Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

04/23/2014 at 10:59am EDT

MONTREAL ADVANCES AFTER LAST-MINUTE WINNING GOAL
Max Pacioretty scored the series-clinching goal with 42.6 seconds left in regulation to propel Montreal into the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-3 win over Tampa Bay. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Pacioretty scored the second-latest series-clinching goal in regulation time in Stanley Cup Playoff history. Carolina's Eric Staal scored with 32 seconds left in the third period of Game 7 versus New Jersey in 2009.

* Pacioretty’s goal -- his first career Stanley Cup Playoff tally -- also marked the second time in franchise history a player scored a series-clinching goal in the final minute of regulation. Mats Naslund scored in the final minute of the third period in Montreal’s 1-0 win over Boston in Game 5 of their first-round series in 1985.

* Before Tuesday, the last time a series-clinching goal was scored in the final minute of regulation was…the previous series completed. Chicago's Dave Bolland scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal with 58.3 seconds left in the third period of Game 6 in last year’s Final at Boston.

* Montreal swept a best-of-seven series for the 22nd time in its history and for the first time since ousting Buffalo in four straight games in their second-round series in 1993 en route to their last Stanley Cup. It also marked the first time the club completed a four-game sweep on home ice since defeating St. Louis in the 1968 Stanley Cup Final.

* The only other series between these teams also ended after four games, with the Lightning eliminating Montreal in the 2004 Eastern Conference Semifinals en route to its first Stanley Cup.

* After scoring in Games 2 and 3, Brendan Gallagher found the back of the net again in Montreal’s series-clinching win. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Gallagher is the third Canadiens player age 21 or under to score in three straight games in a series. Steve Shutt, 21, scored in four consecutive games in 1974 versus the Rangers and Shayne Corson, 20, scored in Games 5, 6 and 7 of Montreal's 1987 series versus Quebec.

2014 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS BRACKET CHALLENGE
Among the more than half-million registrations for the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge powered by Can-Am on NHL.com, 60% picked the Canadiens to win their series against Tampa Bay. Just 1.5% of all entries selected the Canadiens to win in four games.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Canadiens will meet an 'Original Six' rival in the Second Round: the winner of the First Round series between the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. The Canadiens and Bruins have met in a League-high 33 Stanley Cup Playoff series, the most recent in 2011; the Canadiens have faced the Red Wings 12 times but not since 1978.

MARLEAU LIFTS SHARKS TO OVERTIME WIN, 3-0 SERIES LEAD
Tomas Hertl tied the game midway through the third period and Patrick Marleau (1-1--2) scored at 6:20 of overtime as the Sharks rallied from a pair of one-goal deficits to win 4-3 in Los Angeles. San Jose improved to 5-0 in playoff overtime games versus Los Angeles.

* The Sharks hold a 3-0 series lead for the fifth time in their history. San Jose has advanced on each of the previous four occasions, including one series sweep -- last year’s first-round matchup versus Vancouver.

* Marleau’s overtime goal was the fourth of his playoff career, moving into a tie with New Jersey's Jaromir Jagr for first place among active players.

* Already the franchise’s all-time leader in playoff goals and points, Marleau became the first Sharks player to eclipse the 100-point mark (60-41--101).

* San Jose won in Los Angeles for the first time since Apr. 5, 2012 (6-5 shootout victory), and marked just the third time in the past 25 head-to-head matchups (regular-season and playoffs) that the road team earned a victory (two wins for SJ; one win for LA).

* Sharks rookie Matt Nieto, a native of nearby Long Beach, Calif., scored his first career Stanley Cup Playoff goal with his parents in attendance. He now has at least one point in each of his three postseason games (1-3--4).

RASK, BRUINS POST SHUTOUT WIN AT THE JOE
The Bruins jumped to a 2-0 first-period lead for the second consecutive game and Tuukka Rask stopped all 23 shots he faced for his fourth career playoff shutout in Boston’s 3-0 win over Detroit.

* The victory marked Boston’s first road win in Detroit since Mar. 11, 2007 (regular-season) and first postseason win in Detroit since a series-clinching victory on Apr. 4, 1957 at Olympia Stadium in their last postseason meeting before this year’s series. Boston’s only other postseason shutout versus Detroit was recorded by Don Simmons on Apr. 2, 1957.

* Dougie Hamilton and Jordan Caron each scored his first career playoff goal in the opening period.

RANGERS GRAB SERIES LEAD IN PHILLY
Henrik Lundqvist stopped 31 of 32 shots while Martin St. Louis and Dan Girardi each scored a goal and an assist as the Rangers defeated the Flyers 4-1 for their first playoff victory at Philadelphia since Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 18, 1997.

* Lundqvist has posted a 1.68 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage in the first three playoff contests this year. He is 6-1 with a 1.14 GAA, a .963 SV%, and two shutouts in his last seven Game 3s.

* St. Louis has recorded at least one point in 10 of 12 career playoff games versus Philadelphia (3-9--12) and 15-43--58 in 46 career regular-season games against the Flyers.

LOOSE PUCKS
San Jose’s win at Los Angeles was the first road win by a Western Conference team in the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs (1-11). . . Daniel Briere scored the 51st Stanley Cup Playoff goal of his career. He also assisted on the overtime winner in Game 1 and now has 51-60--111 in 112 career playoff games. . . Montreal goaltender Carey Price earned his 13th career postseason victory, tying George Hainsworth for ninth on the club’s all-time list. . . Rick Nash (0-2--2) recorded the second multi-point playoff game of his career - his first with the Rangers - and now has 0-4--4 in the series. . . Forwards Patrick Marleau (San Jose), Ryan O’Reilly (Colorado) and Martin St. Louis (New York Rangers) were announced as the three finalists for the 2013-14 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

SNEAK PEEK AT WEDNESDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Pittsburgh @ Columbus, PIT leads 2-1, 7:00 p.m., CBC, RDS, NBCSN, ROOT, FS-O
Anaheim @ Dallas, ANA leads 2-1, 8:00 p.m., TSN, CNBC, RDS2, PRIME, FS-SW
St. Louis @ Chicago, STL leads 2-1, 9:30 p.m., CBC, RDS, NBCSN, FS-MW, CSN-CH

above information provided by the NHL PR department

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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