Stanley Cup Playoffs April 19 2019 Results

ANOTHER NO. 1 SEED FALLS AS AVALANCHE ADVANCE
Mikko Rantanen (2-1–3), Colin Wilson (2-1–3), Nathan MacKinnon (0-3–3) and Tyson Barrie (0-3–3) each collected three points to propel the Avalanche past the Western Conference’s top-seeded Flames. Colorado joined Columbus’ historic sweep of Presidents’ Trophy-winning Tampa Bay as the second team to eliminate its conference’s No. 1 seed in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* Dating back to expansion in 1967-68, there have been a number of playoff formats: division-based, conference-based and for two seasons (1979-80 and 1980-81) the top 16 teams were seeded by regular-season points. The 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs marks the first time the top two teams in each division or conference or the teams with the two best records have been eliminated in the opening round.

* The Avalanche, who won their first playoff series since 2008, will face either the Sharks or Golden Knights in the Second Round (VGK leads series 3-2).

* Friday’s contest marked the first time in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history that four players each recorded three points in a series-clinching game. Additionally, it marked the 10th such occurrence in NHL history and second in as many seasons after Jake Guentzel (4-1–5), Patric Hornqvist (1-2–3), Sidney Crosby (1-2–3) and Kris Letang (0-3–3) all did so for the Penguins in Game 6 of the 2018 First Round vs. the Flyers.

* Rantanen extended his multi-point game streak to four contests (5-4—9), one shy of the Avalanche/Nordiques franchise mark in the postseason set by Peter Stastny in 1982 and matched by Peter Forsberg on three occasions.

* Additionally, Rantanen joined Golden Knights forward Max Pacioretty (4-6–10 from Game 1-4) as the second player to record multiple points in four consecutive games this postseason. The last playoffs to feature multiple players each accomplish the feat in the same playoff year was 2011, when Ryan Kesler (VAN), Claude Giroux (PHI) and Martin St. Louis (TBL) each posted four-game runs.


MAPLE LEAFS EDGE BRUINS IN TIGHTLY-CONTESTED GAME 5

The Maple Leafs scored two third-period goals in a span of 2:12 to take a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven series with the Bruins. Toronto holds an all-time series record of 19-5 when leading a best-of-seven series 3-2 and moved within one win of advancing past the opening round for the first time since the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* This marks the third time that Toronto has taken a 3-2 series lead against Boston in a best-of-seven series, with the two prior instances requiring seven games. The Maple Leafs won in seven games in the 1959 Semifinals while the Bruins rallied to a seven-game series win in the 1941 Semifinals.

* Kasperi Kapanen (1-1–2) netted his second career game-winning goal in the playoffs to give Mike Babcock the 90th postseason win of his career, eclipsing Glen Sather and Darryl Sutter for the seventh-most wins by a head coach in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.

* Auston Matthews opened the scoring in the final frame to extend his goal/point streak to three games (4-1–5). It marks the second time in three postseasons that he has recorded a goal streak of at least three games in the opening round (also Games 3-6 of 2017 R1).

* A new father after welcoming a baby girl into the world on Thursday, Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin was in the lineup on Friday and recorded the primary assist on Matthews’ opening tally.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

The Blues look to advance past the opening round for the third time in four seasons when they host Game 6 against the Jets, while the Capitals-Hurricanes and Predators-Stars both contest Game 5 looking to break a 2-2 series deadlock.

* The Jets-Blues First Round is the fourth best-of-seven series in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to feature the road team winning each of the first five games. A best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoffs series has never featured the road team winning each of the first six games.

* After capturing Games 3 and 4 at PNC Arena, the Hurricanes set their sights on taking a 3-2 series lead after losing each of the the first two games in a best-of-seven series for the second time in franchise history. The other: 2006 CQF vs. MTL.

* The Predators return to Bridgestone Arena for Game 5, where they have earned 31 of their 51 all-time playoff victories (60.7%). Meanwhile the Stars head back on the road, where they’ve won five of their last seven postseason contests, including Game 1 of this series.

Foligno, Lehner and Thornton Voted Masterton Trophy Finalists

Left wing Nick Foligno of the Columbus Blue Jackets, goaltender Robin Lehner of the New York Islanders and center Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks are the three finalists for the 2018-19 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey,” the National Hockey League announced today.

The local chapters of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) submitted nominations for the Masterton Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season and the top three vote-getters were designated as finalists. The winner will be announced Wednesday, June 19, during the 2019 NHL Awards™ presented by Bridgestone at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Following are the finalists for the Masterton Trophy, in alphabetical order:

Nick Foligno, Columbus Blue Jackets

Foligno helped Columbus earn a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive year by tallying 17-18—35 in 73 games, while simultaneously attending to health issues affecting two of his three young children. The Blue Jackets captain, 31, is skating in his seventh season with Columbus and ranks third on the club’s all-time goals (125) and assists (162) lists. “I feel like we’ve become a stronger family and that’s how I’m always going to look at it. I think it’s made me a better person, a better player and a better leader, hopefully, for this team,” Foligno told the Columbus Dispatch. “I’m going to take it all in stride, but my family is my most important thing in my life and (the Blue Jackets are) my second family.”

Robin Lehner, New York Islanders

Lehner (25-13-5, 2.13 GAA, .930 SV%, 6 SO) and teammate Thomas Greiss won the 2018-19 William M. Jennings Trophy as the goaltenders on the team allowing the fewest regular-season goals, helping the Islanders post their highest regular-season points total (103) since 1983-84. His best NHL season on the ice came on the heels of revealing addiction and mental health issues in a self-penned article for The Athletic during training camp. “I am not sharing this story to make people think differently of Robin Lehner as a professional goalie. I want to help make a difference and help others the way I have been helped,” Lehner wrote. “I want people to know that there is hope in desperation, there is healing in facing an ugly past and there is no shame in involving others in your battle.”

Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks

Thornton, 39, overcame major injuries from the prior two seasons, suffering a torn ACL and MCL in both his left knee (2017) and right knee (2018). His rehabilitation work, detailed in the San Jose Mercury News, served as an inspiration to his teammates and coaches. The leader among active NHL players in career assists and points (413-1,065—1,478 in 1,566 GP), Thornton concluded his 21st NHL campaign with 16-35—51 in 73 games, helping the Sharks qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 14th time in the past 15 seasons. Thornton scored his 400th career goal on Nov. 13 and passed a pair of NHL legends on April 4, leapfrogging Nicklas Lidstrom (1,564) into 12th place on the all-time games list and Steve Yzerman (1,063) into eighth place on the all-time assists list.

Bill Masterton Memorial Scholarship Fund

A $2,500 grant from the PHWA is awarded annually to the Bill Masterton Scholarship Fund, based in Bloomington, Minn., in the name of the Masterton Trophy winner.

History

The trophy was presented by the NHL Writers’ Association in 1968 to commemorate the late Bill Masterton, a player with the Minnesota North Stars who exhibited to a high degree the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey and who died on Jan. 15, 1968.

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