Stanley Cup Playoffs – May 5, 2022 – Avs Go Up 2-0
MAKAR LIFTS AVALANCHE TO 2-0 SERIES LEAD WITH OT WINNER
While 25-year-old Connor Ingram (49 saves) became the first rookie goaltender to appear in a Stanley Cup Playoffs game for the Predators and helped his team push the game beyond 60 minutes, 23-year-old Cale Makar scored 8:31 into overtime to help the Avalanche earn a 2-0 series lead in their First Round matchup.
- Makar, who famously found the back of the net in his NHL debut during Game 3 of the 2019 First Round, scored his second goal of the postseason after netting 28 tallies during the regular season. He became the second active defenseman to score 30 goals in one regular season and playoffs combined. The other: Brent Burns (34 in 2015-16).
- Thursday marked his fourth career game-winning goal in the playoffs, tying the franchise record for most by a defenseman (also Sandis Ozolinsh w/ 4). Makar also became the third defenseman in Avalanche/Nordiques history to score an overtime goal in the playoffs. The others: Ozolinsh (Game 6 of 1996 CSF) and Uwe Krupp (Game 4 of 1996 SCF).
STURDY SHESTERKIN, KREIDER’S GAME WINNER HELP RANGERS EVEN SERIES 1-1
After a 79-save performance in Game 1, Igor Shesterkin (39 saves) once again rose to the occasion in Game 2 and Chris Kreider netted his seventh career game-winning goal in the postseason as New York leveled its First Round series with Pittsburgh at one game apiece.
- Shesterkin, who helped the Rangers maintain a one-goal lead in the third period after the Penguins outshot his club 16-9 in the final 20 minutes, has made 118 saves through the first two games of the series. He became the first goaltender since 1955-56 (since shots on goal began being officially tracked) to record 100-plus saves through his team’s first two games of a postseason, besting the previous mark of 97 shared by Jean-Sebastien Giguere (2003 w/ ANA) and Roberto Luongo (2007 w/ VAN).
- Kreider, with 52 goals in the regular season and two thus far in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, has recorded the third-most goals (tied) by a Rangers player in a single season (including playoffs) and trails only Adam Graves (62 in 1993-94) and Vic Hadfield (57 in 1971-72).
PANTHERS FIND OFFENSE AT HOME, TIE FIRST ROUND SERIES
Anton Lundell (1-0—1) added one of Florida’s five goals and Jonathan Huberdeau (0-1—1) moved into a tie with Dave Lowry (10-7—17 in 27 GP) for the second-most playoff points in franchise history as the Panthers drew even in their First Round series which shifts to Washington for Game 3 on Saturday.
- The Panthers used a balanced attack with 12 different skaters hitting the score sheet, led by multi-point outings from Aleksander Barkov (1-1—2) and Carter Verhaeghe (1-1—2), to tie the franchise mark for most different players with a point in a postseason game (also 12 in Game 1 of 1996 CQF).
- Lundell (20 years, 214 days), who tallied 18-26—44 (65 GP) during the regular season to finish fifth in rookie scoring, became the third-youngest player in franchise history to score a goal in the playoffs behind Radek Dvorak (19 years, 76 days; Game 3 of 1996 CF) and Ed Jovanovski (19 years, 301 days; Game 2 of 1996 CQF).
PLAYERS YOUNG AND OLD HELP STARS EVEN UP SERIES
After the Stars were blanked in Game 1, Joe Pavelski (1-0—1) finally solved Flames netminder Jacob Markstrom with a first-period marker while Jake Oettinger (29 saves) responded with a shutout of his own to help Dallas even the series at one game apiece.
- Oettinger (23 years, 139 days) became the second-youngest goaltender in franchise history to win a playoff game after Don Beaupre (19 years, 202 days) in Game 2 of the 1981 Preliminary Round with the Minnesota North Stars.
- On the other end of the age spectrum, Joe Pavelski (37 years, 298 days) became the oldest skater to score a playoff goal for the Stars since Mike Modano (37 years, 342 days) in Game 4 of the 2008 Conference Finals.
LIGHTNING AIM TO ADD TO POSTSEASON SUCCESS AT HOME
The Lightning will be one of six teams vying to take a 2-1 series lead Friday, while the Hurricanes have the opportunity to skate to a 3-0 lead in their First Round matchup. Tampa Bay has won each of its past six playoff games on home ice, including capturing its second straight Stanley Cup in the last postseason contest played at Amalie Arena. The last team to win seven straight home playoff games spanning seasons was the Penguins from 2017 to 2018 (7-0-0).