Wednesday was another great night on the ice. We successfully backed a healthy road underdog - this time the Kraken in Colorado - for the third night in a row, while both player props also came through.We'll look to stay hot with three more plays for Thursday's games.Jets (+160) @ Golden Knights (-190)The Jets are in deep trouble. After a surprisingly dominant series-opening performance against the Golden Knights, they're now on the brink of elimination after dropping three in a row.But the Jets haven't only lost games. Potential Norris finalist Josh Morrissey was knocked out of the series early in Game 3, while the injured Mark Scheifele won't be available in Game 5.To say those absences are crushing would be an understatement. At five-on-five, the Jets have controlled just 44% of the expected goal share over the past three games. The Golden Knights have really taken charge in this series, and I don't see that changing with a couple of Winnipeg's top players out of order.Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, and the Golden Knights' lead dogs are creating a ton of offense, while the defense is giving the Jets next to nothing. Vegas ranks second in five-on-five expected goals conceded since Game 1.Winnipeg was never going to be a team that generates a ton of chance volume. The path to victory was opportunistic finishing while getting great goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck.It's a lot harder to convert on chances without Morrissey (second on the team in points) and Scheifele (first in goals), and Hellebuyck isn't doing enough.Simply put, the undermanned Jets look vulnerable at both ends of the rink. Expect the Golden Knights to take care of business inside 60 minutes.Bet: Golden Knights in regulation (-120)Timo Meier over 3.5 shots (-115)Meier is piling up shots against the Rangers. He's attempted 32 at five-on-five alone, which is more than all but Nathan MacKinnon (34) this postseason. However, MacKinnon has played five games, while Meier currently sits at four.Meier's regular-season shot and chance generation rates were higher with Nico Hischier than any other player he spent meaningful time with in San Jose or New Jersey. In the last couple of games, Meier has played on the top line with Hischier from start to finish. The expectation is he'll do that once again in Game 5.Playing on the Devils' top line in a swing game, Meier should get a healthy dose of ice time. Look for him to take his fair share of shots and go over the number for the third time in four contests.Kyle Connor over 3.5 shots (-135)Connor has come to play against the Golden Knights. In a series where the Jets have had problems generating offense, Connor has had little trouble doing so. He's averaged six shots on goal - and nearly 10 attempts per game - through four meetings.Getting the puck to Connor in shooting position is priority No. 1 for the Jets. With Scheifele and Morrissey sidelined, it'll also be priority Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5.He's one of the league's more consistent volume shooters. In an elimination game where his team is missing multiple key offensive weapons, there's no doubt he'll play a ton of minutes and fire the puck on goal every chance he gets.Look for Connor to go down swinging.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nathan MacKinnon wasn't pleased with the referees for missing a crucial tripping penalty during the Colorado Avalanche's Game 5 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday.MacKinnon was hauled down by Kraken defenseman Will Borgen while the game was tied 1-1 in the second period, but no call was made. Incensed, MacKinnon slammed his stick against the glass and, as a result, was late getting to the bench for a change. J.T. Compher was then late to cover his man, allowing Kraken rookie Tye Kartye to score the go-ahead goal in his NHL debut."I get 5 feet on a guy, and he takes my feet out," MacKinnon said after Colorado's 3-2 defeat, per The Athletic's Peter Baugh. "I don't know what to do. It's not 1975. I feel like that's a trip."Despite disagreeing with the call, MacKinnon admitted he has to remain more composed in such a situation."I've got to keep my cool there better," MacKinnon said. "I can't get upset. It's on me there."It's easy to understand why frustration may be building for the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Avalanche entered Round 1 as heavy favorites against the NHL's newest franchise, but they now find themselves on the brink of elimination, trailing the series 3-2.MacKinnon and Co. are being pushed to their limits, as the star center played a game-high 27:01 in the regulation defeat yet still produced a goal and an assist. But it's a clear sign that if the Avs are going down, head coach Jared Bednar will do so with his best players logging heavy minutes."Do we get to a point where (MacKinnon) runs out of gas? Maybe," Bednar said. "But we're facing elimination. We'll play him 30 if we have to."Game 6 is set for Friday, when the Avalanche will get Cale Makar back from his one-game suspension.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Kraken are one win away from eliminating the defending Stanley Cup champions.Seattle defeated the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in Game 5 on Wednesday to take a 3-2 series lead. The Avalanche didn't face elimination in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.After a goalless first period, Morgan Geekie opened the scoring in the second frame. Seattle has tallied the first goal in all five games of the series.Nathan MacKinnon responded immediately for the Avalanche. But Tye Kartye - who was making his NHL debut - gave Seattle a lead it wouldn't surrender later in the period.Yanni Gourde scored the eventual game-winning goal for the Kraken less than two minutes into the third period. Evan Rodrigues got Colorado back within one after the Avalanche pulled their goaltender for the extra attacker.Former Avalanche netminder Philipp Grubauer made 26 saves in the victory.The series shifts to Seattle for Game 6, where the Kraken will have an opportunity to win the first series in the young franchise's history on home ice.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matthew Tkachuk had a message for his team's naysayers after he extended the Florida Panthers' season with the overtime winner in Game 5 against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday."We were supposed to get swept in this series, right? Everyone's saying so," he said following the Cats' 4-3 victory, per Bally Sports Florida. "I don't think anybody really gave us a chance after losing two games in a row at home. Coming here in a back-against-the-wall type game, it just seemed like the series was over before that game even started."For us to come out with the start we did speaks a lot about our team, our preparation, and our belief in each other."The Bruins won the Presidents' Trophy and set records for most wins (65) and points (135) in a campaign. The Panthers, meanwhile, made the playoffs by a single point just one season after they took home the Presidents' Trophy.Forty-three points separated the two teams in the standings. Florida entered Game 5 in Boston staring down a 3-1 series deficit after losing back-to-back matchups on home ice.The Panthers never trailed in Wednesday's back-and-forth contest, but they never held a multi-goal lead, either. Tkachuk ultimately capitalized on a rare turnover from goaltender Linus Ullmark to put the game to bed.Head coach Paul Maurice heaped praise on Tkachuk after his overtime heroics kept Florida's season alive."That guy is a - and then you put a long string of profanity - gamer," he said. "Is he not a gamer?"However, Maurice posited that Sergei Bobrovsky made his own case to be named the game's MVP. The veteran netminder made 44 saves in just his second start of these playoffs."(Bobrovsky) needed to carry that weight. Like Matthew Tkachuk carries the weight, like (Aleksander) Barkov does, the leaders carry the weight of your team," Maurice said, according to team beat reporter Jameson Olive.The puck drops on Game 6 on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET in Sunrise.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins got captain Patrice Bergeron back in the lineup Wednesday, but they squandered their first chance at eliminating the Florida Panthers after dropping Game 5 in overtime.Bergeron chipped in with one goal, led all Bruins forwards with six shots, and won 69% of his faceoffs while seeing 19:03 of ice time in the 4-3 defeat. Trent Frederic came out of the lineup to accommodate his return.The veteran missed the first four contests of the series. He exited during the Bruins' regular-season finale on April 13 against the Montreal Canadiens with an upper-body injury.Boston head coach Jim Montgomery said Friday that he didn't regret putting the center in the lineup for game No. 82, noting the team wanted its roster regulars to use the last two regular-season contests to ramp up for the playoffs.After practicing with his teammates Tuesday, Bergeron said his absence from the lineup was "frustrating.""You want to be out there with the boys and battle and compete," he said. "You go through a full season, and you work hard to get to this point. ... Now we're here, and the boys have done a great job."The Bruins have made the playoffs 15 times since Bergeron's debut season in 2003-04, totaling 182 postseason contests. The five-time Selke Trophy winner has missed only 14 of those games."It was definitely different," he said of watching the Bruins battle the Panthers from the sidelines. "It felt like it was a little bit more nerve-racking than when you're on the ice or on the bench, (where) you feel like you can actually do something about it."I don't know if helpless is the right word. ... I was cheering and screaming at the TV a few times."Bergeron has amassed 50 goals and 78 assists in 168 playoff games.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele won't play in his team's do-or-die Game 5 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday due to an upper-body injury suffered in Game 4, head coach Rick Bowness announced, per TSN's John Lu.Bowness added that the main issue with Scheifele's injury is his limited range of motion. However, he's not yet ruled out for Game 6 if the Jets can extend the series, which they currently trail 3-1.Scheifele played just 1:40 in Game 4 before departing after a shot attempt on the power play.

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper denied what his former assistant, Derek Lalonde, said about Bolts goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy on national TV in Canada earlier this week.Lalonde, now the Detroit Red Wings head coach, has provided in-studio analysis for Sportsnet during these playoffs. He said Monday night that the Lightning coaching staff restructured its defensive coverage during his tenure to compensate for Vasilevskiy's apparent weakness in tracking shots from long range.

Following a three-game suspension, Toronto Maple Leafs winger Michael Bunting will be a healthy scratch for Thursday's Game 5 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed Wednesday."It's not an easy decision," Keefe said, according to The Athletic's Joshua Kloke. "The message was he'll get back in, just not tomorrow."Bunting received a three-game ban from the NHL's Department of Player Safety for an illegal check to the head of Erik Cernak during Toronto's Game 1 loss. The Leafs have reeled off three straight victories in his absence."We're comfortable with the group that’s won three games in a row," Keefe added.During Wednesday's practice, the Leafs rolled out the same line combinations the club used to finish Game 4's overtime win.LWCRWCalle JarnkrokAuston MatthewsWilliam NylanderMatthew KniesJohn TavaresMitch MarnerAlexander KerfootRyan O'ReillyNoel AcciariZach Aston-ReeseDavid KampfSam LaffertyBunting finished fifth on the Leafs in goals (23) and points (49) in 82 games during the regular season. But rookie Matthew Knies has carved out a top-six role for himself in Bunting's absence."My job is to be a good teammate in all aspects," Bunting said. "That's what I'm going to keep doing, and I'll wait for my number to be called."Bunting is no stranger to waiting for his opportunity. After all, it took until last season, his age-26 campaign, before he became a full-time NHLer."I've gone through adversity my whole life, and I made it here," he said. "So, it's just another day for me."Bunting has proven to be a solid third wheel on Toronto's top line over the last couple of campaigns, but his effectiveness has waned the further he's been pushed down the lineup. Over the last two seasons, his five-on-five expected goals share is 47.36% when he's not playing on lines centered by Auston Matthews or John Tavares, per Natural Stat Trick. For comparison, he's posted a 61.07% xGF% with Matthews, and a 52.49% share with Tavares.The Scarborough, Ontario, native is a pending unrestricted free agent after inking a two-year deal worth $950,000 annually with the Leafs in 2021.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was another good night on the ice for our best bets. We once again cashed a healthy road underdog in the Islanders and split our player props, giving us a profitable evening.We'll set our sights on another one with three more plays for Wednesday's pint-sized slate.Kraken (+155) @ Avalanche (-180)The Kraken have been impressive thus far. They've controlled better than 55% of the high-danger chances at five-on-five, which is the second-highest output of all playoff teams.That stems largely from their ability to generate quality opportunities in bulk. They're averaging better than 3.0 expected goals per 60 minutes at full strength and are testing Alexandar Georgiev.The loss of Jared McCann hurts their offense, to be sure, but the Kraken are built much more on depth than star power. They have speed and scoring ability throughout their lineup, and there are plenty of reliable contributors who can help pick up the slack.I'm not sure the same can be said about the Avalanche. They're driven by their stars a lot more than depth, the latter of which they don't have. With Valeri Nichushkin out and Cale Makar now suspended, the Avalanche are missing two big horses at the top of the lineup. That is killer.The Kraken are tied in this series - and have out-chanced the Avalanche - because of their depth advantage. That should shine through even further with Nichushkin and Makar out of the picture.Although there's always the possibility of Philipp Grubauer throwing up a dud, Seattle's depth should allow the Kraken to control a lot of the play at five-on-five. Grubauer shouldn't need to excel in this game; he'll just need to be competent.Much like with the Devils on Monday and the Islanders on Tuesday, I'm happy to take my chances on big underdogs with better underlying profiles.Bet: Kraken (+155)Patrice Bergeron over 2.5 shots (-140)Bergeron is expected to make his series debut in Game 5. He'll jump right into the thick of things, centering David Pastrnak on the Bruins' top line. That certainly serves as a strong indicator that he's ready to play and will be given a full workload in this close-out game.Assuming that's the case, it's hard not to love Bergeron in the shot prop market. He was an absolute machine at home this season, averaging 3.3 shots on goal while going over this number 73% of the time.His shot line is often set to 3.5. Had he been healthy for the entirety of the series, that's almost certainly where the number would be for this game.Bergeron has a strong history against the Panthers as well. He recorded four shots or more in three of four meetings this season and five of the last six dating back to last year.Take advantage of Bergeron at a total we're unlikely to see moving forward.Devon Toews over 0.5 assists (-115)Makar's absence means more even-strength minutes - and the quarterbacking role on the top power play - will be on Toews' plate.He's certainly shown the ability to take advantage of it. Makar was sidelined for an eight-game period down the stretch. In that span, Toews had a goal and nine assists while routinely playing 25-plus minutes.That was in the regular season, too. In a playoff game where the loser gets put on the brink of elimination, head coach Jared Bednar is likely to lean even more heavily on his temporary No. 1 defenseman.Toews is going to play extreme minutes in all situations. He's much more of a shot-creator than a shot-taker, so the likelihood of any point he tallies coming by way of an assist is quite high.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Four NHL teams will play regular-season games at Stockholm's Avicii Arena next fall.The Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and Minnesota Wild are headed to Sweden as part of the NHL's annual Global Series, the league announced Wednesday.Here's the schedule for those matchups:DateLocal TimeTeamsNov. 168 p.m.Red Wings vs. SenatorsNov. 178 p.m.Maple Leafs vs. Red WingsNov. 185 p.m.Wild vs. SenatorsNov. 192 p.m.Maple Leafs vs. WildIt will be the first time ever that four NHL teams play regular-season games in Europe on the same trip and the first time the Maple Leafs ever go outside North America for regular-season contests. It's the second international trip for the Red Wings and Wild, and the third for the Senators.Notably, the 'Battle of Ontario' won't be played overseas as the Leafs and Sens will not face off against each other during the trip.Stockholm has hosted more regular-season NHL games than any other city outside North America. Twelve previous contests of that variety have taken place in the Swedish capital. A total of 32 have been played in Europe.There are 21 players from Sweden that are expected to take part from the four clubs involved. The Wild boast eight of those Swedes, including former Senators goaltender Filip Gustavsson, forward Joel Eriksson Ek, and top netminding prospect Jesper Wallstedt. The Leafs and Wings each have six including Toronto winger William Nylander and Detroit forward Lucas Raymond, while the Sens have two in puck-stopper Anton Forsberg and defenseman Erik Brannstrom.However, it should be noted that several of those players - Leafs defenseman Erik Gustafsson, Wild forwards Marcus Johansson, Gustav Nyquist, and Oskar Sundqvist as well as defenseman John Klingberg, plus Red Wings netminder Magnus Hellberg and blue-liner Robert Hagg - are pending unrestricted free agents who may not be with their current clubs in November.Earlier in April, the NHL revealed plans to play in the southern hemisphere for the first time with a pair of exhibition games in Melbourne, Australia scheduled for September.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers are within reach of the second round after defeating the Los Angeles Kings 6-3 in Game 5 on Tuesday.Stuart Skinner - who got the start after being pulled in the Oilers' Game 4 comeback victory - made 25 saves in the win as Edmonton took a 3-2 series lead.Evander Kane opened the scoring before Leon Draisaitl tallied his league-leading sixth goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Brett Kulak added another in the first period for the Oilers, while Alex Iafallo and Adrian Kempe scored for the Kings in the five-goal first period.The Oilers chased Joonas Korpisalo in the second period after the first of two Nick Bjugstad goals on the night. The Kings starter allowed four goals on 19 shots.Pheonix Copley made six saves on eight shots in relief, allowing goals from Zach Hyman and Bjugstad. Quinton Byfield netted the first postseason marker of his career to get Los Angeles back within three.After an extended three-day break, Game 6 takes place Saturday in California.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Only 31 teams in NHL history have ever overcome a 3-1 series deficit, and Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness knows it'll be difficult to make sure his squad becomes the 32nd."We have to be confident, we have to be, and we will be," he told reporters Tuesday. "We'll be a very confident group going into (Game 5). We're gonna have a swagger to us that says, 'If we go out, it's gonna be one tough fight for you guys tonight.'"If we play with that attitude, then I like our chances."The Jets won the first game of their opening-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights but lost the next three in a row and find themselves one contest away from elimination.Despite the tall order at hand, Connor Hellebuyck said his team will "take it one game at a time.""We just need one. We don't need three, we need one. And we'll go from there," he said. "I like our team, I like the way we've been playing. A bounce here, a bounce there, and things can go well."He added, "I think we have the character in our room to do something special, to do something great. Like we said, we're looking for one game ... and we'll move onto the next one and then we'll prepare the same way."Hellebuyck was one of the top goalies in the regular season with a .920 save percentage and a 2.49 goals against average in a league-leading 64 starts. He's posted a 1-3 record with an .895 clip and 3.21 goals against average against Vegas so far."If you asked me at the beginning of the series how I thought it was going to go with how my game's been and how I feel, I would not expect the results to be the way they are," Hellebuyck said."That being said, we're inches away from really flipping the script on this."In order to flip that script, Bowness is certain of the game plan his team will need to deploy."We're not gonna go into that game hoping to win and sit back and hope things go our way," he said. "That's not how we play. ... We're gonna try to avoid playing on our heels and play as aggressive as we can, as intelligently as we can."The Jets will have to pull off a win in Game 5 without defenseman Josh Morrissey, but Bowness is "hopeful" that star Mark Scheifele - who exited Game 4 with an upper-body issue - will be able to re-enter the fold.Puck drops on the crucial contest Thursday in Vegas at 10 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers turned back to goaltender Stuart Skinner for Game 5 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.Head coach Jay Woodcroft showed faith in Skinner after pulling him in Game 4. Skinner, 24, allowed three goals on 11 shots in the first period of Sunday's contest before exiting. Jack Campbell replaced Skinner and stopped all but one of 28 shots as the Oilers rallied for a 5-4 overtime win to even the series at two games apiece.Skinner outplayed Campbell to leapfrog the 31-year-old as Edmonton's No. 1 netminder over the latter half of the season. The Oilers signed Campbell to a five-year, $25-million contract in free agency last July.Skinner was 1-2 with an .881 save percentage in four postseason games this spring prior to Tuesday's contest, while Campbell's relief appearance in Sunday's game marked his first playoff action with Edmonton.Skinner went 29-14-5 with a .913 save percentage over 50 games during the regular season, which was his official rookie campaign. He suited up for 13 games with the Oilers in 2021-22, making his NHL debut in January 2021. Edmonton drafted him 78th overall in 2017.Campbell went 21-9-4 in 2022-23 but posted an .888 save percentage in 36 appearances. Drafted 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in 2010, he's also spent time with the Kings and the Toronto Maple Leafs.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrei Vasilevskiy hasn't been his typical, lights-out self during the Tampa Bay Lightning's first-round clash against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but head coach Jon Cooper defended his No. 1 goaltender."If I looked through this series, the (Mitch) Marner goal in Game 2 for sure (he) wants to have back," Cooper told reporters Tuesday. "But then after that, realistically, what are we saying he's done wrong other than make all the saves he's supposed to?"Vasilevskiy owns an .856 save percentage and 4.33 goals against average through the first four games of the series.He allowed five tallies on 37 shots during Monday's Game 4 collapse that put the Bolts on the doorstep of elimination, but Cooper argued that Vasilevskiy didn't have a chance."Who's stopping the (Noel) Acciari tip? Nobody's stopping that. And who's stopping the (Auston) Matthews tip? Nobody's stopping that," Cooper said. "The (Morgan) Rielly goal ... we come off our check and completely screen our goalie. And the winning goal ... who's stopping that?"He added, "No goalie in the league - take any goalie, take the best goalies in the history of the game - they're not stopping any of those. ... Those are unbelievable, 100%-chance-of-going-in goals."It's just tough that they're all happening in one game. ... I think the onus is on the guys in front of (Vasilevskiy) to try and be a little bit better."The 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy winner ranks dead last among all netminders in these playoffs at minus-6.19 goals saved above average and minus-5.51 goals saved above expected at all strengths, per Evolving Hockey.The Lightning have allowed the third-most high-danger chances against in all situations during the postseason so far, according to Natural Stat Trick.Vasilevskiy solidified his status as a clutch playoff performer after starting every single game for the Bolts during their three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final. He posted a combined 48-23 record during those runs to go along with a .928 save percentage and 2.09 goals against average.Puck drops on Thursday's do-or-die Game 5 in Toronto at 7 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears the Calgary Flames will be getting their new arena after all.An agreement has been made in principle between the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC), the city of Calgary, the province of Alberta, and the Calgary Stampede for a new event center, Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek announced Tuesday.The new building will replace the 40-year-old Scotiabank Saddledome.Gondek added that the next step is to move to a definitive agreement, at which point details on a timeline, design, and construction will be available.The project has expanded from a single facility for the Flames to an entire entertainment district, including a community rink and transit improvements. It'll cost around $1.2 billion overall, including $800 million for the event center itself, per Postmedia's Wes Gilbertson.The city will kick in $537.3 million, the CSEC will provide $356 million, and the province will contribute $330 million.The project will not result in an increase in property taxes or new debt to the city.CSEC and the city initially reached a tentative agreement in July 2019 for a new venue that would cost $550 million, split equally between the two parties. The city was also expected to handle additional funds, including 90% of the demolition costs of the Saddledome.However, the venture's price tag increased by over $50 million in July 2021, and the situation deteriorated. The Flames opted to pull the plug in December 2021, citing unresolved issues in relation to the escalating cost of the project.In October 2022, the Flames and city officials revived negotiations for the new arena. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced her support for the project, saying the Saddledome can't compete with newer venues.CSEC president John Bean said Tuesday he heard from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman that the new arena would put Calgary in rotation to host future drafts and All-Star Games.The Saddledome, built in 1983, has been the Flames' home for the last four decades.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Kraken edged the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in overtime on Monday to square their first-round playoff matchup at two wins apiece. These three questions will shape the Avalanche's fate in the series and determine how close they come to repeating as Stanley Cup winners.Can Avalanche score first and often? Christopher Mast / NHL / Getty ImagesCertain pillars of the Avalanche's 2022 Cup team either signed elsewhere last summer (Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky) or missed the full year recovering from knee surgery (captain Gabriel Landeskog). The Avs reigned atop the Central Division anyway, despite scoring 32 fewer goals than last season.Colorado's offense was electric in the '22 playoffs. The Avalanche potted 4.25 goals per game over 20 matchups, the most by a team whose run lasted that long since the 1983 New York Islanders. They outscored the Nashville Predators 21-9 in the first-round sweep that initiated the onslaught.Seattle's a pluckier opponent, but Colorado's big guns came to play. The forwards who log the heaviest minutes - Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon, J.T. Compher, Artturi Lehkonen, and Valeri Nichushkin (who remains out for personal reasons) - have bagged 10 of the club's 12 goals to date. Rantanen's Game 4 equalizer was his fifth tally of the series and ended the Avalanche power play's protracted drought. Of course, Jordan Eberle's power-play goal for the Kraken in overtime was bigger. Steph Chambers / Getty ImagesWinning offensive-zone faceoffs has sparked the Avalanche at times. Lehkonen and Devon Toews scored off draws to power Colorado's Game 2 comeback. Alex Newhook, a 38.6% faceoff taker for his career, snapped one back to tee up Cale Makar's missile from the point in Game 3. Colorado only controlled 44% of the draws in Game 4, a series low.Per Natural Stat Trick, MacKinnon leads the series in shots and individual scoring chances, predictably establishing himself as a force. He paced all NHL regulars this season in five-on-five scoring per 60 minutes, producing 3.28 points (for context, Connor McDavid's per-60 rate was 2.71). Outshot 43-22 on Monday, the Avalanche didn't drum up any momentum until MacKinnon's sweet backhand feed helped Rantanen score off the rush.Colorado's depth diminished up front when Kadri and Burakovsky departed, and Landeskog was shelved. The main cast remained formidable through the rash of injuries that sidelined MacKinnon, Lehkonen, Nichushkin, Makar, and Bowen Byram for weeks at a time. Makar is suspended for Game 5 on Wednesday because he interfered with and injured Kraken sniper Jared McCann.The Avs scored the first goal in an NHL-high 54 games this season, posting an .824 points percentage in those contests. Pouring it on early and consistently is how they'll contend for the Cup again. Credit the Kraken, who've wrongfooted Colorado by striking first in all four games.Can Avs manage puck in the D-zone? Steph Chambers / Getty ImagesPuck-movers abound on Colorado's back end. Makar is a wizard, Toews' decision-making is sound, and Byram and Samuel Girard are renowned for their mobility. Despite this strength, careless puckhandling has stung the Avalanche every time they've started slow in the series and dug a two-goal hole.Many Seattle tallies have stemmed from failed Colorado breakouts, takeaways in the Avalanche zone, or bounces the Avs mishandled behind the net. A few minutes into Game 4, Rantanen's blind back pass wound up on Brandon Tanev's stick, and Will Borgen promptly wired a one-timer over Alexandar Georgiev's mitt.The Kraken's offensive approach is no-nonsense. They lack superstar creators but send pucks deep, forecheck doggedly, win one-on-one battles, and attack downhill in transition. That happened in overtime Monday when Lars Eller's offensive-zone turnover enabled Jaden Schwartz to race behind two Colorado defenders and compel Josh Manson to trip him.Seattle's finishing ability is elite, but the stupendous goals in this matchup - both MacKinnon's breakaway burst and undressing of Ryan Donato in Game 3 come to mind - largely belong to the Avalanche. Conjuring highlights is their domain. Taking greater care of the puck would limit glorious chances against and help spring Colorado's stars up ice.Can Georgiev shut the door? Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesLast spring, Darcy Kuemper's .902 postseason save percentage was high enough for him to win the Stanley Cup. He saved minus-7.29 goals above expected in the playoffs, per Evolving-Hockey. Injured in multiple rounds, Kuemper ceded the net at points to backup Pavel Francouz. Colorado was the rare champion that never needed its starting goalie to dominate.Signed to succeed Kuemper, Georgiev's save percentage has slipped from .919 over 62 regular-season starts to .908 so far against the Kraken.That said, he's been dependable at key junctures. Georgiev thwarted Yanni Gourde's breakaway attempt and Eberle's odd-man chance in Game 2 with huge pad saves, keeping the Avalanche afloat when they trailed in the series. He stoned McCann in Game 4 a beat before Makar rammed the Kraken forward into the boards. Georgiev saved 29 consecutive shots and denied 40 overall before Eberle struck in sudden death.Philipp Grubauer's .895 save percentage this season was poor, but the Kraken netminder has experience shining in the clutch. Grubauer foiled shots at a .920 rate over 29 playoff starts for Colorado from 2019-21. Georgiev was the busier and better goalie on Monday, a silver lining he'll have to duplicate to submerge Seattle.Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar will sit out one playoff game for his hit on Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday.McCann exited Game 4 and didn't return after Makar interfered with him.Makar was initially assessed a five-minute major, but it was reduced to a two-minute minor for interference after review. McCann needed help leaving the ice.Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol said postgame that McCann won't play in Game 5 and could be out longer. The bench boss described the hit as "really late (with) no puck in play" despite the officials contradicting him on the latter point.

Are we having fun yet? Or is that just the feeling of exhaustion after eight nights' worth of mayhem in the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Each series has gone four games, and no one's been eliminated. We've hit a point in the first round where series positions have been established, so moneyline bets or in-series adds aren't often necessary. Nevertheless, we'll take a quick look at each series to dissect what to expect when it comes to closing time.Islanders (+800) @ Hurricanes (-1600)Even-strength numbersTEAMxGHDCHDGIslanders10.75483Hurricanes8.13364Let's start with a public service announcement: For a series where the underdog has to run the table, just roll over the moneylines.Here's what rolling over moneylines looks like for the Islanders on a $10 bet with lines of +140 in Game 5, -110 in Game 6, and +130 in Game 7:

The Florida Panthers will have some reinforcements when they try to stave off elimination Wednesday night.Aaron Ekblad and Anthony Duclair will play in Game 5 of the Panthers' first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins, Florida head coach Paul Maurice said Tuesday.Ekblad sat out Sunday's Game 4, which the Bruins won 6-2 to take a 3-1 series lead. The defenseman was hurt when he collided with Boston blue-liner Charlie McAvoy in Game 3.The 27-year-old produced 14 goals and 24 assists over 74 games while averaging over 23 minutes of ice time during the regular season.Duclair played the first three contests in the series but was a late scratch for the fourth with an undisclosed injury. The forward, who's also 27, collected two goals and seven assists across 20 games in 2022-23.The Bruins will host Game 5 on Wednesday night.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Maple Leafs' first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning hasn't been a Picasso painting. Yet they lead 3-1 after storming back from a three-goal third-period deficit Monday to win Game 4 in overtime, 5-4. Game 5 is Thursday in Toronto, and here's what the Leafs must do to eliminate the Lightning and advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2004.Win goalie battle Kevin Sousa / Getty ImagesStunning stat alert: In the previous six playoff series of the Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner era, Toronto entered a game holding a series lead 10 times. How many of those games did they win? Not four. Not two. One.Monday's roller coaster - a soul-crushing first 40 minutes for Leafs fans followed by a fist-pumping third period and overtime - improved that record to 2-9. And superstars Matthews and Marner were the comeback's catalysts.Both did what they do best. All-world sniper Matthews scored twice over a three-minute span in the third, and all-world distributor Marner earned the primary assists on Matthews' first goal and Morgan Rielly's tying marker.Similar to what peers Leon Draisaitl and Nathan MacKinnon accomplished days earlier, Matthews put forth the kind of MVP-caliber performance expected of an MVP-caliber player. On top of the clutch goals, Matthews racked up nine scoring chances, 10 shot attempts (seven on goal), three blocked shots, and three hits in 25:40, according to Natural Stat Trick. Mike Carlson / Getty ImagesMoving forward, and this is obvious: Matthews - who leads the series in shots on goal and scoring chances - and Marner - the league's top playoff scorer - must continue to outduel Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Lightning goalie has been shaky so far: his .856 save percentage ranks 15th out of 15 goalies to appear in at least three playoff games.Now, that's easier said than done against the 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy winner. Vasilevskiy, on a GOAT-tier trajectory, has risen to the occasion more often and with greater effect than any goalie since Hall of Famer Patrick Roy. Everyone's wondering: Does the Russian have another "Vasi game" in the tank?Let's also not forget that the Lightning's pair of superstar forwards - Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov - are also playoff beasts, both in the past and in this series (despite middling production). They're not going to roll over, especially not after a disastrous collapse at home. Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov has more or less held his own so far, but Toronto of all teams knows that win No. 4 in a playoff series is the most difficult to secure. The heat will be turned up.Double down on set plays Mark LoMoglio / Getty ImagesThe energy is palpable in the playoffs. Every inch of ice is fiercely contested. Every shift builds or kills momentum. Every mistake is magnified.In this series, the faceoff circle has become a point of leverage for the Leafs and point of frustration for the Lightning. Toronto owns the slight edge in faceoff wins (130-121), which is nice but not quite a separator. What's elevating the Leafs is their elite execution immediately following faceoff wins.Five goals have been scored a few seconds after a draw in the series - four by Toronto, a whopping 21% of the club's entire playoff goal tally. Tampa has notably failed to contain Rielly during these quick-action moments. The Leafs blue-liner has scored twice (Game 3's winner, Game 4's game-tying goal) and recorded the primary assist on the others (first two goals of Game 2). His skating and decisiveness with the puck have been exemplary. Mark Blinch / Getty ImagesToronto need to double down on these set plays. And why not? The opening four games have proven they're a reliable way to expose a team that's icing a depleted and inexperienced defense corps, and playing a goalie who's prone to whiffing on shots fired from the sideboards, high slot, or point.In the regular season, Vasilevskiy had the 13th-furthest average goal distance (21.1 feet) among 45 goalies who logged 1,500 minutes. In the playoffs, he's had the fourth-furthest distance (24.3 feet) among 15 qualified goalies.As for Tampa's edge in the Xs and Os, it has for the most part controlled the neutral zone. Defensively, the Lightning have flashed better gap control and puck support. Offensively, they've been unafraid to unleash a stretch pass or high flip to bypass Toronto's neutral-zone defense. The former approach led to goals by Ross Colton (Game 1) and Alex Killorn (Game 4).End late-period nonsenseIt's borderline remarkable Toronto finds itself in the driver's seat given how often it has been outplayed for long stretches - even full periods and games.The pessimistic way to look at it: All of that mediocrity will catch up to the Leafs in Game 5 and the downward spiral to an early offseason - and another collapse - will begin. The optimistic angle: Toronto and its fans can for once believe in a happy ending, because this series is over if the Leafs' best effort is yet to come. Mike Carlson / Getty ImagesHowever, for that best effort to materialize, defenseman Justin Holl must be either removed from the lineup or have his minutes slashed. Holl's been a liability all series - and there's no legitimate argument against that statement, despite Holl's much-talked-about role on the penalty kill. The numbers don't lie: Tampa's outscored Toronto 11-2 in Holl's 80 minutes. Let that sink in: 11-2, including a 5-0 run on special teams, and a 6-2 Tampa edge at five-on-five.Holl's main issues - breaking the puck out and covering opponents in front of the net - have been magnified in key moments. Tampa's scored five goals in the final two minutes of a period and Holl's been on the ice for four of them, usually caught doing something ineffective in the process.Holl doesn't deserve all of the blame, of course. As a team, Toronto must stop the late nonsense and safely close out periods. Every minute of the game is important, yet end-of-period playoff goals seem to offer one team a significant mental boost.Timothy Liljegren, another right-handed defenseman, has watched the series from the press box. While tossing Liljegren into Game 5 cold would be risky, it's probably a better alternative to the status quo. Holl's sample is no long tiny.More of the same from 'The Factor' Kevin Sousa / Getty ImagesIf there was a mid-series MVP trophy, it likely wouldn't be going to Rielly or Marner or Matthews. No, Ryan O'Reilly has been the Leafs' rock.When the Leafs were down 3-0 in Game 1, O'Reilly - the unshakable veteran - scored to kickstart a mini comeback. When Toronto was down 3-2 late in Game 3, O'Reilly - the steady hand - scored to send the game to OT. When the Leafs were down 2-0 in Game 4, O'Reilly - the defensive genius - stripped Kucherov of the puck and Toronto buried a goal moments later.All of O'Reilly's seven points have been integral to Toronto's success. But those contributions are also just the tip of the iceberg for a player nicknamed "The Factor," who relishes the high-pressure, detail-oriented postseason environment. Mark LoMoglio / Getty ImagesO'Reilly, 32, may be lumbering, but he takes immaculate routes, deploys his stick at the perfect time, and is a nightmare to go head-to-head with along the boards and in the corners. In a lot of ways, O'Reilly, a former winner of the Selke and Conn Smythe trophies, is a Patrice Bergeron Lite - so dependable.An offshoot of O'Reilly's brilliance has been the emergence of Matthew Knies. The fresh-out-of-college winger deserves a ton of credit for jumping on a moving train and solidifying his spot in the lineup. (One of Sam Lafferty or Zach Aston-Reese will likely come out upon Michael Bunting's expected return in Game 5 after serving a three-game suspension.) But there's also no denying the influence of O'Reilly, Knies' center, on the youngster's success.Toronto acquired O'Reilly before the trade deadline for these very reasons. The veteran has met - and arguably exceeded - all expectations. His next test will be calming the hysteria in Game 5, because Tampa, a proud group that's made three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final, will no doubt do everything it can to stay alive.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Monday night was a good one on the ice. We came out on top in two of three featured plays, including our underdog play on the Devils at +130.We'll look to keep the momentum going with three plays for Tuesday's three-game slate.Islanders (+135) @ Hurricanes (-155)The Hurricanes are a better team than the Islanders and a good bet to win the series. But it's hard to get behind them at this price.With no Max Pacioretty, Andrei Svechnikov, Teuvo Teravainen, or - potentially - Jack Drury, this Carolina team has been decimated on the wing. There isn't much scoring pop left in the lineup.Those absences have also taken a healthy bite out of the Hurricanes' ability to drive play. Despite trailing 3-1 in the series, the Islanders have both outchanced and outscored Carolina at five-on-five.New York has hung in extremely well against one of the NHL's most consistently dominant even-strength teams - it just hasn't been able to slow the Hurricanes' power play.Carolina has scored five power-play goals over four games, while the Islanders have found the back of the net just once with the man advantage (and conceded a shorthanded goal).While the Hurricanes deserve credit for that, it seems unlikely they can rely as heavily on the power play in Game 5.For one, the Islanders ranked ninth in power-play goals against per minute and third in shorthanded save percentage during the regular season. They're normally adept at killing penalties, and it will be shocking if Ilya Sorokin continues to let the Hurricanes score on 25% of their power-play shots.This is an elimination game for New York. That means - rightly or wrongly - the refs are likely to tuck the whistles away as much as possible. Given the way the special-teams battle has gone for the Islanders thus far, that should work in their favor.This should be a close and sweaty game. At +135, there's value on New York to pull it out.Bet: Islanders (+135)Miro Heiskanen over 2.5 shots (-110)Heiskanen is one of the best volume shooting defensemen in the NHL. He does his best work on home ice, coming through in 27 of the Stars' 41 games at American Airlines Center this season. That's an impressive 66% hit rate.Heiskanen recorded three shots or more in each of Dallas' first two games against the Wild. He failed to do so in two outings at Minnesota's Xcel Energy Center, though the venue is notably stingy when it comes to handing out shots.Expect Heiskanen to get back on track Tuesday night in Dallas. His volume is consistently higher at home - he averages 1.3 more attempts than he does on the road - and he should get all the ice time he can handle in this massive swing game.If Dallas loses tonight, the Wild return home with a chance to close out the series in their own building. Expect the Stars to ride their stars in an effort to take control of this series.Adrian Kempe over 3.5 shots (-115)Kempe's shot volume has been remarkably good through the Kings' first four games against the Oilers. He's attempted 39 shots, tying him with Nathan MacKinnon for the playoff lead.That volume has translated to success in the shot prop market. Kempe has hit in three of four games thus far, coming just one short last time out.It wasn't for a lack of trying. Kempe attempted seven shots despite only getting two minutes of work on the power play; he had at least four minutes in each of the three previous games. Had one of his four misses hit the target, he'd be looking at a clean 4-0 record.Kempe hit in each of the first two games at Edmonton's Rogers Place, recording 10 shot attempts or more in both affairs. Expect another productive effort tonight.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Laurent Brossoit says he had a little extra motivation when the fans of the opposing team - and his former club - tried to get under his skin Monday night.The Vegas Golden Knights goaltender got the last laugh after fans at Winnipeg's Canada Life Centre derisively serenaded the ex-Jets netminder with his name and chants of "You're a backup."Brossoit stopped 24 of 26 shots in a 4-2 victory that gave Vegas a 3-1 series lead and pushed Winnipeg to the brink of elimination in their first-round playoff series."Oh yeah, I could hear them," Broissoit said postgame. "Honestly, it's just fuel. When you have that many people chanting your name, whether it's positive or negative, it's fuel."

The Winnipeg Jets were dealt another significant blow during their 4-2 Game 4 loss Monday, as Mark Scheifele was forced to leave with an upper-body injury.Scheifele exited following a shot attempt during a first-period power play and did not return.

The Vegas Golden Knights took a 3-1 series lead over the Winnipeg Jets with a 4-2 victory in Game 4 on Monday.It's the third straight victory for the Golden Knights after they dropped Game 1.Vegas got goals from Brett Howden (twice, including an empty-netter), William Karlsson, and Ivan Barbashev to seal the win. Former Jet Laurent Brossoit stopped 24 of 26 shots.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are one win away from the second round.After a remarkable third period in which the Maple Leafs came back from a 4-1 deficit, Alexander Kerfoot deflected Mark Giordano's shot on the power play to end overtime.

The New York Rangers were dealt a tremendous opportunity to put the New Jersey Devils on the brink of elimination after winning the first two games on the road, but following back-to-back home losses, the two sides are all square.Head coach Gerard Gallant was not pleased with his club's effort to put a stranglehold on the series in Monday's Game 4 loss."Not good enough," Gallant said postgame. "Not even close to good enough."He added: "We didn't show up. We didn't play hard enough. We didn't compete hard enough. All we did was yap at the linesmen for getting thrown out of the faceoffs. Lot of bad things tonight."Gallant was particularly upset with the effort from some of his wingers in the neutral zone."Tonight, weak-side winger was a little bit lazy, staying on the other side of the ice to watch the play instead of supporting it," Gallant said. "How many times did you see us whipping pucks across and them picking them off in the middle? Just the old recipe when you look like you're tired or lazy, that's what happens."Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck, who scored New York's lone goal in the 3-1 loss, lamented the team's struggles while noting it was a tough sledding for both teams."I think they had a hard time getting into our end as well," Trocheck said. "A lot of play in the neutral zone. It's playoff hockey. It's clogged up out there."The Rangers and Devils each recorded 23 shots, but New Jersey registered more quality chances, controlling 66.2% of the expected goals at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick."We have to do a better job of getting to the middle of the ice and getting more pucks on net," Rangers captain Jacob Trouba added.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames signed forward Walker Duehr to a two-year contract extension, the team announced Monday.The deal is one-way and has an average annual value of $825,000. Duehr will require waivers to be sent down beginning next season.After an eight-game stint with the Flames in January, Duehr was called up to the NHL for the remainder of the campaign in February. The 25-year-old appeared in 10 of Calgary's final 11 games. He finished his rookie season with seven goals and 11 points in 27 NHL games while playing 10:12 per game.The South Dakota native became the first player born in the state to score in the NHL on Jan. 12 against the St. Louis Blues.Calgary originally inked Duehr to a two-year entry-level contract in 2021 as an NCAA free agent out of Minnesota State-Mankato. He was set to become a restricted free agent this summer.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jack Campbell appreciated getting an opportunity to enter the crease as his Edmonton Oilers rallied to defeat the Los Angeles Kings in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series Sunday night.Campbell came on in relief of Stuart Skinner, who allowed three goals on 11 shots before getting the hook after 20 minutes in Edmonton's 5-4 overtime victory."It's a nice win, nice to get a shot, and (I'm) just happy for the guys," Campbell said postgame. "Stu's been playing great when he's been in there. We had a tough first (period), but everybody bounced back, and (it) feels good."The Kings stormed out to a 3-0 lead after the opening frame, but the Oilers responded with three goals of their own in the second. Los Angeles defenseman Matt Roy gave his team a 4-3 lead early in the third period, but Evander Kane tied it late in regulation before Zach Hyman won it in overtime to even the series at two games apiece.Oilers star Leon Draisaitl scored two of the three goals in the second period, finding the back of the net twice in a span of just over 10 minutes. He's been on the ice for all 14 goals Edmonton has scored in the series. The German forward praised Campbell's performance postgame."Really, really good," Draisaitl said. "Not an easy situation, (it) hasn't been an easy year for him. But the way he showed up (Sunday night) was really, really great, and we're very fortunate to have him."Campbell turned aside all but one of 28 shots after entering the contest. The 31-year-old was outplayed by Skinner during the regular season, but the younger netminder has been a bit inconsistent in these playoffs, going 1-2 with an .881 save percentage in four games.Skinner had grabbed Edmonton's No. 1 job from Campbell and held it for the balance of the regular season. Skinner provided stability in goal for the Oilers in what was technically his rookie campaign, posting a .914 save percentage in 50 regular-season games.Campbell was expected to be the unquestioned starter heading into the season because the Oilers signed him to a five-year, $25-million deal as a free agent last July. But the veteran was uneven out of the gate and ultimately posted a paltry .888 save percentage over 36 games - his worst mark in any season in which he played more than a single game - before these playoffs.Game 5 of the series is scheduled for Tuesday night in Edmonton.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Justin Braun called it a career Monday after playing more than a decade in the NHL.The 36-year-old defenseman suited up for 13 seasons in the league, including nine with the San Jose Sharks, who traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers in June 2019.Braun spent parts of four campaigns with the Flyers in two separate stints, rejoining them for his final season in 2022-23 after Philadelphia dealt him to the New York Rangers at last season's trade deadline.The Minnesota-born blue-liner was known more for his defensive play than his offensive production, topping out at a career-high 33 points with the Sharks in 2017-18. He was part of playoff runs with San Jose, Philadelphia, and New York, helping the Sharks reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2016.Braun collected 34 goals and 165 assists over 842 regular-season games. He also played 119 postseason contests, including 84 with the Sharks. San Jose drafted him 201st overall in the seventh round in 2007.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We finished last week on a high note, backing the Islanders to take Game 3 while splitting player props.We'll set our sights higher and aim for a 3-0 night with three plays for Monday's slate of games.Devils (+130) @ Rangers (-150)The Devils were able to grind out a crucial overtime win in Game 3. While there didn't appear to be much separating the two, the Devils quietly took over at five-on-five.With the aid of overtime, a whopping 56 minutes was played at full strength. New Jersey won the high-danger chance battle 15-5 in those minutes.The Devils did a much better job of generating offense off the rush and using their team speed. Akira Schmid also gave them a much-needed boost in goal, coming up with plenty of big stops when needed.In aggregate, the Devils have controlled more than 55% of the expected goal share at five-on-five. The Avalanche are the only other playoff team that can say that.The problem is they've scored on 1.47% of their shots in that game state, while the Rangers have converted on close to 10%.As good as Igor Shesterkin is, he's not going to continue stopping 98.5 of every 100 shots at five-on-five.People forget the Devils went 3-0-1 against the Rangers during the regular season and had much better underlying numbers - head-to-head and over the course of the year.The Rangers closed -110 in their last home game against the Devils during the regular campaign. I think we have seen way too big of an adjustment made through three games in this series.Back the Devils to even things up.Bet: Devils (+130)Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (+105)Kucherov is very consistent on home ice. He has recorded four shots or more in 57% of his home games this year, a stark contrast from his 33% success rate on the road.He's been teeing off in the series thus far, leading the Lightning with 28 shot attempts through three games. Nobody else on the roster has even reached 20.Kucherov hit his total in two of the first three playoff games, coming one short in the lone exception. That was the game the Maple Leafs recorded a blowout win, and Kucherov's ice time was cut accordingly.Given what we've seen all year, it should be no surprise Kucherov had his best game in Tampa Bay. He piled up 13 attempts and six shots on goal in Game 3.With the Lightning in desperate need of a win - going down 3-1 heading back to Toronto would be less than ideal - I think they'll be spoon-feeding their star winger all the ice he can handle in Game 4.Expect him to take advantage.Mitch Marner over 2.5 shots (-120)Marner has enjoyed a lot of shooting success versus the Lightning this season. He has averaged 7.4 shot attempts through five head-to-head meetings and recorded three shots or more in four of them.Five attempts was the lowest output from Marner in any game against the Lightning. That's sort of a key number for him in terms of finding success shooting the puck.Playoffs included, Marner has recorded five attempts or more on 45 different occasions this year. He went over his shot prop in 30 of them, good for a healthy 67% success rate.Marner plays a ton in all situations, and this is a big swing game for the series. With a win, the Maple Leafs can put the Lightning in an extremely bad spot. With a loss, it's back to square one.So long as this contest is remotely close, Marner should log a huge workload - likely 22-plus minutes. That should be more than enough time to get the job done.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers rebounded on the road Sunday, erasing a large deficit to stun the Los Angeles Kings 5-4 in overtime and tie their first-round playoff clash at two wins apiece. The series is a best-of-three now, and the answers to these Oilers-centric questions will decide which team prevails.Will Hyman, Kane, RNH step up again? Andrew Bernstein / NHL / Getty ImagesBesides Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, five Oilers players have fired the puck past Joonas Korpisalo in the series. Evan Bouchard, Klim Kostin, and Derek Ryan all got on the board before Game 4, during which Zach Hyman saved Edmonton from facing elimination and Evander Kane resembled the shooter who menaced the Kings a year ago.Upstaging Jonathan Quick, Korpisalo's predecessor in the L.A. net, Kane potted seven goals in the Oilers' Round 1 triumph in 2022. Hyman scored twice in that series and added nine tallies over the rest of Edmonton's playoff run. This year, Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins both obliterated their previous season highs in goals and assists.Quieted for a few games, the stars of Edmonton's supporting cast finally broke out Sunday. Nugent-Hopkins fed Draisaitl in the slot to set up his power-play goal. Kane's equalizer in the third period exposed Korpisalo's glove hand. The Kings outchanced the Oilers 18-10 in Hyman's five-on-five shifts, per Natural Stat Trick, but Bouchard's pinpoint outlet pass in overtime sprung him to beat Korpisalo through the goalie's blocking arm.It's vital they keep producing. L.A.'s Adrian Kempe (three goals in the series) remains an Edmonton killer. Alex Iafallo, Gabriel Vilardi, and Trevor Moore have provided additional scoring. Viktor Arvidsson has dished four assists, all of them in clutch moments. By supporting Anze Kopitar, the Kings' offensive fulcrum, these players compensated for the absence of point-per-night dynamo Kevin Fiala through the first three games.Can Oilers triumph on special teams? Andrew Bernstein / NHL / Getty ImagesEdmonton's record-setting power play paces the playoffs in efficiency. The Oilers have scored on six of 11 chances throughout the series (54.5%), dwarfing their own 32.4% regular-season conversion rate that made NHL history. Bouchard's bomb from the point and Draisaitl's short-side snipe keyed Edmonton's three-goal comeback Sunday.L.A.'s power play has clicked on five of 17 attempts (29.4%). Avoidable stick infractions have put Edmonton a man down before every crushing goal the Kings have scored, including the tying tallies in Games 1 and 3 and each of L.A.'s subsequent overtime game-winners. Draisaitl might regret slashing Drew Doughty during a goal celebration if the Oilers don't advance.The Kings are equipped for this battleground. Their power play ranked fourth in the NHL this season. Only six teams league-wide drew more penalties. Arvidsson's seam passes have eluded Oilers sticks and caused trouble throughout the series for Stuart Skinner, who yielded the net to Jack Campbell in Sunday's first intermission after Kopitar deked him during five-on-four play.If Edmonton is to pull ahead, leveling the penalty differential is imperative. McDavid has drawn a series-high three minors, and he's done damage when L.A. visits the sin bin: Both of his goals came on the power play 100 seconds apart in Game 3 when he ripped wristers past Korpisalo from the left faceoff circle.Will McDavid burn L.A.'s defense? Harry How / Getty ImagesA lot of the offense McDavid creates stems from his charges into the offensive zone. Handling the puck on a string, the Oilers captain dangles defenders at top speed to create space to score. To emerge unscathed from those terrifying sequences, a team has to get sticks and bodies - ideally five at a time - in his way.The opposing goalie is the last line of defense. Korpisalo, whose save percentage for the series remains solid at .918, has denied all 11 of McDavid's shots at even strength. Some were tuck-in attempts off solo rushes that would have expanded McDavid's highlight reel.Poised and fleet of foot, the Kings' defensemen have mostly stayed in sync with each other and in front of McDavid when he pressures them in transition. The notable exception was Mikey Anderson clutching him to avoid embarrassment in Game 1. Kempe and Kopitar also slipped up late in regulation of Game 4, letting McDavid gain the zone and sneak the puck through their sticks to facilitate Kane's equalizer.McDavid's 30:22 of ice time on Sunday led the team and was his highest mark this season. Edmonton has effectively played with 10 forwards in back-to-back games, scratching one more than usual and benching Kostin for prolonged stretches. For the first time in the series, head coach Jay Woodcroft deployed McDavid with Draisaitl throughout Game 4, and the Oilers outscored the Kings 3-0 during their shared five-on-five minutes.Can Edmonton sustain a lead? Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesNo lead is safe in this series.The Oilers bagged two rapid goals to open Game 1 but failed to preserve the advantage and fell short in OT. Edmonton squandered another 2-0 edge in Game 2 before Kostin's third-period winner made the difference. Game 3, the first contest to see the Kings hold a lead, went back and forth until Moore struck in sudden death. The clubs exchanged three-goal periods in Game 4 to set the stage for Hyman's heroics.Like most teams, the Oilers rarely lose when they score first (32-8-4 in the regular season for a .773 points percentage) or lead entering the third frame (34-1-5, .913). They ranked first in the NHL in both first-period goals (1.12 per game) and second-period tallies (1.56 per game). Controlling the game from wire to wire, as they're capable of doing, reduces angst and demoralizes the opponent.Composed and dogged, the Kings don't fret when they start slow, trail late, or lose a lead at any point. Coolheadedness helped them rally to tie the opener, tighten up in Game 3 following McDavid's power-play eruption, and score in two of three overtime sessions.The Oilers laughed last on Sunday. If they net the icebreaker in Game 5, maybe they'll maintain the lead this time and push L.A. to the brink.Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers looked a little different during their 6-2 Game 4 loss against the Boston Bruins on Sunday.Aaron Ekblad was scratched due to injury. The defenseman was hurt while colliding with Bruins blue-liner Charlie McAvoy in Game 3.Panthers head coach Paul Maurice told reporters Saturday that Ekblad was "feeling much better" before listing him as a game-time decision.Meanwhile, Sergei Bobrovsky got the nod in goal for the Panthers. The veteran netminder didn't start the first three games of the series, but he replaced starter Alex Lyon in Game 3, which Florida lost 4-2 to trail 2-1 in the first-round playoff series.Bobrovsky allowed five goals on 30 shots for an .833 save percentage Sunday afternoon.Florida turned to Lyon over the last few weeks of the regular season. The 30-year-old posted a 9-4-2 record with a .914 save percentage and 2.89 goals against average.Bobrovsky's last start prior to Game 4 came on March 27, when he allowed four goals on 26 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators.Maurice explained his decision to switch goalies after Sunday's defeat."Alex has run long and hard, and there's mental and physical fatigue that comes with that. … (We) wanted to put the freshest goalie in net tonight," he said, per Bally Sports Florida's Katie Engleson.Bobrovsky owned a .901 clip and 3.07 goals against average in 50 appearances during the regular season. The veteran netminder has an all-time record of 17-30 in the playoffs.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings are getting star forward Kevin Fiala back in the lineup for Sunday's Game 4 of their opening-round matchup against the Edmonton Oilers.A lower-body injury had sidelined Fiala since April 1, with the winger sitting out the final six contests of the Kings' regular season and the first three playoff games.He also missed time in March following a knee-on-knee collision with Colorado Avalanche forward Andrew Cogliano.Fiala represented Los Angeles at the All-Star Game in February. He ranked second on the team with 72 points (23 goals, 49 assists) in 69 regular-season games.He's amassed nine goals and six assists in 35 career playoff contests as a member of the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild.This is Fiala's first season in Los Angeles after the Kings acquired him from the Wild in the offseason for defenseman Brock Faber and a first-round pick. He signed a seven-year, $55.125-million extension shortly after the swap.Los Angeles currently holds a 2-1 series lead over the Oilers.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After dropping Sunday's Game 4 to the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders forward Bo Horvat is determined to prove he has more to give with his team on the brink of elimination."I think I can be a lot better, to be honest with you," he told reporters following the 5-2 defeat that gave Carolina a 3-1 series lead. "I think I'm doing a lot of good things away from the puck and winning my faceoffs and doing all that kind of stuff, but at the end of the day, I've gotta find ways to score big goals or get on the scoresheet not in a 5-1 game or 5-2 game."I've gotta find ways to make it meaningful. I've gotta be better."Horvat scored a shorthanded tally with just over two minutes remaining in the contest, but the damage had already been done as the Hurricanes held onto their three-goal lead to close out the rest of the game.The goal marked Horvat's first point in these playoffs. The 28-year-old has won a team-high 55% of his faceoffs and is a plus-2 through the series while averaging 19:38 of ice time.This is Horvat's third appearance in the postseason. He made it as a member of the Vancouver Canucks in 2015 and 2020, pitching in 16 points in 23 games across those two runs.Horvat enjoyed a career year in the 2022-23 regular season, potting 38 goals and 70 points in 79 games with the Canucks and Islanders. However, his production dipped once New York acquired him from Vancouver in late January in exchange for forwards Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty, and a conditional first-round pick:TeamGPGPP/GPCanucks4931541.10Islanders307160.53The Islanders signed him to an eight-year, $68-million extension shortly after bringing him into the fold.Horvat has advanced past the first round of the playoffs only once in his career, and the Islanders need to take Tuesday's Game 5 in Raleigh for him to get a chance at another taste."We gotta play desperate. I mean, at the end of the day, it's win or go home, you're done," Horvat said. "We gotta play with that mindset and play smart about it and be ready to go here in a couple days."Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper wasn't as animated postgame as he was in the immediate aftermath of a disallowed goal that would've given his club a 4-2 lead in an eventual overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.But he appeared to be just as baffled about the referee blowing the play dead."I have zero idea why he blew the whistle," Cooper said after a 4-3 defeat in Game 3 of the first-round playoff series. "It was shocking. The entire building - there (were) 20,000 people - saw (the puck) was sitting right there. What I don't get is I don't know what the ref had to gain by blowing the whistle."Late in the second period, Maple Leafs defenseman T.J. Brodie tried to clear the puck out of his team's defensive zone from behind the net. His attempt deflected off Lightning forward Brayden Point in front before the attacking player forced it in. However, the goal was immediately nullified on the blown whistle.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman returned to the lineup for a 4-3 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 3 on Saturday.The star blue-liner missed Game 2 and the final two periods of Game 1 after suffering an undisclosed injury.With Hedman returning, Haydn Fleury exited the lineup. Erik Cernak remained out, though, so the Lightning went with the following defense pairs:LDRDVictor HedmanNick PerbixMikhail SergachevDarren RaddyshIan ColeZach BogosianHedman has been a Norris Trophy finalist in each of the last six seasons, winning the award in 2018. He's coming off a down year by his standards, though, as he recorded 49 points - his lowest since 2015-16 - in 76 regular-season games.The 6-foot-6 Swede has a knack for elevating his game in the playoffs. The 2020 Conn Smythe Trophy winner entered Saturday with 107 points in 156 career postseason contests.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chaos ensued in Game 3 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning as Steven Stamkos and Auston Matthews fought after Morgan Rielly crunched Brayden Point into the boards.Point appeared to be favoring his midsection and briefly exited the game before returning.Rielly was initially given a five-minute major for the hit, but the penalty was reduced after a review. He and Darren Raddysh were given two-minute offsetting roughing minors. Rielly said postgame that he thought the play was clean.Ryan O'Reilly and Nikita Kucherov were also given fighting majors. Kucherov was given an extra two minutes for going after Rielly immediately after the hit, giving the Leafs a power play.Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said postgame that the Lightning took advantage of the situation to take free shots at Matthews."The fight itself, that's a classic example of a veteran championship team like Tampa Bay manipulating the officials and taking advantage of the situation, right?," Keefe said, according to TSN's Chris Johnston."I mean, they know that we're basically already going on the power play because of the Kucherov situation, so it's a free-for-all. They can do whatever they want, and they just know the way the games get called, they're not going to get another penalty."Keefe argued that the Leafs could've received a five-on-three power play because Stamkos instigated the fight with Matthews."The official's literally holding Steven Stamkos with one arm, and his other hand with no glove on is punching Auston Matthews," Keefe continued. "Not the linesman; the referee who calls the penalty was holding Stamkos while this was happening. Credit to Tampa for recognizing the situation; it's a free pass to do what you want. Not only do they get out of it unscathed, but they take Matthews and O'Reilly with them to the box. Brilliant play by the Lightning there."The fight was the first of Matthews' career and the first scrap in NHL history between two 60-goal scorers."Papi's gonna stand his ground," Leafs captain John Tavares said, per Sportsnet's Luke Fox.Stamkos said the Leafs would've reacted similarly if one of their star players was on the ice in pain after a big hit."It's such a bang-bang play. You see one of the best players in the world go head first into the boards, there's gotta be a response," Stamkos told reporters postgame, per Bally Sports Sun. "I'd expect the same thing from their group if Mitch Marner or Matthews was in that same position."The Leafs ended up winning the game 4-3 to take a 2-1 series lead. O'Reilly tied it up with one minute left in regulation before Rielly scored the overtime winner.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Defenseman Josh Morrissey is out for the remainder of the Winnipeg Jets' first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights with a lower-body injury, head coach Rick Bowness confirmed, according to The Athletic's Murat Ates.Morrissey exited the Jets' Game 3 double-overtime loss after sustaining the injury. He played just 1:14 before leaving the game and didn't return to the contest.The 28-year-old appeared to sustain the injury in a collision with Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud.

The biggest story out of Los Angeles on Friday night wasn't Connor McDavid's two goals in under two minutes; it was a lengthy overtime review for a potential high stick.With the Kings on the power play in the extra frame, Los Angeles forward Gabriel Vilardi appeared to hit the puck overhead with a high stick. However, the play continued, with Vilardi setting up Trevor Moore in front of the Oilers' net to give the Kings a 3-2 win and a 2-1 series lead.Although McDavid raised his arm as Vilardi's apparent high stick went uncalled, a subsequent review by the league's situation room found no conclusive evidence that the puck made contact with Vilardi's stick above the normal height of his shoulders."The puck kinda goes up and it goes off his stick. So I call, 'High stick.' That's what I saw on the ice," McDavid recalled postgame. "Obviously, play goes on and they score. They have that review in place for a reason. I guess they determined they couldn't tell."Here's a closer look at the incident:

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will be a game-time decision for Game 4 after suffering an undisclosed injury Friday, head coach Paul Maurice announced Saturday, per NHL.com's Jameson Olive."He came back in feeling much better today, and we'll need another day like that," he said. "It's that time of the series. Everybody's going to have some game-time decisions."Ekblad participated in Saturday's optional practice in a regular jersey.He sustained the ailment after a collision with Boston Bruins blue-liner Charlie McAvoy during the Panthers' 4-2 Game 3 loss.

Eight Game 2s spread across two nights featured some good and some bad for our in-series plays after each opener, with the Panthers, Stars, and Maple Leafs bouncing back from losses whose underlying metrics suggested better results might be ahead.As series change sites this weekend, it's worth a closer look at the first segment of each series. We'll start in the Eastern Conference, with four more in the West.Bruins (-270) @ Panthers (+220)Game 3: Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET

Connor Bedard won't suit up for Team Canada at the upcoming 2023 IIHF World Championship, reports Sportsnet's Jeff Marek.The 17-year-old phenom was considered an option for Canada at the tournament, which begins May 12 in Latvia and Finland.Bedard is the consensus favorite to be selected first overall at the 2023 NHL Draft. He recorded 71 goals and 72 assists in 57 regular-season games with the WHL's Regina Pats this season. He added 20 points in seven playoff contests before the Pats were eliminated.The North Vancouver, British Columbia, product represented Canada at the world juniors this year, taking home MVP honors after registering 23 points in seven games en route to a gold medal.Bedard wouldn't have been the first top draft-eligible prospect to play for Canada at the World Championship. Owen Power was the most recent to do so in 2021.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This first-round series between the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars is getting spicy.Stars head coach Peter DeBoer took aim at Wild bench boss Dean Evason after he recently accused Dallas players of diving."There's a hockey term for that. It's called deflection," DeBoer said Friday prior to Game 3 of the tied series, per The Athletic's Joe Smith. "You know what, if I were coaching one of the most penalized teams in the league, I'd probably be doing the same thing. That's good coaching."Following the Stars' Game 2 win on Wednesday, DeBoer pointed out that the Wild were the sixth-most penalized squad during the regular season and Dallas was "ready for that." The Stars, meanwhile, were the sixth-least penalized team.Minnesota racked up 52 penalty minutes during its 7-3 loss, including four misconducts.Evason responded to DeBoer's remarks on Thursday."We felt that they had some bigger people probably go down pretty easy in that hockey game," he said, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo. "We've talked about this before, and it's a fine line because we don't dive. ... There's so many times I would love to go in there and go, 'You know what, guys? Let's embellish.'"I mean, you want to draw penalties because of how hard you're working and how gritty you are and whatever."The Stars have scored five power-play goals on 11 opportunities in the series, including three tallies in Game 2. The Wild, meanwhile, have converted twice on nine chances.Dallas has compiled 62 penalty minutes in the series, while Minnesota has taken 66.Puck drops on Game 3 in Minnesota at 9:30 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron didn't travel with the team to Florida but will "likely" make his series debut against the Panthers in Game 5, head coach Jim Montgomery said Friday.Game 5 is scheduled to take place Wednesday at TD Garden.In addition, Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark wasn't at practice Friday and is a game-time decision for Game 3 due to undisclosed reasons. The Vezina Trophy front-runner surrendered five goals on 29 shots Wednesday.Bergeron missed Game 1 due to an illness, and the Bruins overcame his absence en route to a 3-1 victory. He was also held out of Game 2's 6-3 defeat, but Montgomery said he was no longer sick.The captain exited after the first period of Boston's final game of the regular season - against the Montreal Canadiens - with an upper-body injury, but it was deemed precautionary at the time.Montgomery said Friday that he doesn't regret keeping Bergeron in the lineup for game No. 82 because the team wanted to use the last two contests to ramp up for the playoffs."We don't have any reservations about what we did. ... Life happens. Unfortunately, (he) tweaked something in that last game. Even with the hindsight, we would still do it exactly the same way."He added, "It was a well-thought-out plan."Bergeron was sidelined for the Bruins' first two games in April while dealing with some nagging injuries and missed four of Boston's final 10 regular-season contests.He ranked third on the team with 58 points (27 goals, 31 assists) in 78 regular-season games this campaign while winning 61.1% of his faceoffs. The five-time Selke Trophy winner has raked in 127 points over 167 playoff contests.The Bruins will look to reclaim their series lead in Sunrise at 7:30 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We've looked at the four series in the Eastern Conference as they shift within one time zone from Game 2 to Game 3. In the West, longer trips between new sites are on the docket as we take a closer look at the first segment of each series in preparation for this weekend.Stars (-150) @ Wild (+130)Friday, 9:30 p.m. ET

The Maple Leafs have life. Toronto followed up a woeful Game 1 performance against the Tampa Bay Lightning with a fantastic showing Thursday, taking Game 2 at Scotiabank Arena by a 7-2 final score. Here are three pivotal battlegrounds as the first-round series shifts to Tampa. Game 3 goes Saturday.Point line vs. Brodie-McCabe Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesStacked in the past, Tampa isn't overly deep up front after losing Ondrej Palat, Yanni Gourde, Barclay Goodrow, and Blake Coleman in recent offseasons.These hits to the secondary scoring ranks have put additional pressure on the club's premier forwards. Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, and Steven Stamkos tend to rise to the occasion, and they've done just that on the power play through two games, combining for three goals. Five-on-five action has been a different story, though, as Toronto's contained Tampa's top line.In 22 minutes together at five-on-five, Stamkos-Point-Kucherov has drawn even in goals (1-1) while trailing in shots on goal (15-11), total shot attempts (24-21), and high-danger attempts (8-2), according to Natural Stat Trick. Limiting them to this extent - minimized but not completely shut out - is a sizable victory being overshadowed by the extreme results of Games 1 and 2.Point and Kucherov were too cute with the puck Thursday, several times making an extra deke on a zone entry or taking forever to shoot the puck. It didn't help Tampa that Leafs defenseman T.J. Brodie, who had an uncharacteristically sloppy Game 1, returned to his nearly mistake-free form. Andrew Lahodynskyj / Getty ImagesIn Game 1, the Point line faced Brodie and Jake McCabe for roughly two-thirds of their five-on-five shifts while the Justin Holl-Mark Giordano pairing handled the rest. Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe line-matched harder in Game 2, getting his shutdown duo of Brodie-McCabe out for nearly all Point shifts.The David Kampf-centered fourth line also did a marvellous job Thursday against the Point line, even flipping the script by controlling play during a few shifts. Keefe must be over the moon about the Kampf line's body of work.Question No. 1 for Games 3 and 4: Will Lightning coach Jon Cooper use the home-team perk of last change to separate the Point line from Brodie-McCabe as much as possible? Is he ready to play chess against Keefe?Question No. 2: How hard will Cooper ride Point, Kucherov, and Stamkos - individually and as a group? Does he double-shift his best forwards here and there, upping their usage from 18-19 minutes a game to, say, 21-22?Point, 27, has bagged an NHL-high 32 goals over the past four postseasons. Kucherov, 29, has racked up 96 points, also a league high. They're clutch, two of the finest playoff performers of all time. And they won't settle for mediocrity.The faceoff circle Kevin Sousa / Getty ImagesThe series' faceoff numbers are nothing special. Toronto owns the slight edge, winning 67 of 127 total draws for a 52.8% success rate. Tampa, meanwhile, employs the top draw taker in Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who's won 14 of 22.Mind you, what's happened after the puck's been dropped has certainly influenced the final scores - especially in Game 2. The Leafs' first two goals Thursday immediately followed clean faceoff wins, with the puck crossing the Lightning's goal line seven and five seconds after it left the linesman's hand.Defenseman Morgan Rielly, a target of frustration within the Leafs fan base during a largely inconsistent and ineffective regular season, redeemed himself with a spectacular Game 2. Rielly orchestrated both quick-strike markers, then added two more helpers to bring his nightly primary assist total to four.Surrendering not one but two goals just seconds after losing the faceoff can deflate a team, even one of Tampa's caliber. The coaching staff and players are likely equally frustrated, and it's safe to assume countering Toronto's set plays will be a strong point of emphasis in video sessions ahead of Game 3. Michael Chisholm / Getty ImagesOne category in which Tampa was schooled in Game 2 and may not have an answer: Toronto's heavy forecheck and cycle game. Specifically, the work being done by two veterans in midseason pickup Ryan O'Reilly and captain John Tavares, who recorded his first playoff hat trick.Neither veteran is a burner. Neither is known to issue thunderous body checks. But O'Reilly and Tavares are supremely smart hockey players with the requisite size, strength, and craftiness to excel in puck battles along the side boards and in the corners. In Game 2, they consistently exposed the Lightning's depleted back end, leading to extended zone time for the Leafs.Normally, top-four guys Victor Hedman or Erik Cernak would be up to the challenge. However, with them currently sidelined, the likes of Haydn Fleury and Darren Raddysh are tasked with mucking it up with Tavares and O'Reilly in the forwards' favorite spots of the ice. It isn't going well for Tampa.The net-front areas Michael Chisholm / Getty ImagesOne of the stark differences between Games 1 and 2 was the way in which Toronto skaters acted in front of its own net and Tampa's net.The Leafs were passive in protecting the area closest to goalie Ilya Samsonov in the opener; in Game 2, they were assertive in clearing bodies and defended with layers. Toronto players didn't layer themselves in the area closest to Andrei Vasilevskiy in the opener; in Game 2, the Lightning goalie had to battle traffic.Samsonov, who told reporters he played like "shit" to begin the series, stopped 20 of 22 shots Thursday, most notably showing big gains in rebound control. Vasilevskiy, on the other hand, would like a few Game 2 goals back.On a forward-line level, Toronto's Kampf trio was a nightmare to skate against all game. Tampa's fourth line, led by 37-year-old Corey Perry, performed above expectations again in Game 2, but not to the same degree as Tuesday. Michael Chisholm / Getty ImagesOn an individual level, the insertion of Matthew Knies provided a nice boost to the Leafs. The rookie winger wasn't afraid to drive to the net with the puck, and he was reliable in his own end. Tanner Jeannot, inserted into the Lightning lineup, was conversely invisible. The only time Jeannot became the center of attention was when he fought Luke Schenn in a gong show of a third period.Tampa loves to screw with the opposition's psyche, whether it's Kucherov knocking Samsonov's stick out of his hands or Perry throwing his head back after an innocent post-whistle shove. If the Leafs plan on finally advancing past the first round, they can't allow Lightning players to toy with their emotions.And, in general, Toronto absolutely cannot afford to take its foot off the gas pedal in Game 3. That may seem obvious and ultimately unnecessary to say. But, despite a strong Game 2, this series is merely tied. It's far, far from over.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thursday night was a good one on the ice as we successfully backed the Maple Leafs to win in regulation and split our player props.We'll aim to build on that with three more plays for Friday's slate of games.Hurricanes (+100) @ Islanders (-120)The Islanders have dropped the first two games of the series but it's been air tight. Both games were decided by one goal, and it's not as if the Islanders were getting cratered in the chance department. Quite the contrary.New York has actually gotten the better of them thus far, at least at five-on-five.Their expected goal share sits above 50% and they've generated eight more high-danger scoring opportunities than they've conceded. They're largely playing well.The Hurricanes have simply been more clinical with their finishing and taken advantage of their chances, which has been the difference thus far.I am skeptical that will continue. For one, the Islanders have the better goaltender in Ilya Sorokin. He is generally going to fare much better than Antti Raanta if given similar workloads.Carolina is also losing scoring wingers like crazy. Max Pacioretty and Andrei Svechnikov were already sidelined heading into the series, and now Teuvo Teravainen is out for the foreseeable future.Scoring is going to be a very tough task for a Hurricanes team that has been laboring offensively.If the first two games are any indication, the Islanders should have at least a small edge at five-on-five. Throw in the better goaltender and a ruckus home crowd, and I like their chances of getting back into this series.Bet: Islanders (-115)Miro Heiskanen over 2.5 shots (-115)Heiskanen has been a shooting machine through the first two games of the series. He has attempted 20 shots, equalling Jason Robertson and slotting behind only Adrian Kempe, Nathan MacKinnon, Jack Hughes, and Cale Makar league-wide.The double overtime game absolutely helped prop up his totals, but Heiskanen's volume - and efficiency - would look good even had both games ended in regulation.Heiskanen has enjoyed a ton of success against the Wild. He has hit the over in five of six meetings this year and seven of nine dating back to last season.He has also shown the ability to consistently get the job done come playoff time, having hit in six of his past seven games. That's impressive considering he faced a high-seeded Flames team last year and is now going up against a defense-first Wild roster.Heiskanen will play a ton of minutes so long as the games are remotely close, which should be the case with Filip Gustavsson back in goal for Minnesota.Look for him to make the most of his ice time and get the job done once again.Adrian Kempe over 3.5 shots (+105)Nobody in the playoffs has registered more shot attempts than Kempe through two games. Nobody.The Kings' star sniper has been a man possessed thus far, using his speed to find open ice and frequently generating good looks despite getting the star treatment from the Oilers.I expect Kempe's shooting success to continue Friday night at home. With last change, the Kings can control the matchups a little more and get Kempe out in more advantageous situations.If Kempe could generate double-digit attempts in both games in Edmonton, it stands to reason he can have another strong shooting night in Los Angeles, where his shot volume was higher all season.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been a roller coaster of a season for Patrick Kane, who found himself donning another team's jersey for the first time after the Chicago Blackhawks traded him prior to the deadline.The 34-year-old may be rocking new threads, but he showed his usual playoff prowess, scoring his first postseason goal as a New York Ranger during Thursday's Game 2 victory over the New Jersey Devils."It's special," he said after the 5-1 decision that gave the Blueshirts a commanding 2-0 series lead. "It was obviously a tough decision, leaving Chicago, but I think these are the moments you leave and come to New York - for a situation like this, right?"You're on a good team, there's gonna be moments in the playoffs where you're called on to step up and try and produce. It was nice to do that tonight. Makes it all worth it."Kane is used to being called upon to deliver in big moments. He won three Stanley Cup championships and one Conn Smythe Trophy with the Blackhawks, and he has the fifth most playoff points among active players in the league:RankPlayerGPGP1Sidney Crosby180712012Evgeni Malkin177671803Nikita Kucherov138531574Alex Ovechkin147721415Patrick Kane13853136Kane last suited up for a playoff game in 2019-20, when the Blackhawks bested the Edmonton Oilers in the qualifying round before being ousted by the Vegas Golden Knights.With his playoff hiatus now behind him, Kane said he feels the same way that he always does in the postseason."There's nothing like playoff hockey, getting in there and scoring a playoff goal, just being part of the action," he said.Kane led the Rangers with three points during Game 2 and was pleased with his response after describing his performance during the series opener as "passive."New York was outshot and outchanced with Kane on the ice in Game 1, but it was a different story Thursday. The Rangers owned 57.9% of the shot attempts, 79.6% of the expected goals, and outshot the Devils 8-2 when the veteran winger was out there at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.Prior to Game 2, Kane hinted at what was to come."There's more that I have to give. People should expect more from me," Kane said following Wednesday's practice, per the New York Post's Larry Brooks. "I think there have been some good moments, but it hasn't really been as consistent yet."Next up for Kane is his first playoff game in Madison Square Garden as a Ranger on Saturday night.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It won't be easy for the New Jersey Devils to climb out of an 0-2 hole against the New York Rangers once their first-round series shifts to Madison Square Garden on Saturday, but head coach Lindy Ruff is keeping his spirits high."We talked about the way we started the year, going 0-2, and what we did after that," he told reporters Thursday after the Devils' second straight 5-1 loss to their Metropolitan Division rivals. "The team has always been up for an incredible challenge, and they're gonna battle to the bitter end."The Devils kicked off their historic 2022-23 campaign with back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings by a combined score of 10-4.New Jersey won three of its next four games before embarking on a 13-game win streak, which tied the 2000-01 Devils for the longest run in franchise history.The Devils ended a four-year playoff drought this campaign and set a new team record in wins (52) and points (112) while boasting one of the league's most potent offences with 289 goals for.Despite their regular-season success, the Devils have been limited to just two goals against the Rangers, neither of which have come at even strength.Star forward Jack Hughes only has one point in the series, which came on a penalty-shot tally in Game 1."We're not playing to our standard. It's biting us in the ass right now," he said. "We're frustrated, obviously, but it's a long series. We want to bounce back."He added, "We just got whacked for the second straight game. … We've got more opportunities, we've gotta go to the Garden and play a lot better."The Devils found more success on the road than in their own barn in the regular season:LocationRecordPointsP%GF/GPGA/GPHome24-13-452.6343.342.56Road28-9-460.7323.712.85"I've got a lot of faith in this team, I've got a lot of faith in the group," Ruff said. "They gave me everything they had the whole year. They're facing some veteran players that have been through wars."There was some frustration tonight, which comes along with not being in a battle like this, but this group has got a lot of heart. They've got a lot of desire."Puck drops on Game 3 on Saturday in the Big Apple at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Golden Knights bounced back at home Thursday, topping the Jets 5-2 to knot their first-round playoff series at a win apiece. Keep an eye on these seven important players when the matchup moves north for Games 3 and 4.Mark Stone Chris Unger / Getty ImagesThe downside of activating a star from long-term injury reserve as the playoffs begin, conveniently enabling his team to blow past the salary cap, is the player may need time to ramp up to his peak.Stone looked rusty in Game 1, his first appearance in three months following back surgery. He forced some giveaways, flashing his signature defensive skill, but Vegas was severely outplayed and got outscored 2-0 in his five-on-five shifts.Game 2 was different. Stone shone in the third period, firing a smart feed that led to Chandler Stephenson's winner before he drove the net and slipped open in the slot to pot a pair of insurance goals.Stone scored efficiently this season before he went under the knife. He ranked third on the Golden Knights in points per 60 minutes at five-on-five and almost cracked the top 50 league-wide. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Stone building on his Game 2 breakout in his hometown would be massive for Vegas.Pierre-Luc Dubois Jeff Bottari / NHL / Getty ImagesAdam Lowry's three goals lead the series, but it was Dubois who set the tone for Winnipeg's opening 5-1 win.The top-line center threw eight hits, saucered passes into scoring areas, and either set up or tallied the Jets' crucial first two goals in Game 1. Feeling himself, Dubois chirped Vegas goalie Laurent Brossoit as he left one celebration circle.The most noticeable Jet in the opener was quieter Thursday, though Dubois, Kyle Connor, and Mark Scheifele did create 11 of Winnipeg's 20 scoring chances at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick. The Jets owned the neutral zone in the first period and attacked with speed, enabling the Dubois line to pelt Brossoit with shots during the squad's finest spell of play.Dubois has been a beast in the playoffs before. Bullying the Maple Leafs in the 2020 bubble, he scored a hat trick in one memorable Blue Jackets win but entered this round mired in an 11-game playoff goal drought. Dubois oozes confidence when he's at his best, supplying the swagger the Jets lacked as they slid to eighth place in the Western Conference.Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault David Becker / NHL / Getty ImagesThe Golden Knights' offensive headliners personify the two phases of the franchise's growth. An original Golden Misfit, Marchessault's star turn in the 2017-18 expansion season helped Vegas knock off Winnipeg to reach the Stanley Cup Final. Eichel was a blockbuster trade addition brought in to make Vegas a perennial contender.Lacking urgency, Eichel posted poor shot metrics in Game 1, his career playoff debut. Marchessault produced a secondary assist but didn't put a shot on target. The agitated home crowd booed a futile late power-play attempt when Eichel and a few teammates cycled the puck aimlessly.Eichel awakened on Thursday. He scored on a dexterous tip, his drives to the net induced multiple penalty calls, and he rang a slapper off Connor Hellebuyck's mask that cut the goalie on the eyebrow.A dozen Vegas skaters netted 10-plus goals this season, but besides Reilly Smith, only Eichel and Marchessault bagged more than 20. It's vital they drive play when head coach Bruce Cassidy deploys them together.Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo Chris Unger / Getty ImagesMorrissey, Winnipeg's power-play conductor and most dynamic defenseman, scored 76 points out of the blue in 2022-23 to double his previous career high. DeMelo, the Jets' top pair's defensive conscience, helped tilt the ice (53.7% expected goals share) when he skated with Morrissey at five-on-five over the past two years.Steady in the series, they've only been on the ice for one Vegas goal apiece. Both defensemen have recorded an assist. Beautifying the little things, Morrissey dislodged pucks from sticks and completed short, savvy passes that sparked Jets breakouts, but he didn't bend either game in Vegas to his will.Vegas' defense corps is big, battle-tested, and fairly skilled. Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore earned downballot Norris Trophy votes in recent seasons. That Morrissey leveled up to vie for the award himself this year means he's capable of being this matchup's best blue-liner. Now's the time to make it happen.Connor Hellebuyck David Becker / NHL / Getty ImagesBack when Brossoit was Hellebuyck's teammate, he received all of 45 starts over his three seasons as the Jets’ backup goalie. Durable and dazzling, Hellebuyck denies his partners regular playing time and can win a series practically by himself.Hellebuyck’s .920 save percentage was fourth-best this season among NHL regulars, per Natural Stat Trick. However, his save percentage on the penalty kill (.884) was pedestrian and his save rate on high-danger shots (.828) ranked 28th league-wide.The Golden Knights need to exploit those vulnerabilities. They're 0-for-7 overall with the man advantage, but they lit up Hellebuyck in Game 2 by continually getting the puck to the goalmouth or other dangerous areas.Hellebuyck is credited with every postseason win in Jets franchise history. No Western Conference playoff goalie is as experienced or formidable. By the standings, the Jets entered this series as 16-point underdogs, but it won't feel that way if Hellebuyck rebounds to dominate on home ice.Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.