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2014, defeated his former club in his first postseason start
- Islanders goaltender Thomas Greiss made 42 saves, including a game-saving stop on Jaromir Jagr in the final minute of regulation, to earn the win in his first career playoff start . .
THURSDAY’S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
WASHINGTON 2, Philadelphia 0 – WSH leads 1-0
NY Islanders 5, FLORIDA 4 – NYI leads 1-0
DALLAS 4, Minnesota 0 – DAL leads 1-0
San Jose 4, LOS ANGELES 3 – SJS leads 1-0
SNEAK PEEK AT FRIDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Detroit Red Wings @ Tampa Bay, TBL leads 1-0, 7:00 p.m.
NY Islanders @ Florida, NYI leads 1-0, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago @ St. Louis, STL leads 1-0, 8:00 p.m.
Nashville @ Anaheim, Game 1, 10:30 p.m.
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