Stanley Cup Playoff Review April 22 2018
Penguins oust Flyers, earn ninth straight series win; Guentzel posts stellar performance in clinching game; Predators blank Avalanche, advance to Second Round
SUNDAY’S RESULTS
The Penguins and Predators, who met in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, both advanced to the Second Round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
PENGUINS OUST FLYERS, EARN NINTH STRAIGHT SERIES VICTORY
Down 4-2 midway through the second period, the Penguins scored five consecutive goals – including four in a row from Jake Guentzel (4-1—5) – to earn their ninth straight series victory and advance to the Second Round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Penguins, who also won nine consecutive postseason series from 1991-93, became the second team in NHL history to record two such streaks of that length (excluding missed playoff years). The Canadiens won 13 straight series from 1976-80 and 10 in a row from 1956-60.
The Penguins scored at least eight goals in a playoff game for the fourth time in franchise history. They last achieved the feat in Game 4 of the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals, also at PHI (10-3 W).
The Penguins improved to 3-4 in their seven all-time postseason series against the Flyers. They have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final following each of the prior two wins, in 2008 and 2009.
Penguins forward Jake Guentzel netted four consecutive goals – including two in a span of 10 seconds – en route to his second career playoff hat trick and first career five-point game (regular season or playoffs).
Guentzel became the third player in NHL history to score four straight goals in a postseason game. The others: Montreal’s Newsy Lalonde in Game 2 of the 1919 F (vs. SEA) and Philadelphia’s Tim Kerr in Game 3 of the 1985 DSF (at NYR). He also became the seventh player in League history to record four goals in a series-clinching game.
Only three other NHL players have posted a natural hat trick in a series-clinching game: Philadelphia’s Reggie Leach in Game 5 of the 1976 SF (vs. BOS), Kerr in the previously mentioned Game 3 of the 1985 DSF (at NYR) and Vancouver’s Geoff Courtnall in Game 7 of the 1992 DSF (vs. WIN).
Guentzel’s two tallies in 10 seconds marked the fifth-fastest pair of goals by one player in Stanley Cup Playoffs history. The four faster instances, all of which occurred more than 50 years ago: Montreal’s Joe Malone (0:05 in Game 1 of 1919 NHLF vs. SEN), Chicago’s Bill Hay (0:07 in Game 2 of 1964 SF vs. DET), Detroit’s Norm Ullman (0:05 in Game 5 of 1965 SF vs. CHI) and NY Rangers’ Rod Gilbert (0:06 in Game 3 of 1968 QF at CHI).
Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel (4-1—5) and Philadelphia’s Sean Couturier (3-2—5) became the first set of opposing players to each collect five points in a Stanley Cup Playoffs game.
Couturier, who played the last two contests with a torn MCL, became the second player in NHL history to register five points in a playoff game in which his team lost. The other: Toronto’s Lanny McDonald in Game 4 of the 1977 QF vs. PHI (4-1—5 in 6-5 OT L).
Couturier also became the fifth player in Flyers history to record at least five points in a postseason game and first since teammate Claude Giroux in Game 2 of the 2012 CQF at PIT (3-3—6).
Penguins forward Sidney Crosby (6-7—13) posted 1-2—3 to tie teammate Jake Guentzel (6-7—13) for the most goals and points in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Crosby collected at least 10 points in a postseason series for the second time in his career (also 8-5—13 in 2009 CSF vs. WSH). Mario Lemieux is the only other player in Penguins history to accomplish the feat on multiple occasions (4x).
Crosby registered four multi-point performances against the Flyers, giving him 60 in his postseason career. Only three other players have notched as many multi-point games in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.
PREDATORS BLANK AVALANCHE, WILL PLAY JETS IN THE SECOND ROUND
Pekka Rinne stopped all 22 shots he faced to earn his fourth career playoff shutout and help the Predators advance to the Second Round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Nashville posted a shutout victory in a series-deciding game for the first time in franchise history, joining Vegas and Winnipeg as the third team to accomplish the feat in 2018.
Nick Bonino (1-2—3) joined Colton Sissons (Game 6 of the 2017 CF vs. ANA) as the only players in Predators history to record three points in a series-deciding game.
The Predators now will face the Jets in the Second Round after taking the regular-season series 3-1-1 (WPG: 2-3-0).
WESTERN CONFERENCE TEAMS SEEK FIRST CUP
With Nashville, Winnipeg, Vegas and San Jose all advancing to the Second Round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, it marks just the third time that the final four teams in either conference all are chasing their first Stanley Cup (since the introduction of conferences in 1974-75). The other instances: 1984 (MNS, STL, EDM, CGY; EDM won Stanley Cup) and 2012 (STL, LAK, PHX, NSH; LAK won Stanley Cup).
Stanley Cup Schedule for Monday April 23 2018
The Bruins and Capitals both enter Game 6 on the road looking to book their tickets to the Second Round, while the Maple Leafs and Blue Jackets attempt to extend their series to a seventh and decisive game.
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Matchup |
Time |
|---|---|
|
Boston@ Toronto |
7:00 PM ET |
|
Washington@ Columbus |
7:30 PM ET |
BARZAL, BOESER AND KELLER VOTED CALDER TROPHY FINALISTS
New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal, Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser and Arizona Coyotes center Clayton Keller are the three finalists for the 2017-18 Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition,” the National Hockey League announced today.
Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association submitted ballots for the Calder 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 in Las Vegas.
Following are the finalists for the Calder Trophy, in alphabetical order.
Mathew Barzal, C, New York Islanders
Barzal, the 16th overall selection in the 2015 NHL Draft, led all rookies with 22-63—85 (82 GP), 20 points more than the next-closest player. He became the seventh rookie in League history to record at least 20 goals and 60 assists in one season – and first to do so since 2005-06 (Sidney Crosby w/ PIT). Barzal, who also paced rookies in assists (63), power-play assists (22) and power-play points (27), recorded a trio of five-point efforts: Nov. 5 vs. COL (0-5—5), Jan. 13 at NYR (2-3—5) and Feb. 9 vs. DET (0-5—5). In doing so, he became the second rookie in NHL history to post three five-point games within a single season – and first since the League’s inaugural campaign in 1917-18 (Joe Malone w/ MTL). The 20-year-old Coquitlam, B.C., native is vying to become the fifth player in Islanders history to capture the Calder Trophy and first since 1996-97 (Bryan Berard).
Brock Boeser, RW, Vancouver Canucks
Boeser, the 23rd overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, ranked second among rookies with 29 goals and fifth with 55 points despite appearing in only 62 contests. He also placed in the top five among rookies in power-play goals (1st; 10), shooting percentage (2nd; 16.2%), power-play points (2nd; 23), power-play assists (t-4th; 13) and game-winning goals (t-5th; 4). Only two rookies have scored more goals in one season for the Canucks (Pavel Bure: 34 in 1991-92 and Trevor Linden: 30 in 1988-89), while just six have collected more points – each while playing more games. The 21-year-old Burnsville, Minn., native – who won the Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting competition and earned MVP honors at the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game in January – is seeking to become the second player in Vancouver history to win the Calder Trophy, following Bure in 1991-92.
Clayton Keller, C, Arizona Coyotes
Keller, the seventh overall selection in the 2016 NHL Draft, placed second among rookies with 23-42—65 while skating in all 82 games. His 65 points were the most by a Coyotes rookie since the club relocated to Arizona in 1996-97 – and fifth-most dating to the franchise’s inaugural season in 1979-80. Keller ranked in the top five among 2017-18 NHL rookies in shots on goal (1st; 212), assists (2nd; 42), power-play assists (3rd; 14), power-play goals (t-4th; 6), power-play points (4th; 20) and goals (5th; 23). He also registered a 10-game point streak from March 11-28 (5-9—14), tied for the third-longest in franchise history. The 19-year-old Chesterfield, Mo., native is the third Calder Trophy finalist in Coyotes/Jets history; the previous two (Teemu Selanne in 1992-93 and Dale Hawerchuk in 1981-82) each captured the award.
History
From 1936-37 until his death in 1943, NHL President Frank Calder purchased a trophy each year to be given permanently to the League’s outstanding rookie. After Calder’s death, the NHL presented the Calder Trophy in his memory.