Stanley Cup Playoffs, May 10, 2022, Avalanche Sweep Preds
COLORADO COMPLETES SWEEP, ADVANCES TO 2022 SECOND ROUND
Cale Makar (1-2—3) assisted on the series-clinching goal by Valeri Nichushkin with 7:58 remaining in regulation as the Avalanche completed a third-period rally to sweep the Predators and become the first team to advance to the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
- Makar concluded the First Round with 10 points, which leads the NHL and are the most in League history by a defenseman through four games played in a postseason. Makar became the first blueliner in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history with a double-digit point total in a playoff series and just the fourth active NHL defenseman to achieve the feat, following Kris Letang (2013 CSF), Ryan McDonagh (2014 CF) and Brent Burns (2019 R2).
- Makar became the first blueliner in League history with 10 points in a four-game series. The last NHL forward with a double-digit total in a series which spanned four contests was Red Wings right wing Johan Franzen, who had nine goals and one assist against the Avalanche during the 2008 Conference Semifinals.
- The Avalanche swept a best-of-seven series for the second time in as many postseasons and fourth time in franchise history, with each instance coming since they relocated to Denver (also 1996 SCF, 2001 CQF & 2021 R1). Colorado also became the first NHL team in 22 years to open consecutive postseasons with a four-game sweep – Detroit was the last to do so, during the Conference Quarterfinals in 1999 and 2000.
- The Avalanche will face the Wild or Blues in the Second Round. Colorado has met Minnesota three times in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (2003 CQF, 2008 CQF & 2014 R1), with the Wild holding a 2-1 edge in those series. The Avalanche, whose four-game sweep during the 2021 First Round was against the Blues, are 2-0 in two all-time postseason series versus St. Louis (also 4-1 W in 2001 CF).
- The NHL announced Monday that Makar, Victor Hedman and Roman Josi are the three finalists for the 2021-22 James Norris Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.”
CROSBY COLLECTS 200TH CAREER PLAYOFF POINT AS PENGUINS SCORE SEVEN AGAIN
Sidney Crosby (1-2—3) became the sixth player in NHL history to reach 200 career postseason points as Pittsburgh posted seven goals for a second straight game to take a 3-1 lead in its First Round series. The Penguins scored seven goals in consecutive playoff contests for the first time in franchise history and became just the fourth NHL team to do so in the last 28 years, joining Buffalo in 2006, Philadelphia in 2012 and Colorado in 2020.
- Evgeni Malkin scored the 66th postseason goal of his NHL career to move into sole possession of third place on the franchise’s all-time list and a share of 21st in League history. Malkin also reached 177 career playoff points, passing Jean Beliveau and Sergei Fedorov for the NHL’s 15th-most all-time.
- Jake Guentzel (1-1—2) became the first player in franchise history to score at least one goal in each of Pittsburgh’s first four games from the start of a postseason. Guentzel’s run is also the longest goal streak by a Penguins player at any point in a playoff year since 2010.
PANTHERS, FLAMES PULL SERIES EVEN WITH GAME 4 WINS MONDAY
The Panthers and Flames earned Game 4 victories to tie their respective First Round series at two games apiece:
- Carter Verhaeghe (2-0—2) scored his first career playoff overtime winner and became just the fourth player in Panthers history to record an OT goal in the postseason, joining Mike Hough (Game 5 of 1996 CSF), Dave Lowry (Game 4 of 1996 CSF) and Ryan Lomberg (Game 3 of 2021 R1). Prior to the winner, Sam Reinhart tied the game with 2:04 remaining in regulation to establish the latest tying goal in franchise playoff history, besting the previous mark by Gustav Forsling (3:07 left in Game 3 of 2021 R1).
- Jonathan Huberdeau (0-1—1) assisted on Reinhart’s tying goal for his 19th career playoff point and surpassed Ray Sheppard for first place on the Panthers’ all-time list. He became the third active player to lead a franchise in regular-season and playoff points, joining Alex Ovechkin with the Capitals and Blake Wheeler with the Jets/Thrashers.
- Despite Jake Oettinger turning aside a storm of shots with 50 saves, Johnny Gaudreau scored a penalty-shot goal and had an assist while Jacob Markstrom (34 saves) held the Stars to one goal at American Airlines Center. Calgary’s 54 shots against Dallas are the third most in a playoff game in franchise history and its most in a contest that did not require overtime (previous best: 52 in Game 2 of 1989 DF).
- The Flames and Panthers have guaranteed their series will require at least six contests, with the Rangers also able to do so in Game 5. Should New York earn a win Wednesday, it would mark the fourth time in NHL history that seven playoff series in the same round will have required at least six games – the 2022 First Round would join the 1992 Division Semifinals (8), 1991 Division Semifinals (8) and 2010 Conference Quarterfinals (7).
PIVOTAL GAME 5s MAKE UP ENTIRE TUESDAY SLATE
For the second time ever, there will be four Game 5s contested on the same day, all with teams looking to break a 2-2 deadlock. The other instance occurred April 11, 1991, when the Bruins (6-1 W vs. HFD), Canadiens (4-3 W vs. BUF in OT), Devils (4-2 W at PIT) and Capitals (5-4 W at NYR in OT) all won to pull ahead 3-2 during the Division Semifinals. That stands as one of two rounds in NHL history to see eight series extend to either six or seven games (also 1992 DSF).
- When a best-of-seven series is tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 holds an all-time series record of 219-58 (.791), including a 6-0 mark in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs (2-0 in R1). When the home team wins Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead, they go on to close out the series 80.7% of the time (138-33); when the road team does so, they win 76.4% of the series (81-25).
MARKSTROM, SAROS AND SHESTERKIN VOTED VEZINA TROPHY FINALISTS
Jacob Markstrom of the Calgary Flames, Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers are the three finalists for the 2021-22 Vezina Trophy, awarded “to the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position.”
NHL general managers submitted ballots for the Vezina Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists. The winners of the 2022 NHL Awards will be revealed during the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final, with exact dates, format and times to be announced.
Following are the finalists for the Vezina Trophy, in alphabetical order:
Jacob Markstrom, Calgary Flames
Markstrom (37-15-9, 2.22 goals-against average, .922 save percentage) posted a League-leading nine shutouts in 63 appearances, surpassing the eight career shutouts he had recorded over 315 games entering the season. He jump-started the Pacific Division-winning campaign for the Flames (50-21-11) by becoming the first goaltender in franchise history to notch three shutouts in a four-game span (Oct. 21-30), highlighted by a 45-save effort Oct. 28 at Pittsburgh. Markstrom finished third in the race for the William Jennings Trophy, with only the Hurricanes (202) and Rangers (207) sporting a lower goals-against total than the Flames’ 208. Markstrom is an NHL Awards finalist for the first time. He is the first Flames netminder voted a Vezina Trophy finalist since Miikka Kiprusoff (t-3rd) in 2006-07 and is aiming to become the second winner in franchise history, following Kiprusoff in 2005-06.
Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
Following five seasons in tandem with Pekka Rinne in the Nashville net, Saros claimed the starter role in 2021-22 following Rinne’s retirement and recorded 38 of the Predators’ 45 wins, the highest percentage (84.4%) among all NHL goaltenders. He backstopped the Predators (45-30-7) to their eighth consecutive playoff berth by leading the NHL in appearances (67), all of them starts, and total ice time (3,931:23); ranking second overall in shots against (2,107) and saves (1,934); and third in wins. The 27-year-old also won three of his four shootout appearances, stopping 11 of 12 attempts for a .917 save percentage. Saros (38-25-3, 2.64 GAA, .918 SV%, four shutouts) is a first-time Vezina Trophy finalist and joins Rinne as the second netminder in franchise history so honored. Rinne was a four-time Vezina finalist, capturing the award in 2017-18, finishing second twice and third once.
Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers
Shesterkin posted a League-leading 2.07 goal-against average and .935 save percentage, helping the Rangers (52-24-6) reach 110 points, the third-highest total in franchise history. He recorded the seventh-best save percentage among all NHL goaltenders since the statistic was first officially recorded in 1955-56 (min. 25 GP) and became the second Rangers netminder to top the save percentage chart, following Gump Worsley in 1957-58. He went 36-13-4 with six shutouts in 52 appearances, recording his 30th win of the season in his 41st game – the fewest games required in franchise history. A first-time Vezina Trophy finalist, he is the first Rangers netminder voted in the top three since former teammate Henrik Lundqvist, who made five finalist appearances and took home the trophy in 2011-12. Shesterkin is vying to become the third Rangers goaltender to win the Vezina under the current selection criteria (since 1981-82), joining Lundqvist and John Vanbiesbrouck (1985-86).
All three goaltenders are making their debut as Vezina Trophy finalists for the first time since 2014 (Ben Bishop, TBL; Tuukka Rask, BOS; Semyon Varlamov, COL) and for just the third time in the past 32 years (also 2009: Niklas Backstrom, MIN; Steve Mason, CBJ; Tim Thomas, BOS).
Leo Dandurand, Louis Letourneau and Joe Cattarinich, former owners of the Montreal Canadiens, presented the trophy to the NHL in 1926-27 in memory of Georges Vezina, the outstanding Canadiens goaltender who collapsed during an NHL game on Nov. 28, 1925, and died of tuberculosis a few months later. Before the 1981-82 season, the goaltender(s) of the team allowing the fewest number of goals during the regular season was awarded the Vezina Trophy.
STARS’ BENN FINED FOR TRIPPING
Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for tripping Calgary Flames forward Trevor Lewis during Game 4 of the teams’ First Round series in Dallas on Monday, May 9, 2022.
The incident occurred at 0:23 of the second period. Benn was assessed a minor penalty for tripping.
The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.