Stanley Cup Playoffs Review May 20, 2021
SMITH SCORES DOUBLE-OVERTIME WINNER, POWERS BRUINS TO 2-1 SERIES LEAD
Craig Smith (1-1—2) scored at 5:48 of the second overtime to record his first playoff goal with the Bruins and power Boston to a 2-1 lead in its First Round series. Smith became the third player to record his first postseason goal with the franchise by scoring the winner in a game which required multiple overtimes, joining Mel Hill (Game 1 of 1939 SF) and Miroslav Satan (Game 4 of 2010 CQF).
The series was the first to require overtime in each of its first three games since the 2018 First Round between the Blue Jackets and Capitals. Only two Stanley Cup Playoffs series have gone past regulation in each of its first four or more contests, which was the 1951 Final between the Maple Leafs and Canadiens as well as the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals between the Coyotes and Blackhawks.
Each of the last 12 playoff contests between Boston and Washington have been decided by a one-goal margin, extending the longest such run by a set of franchises in NHL history.
OVECHKIN POTS 800TH CAREER NHL GOAL, 70TH IN THE PLAYOFFS
Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring to record his 800th goal in the NHL (regular season and playoffs). He became the sixth player in League history to reach the milestone and sits three back of tying Mark Messier for the NHL’s fifth highest combined total.
Ovechkin scored his 70th career playoff goal to move past Sidney Crosby (69) and tie Steve Yzerman for 17th place on the League’s all-time list. He also climbed within two of matching Patrick Marleau (72) for the most among active players.
MacKINNON SCORES HAT TRICK AS AVALANCHE TAKE GAME 2
Nathan MacKinnon (3-1—4) scored the first playoff hat trick of his NHL career and first by an Avalanche player in over 24 years as Colorado defeated St. Louis to take a 2-0 lead in its First Round series.
MacKinnon, who had 2-1—3 in Game 1, leads all players with five goals and seven points in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He became the second player in franchise history to score multiple goals in each of the Avalanche’s first two games in a postseason, joining Peter Forsberg during the 1998 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
GOALTENDERS HELLEBUYCK, NEDELJKOVIC HELP JETS, HURRICANES EARN WINS
Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves while celebrating his 28th birthday as the Jets earned a win in their first-ever postseason game against the Oilers.
Hellebuyck has accounted for all 13 of the club’s playoff wins, owning a career record of 13-15 in 28 appearances (2.48 GAA, .919 SV%, 2 SO). He is the only goaltender to have the decision for every playoff victory by an active NHL franchise; two netminders did so for defunct clubs (Gary Smith w/ Oakland Seals/California Golden Seals/Cleveland Barons & Roy Worters w/ Pittsburgh Pirates/Philadelphia Quakers).
Hellebuyck helped Winnipeg become the first team to hold either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl off of the score sheet since Calgary on April 29. McDavid (5-16—21) and Draisaitl (7-10—17) had simultaneous eight-game point streaks to conclude the season.
Alex Nedeljkovic turned aside all 32 shots he faced to record the first playoff shutout of his NHL career and backstop the Hurricanes past the Predators in Game 2.
Nedeljkovic, who improved to 2-0 through the first two postseason appearances of his NHL career (1.00 GAA, .964 SV%, 1 SO), became the second rookie in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history with a shutout in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He joined Cam Ward, who had two when he backstopped Carolina to a championship in 2006 (Game 1 of CSF & Game 2 of SCF).
McDAVID, MATTHEWS CLAIM ART ROSS, “ROCKET” RICHARD TROPHIES
The 2020-21 regular season concluded on Wednesday when the Flames defeated the Canucks 6-2 in the season finale. Oilers forward Connor McDavid (33-72—105 in 56 GP) was officially awarded his third Art Ross Trophy as the League’s scoring champion and Auston Matthews (41-25—66 in 52 GP) claimed his first Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the NHL’s goal-scoring leader. Additionally, final odds for the NHL Draft Lottery were released.
McDavid registered 21 more points than the next-closest player (teammate Leon Draisaitl: 31-53—84 in 56 GP), the largest gap over the runner-up since 1990-91, when Wayne Gretzky finished 32 points ahead of Brett Hull. McDavid is the third player to claim his third Art Ross Trophy prior to his 25th birthday, following Gretzky (5x) and Gordie Howe (3x).
Matthews became the first player in Maple Leafs history to capture the Richard Trophy, which first was awarded in 1998-99, as well as the first Toronto player in 75 years to top the NHL in goals (Gaye Stewart: 37 G in 50 GP in 1945-46). He joins Keith Tkachuk (1996-97) as the second U.S.-born player to lead the League in goals at the end of a regular season.
MAPLE LEAFS, CANADIENS SET TO RENEW PLAYOFF RIVALRY 42 YEARS LATER
Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs welcome Carey Price and the Canadiens to Scotiabank Arena for Game 1 of their First Round series. The NHL’s oldest rivalry is set to go head-to-head in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 42 years (1979 QF), when Montreal completed a four-game sweep en route to its 21st of an NHL-record 23 Stanley Cups (since 1917-18).
The Montreal Canadiens are appearing in the postseason for an NHL-best 86th time and are searching for their first best-of-seven series win since 2015 (2015 R1). Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs are participating in the playoffs for the 71st time, third most in League history, and aim to win a playoff series for the first time in 17 years (2004 CQF).
The two clubs enter the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs with different approaches to roster depth. Montreal has added six Stanley Cup winners (Jake Allen: 2019 STL, Joel Edmundson: 2019 STL, Michael Frolik: 2013 CHI, Corey Perry: 2007 ANA, Eric Staal: 2006 CAR & Tyler Toffoli: 2014 LAK), while Toronto’s roster includes four veterans with at least 900 career regular-season games in search of their first Stanley Cup (Joe Thornton: 1,680 GP, Jason Spezza: 1,177 GP, Nick Foligno: 957 GP & Wayne Simmonds: 947 GP).
NHL Statement on COVID-19 Test Results for St. Louis and Vegas
“This morning, we became aware of certain test results involving multiple Players on two Clubs (the St. Louis Blues and the Vegas Golden Knights) that had indicated positive results for the COVID-19 virus. Because those reported results emanated from the same laboratory, and due to other peculiarities and similarities as among the test results themselves, an investigation was initiated into the possibility that the initial test results reported may have been in error. All affected Players were immediately isolated and further testing was done involving collected samples. Those tests have returned uniformly negative results, therefore confirming that the initial reported test results were in error. As a result, all affected Players will be eligible to play in their team’s next game.”
McDavid, Matthews Win Art Ross, Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies
The 2020-21 National Hockey League regular season concluded with Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid capturing his third Art Ross Trophy as the League’s scoring champion and Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews claiming his first Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the NHL’s goal-scoring leader.
McDavid registered a League-best 105 points (33-72—105 in 56 GP) – 21 more than the next-closest player (teammate Leon Draisaitl: 31-53—84 in 56 GP) – to earn his third career Art Ross Trophy, adding to back-to-back wins 2016-17 and 2017-18. He became the ninth player in NHL history to claim the award at least three times as well as the third to achieve the feat prior to his 25th birthday, following Wayne Gretzky (5x) and Gordie Howe (3x). McDavid’s 21-point gap over the runner-up was the largest by an NHL scoring champion since 1990-91, when Gretzky (41-122—163 in 78 GP w/ LAK) finished 32 points ahead of Brett Hull (86-45—131 in 78 GP w/ STL).
McDavid, who also topped the League in assists (72), power-play assists (28) and power-play points (37), factored on 57.38 percent of Edmonton’s 183 total goals (excluding the shootout) – the highest single-season percentage in NHL history, ahead of Mario Lemieux in 1988-89 (57.35% w/ PIT). He also posted a League-leading 1.88 points per game – the most by any player since 1995-96, when Lemieux averaged 2.30 (69-92—161 in 70 GP w/ PIT).
The 24-year-old Richmond Hill, Ont., native and 2016-17 Hart Memorial Trophy winner has accumulated 195-379—574 in 407 career outings since entering the NHL in 2015-16; his 1.41 points per game is the fourth-best average in League history among players with a minimum of 100 appearances, behind only Gretzky (1.92), Lemieux (1.88) and Mike Bossy (1.50).
Matthews scored a League-leading 41 goals in 52 games (41-25—66) to finish ahead of McDavid (33 G in 56 GP) and Chicago Blackhawks left wing Alex DeBrincat (32 G in 52 GP) for his first career Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. Matthews became the first player in Maple Leafs history to capture the Richard Trophy, which first was awarded in 1998-99, as well as the first Toronto player in 75 years to top the NHL in goals (Gaye Stewart: 37 G in 50 GP in 1945-46). His eight-goal margin over McDavid was the largest by a Richard Trophy winner since 2014-15, when Alex Ovechkin (53 G in 81 GP w/ WSH) finished 10 ahead of Steven Stamkos (43 G in 82 GP w/ TBL).
Matthews, who also paced the League with 12 game-winning goals and 222 shots on goal, accounted for 22.0 percent of Toronto’s 186 total goals (excluding the shootout) – the highest single-season percentage by an NHL player since 2014-15 (Ovechkin: 22.4% w/ WSH) and the best single-season mark by a Maple Leafs player in the expansion era (since 1967-68). His 0.79 goals per game also was the best such average by any player since 2007-08 (Ovechkin: 0.79) as well as the highest single-season mark in franchise history (minimum: 50 GP).
The 23-year-old Scottsdale, Ariz., native – who became the first U.S.-born player to win the Richard Trophy and just the second to lead the NHL in goals (also Keith Tkachuk: 52 G in 81 GP in 1996-97 w/ PHX) – has recorded 199 career goals since entering the League in 2016-17 (334 GP), a number topped only by nine-time goal-scoring champion Ovechkin (205 G in 358 GP).
The NHL earlier announced that the Vegas Golden Knights tandem of Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner won this season’s William M. Jennings Trophy as the goaltenders who played for the team allowing the fewest goals and that the Colorado Avalanche captured the Presidents’ Trophy as the team with the best overall record.