NHL Playoff Series Thread - Monday, April 17th

[bigoljetairliner]

NHL Playoff Series Thread - Monday, April 17th



The NHL Playoffs will open up tonight with four series starting this season's quest for the Stanley Cup trophy.  The first match will face a pair of Metropolitan Division teams as the Carolina Hurricanes clash with the New York Islanders. The second series to get going will be the President Trophy winning Boston Bruins hosting the Paul Maurice-led Florida Panthers in an Atlantic Division tilt. The earlier late game features a Central Division battle as the Dallas Stars face off against the Minnesota Wild. The final series opener on Monday involves the Pacific Division's Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.



NY Islanders (42-31-9/17-18-6 road) at Carolina Hurricanes (52-21-9/28-10-3 home)

TEAM            GF RANK   GA    RANK   TEAM SAVE %   PP%      PK%

Hurricanes   266  15th   213    2nd         .907            19.8%   84.4%

Islanders     243  23rd   222    T-5th       .921            15.8%   82.2%



PLAYERS TO WATCH:

CAROLINA: G - Ilya Sorokin (.924 save %), F - Brock Nelson (75 pts in 82 g), F - Matthew Barzal (51 pts in 58 g), D - Noah Dobson (49 pts in 78 g), and newly acquired Bo Horvat (16 pts in 30 g).



NEW YORK ISLES: G- Antii Raanta (.910 save %), F - Martin Necas (71 pts in 82 g), F- Sebastian Aho (67 pts in 75 g), D - Brent Burns (61 pts in 82 g), and ex-Winnipeg Jet Paul Stastny (22 pts in 73 g).




Florida Panthers (42-32-8/19-19-3 road) at Boston Bruins (65-12-5/34-4-3 home)

TEAM           GF    RANK    GA   RANK   TEAM SAVE %     PP%     PK%

Bruins         305    2nd     177    1st         .931               22.2%  87.3%

Panthers      290    5th     273    21st       .903                22.8%  75.9%



PLAYERS TO WATCH:

BOSTON: G - Linus Ullmark (.938 save %), F - David Pastrnak (113 pts in 82 g), F - Brad Marchand (67 pts in 73 g), D - Hampus Lindholm (53 pts in 80 g), and ex-Jet D - Derek Forbort.



FLORIDA: G - Alex Lyon (.914 save %), F - Matthew Tkachuk (109 pts in 79 g), F - Aleksander Barkov (78 pts in 68 g), and D - Brandon Montour (73 pts in 80 g).



Minnesota Wild (46-25-11/21-13-7 road) at Dallas Stars (47-21-14/22-10-9 home)

TEAM           GF     RANK   GA    RANK    TEAM SAVE %     PP%     PK%

Wild            246     22nd  225    T-7th        .919               21.4%   82%

Stars           285     7th    218     3rd          .916               25%     83.5%



PLAYERS TO WATCH:

MINNESOTA: G - Filip Gustavsson (.931 save %), F - Kirill Kaprizov (75 pts in 67 g), Matt Zuccarello (67 pts in 78 g), F - Matt Boldy (63 pts in 81 g), and D - Jared Spurgeon (34 pts in 79 g).



DALLAS: G - Jake Oettinger (.919 save %), F - Jason Robertson (109 pts in 82 g), F - Roope Hintz (75 pts in 73 g), F - Jamie Benn (78 pts in 82 g), F - Joe Pavelski (77 pts in 82 g), and D - Miro Heiskanen (73 pts in 79 g).



LA Kings (47-25-10/21-14-6 road) at Edmonton Oilers (50-23-9/23-12-6 home)

TEAM           GF     RANK   GA     RANK     TEAM SAVE %   PP%      PK%

Kings          280     10th   257     16th          .892            25.3%    75.8%

Oilers          325     1st     260     17th          .903            32.4%    77%



PLAYERS TO WATCH:

LOS ANGELES: G - Korpisalo (.921 save %), F - Anze Kopitar (74 pts in 82 g), F - Kevin Fiala (72 pts in 69 g), F- Adrian Kempe (67 pts in 82 g), and D - Drew Doughty (52 pts in 81 g).



EDMONTON: G - Stuart Skinner (.914 save %), F - Connor McDavid (153 pts in 82 g), F - Leon Draisaitl (128 pts in 80 g), F - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (104 pts in 82 g), F - Zach Hyman (83 pts in 79 g), former Winnipeg Jet Evander Kane (28 pts in 41 g), and D - Mattias Ekholm (14 pts in 21 g).





Feel free to share your comments about who you think will win the above series or just whatever thoughts pop up while you watch the games. Enjoy the playoffs!!!

[Ric O.]

Going to be some good series!

I like Canes in 5, Bruins in 6, Stars in 6, Kings in 7 (which albeit is biased by my hatred of the Oilers and more of a hope than prediction!)

[bigoljetairliner]

I think the Canes win, but Sorokin makes it go to six games. Bruins most likely to sweep due to a strong PP vs a weaker PK, but if the Panthers' unproven goalie can hold up they might get a win or 2.

A real goaltending battle between the Wild & Stars, with the Stars winning in 6. Think the Oilers will take down the Kings in five, but Korpisalo could make it more difficult.

[ekjet72]

Watching the Oil and Kings play. The intensity and speed by both teams and the physicality is outstanding. It shows what playoff demands of the teams' players win or lose.
I sure hope all of our players can commit to this level of work.
Korpasalo is keeping the game close.
Well, well, well, LA in OT while on a PP.
GREAT performance by Korpisalo

[bigoljetairliner]

Here are the stats for three non-Winnipeg series starting up on Tuesday:

New York Rangers (47-22-13) at New Jersey Devils (52-22-8)
TEAM    GF    RANK    GA    RANK   TEAM SAVE %     PP%     PK%
NYR      277   12th    219     4th         .912               24.1     81.2
NJ         291   4th     226     T9th        .908               21.9    82.6


Tampa Bay Lightning (46-30-6) at Toronto Maple Leafs (50-21-11)
TEAM    GF    RANK    GA     RANK    TEAM SAVE %    PP%    PK%
TB        283    8th     254     13th           .909            25.4    79.7
TOR      279   T5th    222     T5th           .912             26      81.9


Seattle Kraken (46-28-8) at Colorado Avalanche (51-24-7)
TEAM     GF   RANK    GA     RANK     TEAM SAVE %    PP%    PK%
SEA       289   6th     256     14th            .890            19.8    76.7
COL       280  T9th    226     T9th             .917           24.5     79

[bigoljetairliner]

Man, Tampa gets a 4th line goal less than 2 minutes into the game.....must be nice to get big goals that far down the lineup.

[bigoljetairliner]

Leafs just can't help themselves....Bunting pulls a Kadri and gets kicked out of the game for an elbow.

[ekjet72]

Watch Bunting in the penalty box, talking to no one and to everyone, pleading his case. Comical. Yeah that was vintage Kahdri. 5 minute major and a delay of game on top of that and wave bye bye TO. Stupidity that results in a 5-2 lead at the end of the 2nd for the defending Champs.

[shakinallover]

Oilers lose, Leafs lose, Jets win.
It's been a very good start to the 2023 playoffs.

[ekjet72]

Boston got clobbered by Florida. The ex Flames were very active and Ullmark looked human. One particularly funny moment was when the fans were serenading the Panthers with Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer and Staal scores right away. The place goes dead...crickets. That was the dagger in a 6-3 loss.
Very entertaining game, especially if you hate the Bruins like I do.
Lots of extra curricula stuff and amazingly 63 was NOT involved.

[ekjet72]

Looks like Tampa has Toronto has right where they want them. Tampa down 3-1 in the series. Tampa up 3-1 in the game tonight. They could be back in Tampa for game 6 with Toronto and their fan's nards in their throats.
Have we seen this movie before? Oh boy they will be nervous in TO

[bigoljetairliner]

Think when a team like the Leafs has their goalie pulled like they are right now and they ice the puck, they shouldn't be able to put the goalie back in. No line up changes should mean no changes at all.

[ekjet72]

The plane ride for both teams back to Tampa will be interesting. Collars getting tight in TO!

[ekjet72]

Oh my! Florida up 2 nothing on Boston! Early in 2nd period.

[2b9]

Apr 30, 2023 17:43:46 GMT -6 ekjet72 said:

Oh my! Florida up 2 nothing on Boston! Early in 2nd period.

Go Florida Go!

Would love to see Florida win.

Funny tidbit, Winnipeg is out, Maurice and Florida are still in, how funny, interesting and ironic!