HORVAT’S OT GOAL HELPS CANUCKS HOLD OFF BLUES
Blues forward Jaden Schwartz tied the game with 6.4 seconds remaining in regulation, but Canucks captain Bo Horvat (2-0—2) netted the game-winning goal 5:55 into overtime to propel Vancouver to a 2-0 lead in their First Round series.

* Horvat, who opened Friday’s scoring with a highlight-reel shorthanded goal, recorded a multi-goal outing for the second time in as many games and has collected 6-2—8 through six contests in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Only one player in franchise history has recorded more goals through their first six games of a postseason: Mikael Samuelsson (7-4—11 in 6 GP in 2010).

* Quinn Hughes collected a primary assist on Horvat’s game-winning goal and has found the score sheet in each of his last five contests (1-7—8). Only two rookie defensemen in NHL history have posted a longer playoff point streak than the Canucks blueliner.

* Vancouver, which holds an all-time record of 5-2 (.714) when holding a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series, became the 10th team in NHL history to win a playoff game after giving up a game-tying goal in the final 10 seconds of regulation.

CANADIENS, FLAMES REBOUND TO BLANK FLYERS, STARS

Carey Price (30 saves) and Cam Talbot (35 saves) each posted shutout performances to backstop the Canadiens and Flames to wins in Game 2 and Game 3 of their respective series. Montreal evened their series with Philadelphia 1-1, while Calgary took a 2-1 lead over Dallas.

* Price’s seventh career playoff shutout came in Montreal’s first game since head coach Claude Julien was hospitalized with chest pains following Game 1. Julien is expected to make a full recovery following the stenting of a coronary artery Thursday and is returning to Montreal to recover at home.

* While 20-year-old Jesperi Kotkaniemiscored twice, 28-year-old Alex Belzile also found the score sheet (0-1—1). Belzile became the first skater in Canadiens history to record his first career NHL point in the postseason at age 28 or older and just the second skater overall to do so in the NHL’s modern era (1943-44). The other: Eric Perrin (28 years, 198 days: Game 1 of 2004 CF w/ TBL).

* Talbot posted his second shutout of the 2020 playoffs after he recorded a series-clinching shutout against the Jets in Game 4 of the qualifying round. He became the third goaltender in franchise history to record multiple such outings in a single postseason, joining Miikka Kiprusoff (5 in 2004) and Mike Vernon (3 in 1989).

* Mikael Backlund netted the game-winning goal with Calgary’s second shorthanded goal in as many days. The Flames recorded the ninth instance in NHL history of a team scoring a shorthanded goal in consecutive days during the postseason and first since the Sharks during Game 3 and Game 4 of the 2008 Conference Semifinals. Calgary has accomplished the feat once before, also doing so in Games 3 and 4 of the 1988 Division Semifinals.

BURAKOVSKY, BEAUVILLIER HELP AVALANCHE, ISLANDERS TAKE 2-0 SERIES LEAD

Avalanche forward Andre Burakovsky (1-0—1) and Islanders forward Anthony Beauvillier (0-1—1) each found the score sheet for their respective teams as Colorado and New York each took 2-0 leads in their First Round series.

* Burakovsky’s tally marked Colorado’s second go-ahead, game-winning goal in the final three minutes of regulation this postseason (also Nazem Kadri in SCQ vs. STL). Colorado, which tallied multiple such goals in a single playoff year for the first time in franchise history, became the fourth team in last the 10 years to accomplish the feat. The others: St. Louis (3x in 2019), Tampa Bay (2x in 2016) and Vancouver (2x in 2010).



* Beauvillier, who collected an assist on the first of five Islanders goals Friday, has at least one point in every postseason game thus far in 2020 (4-3—7 in 6 GP). He became the sixth Islanders player to record a point in each of the team’s first six games of a playoff year, joining Bryan Trottier (18 GP in 1981), Denis Potvin (12 GP in 1976), Mike Bossy (9 GP in 1981), Clark Gillies (7 GP in 1977) and Billy Harris (7 GP in 1977).

QUICK CLICKS

* NHL 50/50+ Sweepstakes set for Saturday

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* Inside the Bubble Blog: All CLEAR at one-month mark in Edmonton, Toronto

* Hurricanes' emergency goalie David Ayres keeping eye on them during Playoffs

* RVH goalie technique under microscope during Playoffs

PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION
The Golden Knights and Avalanche will aim for 3-0 series leads Saturday while four Eastern Conference clubs will battle for a 2-1 edge.

* Teams that take a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoffs series hold an all-time series record of 324-51 (86.4%).

* When a best-of-seven series is tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 owns an all-time series record of 215-106 (67.0%).

* Teams that take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoffs series hold an all-time series record of 190-4 (97.9%).

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.