Stanley Cup Playoffs Review June 16, 2021
KUCHEROV COLLECTS THREE ASSISTS AS LIGHTNING WIN GAME 2 TO EVEN SERIES
Nikita Kucherov assisted on goals by Brayden Point, Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman (1-1—2) as the Lightning defeated the Islanders 4-2 to pull even in their Stanley Cup Semifinals series, which shifts to Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum for Game 3.
Kucherov (5-17—22 in 13 GP) leads the League with 22 points this postseason and has 56 since the start of the 2020 playoffs (12-44—56 in 38 GP). He became the first player with 44 or more assists over a span of two NHL postseasons since Doug Gilmour from 1993 to 1994 (47 w/ TOR).
Kucherov has assisted on 20 of Point’s 32 career playoff goals (62.5%), including eight of his League-leading 10 this postseason. Only one player in NHL history has assisted on a higher percentage of a teammate’s career playoff goals (min. 25 goals) – Henrik Sedin factored on over two-thirds of the postseason tallies scored by his twin brother, Daniel.
Hedman, the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner, scored his first goal of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He has nine career postseason goals against the Islanders (9-7—16 in 13 GP) – only four defensemen in NHL history have scored more against a single franchise.
LINDBLOM AWARDED BILL MASTERTON MEMORIAL TROPHY
Philadelphia Flyers left wing Oskar Lindblom is the 2020-21 recipient of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.” The award was presented by the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) to honor the late Bill Masterton, a player for the Minnesota North Stars who exhibited those qualities. Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968, as a result of an on-ice injury.
In December of 2019, Lindblom was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer, and started treatment that sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season. The hockey world celebrated on July 2, 2020, when he rang a ceremonial bell to signify the end of his treatments and again when he returned to the Flyers’ lineup for two games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs in September. An inspiration to teammates and opponents alike, Lindblom regained his regular place in the Flyers lineup in 2020-21, playing in 50 of 56 games, and was again declared cancer-free following a scan in March. “It goes up and down every day,” Lindblom said. “You can feel great one day, another day you feel like you haven’t played hockey for a while. You just have to battle through, try to be strong mentally and do your work every day and hopefully feel good.”
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.
Other finalists for this year’s honor were Matt Dumba of the Minnesota Wild and Patrick Marleau of the San Jose Sharks.
VEGAS VIES FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT WIN, 2-0 SERIES LEAD OVER MONTREAL
The Golden Knights look to extend their winning streak to six games and grab a 2-0 lead in their Stanley Cup Semifinals series when they host the Canadiens for Game 2.
Vegas can match its longest winning streak in a postseason, a mark set in 2020. The only other franchises with one run of six or more games in a playoff year within its first four NHL seasons are the Blues (8-0 in 1969) and Oilers (6-0 in 1983).
The Golden Knights can become the first team to record at least one winning streak of six or more games in consecutive NHL postseasons since the Kings, who did so in three straight from 2012 to 2014. Los Angeles won the Stanley Cup twice over that three-year span.
Marc-Andre Fleury has backstopped Vegas to victory in each contest during its current five-game run (1.80 GAA, .931 SV%). He can become the first goaltender age 36 or older with a winning streak of six or more games in a postseason since Dwayne Roloson over 10 years ago.