The 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs have delivered all of the requisite thrills that followers have come to anticipate from the best postseason in sports activities.
But via the first 17 games — three for Boston Bruins–Toronto Maple Leafs, and two for each different collection — we have additionally discovered some classes about every membership, whether or not it is new info coming to gentle or affirmation of our pre-playoff thoughts.
To assist type via all of that new knowledge — and establish which traits will proceed to affect the remainder of the first spherical and past — ESPN reporters Ryan S. Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski current their takeaways from the first wave of first-round games.
The Rangers’ selection of victories
In order to win the Stanley Cup, a staff wants to have the ability to win in a range of methods. Some nights are powerful defensive battles. Some nights are shootouts. Some nights are going to be disjointed, penalty-filled affairs the place physicality reigns. What’s been spectacular concerning the New York Rangers to date in opposition to the Washington Capitals is, effectively, the vary.
Their Game 1 win noticed them dominate in 5-on-5 play, which felt like a 60-minute response to analytic skepticism about their even-strength play. Their Game 2 win was a grueling, nasty affair through which the groups each scored twice on the ability play however the Rangers’ penalty kill — third finest within the league this season — scored the game-winner.
Eleven completely different Rangers have notched a degree within the first two games, together with all three members of their checking line — Matt Rempe, Jimmy Vesey and Barclay Goodrow — that might turn out to be one of these cult hero trios for a championship staff.
“All year it’s been that way,” coach Peter Laviolette stated of his depth. “We’ve relied on a lot of people. I think it’s helpful in the course of the playoffs that when the bump and grind comes into it, and hopefully the longevity of the playoffs, it’s good to have it.” — Wyshynski
What’s subsequent for the Stars, down 0-2?
How a lot have the Dallas Stars struggled in opposition to the Vegas Golden Knights lately? Game 2’s defeat makes six straight losses, and so they’ve additionally misplaced 9 of their final 11 mixed regular-season and playoff games to Vegas.
Last yr’s Western Conference finals noticed the Stars fall into an 0-2 collection after two additional time games. They’d fall right into a 0-3 gap earlier than profitable two games to drive Game 6, then struggling a season-ending loss to the Golden Knights.
They face one other 0-2 deficit, and should work out methods to recuperate shortly in opposition to the defending Stanley Cup champions. Stars coach Peter DeBoer stated after the Game 2 loss that he felt just like the Golden Knights carried the play final season, whereas he believes each groups now “are a lot more evenly matched.”
This season noticed the Stars end tied for a league-high 26 highway wins. Stars ahead Tyler Seguin stated the aim is to now parlay that success on the highway into one thing that might assist them climb again into the collection.
“I don’t know if you can be too physical in playoffs, but maybe we’re almost being frustrated by last year by knowing how good of a team we are,” Seguin stated, whereas referencing how the Stars completed with 53 hits. “Especially 5-on-5. We’ll take a day tomorrow and reset and get excited for this challenge ahead of us.” — Clark
Playoff Bob’s save of the yr
Sergei Bobrovsky is an completed regular-season goalie, with two Vezina Trophies to his credit score and nice stats this season for the Florida Panthers (36-17-4, .915 save proportion, six shutouts). But within the postseason, he turns into Playoff Bob. And Playoff Bob can do magical issues.
Against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2, Bobrovsky made one of probably the most outstanding saves of this or any postseason: Robbing Matt Dumba along with his again going through the Lightning defenseman, his left arm prolonged to permit the puck to bounce off his forearm and maintain the sport tied. The Panthers would ultimately win in additional time to take a 2-0 collection lead, with Playoff Bob making 21 saves.
“It was desperation, I tried to throw as much body as possible and was able to make the save,” he stated.
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Sergei Bobrovsky makes unbelievable save to disclaim Lightning
Check out this sensational save from Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky in Game 2 vs. the Lightning.
It was the sort of save that immediately goes viral. The type of save that is already impressed a T-shirt that includes Bobrovsky stretching throughout the crease with the phrases “The Bobbery” above it. The type of save that coach Paul Maurice believed might encourage younger followers in South Florida to take up the crease.
“There’s probably a number of kids in the driveway this weekend, they all want to play goal for the first time, right? For me, that’s how it happens. They see something kind of magical, and they all go and try it,” he stated.
The Lightning have their palms full with their state rivals for lots of causes, and one of them is Playoff Bob, who’s second within the postseason with a 1.95 goals-against common, enjoying behind the Panthers’ league-best staff protection. — Wyshynski
There’s been no official phrase on what ails William Nylander. But there isn’t any doubt his absence is having an impact on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Leafs’ winger tends to return alive within the postseason, with constant manufacturing (he is tallied 40 factors in 50 playoff games so far) and Toronto’s normally potent offensive assault has been dulled with out Nylander within the combine. Credit to Boston there too, of course; the Bruins have been stingy providing up scoring alternatives.
And then there is a trickle-down impact via the remainder of Toronto’s high 9 with out Nylander obtainable, from slotting rookie Matthew Knies onto the second line to preserving Nick Robertson — a wholesome scratch on a quantity of events in the course of the season — on the third line. Their lack of expertise does not give Toronto the identical apparent benefit having Nylander on the ice would supply (though Knies did rating Toronto’s opening marker in Game 3, off a reasonably go from Mitch Marner).
Plus, the Leafs’ listless energy play would profit from a Nylander increase — Toronto entered Game 3 having gone 1-6 with the additional man, and the Leafs instantly added to their very own disappointment with 5 scoreless energy performs in Wednesday’s outing. Timothy Liljegren is not any alternative there for what Nylander does. The Leafs want their 40-goal scorer again, badly. — Shilton
Was the Avs’ efficiency in Game 2 a breakthrough or a blip?
A first-period deficit overcome. A second interval through which the Colorado Avalanche scored 4 objectives from 4 completely different gamers. A stable efficiency from Alexandar Georgiev, stopping 28 of the 30 photographs he confronted simply days after he allowed seven objectives in a Game 1 loss.
All of that led to a 5-2 Avs win, tying their collection in opposition to the Winnipeg Jets. Could these traits play a task within the Avs reversing their fortunes in opposition to a Jets staff that is given them vital issues all through the season?
Part of the narrative getting into this collection was how the Jets had been 3-0 in opposition to the Avs within the common season, outscoring them by a 17-4 margin. That features a 7-0 loss again on April 13, an acute trigger for concern in Colorado.
That’s what made Game 1 so fascinating. On one hand, the Avs scored extra objectives in a single sport in opposition to the Jets than they did in three games within the common season. On the opposite hand, the Jets scored seven objectives for a second straight sport in opposition to Colorado.
So does Game 2 imply the Avs have discovered a solution — or are at the very least nearer to discovering a solution in opposition to the Jets? Or was Game 2 an outlier in opposition to a Jets staff which may strike again with an offensive outburst in Game 3? — Clark
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Connor Hellebuyck’s epic blunder results in an Avalanche aim
Connor Hellebuyck comes out of the crease however slips on the ice, resulting in a Colorado aim.
The Lightning’s depth is because of shine
If there’s one factor that is helped drive the Tampa Bay Lightning‘s success in latest seasons, it is depth. The Lightning have prioritized including gamers on the deadline who improve — and complement — their core stars, and GM Julien BriseBois did that once more grabbing Anthony Duclair and Matt Dumba in March.
But Tampa Bay is not repeating the rewards of a deep roster but of their collection in opposition to the Florida Panthers … but. The Lightning are in an 0-2 gap after scoring solely 4 objectives (and solely two at 5-on-5) via two games — a pair from Steven Stamkos, one from Brandon Hagel and one other from Brayden Point.
The Lightning have seemed top-heavy, and that is not essentially a recipe for achievement when the Panthers have three strains that may do injury (and Florida has already proven a killer intuition in terms of scoring well timed objectives).
Now, if it weren’t for The Save by Sergei Bobrovsky on Dumba in Game 2, this may very well be a wholly completely different dialog. But as it’s the Lightning shall be determined for offense going into Game 3 of a collection the place they’ve but to carry a lead. That in itself is a troublesome tablet to swallow. — Shilton
Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner and Los Angeles Kings goalie Cam Talbot had been each not superb in Game 2. But Talbot made just a few key saves within the Kings’ win, together with a breakaway cease on Ryan McLeod and two big saves on Leon Draisaitl on a late second-period energy play, whereas Skinner didn’t.
“They’re getting some good puck luck right now. And the puck luck wasn’t on my side tonight,” Skinner stated after the 5-4 additional time loss on Wednesday night time. “Every shot that they take seemed to go off a guy’s stick or a guy’s skate.”
No one expects Skinner to dominate within the postseason. He had an .883 save proportion and a 3.68 goals-against common in 12 begins final postseason. He’s the traditional “you don’t have to win us a series, but you can’t lose us a series” goaltender behind a powerful contending staff.
Through two games in opposition to Los Angeles, he has an .857 save proportion, having given up 9 objectives on 63 photographs. Both games had their share of funky deflections and defensive breakdowns in entrance of Skinner, however Game 2 was near that “don’t lose us the series” concern.
“Any time he’s had an off game, he’s been able to play very well for us,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch stated.
The coach famous a sport again in Dec. 2023 when Skinner gave up 5 objectives on 22 photographs to the Lightning. He would go on to win 12 of his subsequent 13 games, giving up just one aim in six of these victories.
After the Kings tied the collection 1-1 on Anze Kopitar‘s additional time aim, Skinner seemed like somebody assured that he can rebound for the Oilers.
“Games like this, where you feel like the universe is against you and the puck’s not working well for you, it’s part of life. It’s part of playoffs too. I’m sure I’ll feel this again at some point,” he stated. “The takeaway from tonight is to just wash it out. I know my game and I know who I am.” — Wyshynski
The Predators’ new playoff identification
Blocking 30 photographs of their series-tying 4-1 win Tuesday in opposition to the Vancouver Canucks is simply the most recent instance of the defensive identification the Nashville Predators have established throughout Andrew Brunette’s first season in cost.
His time because the interim coach of the Panthers and as an assistant with the New Jersey Devils noticed these groups rating objectives at a livid charge with Brunette behind the bench. While the Preds completed tenth in objectives per sport this season (3.24), there was additionally an emphasis on protection that Brunette preached all through the season. The message he relayed to the Predators’ gamers was to function as a five-player unit that might ultimately thrive in conditions that noticed them play with out the puck.
Game 2 may need been the strongest instance of how the Preds discovered success without having the puck. Natural Stat Trick’s metrics present the Canucks had a 74.42 shot share proportion, which meant they managed the puck for almost three-fourths of the sport however struggled to attain due partly to the Preds blocking 30 photographs.
Getting in the way in which of all of these photographs allowed them to create much less work for Juuse Saros, who saved 17 of the 18 that bought via. It’s additionally the first time all season that Saros completed a sport with fewer than 20 saves that did not contain him getting pulled. — Clark
Have the Islanders discovered their lesson?
There are some positives the New York Islanders can take from their two games in opposition to the Carolina Hurricanes. They performed the Canes evenly via two intervals in Game 1. They constructed a 3-0 lead within the first 23:54 of Game 2. But they misplaced each games within the third interval — and in a particularly painful method in that Game 2 loss, because the Hurricanes scored the game-tying and profitable objectives simply 9 seconds aside.
“This one’s long from over, but right now, this one hurts the gut,” Islanders captain Anders Lee stated after the 5-3 loss in Raleigh in Game 2. Coach Patrick Roy stated the staff stopped profitable one-on-one battles. Defenseman Noah Dobson stated the Islanders tried to sit down on a lead somewhat than proceed pushing. That manifested in a 110-to-28 shot try benefit for Carolina within the sport.
So it turns into gut-check time for the Islanders in Game 3 on Thursday night time. They’ll swap out goalie Semyon Varlamov in favor of Ilya Sorokin. They’ll attempt to feed off their residence followers like Carolina did theirs. And as star ahead Mathew Barzal stated just a few instances on Wednesday, they will attempt to keep in the suitable mindset for a rally.
“We were pissed off. There’s no hiding that. There wasn’t a ton of smiles after that,” Barzal stated. “But this is the playoffs. We’re in good spirits here, regardless of the [series] score. We have a chance now at an epic comeback.” — Wyshynski
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