2 weeks agoNew York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad recorded his first points of the Eastern Conference Final series against Florida on Thursday, picking up assists on both goals in the team's 3-2 defeat. Zibanejad logged a short-handed helper in the second period when Chris Kreider scored and had his second assist inside the final minute of the game on Alexis Lafreniere's eighth goal of the playoffs. The Swedish centerman became the first player in Rangers history with at least 12 assists in multiple postseasons. He's averaging over a point per game in the playoffs, boasting three goals and 13 assists through 15 games. However, 13 of Zibanejad's 16 points came when he opened the postseason with an eight-game scoring streak.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoNew York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere continued his terrific postseason campaign with another goal in Thursday's 3-2 loss to Florida. He finished the scoring in the contest, notching his eighth playoff goal of the year. Alex Kovalev is the only player aged 22 or younger in Rangers history to score more goals in a single postseason (9). With him having also recorded six assists, Lafreniere is tied for the third most points among Rangers players in these playoffs. He will look to score in a fourth consecutive game when the Rangers try to stave off elimination on Saturday night.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoNew York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider finished Thursday's 3-2 Game 5 loss to the Panthers with two points. He tied Mark Messier's franchise record with his third career short-handed postseason goal and registered an assist when Alexis Lafreniere found the back of the net late in the game. These are Kreider's first points of the Eastern Conference Final. His productivity has suddenly nosedived after Kreider enjoyed a very good start to the postseason and scored a hat trick to finish off Carolina in Game 6 in the previous round. The veteran winger boasts eight goals and 12 points in 15 games for the 2024 playoff campaign.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoFlorida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky joined a select group of netminders with at least 40 career playoff wins on Thursday. He saved 25 of 27 shots to help the team to a 3-2 victory over the Rangers, becoming the fourth active goaltender with 40-plus postseason wins. There have only been 30 goalies throughout history to win more games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs than Bobrovsky. A good chunk of his victories have come in 2024, as Bobrovsky improved to 11-5 on Thursday night. He has allowed 2.27 goals with a .905 save percentage and one shutout during Florida's quest to reach a second consecutive Stanley Cup Final.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoFlorida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling scored a big goal to stretch his point streak to three games in Thursday's 3-2 victory over the Rangers. The Swedish blue-liner popped up with a game-tying goal in the second period after Chris Kreider had given the Rangers the lead. It's already his second goal of the Eastern Conference Final. Forsling has taken his game to another level in these playoffs. After picking up only six points during the team's run to the Stanley Cup Final a year ago, he has totaled 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 16 games. Forsling is typically busy without the puck as well and has recorded 23 blocks and 30 hits this postseason.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 weeks agoFlorida Panthers center Sam Bennett enjoyed a multi-point outing as the team moved one win away from the 2024 Stanley Cup Final with a 3-2 victory over the Rangers Thursday night. Bennett picked up an assist when Gustav Forsling tied the score at one in the second period and scored himself with the net empty late in the game. Bennett's fifth goal of the postseason ended up as the game-winning tally. The 27-year-old has been a big part of Florida's success with his play at both ends of the ice. He has posted nine points (five goals, four assists) through 11 appearances with 48 hits.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoEdmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner improved to 9-5 for the 2024 postseason with a 5-2 victory over Dallas Wednesday night. Things got off to the worst possible start for Skinner, who allowed two goals on four shots in the opening five and a half minutes of action. However, he played a perfect game after that, getting back to winning ways following two consecutive defeats. Inconsistency has plagued Skinner throughout the playoffs, but he remains Edmonton's top option between the pipes. The 25-year-old carries a 2.71 goals-against average with a .887 save percentage and one shutout.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoEdmonton Oilers right wing Connor Brown is riding a three-game point streak following Wednesday's 5-2 victory over Dallas. He extended his scoring run with an assist on Mattias Janmark's short-handed goal in the second period, which ended up being the game-winning marker. Brown had registered only one point in seven games this postseason before heating up in the Western Conference Final. He boasts one goal and three assists with six shots on goal, five blocks, five hits, and a plus-three rating through 10 appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoEdmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid dished out three assists as the team tied the Western Conference Final against Dallas with a 5-2 victory on Wednesday. The Oilers captain produced one assist in each period, with Edmonton winning its second game of the series despite falling into an early 2-0 hole. The game marks the fourth occasion McDavid has recorded at least three assists in a game this postseason. Wayne Gretzky holds the all-time record with five such outings in a single playoff campaign. Following Wednesday night, McDavid will get at least two opportunities to match the mark. He has registered 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) in 16 games overall for the 2024 playoffs.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoDallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen extended his point streak to three games in Wednesday's Game 4 loss to the Oilers. He picked up an assist as Esa Lindell put Dallas 2-0 up with just 5:29 played, but the Stars crumbled and suffered a 5-2 defeat. Heiskanen was minus-two for the contest while also registering one block. The Finnish blue-liner, who leads all remaining skaters in ice time with 28:06 per game, has been a major two-way force for Dallas all postseason. He has recorded 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 17 games with 38 shots, 40 blocks, and 25 hits.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoDallas Stars forward Jamie Benn continued his scoring run with two assists in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to Edmonton. He extended his point streak to five games with a pair of early helpers. Benn's prolific run includes three straight multi-point efforts. The 34-year-old has looked great in recent outings, pushing his postseason points tally to 15 (four goals, 11 assists) with 17 games played. Benn's production has been crucial for Dallas in the playoffs, with Roope Hintz missing time due to an injury and Joe Pavelski slumping.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoDallas Stars defenseman Christopher Tanev sustained a lower-body injury in Wednesday's Game 4 loss to Edmonton. He left the game in the second period after blocking a shot with his right foot. The gritty blue-liner logged three total blocks in the contest with no offensive stats across 8:37 of action. In 17 playoff appearances, Tanev has had one point via an assist with 68 blocks and 28 hits. Nils Lundkvist is expected to enter the lineup if Tanev can't play in Game 5 on Friday.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet
3 weeks agoFlorida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart skated away with the winning goal after the team tied the Eastern Conference Final against the Rangers with a 3-2 overtime victory on Tuesday. Reinhart decided the game on the power play with only 1:12 played in overtime. That's now three power-play goals in two games for him after Reinhart had scored only once with the man advantage in the 2024 playoffs. He jumped on eight goals on Tuesday and has recorded 12 points in 15 postseason appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoFlorida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov recorded a pair of power-play assists to post his second consecutive multi-point game in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime win against the Rangers. He had his first helper in the second period when Carter Verhaeghe scored and picked up another assist on Sam Reinhart's game-winner 1:12 into overtime. Barkov has returned to form after going four straight games without a single point. The Panthers captain has totaled 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 15 games during the team's playoff run.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
3 weeks agoNew York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox registered two assists in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to Florida. After logging only one point in the previous seven games, Fox helped Vincent Trocheck get a power-play goal in the first period and grabbed another assist early in the third when Alexis Lafreniere found the back of the net. Fox started the playoffs well but has been struggling offensively for a while. All of his seven points in 14 postseason games have come via assists.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
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