Leafs and Canes take Game 2! Knights and Oilers take Game 1!

Game 2 | April 22, 2024 | Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Boston Bruins 2 

The Toronto Maple Leafs won Game 2 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Boston Bruins which took place at TD Garden with a final score of 3-2.

With great scoring chances from both teams, the first goal was scored by Bruins’ Morgan Geekie while they were on the power play after Leafs’ Jake McCabe received a penalty for cross-checking Jakob Lauko. The Bruins one-goal lead was short lived as Max Domi tied the game for the Leafs 13 seconds after Geekie’s goal. The Leafs were given their first power play opportunity of the game in the latter half of the period but were unable to capitalize on the man-advantage. The Bruins led the game again after David Pastrnak scored a goal with 8 seconds remaining in the period which ended with a score of 2-1 in their favor. 

No goals were scored during the first half of the second period despite both teams having multiple shots on goal. The equalizing goal was a power play goal scored by Leafs’ Captain John Tavares with 1 minute and 34 seconds remaining in the period. The second period ended with a tied game of 2-2.  

About 5 minutes into the third period, two penalties were called on both teams as Ryan Reaves received a holding penalty and Bruins received a penalty for having too many men on the ice which would be served by Pat Maroon. No one scored during this period of 4-on-4 hockey. The Leafs would finally have the lead in this game after Austin Matthews made it a one-goal game. The Bruins then had the man-advantage as they played 4-on-3 hockey after Leafs’ Tyler Bertuzzi (slashing) and Ilya Lyubushkin (roughing) and Bruins’ Charlie Coyle (roughing) received penalties with a little over 6 minutes of the period left. Neither team was able to score the rest of the period which ended with a final score of 3-2 in the Leafs’ favor.   

Game 2 was one where the Toronto Maple Leafs persevered in order to win and force Game 5 against the Boston Bruins. Leafs’ goaltender, Ilya Samsonov, had a save percentage of 0.931 and saved 27 out of 29 shots on goal. Bruins’ goaltender, Linus Ullmark, had a save percentage of 0.909 and saved 30 out of 33 shots on goal. 

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins are now tied 1-1 in round one of the playoffs.

Game 2  | April 22, 2024 | Carolina Hurricanes 5, New York Islanders 3

Carolina Hurricanes won Game 2 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Islanders which took place at PNC Arena with a final score of 5-3.

The first half of the period had a couple of shots on goal for both teams as well as penalties received on both ends, however, a goal was not scored until 3 minutes and 48 seconds remaining in the first period. The opening goal of the game was scored by Kyle Palmieri and put the Islanders on the board first. Islanders’ Bo Horvat extended their lead and made a two-goal game with 15 seconds left in the first period. Both teams were unsuccessful on their power play attempts. 

The Islanders had their first successful power play goal of the game after Dmitry Orlov received a penalty for holding the stick of Pierre Engvall and Captain Anders Lee scored on their man-advantage. Both teams had good scoring chances for the remainder of the time until the Canes answered back with a successful power play goal scored by Teuvo Teravainen at 06:59. The second period ended with a score of 3-1 in the Islanders’ favor. 

The Canes took control of the third period and made a huge comeback. Seth Jarvis opened up the third period for the Canes in the latter half of the period to make it a one-goal game. Canes’ Sebastian Aho scored the game-tying goal at 2:15 and Jordan Martinook gave the Canes the lead with a goal scored 9 seconds later. Jake Guentzel extended the Canes’ lead with an empty-net goal with 56 seconds left of the third period. Tempers flared during the last minute of the game. Despite multiple roughing and 10 minute game misconducts being received on behalf of both teams, there were no other goals scored for the remainder of the game which resulted in a Canes’ 5-3 win. 

Game 2 was an intense uphill battle for the Carolina Hurricanes who came up on top after making a comeback against the New York Islanders in the third period. Canes’ goaltender, Frederik Andersen, had a save percentage of 0.750 and saved 9 out of 12 shots on goal. Islanders’ goaltender, Semyon Varlamov, had a save percentage of 0.895 and saved 34 out of 38 shots on goal. 

The Carolina Hurricanes lead 2-0 in round one of the playoffs against the New York Islanders.

Game 1 | April 22, 2024 | Vegas Golden Knights 4, Dallas Stars 3

The Vegas Golden Knights won Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Dallas Stars which took place at American Airlines Center with a final score of 4-3.

The first period started with a successful Knights power play goal scored by Captain Mark Stone after Stars’ Sam Steel received a high-sticking penalty. Stars shortly had their first power play opportunity but were unable to get it past Knights’ goaltender Logan Thompson. Knights’ Jonathan Marchessault made it a two-goal game after he scored on Stars’ goaltender Jake Oettinger. With a delayed penalty on the Knights, the Stars had an extra man on the ice and Captain Jamie Benn was able to make it a one-goal game with 3 minutes and 53 seconds left in the period. Knights and Stars went back and forth as Knights' Tomas Hertl scored at 2:09 and then the Stars’ Jason Robertson answered back at 1:31 to make it a one-goal game. The first period ended with a score of 3-2. 

The Knights opened up the second period as Brayden McNabb scored at 18:54 to make it a two-goal game (4-2). The rest of the second period remained scoreless despite both teams having good scoring chances and power play opportunities. 

The third period was very physical as multiple hits were recorded. The teams went back and forth on hits and scoring chances until Stars’ Mason Marchment made it a one-goal game after scoring at 08:14. With time winding down and the Knights trying to hold onto their lead, the Stars pulled their goaltender to have the man-advantage (5-on-6). Despite their attempt to tie the game and force overtime, the Knights were able to hold onto their one-goal lead and secure their 4-3 win. 

Game 1 was a physical and a hard-fought battle for the Dallas Stars who fell short to the Vegas Golden Knights. Stars’ goaltender, Jake Oettinger, had a save percentage of 0.733 and saved 11 out of 15 shots on goal. Knights’ goaltender, Logan Thompson, had a save percentage of 0.900 and saved 27 out of 30 shots on goal. 

The Vegas Golden Knights lead 1-0 in round one of the playoffs against the Dallas Stars.

Game 1 | April 22, 2024 | Edmonton Oilers 7, LA Kings 4

Edmonton Oilers won Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the LA Kings which took place at Rogers Place with a final score of 7-4.

The first period started off very physical with multiple hits recorded by each team prior to Oilers’ Zach Hyman scoring the opening goal at 13:08. Adam Henrique made it a two-goal game for the Oilers after scoring a goal assisted by Hyman and Evan Bouchard. The Oilers were unable to get the puck past Kings’ goaltender, Cam Talbot, during their power play opportunity. The Kings were on the power play after Oilers’ Henrique received a tripping penalty which carried over into the second period. The Oilers held onto their two-goal lead by the end of the period (2-0).  

The Kings were unable to score on Oilers’ goaltender Stuart Skinner on their power play which carried into the beginning of the second period. Hyman scored his second goal of the game at 15:10 which made it a 3-0 game. After Hymans’ goal, both teams had power play opportunities, however, Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was able to score on Talbot and make it a four-goal game. The Kings cut the deficit and made it a two-goal game after Mikey Anderson scored a goal at 9:04 and Adrian Kempe scored at 2:04. The Oilers ended the second period with 2 minutes and 40 seconds left on their power play opportunity after Kings’ Trevor Moore received a tripping penalty. The period ended with a score of 4-2 in the Oilers’ favor. 

Although the Oilers’ power play expired, this did not stop them from extending their lead as Leon Draisaitl made it a three-goal game in the beginning of the third period. The Oilers were back on the man-advantage after Pierre-Luc Dubois received a holding penalty and this resulted in a successful Oilers’ power play goal at 13:43. This goal was scored by Hyman who recorded a hat-trick after scoring 3 goals in Game 1 of the playoffs against the LK Kings. Dubois scored the third Kings goal of the game at 3:03 and made it a three-goal game. With 1 minute and 11 seconds left of the period, Kings’ Trevor Moore temporarily made it a two-goal game until Oilers’ Warren Foegele scored an empty-net goal which secured the Oilers 7-4 win. 

Game Recap Summary

• The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins are now tied 1-1 in round one of the playoffs.

• The Carolina Hurricanes lead 2-0 in round one of the playoffs against the New York Islanders.

• The Vegas Golden Knights lead 1-0 in round one of the playoffs against the Dallas Stars.

• The Edmonton Oilers lead 1-0 in round one of the playoffs against the LA Kings.

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