What’s On Tap
There are four games on the schedule Wednesday , Including the San Jose Sharks going for a sweep of the Anaheim Ducks:
Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVAS, NBCSP, ATTSN-PT)— Center Sean Couturier is a game-time decision for the Flyers, who are looking to rebound from a 5-1 loss in Game 3. Sidney Crosby, who has seven points (four goals, three assists) in the first three games of the series, is one point from tying Mario Lemieux for the Penguins playoff record of 172.
Tampa Bay Lightning and New Jersey Devils (8 p.m. ET; GOLF , SN, TVAS2, FS-F) — Cory Schneider will be back in goal for the Devils, who will try to even the best-of-7 series at 2-2. Lightning forward Tyler Johnson, who has three points (two goals, one assist) in the series, is questionable.
Nashville Predators at Colorado Avalanche (10 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS, ALT, FS-TN)— The Predators and Avalanche have combined for 24 goals in the first three games of their series, so look for plenty of goals in this one. Predators goalie Pekka Rinne, a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, was pulled from Game 3 after allowing four goals in 24:35.
Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; GOLF, SN1, TVAS2, NBCSCA, PRIME) — The Ducks will try to avoid becoming the second team from Southern California to be swept in the Western Conference First Round after the Los Angeles Kings were swept by the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.
Here are the scores from Tuesday:
Eastern Conference
Washington Capitals 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 2 (2OT)
Western Conference
Winnipeg Jets 2, Minnesota Wild 0
Vegas Golden Knights 1, Los Angeles Kings 0
What we learned
Here are some things we learned on Day 7 of the playoffs:
Holtby is back
Braden Holtby lost the starting goaltender job for the Washington Capitals after Philipp Grubauer outplayed him in the second half of the regular season. Grubauer started the first two games of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but Holtby replaced him after two periods in Game 2 and got the start in Game 3. Looking like the goaltender who won Vezina Trophy in 2016 and was a finalist last season, Holtby made 33 saves, including nine in the two overtime periods to help the Capitals to a 3-2 win. His .932 save percentage and 1.98 goals-against average in the Stanley Cup Playoffs are the best among active goaltenders with at least 20 appearances.
Video: WSH@CBJ, Gm3: Holtby stops Panarin’s backhander in OT
Panarin is one-man highlight show
OK, we knew that already, but Panarin provided plenty of reminders Tuesday. The Blue Jackets forward set up rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois‘ goal 11:18 into the second period that made it 1-1, then finished a dizzying passing play with Cam Atkinson on a 2-on-1 rush to make it 2-2 at 4:12 of the third period. Panarin brought the fans at Nationwide Arena out of their seats almost every time he touched the puck with dazzling rush after dazzling rush. He leads the Blue Jackets with seven points (two goals, five assists) in the first three games of the best-of-7 series.
Wild keep pushing
Minnesota had plenty of chances in its 2-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4 of the Western Conference First Round but couldn’t solve goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The shutout might give the impression the Wild were off, but they were pushing hard, even in the wake of a pair of serious injuries. Defenseman Ryan Suter was already out with a broken ankle and forward Zach Parise is week to week with a fractured sternum. Parise, who had scored in each of the first three games of the series, is a driver on his team, and that kind of energy and skill will be very difficult to replace.
Skating keyed rebound by Jets
Everything the Jets do is keyed by their skating and quickness, so when they came out with speed and moved the puck quickly early in Game 4, it was a strong sign they were playing at the tempo they used in victories in Games 1 and 2 at home. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck also bounced back. He’s been a resilient performer all season, and after being pulled from Game 3 after allowing six goals, he rebounded with a 30-save shutout.
Golden Knights win series with defense
We knew the Vegas Golden Knights were for real and could defeat the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference First Round. What we learned was that they could win a defensive battle. They were one of the best offensive teams in the NHL during the regular season (3.27 goals per game) but were going up against the best defensive team in the League (2.46 goals against per game). Vegas scored all of seven goals in four games but swept the Kings because it allowed three. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was brilliant, but his teammates used their speed to play a 200-foot game and got bodies and sticks in the passing and shooting lanes.
Video: #ThirstForTheCup: Vegas advances to Round Two
Championship memories fading for Kings
Los Angeles won the Stanley Cup in 2012, went to the Western Conference Final in 2013 and won the Cup again in 2014. Since then? They have won one playoff game. They missed the postseason in 2014-15, lost to the San Jose Sharks in five games in the Western Conference First Round in 2015-16, missed the playoffs in 2016-17 and were swept by the Golden Knights this season. The Kings improved under coach John Stevens, and top players Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick excelled. But they need more depth and scoring.
About last night
Three games were played Tuesday. Here is what happened:
Winnipeg Jets 2, Minnesota Wild 0 — Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for his first Stanley Cup Playoff shutout on the same day he was named one of three finalists for the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the NHL. Hellebuyck was pulled for the third period in Game 3 on Sunday after allowing six goals on 22 shots in a 6-2 loss. Mark Scheifele scored both goals for the Jets, who took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series.
Washington Capitals 3, Columbus Blue Jackets (2OT) — Lars Eller scored at 9:00 of the second overtime to give the Capitals a much-needed win. Braden Holtby, in his first start of the series, made 33 saves for Washington. Tom Wilson and John Carlson scored for the Capitals, who trail 2-1 in the best-of-7 series.
Vegas Golden Knights 1, Los Angeles Kings 0— What can’t this team do? The Golden Knights became the first NHL team to sweep a Stanley Cup Playoff series in its inaugural season and eliminated the Kings. Marc-Andre Fleury made 31 saves for his second shutout in the best-of-7 series, and defenseman Brayden McNabb scored early in the second period. The Golden Knights, who will play either the San Jose Sharks or Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference Second Round, joined the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1970 as the second NHL team to sweep its first playoff series.
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Complete Coverage of the Stanley Cup Playoffs
Predators vs. Avalanche
Jets vs. Wild
Golden Knights vs. Kings
Ducks vs. Sharks
Lightning vs. Devils
Bruins vs. Maple Leafs
Capitals vs. Blue Jackets
Penguins vs. Flyers
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