Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

04/25/2014 at 10:42am EDT

RECORD NUMBER OF FIRST ROUND COMEBACKS
Last night’s Bruins’ victory marked the ninth time in the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs that a team has overcome a multi-goal deficit to win (31 GP). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is a record for the most such victories in the first round of the postseason, breaking the previous mark of eight established in 1991. There were only eight such victories in the entire 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Overall, there have been 23 comeback wins in the 31 games contested thus far in the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs (74.2%). A breakdown:

* 1-goal comebacks: 14
* 2-goal comebacks: 8
* 3-goal comebacks: 1

IGINLA, BRUINS RALLY TO TAKE 3-1 SERIES LEAD OVER RED WINGS
Trailing 2-0 midway through the second period, the Bruins scored three unanswered goals, including Jarome Iginla’s winner at 13:32 of overtime, to take a 3-1 series lead over the Red Wings.

* Iginla recorded his sixth career game-winning goal in the postseason and first in overtime. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Iginla (36 years, 297 days) is the oldest player to score his first postseason overtime goal since Bill Guerin did so at age 38 for the Penguins in Game 2 of their first-round series against the Flyers in 2009. Iginla now has 33-31—64 in 73 career playoff contests, including 1-4—5 in 17 overtime games.

* Tuukka Rask made 35 saves to improve to 24-15 in 39 career postseason appearances, including an 8-4 mark in 12 overtime games. He has stopped 115-of-119 shots through four games in the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, posting a 0.96 goals-against average, .966 save percentage and one shutout.

* After scoring his first career regular-season goal Oct. 5 at Joe Louis Arena, Livonia, Mich., native Torey Krug added his fifth career postseason marker and first of 2014.

* Claude Julien coached his 100th career playoff game (57-43), improving to 52-36 behind the Boston bench.

* The Bruins improved to 21-8 in 29 all-time postseason games in Detroit.

GABORIK, WILLIAMS HELP KINGS STAY ALIVE
Marian Gaborik and Justin Williams both recorded two-goal games to help the Kings stave off elimination and defeat the Sharks 6-3.

* Gaborik posted his second career multi-goal game in the postseason and first since May 2, 2003 (vs. VAN).

* Williams also registered his second career multi-goal game in the playoffs and first since May 28, 2013 (vs. SJ). He was mic’d up while scoring both goals in Game 4 which can be seen here and here.

* Celebrating his 22nd birthday, Tyler Toffoli compiled 1-1—2, including his first game-winning goal in the postseason.

* Jeff Carter (1-3—4) and Anze Kopitar (0-4—4) both collected one assist and now have found the scoresheet in each game of the series.

* The Kings improved to 10-2 in their last 12 home playoff games dating to June 11, 2012. They also improved to 11-1-1 in their last 13 meetings with the Sharks at STAPLES Center dating to Nov. 28, 2011 (regular season and playoffs).

* After combining for 24 goals in their seven-game series in the 2013 Western Conference Semifinals (LA: 14, SJ: 10), the Kings and Sharks have totaled 34 goals through the first four games of this series (LA: 14, SJ: 20).

WILD USE STINGY DEFENSE TO EVEN SERIES WITH AVALANCHE
The Wild outshot the Avalanche 32-12, setting a franchise record for the fewest shots allowed in a playoff game, to even their series at two games apiece.

* The Wild’s previous record for the fewest shots allowed in a postseason game was 13, set April 29, 2003, in 3-2 loss to the Canucks in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

* The Wild now have outshot the Avalanche 143-94 in the series, including a 78-34 margin in Games 3 and 4. Including the regular season, they have outshot the Avalanche in eight of their nine head-to-head meetings in 2013-14, posting a 297-217 advantage.

* Jared Spurgeon scored his first career playoff goal at 3:47 of the first period, a franchise record for the fastest goal by a Wild player in a home postseason game.

* Charlie Coyle recorded his first career game-winning goal in the playoffs and now has found the back of the net in three of four games in the series (3-0—3).

* Darcy Kuemper made 11 saves, but saw his postseason shutout streak end at 138:07 (dating to last year).

* The Wild and Avalanche now have contested 12 one-goal games in their 17 all-time playoff meetings, including 11 of their last 13 matchups.

BIG NIGHTS FOR NEW DADS
Red Wings players Pavel Datsyuk and Niklas Kronwall both recorded 1-1—2 – including the primary assist on each other’s goals – in the first game following the birth of their children:

* Datsyuk posted his 38th career playoff goal and 106th point (144 GP), seventh among active players. He welcomed his second child, daughter Vasilisa, on Wednesday.

* Kronwall scored his fifth career postseason goal and first since May 8, 2011 (Game 5 of CSF), snapping a 24-game playoff drought. He welcomed first child, son Douglas, earlier on Thursday.

LOOSE PUCKS
Home teams improved to 21-10 (.677) in the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including a 15-1 mark (.938) by Western Conference clubs . . . Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg logged 19:34 of ice time and a +1 rating in his first game since Feb. 8 . . . Sharks forward James Sheppard scored his first career playoff goal (21 GP) . . . Avalanche forward Joey Hishon, the 17th overall selection in the 2010 Draft, played in his first NHL game . . . Red Wings goaltender Jonas Gustavsson made 37 saves in his postseason debut . . . Sharks goaltender Alex Stalock stopped all four shots he faced in relief of Antti Niemi in his playoff debut . . . Forwards Patrice Bergeron (BOS), Anze Kopitar (LA) and Jonathan Toews (CHI) were announced as the three finalists for the 2013-14 Frank J. Selke Trophy . . . The NHL announced that the start time of Game 6 of the First Round Stanley Cup Playoffs series between the Ducks and Stars has been set for 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, April 27, in Dallas (NBCSN, TSN2, RDS2, PRIME, FS-SW) . . . ICYMI: Rangers forward Dominic Moore was featured in the latest episode of ESPN’s “E:60.” Click here for a clip . . . Larry David, Charissa Thompson and Pau Gasol were among the famous faces at the Kings-Sharks game.

SNEAK PEEK AT FRIDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
NY Rangers @ Philadelphia, NYR leads 2-1, 7:00 p.m., CNBC, TSN, RDS, MSG, CSN-PH
Chicago @ St. Louis, series tied 2-2, 8:00 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, RDS2, CSN-CH, FS-MW
Dallas @ Anaheim, series tied 2-2, 10:30 p.m., NBCSN, TSN, RDS, FS-SW, PRIME

thanks to the NHL PR department fot the above information

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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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