Stanley Cup Playoffs Day 1: Canes win the goalie duel for a Game 1 victory

Scott Maxwell
Scott Maxwell
Stanley Cup Playoffs Day 1: Canes win the goalie duel for a Game 1 victory
Credit: © James Guillory

The playoffs are back, and nothing really makes it feel like playoff hockey like kicking it off on a Saturday. While it was a light schedule for a day of first round hockey, it was a great way to give us a taste of the playoff action we’ve been craving all season.

Andersen stands tall as Canes win 3-1 to take series lead

The expectations for this first round matchup between the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Islanders were low, particularly in the entertainment department. Two teams known more for their defense and goaltending than their scoring usually means you’re going to get some low-event hockey, and in Game 1, that lived up to the bill.

It didn’t seem like it early on though, as an early power play for the Canes lasted all of 12 seconds before they took they took a 1-0 lead only 1:35 into the game. Most surprisingly, it was the reclamation project Evgeny Kuznetsov who got the goal with a tight-angled snipe. However, the Islanders only needed seven minutes to get the game evened-up, as a deflection from Anders Lee disrupted Frederik Andersen in the crease, and Kyle MacLean was there to bury the garbage and tie it 1-1.

While the Canes are the team better known for their possession ability, it was the Isles that controlled the play in the second period, outshooting Carolina 13-6. But Andersen stopped all 13 and that set the stage for Stefan Noesen’s game-winning goal early in the third period. The Canes kept the play even for the rest of the third period, and Martin Necas capped off the win with an empty net goal to make it 3-1.

Kuznetsov, Necas and Brady Skjei all had multi-point nights, Andersen saved 33 of 34 shots for the win, and even in the loss, Semyon Varlamov was solid at the other end of the ice by stopping 23 of 25. The Canes did eventually slightly win out in possession as well, with the 5v5 score-adjusted expected goal battle ending at 2.45-2.4

Same old in Boston as the B’s route the Leafs in Game 1 win

Five years removed from the last time the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs met in the first round of the playoffs, many wondered what would be in store for this rendition of the rivalry, especially with the Bruins without Patrice Bergeron and the Leafs seemingly upping their physical game to match them.

Well, meet the new Bos, same as the old Bos.

The first period was relatively close, as the two teams traded chances and bouts. Unfortunately for the Leafs, only one of those chances went in, and it was at the expense of their biggest lapse in judgement of the period. A risky pinch from Joel Edmundson and a careless hit from Ryan Reaves resulted in the Bruins getting a 2-on-1 the other way, and John Beecher buried his first career playoff goal to give Boston the 1-0 lead.

An early period power play and a few chances gave the Leafs some momentum, and Auston Matthews came ever-so-close to tying it, but that was as close as it was going to get for Toronto. Brandon Carlo scored almost immediately after the Matthews chance, and then Jake DeBrusk scored two power play goals late in the period, and going into the second intermission, the Bruins had a 4-0 lead and the Leafs had a nightmare on their hands. David Kampf got one back early in the third period, but that was it for the comeback as an empty net goal from Trent Frederic cemented the 5-1 win to take a 1-0 series lead.

DeBrusk had two goals and three points while Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy had two assists and Jeremy Swayman stopped 35 of 36 shots to get the win. The Leafs won the 5v5 SA xG battle 3.03-2, but I doubt it felt like that for them, especially considering how much the Bruins worked their penalty kill.

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