Canadian teams off to rough playoff start
The first two days of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs are in the books, and they haven't quite gone the way Canadian-based clubs hoped.
A year after not a single team from the Great White North participated in the postseason, five punched their ticket this spring, but all five are still looking for their first win after Thursday's action.
| Team | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Canadiens | Rangers | L 2-0 |
| Senators | Bruins | L 2-1 |
| Oilers | Sharks | L/OT 3-2 |
| Maple Leafs | Capitals | L/OT 3-2 |
| Flames | Ducks | L 3-2 |
Excepting the Montreal Canadiens' loss to the New York Rangers, each of the contests has been decided by a single goal, including the Toronto Maple Leafs' and Edmonton Oilers' overtime losses. In total, Canadian teams have been outscored 13-7.
It's been a while since fans of a Canadian-based team have celebrated a playoff victory. The last postseason win by a Canadian club came on May 9, 2015, when Montreal defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of their second-round series.
The win kept the Canadiens' playoff hopes alive for just three days: They dropped Game 6 by a 4-1 score and were eliminated.
The Canadiens and Oilers are back in action Friday night as the question remains: Who will give Canada the country's first playoff victory in nearly two years?
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