NEWSLETTER
Finally we got to see Stanley Cup Playoff action North of the border last night when the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers took the ice for Game One. While most other playoff matchups were entering Game Two or Three, the Oilers and Jets dropped the puck for Game One and tonight, we get the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens beginning their series as well.
• Watching the games on TV, changing from a game held in the U.S. with fans in the stands to a game in Canada with no fans in the arena was a trip. The artificial sounds in arenas were not that obvious when it was every area doing it earlier this season, but now after hearing fans cheer on the Playoffs again in person, the fake crowds in Canada are just not the same. The atmosphere is completely different and I hope that Montreal and Toronto can get to a Game Six, so fans can be in attendance at the Bell Centre when the time comes.
• As far as the Jets and Oilers last night, it was supposed to be the Connor McDavid show, but Winnipeg shut him down and were able to ride on the back of Connor Hellebuyck to a 4-1 Game One win. It wasn’t that big of a win, just 2-1 heading into the final two minutes before a pair of empty-net goals sealed the deal. McDavid held to just two shots on goal in over 23 minutes of ice-time.
• Back in the States, the Capitals and Bruins went to not just one overtime, but double overtime because they are contractually obligated to play tight games in the postseason.
• The last 13 playoff matchups between the teams have been decided by one-goal in each game. Last night’s double-overtime win for the Bruins gave them a 2-1 series lead thanks to the hustle of Craig Smith.
https://twitter.com/NHLBruins/status/1395212240559689730?s=20
• A terrible miscommunication on the part of Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov led to the game-winning goal for Boston. Something that can happen when changing goaltenders is the difference in the way they communicate with their teammates on the ice and how they handle the puck. On this play, it was likely a combination of both and Alex Ovechkin was none-to-pleased.
Angry Ovechkin after Caps lose Game 3 in OT pic.twitter.com/S8yD92kTZm
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) May 20, 2021
• Staying on the East coast, the Carolina Hurricanes took a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Nashville Predators behind a shutout performance from goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic.
Alex Nedeljkovic became just the second rookie goaltender in @Canes / Whalers history to record a postseason shutout. The other: Cam Ward (Game 2 of 2006 SCF & Game 1 of 2006 CSF). #StanleyCup #NHLStats: https://t.co/sSRkuWx8lp pic.twitter.com/oopbrF7G5w
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 20, 2021
• A second postseason home win, a second Storm Surge™
https://twitter.com/Canes/status/1395210607662616576?s=20
• Like I mentioned in the Stanley Cup Playoff rooting guide, I just don’t see how you can’t get behind the Hurricanes as an organization in these playoffs.
• Another team that is easy to get behind for the postseason are the Colorado Avalanche with Nathan MacKinnon leading the way. A hat-trick performance last night gives him seven points in the first two games of their first-round series against the St. Louis Blues, which they lead 2-0.
https://twitter.com/NHLonNBCSports/status/1395246747761496066?s=20
• MacKinnon continues to terrorize the Blues this season…
mackinnon has 21 points in 10 games against the blues this year lol
— dom at the athletic (@domluszczyszyn) May 20, 2021
• Hey, I’m here for it.
• In the Blackhawks world yesterday, the team officially finished the regular season with the 12th-best odds of landing the top overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft Lottery.
• They’ll benefit from the Arizona Coyotes not having their first-round pick for previous violations during the Draft combine testing last year, so even if they don’t move up from the 12th pick, they’ll effectively still have the 11th pick since Arizona won’t have theirs.
• Chicago held the 12th-best odds of winning the top overall pick back in 2019, when they moved up to 3rd and selected Kirby Dach. That kind of ping-pong ball luck would be much appreciated again for a team looking to draft an impact franchise player.
• The Draft lottery is set to be held on June 2nd, so the Blackhawks will have to wait until then to see if they’ll be winning anything in the offseason since no players are winning any awards this year. With that in mind, I thought I’d hand out some team awards of my own, which you can check out here.
• In prospect news, it appears that 2018 third-round pick Niklas Nordgren will be staying in Finland for a few more years.
#Blackhawks prospect Niklas Nordgren (2018 third round) signed a two-year deal with the #Liiga's Pelicans. He played six games, with three assists in three games for the Pelicans on loan from #HIFK last season. Chicago owns his rights until June 2022. #PelicansFi #HawksProspects
— Brandon Cain (@brandonmcain) May 20, 2021
• Speaking of Finland, check out this amazing story from The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus on Kevin Lankinen and the 2019 World Championships Gold Medal-winning Finnish team.
• Finally, today would have been Blackhawks Legend Stan Mikita’s 81st birthday. One of the greatest, if not the greatest, to wear the Blackhawks sweater.
Honoring #Blackhawks legend Stan Mikita on his birthday. #RIPStosh pic.twitter.com/MGLkW8xpbg
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) May 20, 2021
• That’ll do it for today. Have yourselves a good Thursday!
