Friday night’s set of games was highlighted by two eastern favorites falling into two game holes. Lets check out how those two games and the two out west went down.
Columbus Blue Jackets 5, Tampa Bay Lightning 1
- The Blue Jackets are the fourth team to take a 2-0 series lead in the opening round against a Presidents’ Trophy winner since the award was introduced in 1985-86. Two of the three prior teams went on to win the series.
- Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos, and Nikita Kucherov have combined for a grand total of zero points in the two games after combining for 318 points in the regular season. Kucherov is also now at risk of suspension due to the above hit, he has a hearing today for the boarding of Markus Nutivaara.
- Teams that win the first two games on the road win the series 81.1-percent of the time. Just ask the Blue Jackets from last season…oh wait.
New York Islanders 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 1
- This is the first time since 1983 that the Islanders have a 2-0 playoff series lead. They won the Cup that season.
- The Penguins trail 2-0 in a series for the first time since 2013 when they were swept in four games by the Boston Bruins.
- Erik Gudbranson scored the only Pittsburgh goal in this game. Ha.
St Louis Blues 4, Winnipeg Jets 3
- The Winnipeg Jets have now lost their last six straight playoff games and have also dropped five of their last six home playoff games.
- Jordan Binnington is the second rookie goaltender in Blues history to earn a win in each of his first two-plus career postseason starts. The first was Curtis Joseph in 1990.
- Through two playoff games the Blues have scored six goals. All six goals have been scored by players traded for or signed in free agency over the last two seasons.
Vegas Golden Knights 5, San Jose Sharks 3
- The above goal was called goaltender interference and Logan Couture was sent to the box and the Knights scored on the ensuing power play. Why try and make a save when you can jump completely out of your crease and get a penalty drawn instead? The play was not reviewable because the “penalty” occurred before the goal, making a coach’s challenge not available. Shambles from that officiating crew, shambles.
- Sharks goaltender Martin Jones was pulled only 6:39 into the first period of this game after allowing three goals on seven shots. The Sharks aren’t winning a Cup with this dude as their number one.
- The Sharks are the first team in Stanley Cup Playoff history to tie a game in the first period after falling behind 3-0.
Headline photo: Scott Audette
