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Friday, April 17
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Game of the Day: Friday's NHL Playoff matchups
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Ottawa Senators at Montreal Canadiens (,)
Canadiens lead series 1-0
As was the case when the clubs met two years ago in the postseason, the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators didn't waste much time ratcheting up the vitriol in their Eastern Conference first-round series. Atlantic Division-champion Montreal dealt the first significant blow in more ways than one with a 4-3 victory in the series opener, and looks to extend the advantage when it hosts Ottawa in Game 2 on Friday.
Brian Flynn scored his first career playoff goal late in the second period and joined defenseman P.K. Subban with two assists to lead the Canadiens to victory on Wednesday. Subban, however, was involved in a slashing incident with Mark Stone nearly midway into the second period that caused a microfracture of the right wrist and some ligament damage to the promising Senators rookie, and resulted in the Montreal blue-liner receiving a game misconduct. Stone, who is listed as "very questionable" to play in the rest of the series by general manager Bryan Murray, ended the regular season on an impressive nine-game point streak (eight goals, five assists). The 22-year-old also had 26 tallies and set up 38 more to match Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau for the most points (64) by a rookie during the 2014-15 season.
TRENDS:
*Canadiens are 5-0 in their last 5 Conference Quarterfinals games.
*Under is 4-1 in Senators last 5 road games.
*Over is 7-1-1 in the last 9 meetings.
*Home team is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
New York Islanders at Washington Capitals (,)
Islanders lead series 1-0
The New York Islanders will look to seize a 2-0 lead in a playoff series for the first time in 32 years when they visit the Washington Capitals on Friday in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. Brock Nelson scored twice to send New York to a 4-1 triumph over its Metropolitan Division rival on Wednesday, giving the club a series lead since it won Game 1 versus Ottawa in 2003.
For the Islanders to win the first two contests of a series for the first time since sweeping Edmonton in the Stanley Cup final in 1983, they'll need to continue to keep captain Alex Ovechkin in check. The Russian superstar led the league with 53 goals, but was kept off the scoresheet despite registering a team-leading eight shots. "I don't think our execution was there," Washington forward Brooks Laich said. "It starts with thinking quicker and moving quicker. I don't think we did that well in the first period. The result was that we looked like a slow team. It has to get better."
TRENDS:
*Islanders are 0-7 in their last 7 games following a win.
*Capitals are 1-5 in their last 6 Conference Quarterfinals games.
*Under is 8-2-1 in the last 11 meetings in Washington.
*Over is 3-0-2 in Capitals last 5 vs. Metropolitan.
Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators (,)
Blackhawks lead series 1-0
There's a new Darling on the sports scene in the Windy City, but the Chicago Blackhawks will revert to an old and familiar formula when they visit the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series. The Blackhawks erased a three-goal deficit en route to a 4-3 victory in double overtime on Wednesday as rookie Scott Darling stopped all 42 shots he faced after replacing an ineffective Corey Crawford.
Despite the brilliant performance by Darling in his postseason debut, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville called it an "easy decision" to go back to Crawford for Game 2. "It was kind of a no-brainer. It was probably a tougher situation to pull him out (Wednesday night)," Quenneville said. "He’s been our strength all year long. It was one period.” Nashville, which lost its final six games of the regular season, must regroup after bolting to a 3-0 lead in the first 20 minutes before giving up three goals in the second period. "Other than the second period, I thought we played a really good game," Nashville captain Shea Weber said. "It just didn't go our way, and now we've just got to move past it."
TRENDS:
*Blackhawks are 5-0 in their last 5 Conference Quarterfinals games
*Predators are 0-7 in their last 7 overall.
*Under is 11-2-3 in Blackhawks last 16 games following a win.
*Over is 6-1-3 in Predators last 10 overall.
Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks (,)
Flames lead series 1-0
After stealing home-ice advantage away from Vancouver in the opener, the Calgary Flames look to bring a 2-0 series lead back to Alberta when they visit the Canucks for Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round matchup on Friday. Calgary pulled out the victory in Game 1 with another of its patented third-period comebacks, as David Jones forged a tie eight minutes into the session and defenseman Kris Russell scored with 30 seconds remaining for the 2-1 triumph.
It was the 11th win of 2014-15 when trailing after 40 minutes for the Flames, who tied for the league lead with 99 goals in the final period during the regular season. Vancouver received its best efforts from a pair of players making their postseason debuts as rookie Bo Horvat scored the lone goal while Eddie Lack turned aside 28 shots. However, it wasn't enough to prevent the Canucks from falling to 0-7 at home in the playoffs since Game 5 of the 2011 Stanley Cup final against Boston. Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins has yet to announce whether Lack will be back in net for Game 2 or if he will turn to veteran Ryan Miller, who was not sharp in his return from a knee injury in the regular-season finale versus Edmonton.
TRENDS:
*Flames are 23-6 in their last 29 vs. Pacific.
*Canucks are 2-12 in their last 14 Conference Quarterfinals games.
*Under is 5-1 in Flames last 6 overall.
*Under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings.
Friday, April 17
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game of the Day: Friday's NHL Playoff matchups
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ottawa Senators at Montreal Canadiens (,)
Canadiens lead series 1-0
As was the case when the clubs met two years ago in the postseason, the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators didn't waste much time ratcheting up the vitriol in their Eastern Conference first-round series. Atlantic Division-champion Montreal dealt the first significant blow in more ways than one with a 4-3 victory in the series opener, and looks to extend the advantage when it hosts Ottawa in Game 2 on Friday.
Brian Flynn scored his first career playoff goal late in the second period and joined defenseman P.K. Subban with two assists to lead the Canadiens to victory on Wednesday. Subban, however, was involved in a slashing incident with Mark Stone nearly midway into the second period that caused a microfracture of the right wrist and some ligament damage to the promising Senators rookie, and resulted in the Montreal blue-liner receiving a game misconduct. Stone, who is listed as "very questionable" to play in the rest of the series by general manager Bryan Murray, ended the regular season on an impressive nine-game point streak (eight goals, five assists). The 22-year-old also had 26 tallies and set up 38 more to match Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau for the most points (64) by a rookie during the 2014-15 season.
TRENDS:
*Canadiens are 5-0 in their last 5 Conference Quarterfinals games.
*Under is 4-1 in Senators last 5 road games.
*Over is 7-1-1 in the last 9 meetings.
*Home team is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
New York Islanders at Washington Capitals (,)
Islanders lead series 1-0
The New York Islanders will look to seize a 2-0 lead in a playoff series for the first time in 32 years when they visit the Washington Capitals on Friday in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. Brock Nelson scored twice to send New York to a 4-1 triumph over its Metropolitan Division rival on Wednesday, giving the club a series lead since it won Game 1 versus Ottawa in 2003.
For the Islanders to win the first two contests of a series for the first time since sweeping Edmonton in the Stanley Cup final in 1983, they'll need to continue to keep captain Alex Ovechkin in check. The Russian superstar led the league with 53 goals, but was kept off the scoresheet despite registering a team-leading eight shots. "I don't think our execution was there," Washington forward Brooks Laich said. "It starts with thinking quicker and moving quicker. I don't think we did that well in the first period. The result was that we looked like a slow team. It has to get better."
TRENDS:
*Islanders are 0-7 in their last 7 games following a win.
*Capitals are 1-5 in their last 6 Conference Quarterfinals games.
*Under is 8-2-1 in the last 11 meetings in Washington.
*Over is 3-0-2 in Capitals last 5 vs. Metropolitan.
Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators (,)
Blackhawks lead series 1-0
There's a new Darling on the sports scene in the Windy City, but the Chicago Blackhawks will revert to an old and familiar formula when they visit the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series. The Blackhawks erased a three-goal deficit en route to a 4-3 victory in double overtime on Wednesday as rookie Scott Darling stopped all 42 shots he faced after replacing an ineffective Corey Crawford.
Despite the brilliant performance by Darling in his postseason debut, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville called it an "easy decision" to go back to Crawford for Game 2. "It was kind of a no-brainer. It was probably a tougher situation to pull him out (Wednesday night)," Quenneville said. "He’s been our strength all year long. It was one period.” Nashville, which lost its final six games of the regular season, must regroup after bolting to a 3-0 lead in the first 20 minutes before giving up three goals in the second period. "Other than the second period, I thought we played a really good game," Nashville captain Shea Weber said. "It just didn't go our way, and now we've just got to move past it."
TRENDS:
*Blackhawks are 5-0 in their last 5 Conference Quarterfinals games
*Predators are 0-7 in their last 7 overall.
*Under is 11-2-3 in Blackhawks last 16 games following a win.
*Over is 6-1-3 in Predators last 10 overall.
Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks (,)
Flames lead series 1-0
After stealing home-ice advantage away from Vancouver in the opener, the Calgary Flames look to bring a 2-0 series lead back to Alberta when they visit the Canucks for Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round matchup on Friday. Calgary pulled out the victory in Game 1 with another of its patented third-period comebacks, as David Jones forged a tie eight minutes into the session and defenseman Kris Russell scored with 30 seconds remaining for the 2-1 triumph.
It was the 11th win of 2014-15 when trailing after 40 minutes for the Flames, who tied for the league lead with 99 goals in the final period during the regular season. Vancouver received its best efforts from a pair of players making their postseason debuts as rookie Bo Horvat scored the lone goal while Eddie Lack turned aside 28 shots. However, it wasn't enough to prevent the Canucks from falling to 0-7 at home in the playoffs since Game 5 of the 2011 Stanley Cup final against Boston. Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins has yet to announce whether Lack will be back in net for Game 2 or if he will turn to veteran Ryan Miller, who was not sharp in his return from a knee injury in the regular-season finale versus Edmonton.
TRENDS:
*Flames are 23-6 in their last 29 vs. Pacific.
*Canucks are 2-12 in their last 14 Conference Quarterfinals games.
*Under is 5-1 in Flames last 6 overall.
*Under is 3-0-1 in the last 4 meetings.
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