KANE SCORES TWICE IN PLAYOFF DEBUT
Making his playoff debut after 574 career regular-season games, Sharks forward Evander Kane scored twice to guide San Jose to a Game 1 victory over Anaheim.

* Kane became the fourth player in the past 20 years – and first player in Sharks franchise history – to score at least twice in his first career postseason game. Acquired by San Jose on Feb. 26, Kane shared the team lead with nine goals over his final 17 games of the regular season (9-5—14).

FORSBERG CLIMBS PREDATORS’ ALL-TIME PLAYOFF POINTS LIST IN WIN
Filip Forsberg scored twice in the third period – including a dazzling goal which gave Nashville a 4-2 lead – to lift the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Predators past the Avalanche in Game 1. It was Nashville’s 11th consecutive victory against Colorado dating to April 6, 2016 (regular season and playoffs).

* Forsberg boosted his career playoff totals to 17-11—28 (43 GP) to tie David Legwand (13-15—28 in 47 GP) and Shea Weber (13-15—28 in 59 GP) for the most playoff points in franchise history. Forsberg set franchise benchmarks for goals and points in a single postseason during Nashville’s run to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final (9-7—16 in 22 GP).

PANARIN CAPS BLUE JACKETS RALLY WITH OVERTIME GOAL
Columbus overcame deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 and Artemi Panarin (1-2—3) scored the first overtime goal of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs to give the Blue Jackets their first Game 1 victory in franchise history.

* The Blue Jackets have overcome a multi-goal deficit in three of their four all-time playoff wins, finishing each with an overtime goal. Columbus shared the NHL lead in 2017-18 with seven wins in which they rallied from a multi-goal deficit (tied w/ PIT).

* Panarin, who set a franchise record with 82 points in 2017-18 (27-55—82), became the first player in franchise history to record three points in a postseason game.

* There were 14 multi-goal comeback wins and 27 games that required overtime in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Eighteen of the 27 overtime games took place in the First Round.

ATLANTIC DIVISION’S TOP TWO TEAMS EARN GAME 1 WINS
The Lightning and Bruins, who concluded the regular season first and second in the Eastern Conference, respectively, earned wins to take a 1-0 lead in their First Round series:

* Ondrej Palat (1-2—3), Tyler Johnson (1-1—2) and Yanni Gourde (1-1—2) each collected multiple points to lead the Lightning past the Devils. Five current Lightning players rank among the top-eight in career playoff goals with the club.

* The Bruins scored three of their five goals on the power-play en route to a victory over the Maple Leafs, with David Pastrnak (1-2—3), Brad Marchand (1-1—2), David Krejci (1-1—2) and Torey Krug (0-2—2) each collecting multiple points. Marchand and Pastrnak ranked first and second, respectively, in points among Bruins skaters during the regular season.

QUICK CLICKS

· Drew Doughty suspended one game for actions in Kings game against Golden Knights

· Predators begin Stanley Cup playoff party as Rascal Flatts sings anthem

· Joe Morrow in role of playoff hero with Jets

· Senators name development camp trophy after late Jonathan Pitre

SNEAK PEEK AT THURSDAY’S ACTION
A trio of home teams – the Penguins, Jets and Golden Knights – look to take 2-0 series leads on Friday. Teams that win the first two games of a best-of-seven series at home own an all-time series record of 236-30 (88.7%; via Elias).

thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above