2 days agoFlorida Panthers center Sam Bennett (upper body) will remain sidelined for Game 2 against the Bruins on Wednesday. Florida expects to get its second-line center back this week, but Bennett isn't quite ready to return just yet. Anton Lundell will continue to skate on the second line. The Finnish forward has played well in the postseason, collecting points in four of the last five games. Bennett's next chance to return comes on Friday in Game 3 of the series.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Colby Guy
3 days agoCarolina Hurricanes defenseman Brady Skjei continued his prolific playoffs with an assist in Tuesday's 4-3 double-overtime loss to the Rangers. He had the primary helper when Dmitry Orlov put Carolina 2-1 up in the first period. Despite the loss, Skjei finished the contest with an impressive plus-three rating and led the team with six hits. His stat line also included six shots on goal, two blocks, and four penalty minutes. With seven games played, Skjei hasn't yet scored in the 2024 playoffs, but he boasts six assists. Cale Makar (12), Evan Bouchard (9), and Victor Hedman (7) are the only blue-liners with more postseason points than him.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoCarolina Hurricanes left wing Jake Guentzel netted two goals against the Rangers in Tuesday's 4-3 double-overtime loss. The 29-year-old finally had some luck in front of the net after lightning the lamp only once through his first six postseason outings of the year. Despite the lack of goals, Guentzel has been in fine form in the playoffs, averaging a point per game through seven outings. He's averaging nearly 2.5 shots per game and should be able to boost his goal-scoring rate when the series continues in Raleigh.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoNew York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere struck two goals in Tuesday's 4-3 double-overtime win against Carolina. He doubled the goals tally of his postseason career, opening the scoring with 10:53 played in the contest and notching his second 7:32 into the second frame. Lafreniere had yet to score in the 2024 postseason before Tuesday, but he has played a big part in the Rangers' success. With six games played, the 22-year-old has contributed seven points (two goals, five assists). Lafreniere can post a new career high with a four-game postseason scoring streak in Game 3 against the Hurricanes.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoDallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston scored his fifth postseason goal of the year in Tuesday's 4-3 overtime loss to Colorado. The Stars got off to a dream start with three first-period goals, and Johnston squeezed his strike between efforts from Ryan Suter and Jamie Benn. It's his ninth career postseason goal, which puts Johnston tied with Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi for the second most before age 21 among active players. The young Canadian is enjoying very good form at a pivotal stage of the season, averaging a point per game through eight playoff outings. Only Valeri Nichushkin (8) and Zach Hyman (7) have scored more goals than Johnston.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoColorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon contributed a goal and assist as the team came from 3-0 down to defeat Dallas 4-3 in overtime on Tuesday. He had his helper when Valeri Nichushkin sparked the comeback with a power-play goal in the second period, and MacKinnon scored himself early in the third to tie the game at three. The Avalanche star now boasts four consecutive multi-point games in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He's managed 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in six games overall.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoColorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen played his part in Tuesday's 4-3 comeback win over Dallas with two assists. The Avalanche found themselves in a 3-0 hole after the first period but still found a way to win in overtime. Rantanen collected even-strength assists on the team's second and third goals. It's his third multi-point effort in four games. The Finnish winger boasts 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in six games for the postseason. Only his teammate Cale Makar (12) and Edmonton's Connor McDavid (12) have scored more points.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 days agoDallas Stars forward Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist in a disappointing 4-3 overtime loss in Game 1 of their second-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. Benn assisted on the Stars' second goal of the game and then scored a goal of his own to put the team up 3-0 late in the first. Unfortunately, that lead wouldn't hold and the Avs would go on to score four unanswered and take Game 1. Benn has five points (two goals, three assists) in eight games this postseason and has done his part as a middle-six option to give the team some additional scoring. Benn and the Stars will look to even up the series on Thursday in Dallas.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoColorado Avalanche winger Miles Wood completed the team's unlikely comeback in Game 1 of their second-round series against the Dallas Stars, posting the overtime winner in a 4-3 victory. Wood was sprung on a partial breakaway, and took care of business by zipping around the Dallas defender and sliding the puck past Jake Oettinger. Wood has been a role player for the Avalanche this year, and sometimes those are the players you need to step up in a game like this. The Avs will look to take a 2-0 stranglehold in the series on Thursday in Dallas.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoColorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar led the team to a come-from-behind 4-3 overtime victory in Game 1 of their second-round series against the Dallas Stars. The Avalanche were down 3-0 heading into the second period of this one, but they stormed back with four straight goals to take it in overtime. Makar was at the forefront, posting a goal midway through the second to put the game within reach and assisting on the first and third Avalanche goals. After posting 90 points in the regular season, Makar has somehow outpaced that so far in the playoffs with nine points (two goals, seven assists) in six games.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoNew York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck banged in the game-winning goal in a 4-3 double-overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of their second-round series. Trocheck was all over the ice tonight, playing a game-high 35:21 while racking up six shots, three hits, and a blocked shot. On top of the OT winner, Trocheck also assisted on Chris Kreider's game-tying goal in the third period. The 30-year-old has been a revelation for the Rangers this season, and that has continued through the playoffs, where he has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in six games.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoNew York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin doled out three assists in a 4-3 double-overtime win in Game 2 of their second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes. Panarin assisted on the last three Rangers goals of the game, including the tying goal from Chris Kreider midway through the third period, and the overtime winner off the stick of Vincent Trocheck. The 32-year-old had a slow start to his postseason but now has six points in his last three games, showing he might be back to his regular season form.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoCarolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho did his best to tie up their second-round series against the New York Rangers, but even his trio of assists couldn't put the Canes on top in a 4-3 double-overtime loss in Game 2. Aho assisted on all three of Carolina's goals in this one and was dangerous all night with the puck. The Finn is up to eight points (two goals, six assists) in seven postseason games so far, doing his part to give his team a chance to win. He'll have to continue to dominate and get some help from his teammates if the Canes want to come back in this series.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoNew York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin was extremely sharp in Tuesday's 4-3 double-overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of their second-round series, stopping 54 of the 57 shots he faced. Shesterkin has been a brick wall this postseason, going 6-0 with a .929 SV% and 2.00 GAA. The Rangers are yet to lose a game in the playoffs, and that is in large part due to their goaltending. Shesterkin will look to win a seventh straight on Thursday night in Carolina.
--Matt Garon - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
3 days agoThe Ottawa Senators have appointed Travis Green as the new head coach of the team. He signed a four-year deal that runs through the 2027-28 season. Green takes over from Jacques Martin, who guided Ottawa on an interim basis after D.J. Smith was fired in December. The 53-year-old boasts a 141-159-35 regular-season record as head coach in the NHL, with one playoff appearance. Green took Vancouver to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2019-20 but was fired by the team in 2021. He returned to head-coaching duties this season, guiding New Jersey to an 8-12-1 record near the end of the regular season as an interim head coach. Ottawa finished with a 37-41-4 record in 2023-24, missing the postseason for a seventh consecutive year.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
RADIO
