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By AARON BEARD, AP Sports activities Author
The NHL playoffs are lacking the shut video games and comebacks that seemingly come yearly with all of the postseason depth.
Excluding video games with empty-netters growing the margin, 10 of the 20 first-round video games by way of Friday night time have been determined by three or extra targets. By comparability, there had been solely 4 one-goal video games with two reaching at the very least one additional time session.
Alongside the way in which, comebacks have been virtually non-existent with groups that soar out hardly ever surrendering management.
“While you get behind, I suppose you’re chasing the sport,” mentioned Florida Panthers interim coach Andrew Brunette, whose Presidents’ Trophy-winning workforce misplaced 6-1 at Washington on Saturday so as to add to the checklist of one-sided outcomes. “It forces you to open up somewhat bit. After which typically it goes the opposite means and you retain pushing. I believe you see that all through the league, really, lots.”
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Wanting on the Recreation 4 matchups Sunday, Carolina, Minnesota, Toronto and Edmonton are outscoring their opponents by a virtually 2-to-1 margin (53-27). Most notably, the Oilers have crushed the Los Angeles Kings by 6-0 and 8-2 margins prior to now two video games.
Getting again into the sport after falling behind has been powerful, too.
Solely two groups had misplaced as of Friday night time when scoring first, then Florida adopted Saturday by surrendering six targets after taking a 1-0 lead. Pittsburgh was the one workforce by way of the primary 20 video games to win after trailing by two targets with its 4-3 triple-overtime win in opposition to the New York Rangers to begin their sequence.
Going deeper into the sport, Washington’s Recreation 1 win at Florida marked the one time {that a} workforce gained after trailing within the third interval.
That comes after an everyday season during which 4 groups – led by Florida’s 24 wins – gained 20-plus video games when surrendering the primary objective. And 13 groups overcome at the very least a three-goal deficit at the very least as soon as.
“The rating of the sport doesn’t matter if it’s 2-1 triple-overtime or somewhat extra lopsided,” Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft mentioned. “That doesn’t matter. That’s one recreation.”
HURRICANES at BRUINS, Carolina leads sequence 2-1 (12:30 p.m. EDT, ESPN)
Carolina and Boston are managing damage considerations.
The Hurricanes misplaced winger Jordan Martinook to a lower-body damage in Friday’s Recreation 3 loss. Martinook’s damage might open a spot for veteran Derek Stepan with 106 profession playoff video games on his resume.
“Clearly it’s most likely not a super scenario nevertheless it’s a chance for me,” Stepan mentioned.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour mentioned the Hurricanes may also have a look at whether or not to begin Antti Raanta in web for Recreation 4. He was knocked early from Recreation 2 after taking a blow to the top from Boston’s David Pastrnak, with rookie Pyotr Kochetkov taking up that recreation and beginning Recreation 3.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy mentioned defenseman Hampus Lindholm is bettering however will miss his second straight recreation after taking a jarring hit from Carolina’s Andrei Svechnikov in Recreation 2.
WILD at BLUES, Minnesota leads sequence 2-1 (4:30 p.m. EDT, TBS)
The St. Louis Blues have taken one other hit to their blue line.
Defenseman Torey Krug exited Friday’s Recreation 3 within the first interval attributable to a lower-body damage and did not return.
“It may be a while,” coach Craig Berube mentioned Saturday.
St. Louis was already coping with damage considerations for fellow defensemen Robert Bortuzzo and Nick Leddy.
Bortuzzo took a puck to the face and departed the Recreation 2 loss within the first interval. Leddy was held out of Recreation 2 with an upper-body damage he suffered and performed by way of in Recreation 1. Berube did not supply a timeline on their return, saying the workforce would consider how they skated Saturday.
Minnesota has gained every of the previous two video games by four-goal margins, first 6-2 in Recreation 2 after which 5-1 in Friday’s Recreation 3 on the highway.
MAPLE LEAFS at LIGHTNING, Toronto leads sequence 2-1 (7 p.m. EDT, TBS)
The Lightning really feel they self-imploded in Recreation 3, spending far an excessive amount of time within the penalty field in opposition to a workforce that had the league’s greatest regular-season energy play.
Over the previous three postseasons, the two-time reigning Stanley Cup campions are 16-0 in video games following a playoff loss.
“Let’s be trustworthy, in case you’re going to spend 10 of the primary 40 minutes within the penalty field, that doesn’t show you how to both,” coach Jon Cooper mentioned. “However I simply have a ton of religion in a veteran group right here, so I anticipate to bounce again.”
The Maple Leafs know the sequence is way from over.
“I don’t assume we’ve achieved something but, clearly. … However I like the place we’re at as a bunch,” Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly mentioned. “We’re centered, we’re not getting too far forward of ourselves, and it’s necessary that we hold that in test.”
OILERS at KINGS, Edmonton leads sequence 2-1 (10 p.m. EDT, TBS)
The Kings have to determine learn how to sluggish a buzzing Oilers assault.
After profitable Recreation 1 in additional time, the Kings have misplaced the final two video games by a mixed 14-2 margin. That made the Oilers the primary workforce in league historical past to lose the primary recreation of a playoff sequence then win every of the subsequent two by at the very least six targets, in line with STATS.
Edmonton is 5 for 11 (.455) on the ability play to steer all groups within the postseason and so they’ve been taking management within the second interval (plus-25 photographs, plus-5 targets). By comparability, Los Angeles is 1 for 12 (.083) with the person benefit.
“We’ve got to take a look at it 2-1,” Kings middle Phillip Danault mentioned. “You don’t wish to have a look at all of the targets. We didn’t play good in any respect, however, yeah, we set to work arduous on being higher.”
AP Hockey Writers John Wawrow in Buffalo, New York; and Stephen Whyno in Washington; and AP Sports activities Writers Fred Goodall in Tampa, Florida; and Joe Reedy in Los Angeles; contributed to this report.
Comply with Aaron Beard on Twitter at https://twitter.com/aaronbeardap
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