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Stanley Cup Playoff Review April 20 2018

Jets earn first series victory in franchise history; Avalanche, Flyers cut series deficits with late go-ahead goals; Hammond shines in second start of the season
NHL Public Relations April 21, 2018

FRIDAY’S RESULTS
The Jets recorded the first series win in franchise history, while the Avalanche and Flyers each won in dramatic fashion to avoid elimination and force Game 6 in their respective series.

JETS EARN FIRST SERIES VICTORY IN FRANCHISE HISTORY
The Jets scored 31 seconds into the game and four times in the opening 12 minutes en route to their first-ever playoff series victory. Ten different players contributed on offense, while Vezina Trophy finalist Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves to record his second straight shutout.

After allowing six goals in a Game 3 defeat, Hellebuyck stopped all 60 shots he faced over the final two games to become the third goaltender in the past 13 years to end a series with back-to-back shutouts. In addition to Pittsburgh’s Matt Murray in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final vs. NSH, Elias notes that New York’s Henrik Lundqvist achieved the feat in the 2013 Conference Quarterfinals vs. WSH.

Jacob Trouba’s opening tally was the third-fastest series-clinching goal in NHL history, behind Jean Beliveau’s Stanley Cup-clinching goal 14 seconds into Montreal’s Game 7 victory in the 1965 Final and Petr Sykora’s marker 18 seconds into New Jersey’s win in Game 6 of the 2000 Conference Semifinals.

Backed by a “Whiteout” crowd of 15,321 – and a reported 15,000 fans cheering from the “Whiteout” street party that stretched through four blocks in Winnipeg – the Jets improved to 3-0 at Bell MTS Place in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, outscoring the Wild 12-3 in those contests. Winnipeg led the NHL with 32 home wins during the 2017-18 regular season.

Friday marked the first four-goal playoff period in Jets/Thrashers franchise history – a feat they achieved seven times during the regular season en route to a second-place finish in total goals (277, including four shootout-deciding goals).

The Jets will face either the Predators or Avalanche in the Second Round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The original Winnipeg Jets franchise reached the second round twice: they were swept by Edmonton in the Division Finals in both 1985 and 1987 (after defeating Calgary in the opening round both times).

The Jets and Golden Knights each earned their first series win in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. This marks the sixth time in the expansion era (since 1967-68) that two NHL clubs have recorded their first-ever series win in the same postseason.

  History in Winnipeg. #StanleyCup#WPGWhiteoutpic.twitter.com/8fZbzCfXpO

AVALANCHE, FLYERS CUT SERIES DEFICITS WITH LATE GO-AHEAD GOALS
The Avalanche and Flyers each scored go-ahead, game-winning goals in the last 90 seconds of regulation to cut deficits to 3-2 in their respective series against the Predators and Penguins – the two clubs who met in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final.

Less than two weeks after posting 1-2—3 in a must-win game that propelled the Avalanche into the playoffs, captain Gabriel Landeskog again helped extend his team’s season, scoring the tying goal at 15:49 of the third period to set the stage for Sven Andrighetto’s winning tally with 1:28 remaining in regulation.

This marks the fourth time in as many tries that the Avalanche/Nordiques won Game 5 when facing a 3-1 series deficit. They suffered a Game 6 defeat in each of the previous three scenarios.

After missing Game 4, Sean Couturier scored the tiebreaking goal with 75 seconds remaining in regulation and Michal Neuvirth made 30 saves in his first start of the postseason – including a point-blank stop on Sidney Crosby in the final minute – as the Flyers extended their series with the Penguins.

This marks the 10th time in 18 tries that Philadelphia has won Game 5 when facing a 3-1 series deficit. Their only series win in that scenario came in the 2010 Conference Semifinals vs. BOS when they became (at the time) the third team in NHL history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit to win.

Couturier, who shared the team lead with a career-high six winning goals in 2017-18, scored the fifth-latest go-ahead goal in regulation in Flyers postseason history (only one of the other four came with the club facing elimination).

HAMMOND SHINES IN SECOND START OF THE SEASON
Making just his second NHL start in more than 14 months, goaltender Andrew Hammond made 44 saves – including 17 in the third period – to backstop the Avalanche to victory in a must-win game.

Hammond became the fourth goaltender in NHL history to win an elimination game after making no more than one appearance during the regular season, joining Earl Robertson in 1937 (Games 4-5 of F w/ DET), Bert Gardiner in 1939 (Games 4-6 of SF w/ NYR) and Ed Belfour in 1990 (Game 7 of DF w/ CHI). Elias notes that Robertson, Gardiner and Belfour made zero appearances during the regular season of those playoff years.

Acquired Nov. 5 as part of a three-team trade that involved the Predators, Hammond started only three contests in the 2018 calendar year entering Game 5, including two in the American Hockey League: Jan. 10 with the Belleville Senators (3-2 OT W), March 24 with the San Antonio Rampage (2-1 W) and March 28 with the Avalanche (2-1 L).

Hammond is no stranger to improbable comebacks. Playing with the Senators in 2014-15, “The Hamburglar” took the hockey world by storm by posting a 20-1-2 record – including a 14-0-1 mark in his first 15 career starts – to help Ottawa become the first team in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) to overcome a 14-point deficit in the standings to reach the postseason. A finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy that season, Hammond allowed two or fewer goals in each of his first 12 career starts to match an NHL record that was set more than 75 years earlier.

 

Stanley Cup Schedule for Saturday, Apr 21 2018

Matchup

 Time

 New Jersey@ Tampa Bay

 3:00 PM ET

 Columbus@ Washington

 3:00 PM ET

 Toronto@ Boston

 8:00 PM ET

 

The Devils and Maple Leafs look to stay alive against the Lightning and Bruins, respectively, while the Capitals and Blue Jackets battle for a series lead in Game 5.

The Devils are 1-9 in 10 all-time best-of-seven series in which they faced a 3-1 deficit, while the Maple Leafs are 1-14 in 15 such scenarios. New Jersey rallied for its win in the 2000 Conference Finals vs. PHI en route to capturing the Stanley Cup, while Toronto did so in the 1942 Final vs. DET – a series they trailed 3-0.

Teams that take a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoffs series hold an all-time series record of 270-28 (90.6%). When a best-of seven is tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 holds an all-time series record of 201-54 (78.8%).

BARKOV, KARLSSON ANDO’REILLY VOTED LADY BING FINALISTS

Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson and Buffalo Sabres center Ryan O’Reilly are the three finalists for the 2017-18 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability,” the National Hockey League announced today.

Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association submitted ballots for the Lady Byng Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists. The winner will be announced Wednesday, June 20, during the 2018 NHL Awards™ presented by Hulu at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Following are the finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy, in alphabetical order:

Aleksander Barkov, C, Florida Panthers

Barkov posted a career-high 51 assists and 78 points (27-51—78), the most by a Panthers player since 2006-07 (Olli Jokinen: 39-52—91). He also led the NHL with five shorthanded goals, one shy of the franchise record set by Tom Fitzgerald in 1995-96. Barkov played in a career-high 79 games, ranking second among League forwards in average time on ice (22:04). He also placed fifth overall with 82 takeaways while receiving only seven minor penalties and 14 penalty minutes – the second-fewest by any player in the top 25 in NHL scoring. The 22-year-old Tampere, Finland, native is a Lady Byng Trophy finalist for the second time in the past three seasons after finishing second in voting in 2015-16. He is vying to become the second player in Florida history to win the award, following Brian Campbell in 2011-12.

William Karlsson, C, Vegas Golden Knights

Karlsson, who compiled 18-32—50 in 183 NHL games prior to 2017-18, ranked third in the NHL with 43 goals (43-35—78 in 82 GP) to power the Golden Knights to unprecedented success for an expansion team. Only five players have scored more goals while playing for a club in its inaugural season, while just seven have registered more points. Karlsson filled the scoresheet while taking only six minor penalties, finishing with the fewest penalty minutes (12) among the League’s top 40 scorers. He also topped the NHL with a +49 rating, 13 better than the next-closest player and the highest by anyone since 2009-10 (Jeff Schultz: +50 w/ WSH). The 25-year-old Marsta, Sweden, native is seeking to become the first player to win an end-of-season trophy for a team in its inaugural campaign since 1979-80 (Wayne Gretzky w/ EDM).

Ryan O’Reilly, C, Buffalo Sabres

O’Reilly posted 24-37—61, his second-best offensive season, while enjoying historic numbers in the face-off circle. His 1,274 face-off wins were the most by any player since the League officially began tracking the statistic in 1997-98. O’Reilly (1,274/2,214, 60.0%) also became the third different player to record 1,000 face-off wins in one season while maintaining a 60.0 winning percentage, joining Patrice Bergeron and Rod Brind’Amour (2x each). Beyond the face-off dot, O’Reilly received only one minor penalty – the fewest by any player with at least 41 appearances. The 27-year-old Clinton, Ont., native is aiming for his second Lady Byng Trophy after winning the award in 2013-14 (w/ COL). He also is looking to become the second player in Sabres history to collect the trophy, following Gilbert Perreault in 1972-73.

History

Lady Byng, wife of Canada’s Governor General at the time, presented the Lady Byng Trophy during the 1924-25 season. After Frank Boucher of the New York Rangers won the award seven times in eight seasons, he was given the trophy to keep and Lady Byng donated another trophy in 1936. After Lady Byng’s death in 1949, the NHL presented a new trophy, changing the name to the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

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IPM Editor