CANADIENS WIN TWICE-IN-A-CENTURY GAME 7 AGAINST RIVAL MAPLE LEAFS

The Canadiens are off to the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2015 after Carey Price made 30 saves and Corey Perry scored the series-clinching goal to complete the club’s comeback with a Game 7 victory against the rival Maple Leafs. Montreal’s victory came in front of the first crowd in Toronto in more than a year, as 550 fully vaccinated health care workers attended the second all-time Game 7 between the century-old rivals.

* Price has allowed one goal or fewer in three of his four Game 7 appearances, winning each (3-1, 1.47 GAA, .950 SV%, 1 SO). He tied KenDryden (3-0) for the most Game 7 victories in franchise history.

* Montreal’s victory marked the 30th time in Stanley Cup Playoffs history that a team won a best-of-seven series after trailing 3-1. It was the third such victory for the Canadiens (also 2004 CQF vs. BOS and 2010 CQF vs. WSH) - only the Canucks have rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to win as many best-of-seven series (1992 DSF, 1994 CQF and 2003 CQF).

* Perry, one of six Stanley Cup winners acquired by the Canadiens before or during the 2020-21 campaign, boosted his career totals in Game 7s to 4-2—6 (9 GP) and now trails only Patrice Bergeron (6 G in 12 GP) and Paul Stastny (5 G in 6 GP) for the most career goals in Game 7s among active players.

CANADIENS SET UP SERIES WITH JETS, FIXED BRACKET THE REST OF THE WAY

The Canadiens will face the Jets in the Second Round, with Game 1 slated for Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg. This will mark the first-ever playoff series between the Montreal and Winnipeg franchises. The Canadiens and original Jets also never met in the postseason.

* After being the last team to clinch a spot in the postseason, Montreal became the last to enter the Second Round, completing a bracket that is underway in the other three divisions. Montreal’s victory guarantees a fixed bracket for the remainder of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, regardless of the results in the Second Round. The team that emerges from the Scotia North Division will face the Honda West Division winner (Colorado or Vegas) in the Stanley Cup Semifinals, while their counterparts from the MassMutual East Division (Boston or NY Islanders) and Discover Central Division (Carolina or Tampa Bay) clash.

GAME 7 TRENDS

* Eric Staal (0-2—2) and Joel Edmundson each improved to 5-0 in career Game 7s, following defensemen Alec Martinez and Alex Pietrangelo who also did so last week with the Golden Knights. They are among a group of 10 active players who have won each of their first five career Game 7s, joining Anton Stralman (7-0), Ryan McDonagh (6-0), Carl Hagelin (6-0), Derek Stepan (6-0), Chris Kreider (5-0) and Jeff Carter (5-0).

* The team that scores first improved to 137-46 (.749) in the 183 all-time Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (2-0 in 2021).

* Road teams moved to 77-106 (.421) in the 183 all-time Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (1-1 in 2021).

BRUINS RALLY BUT CIZIKAS LIFTS ISLANDERS TO SPLIT IN BOSTON
The Islanders scored three straight goals in the second period, but Bruins forwards Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand each scored in the last 10 minutes of regulation to force the first overtime game between the clubs in more than 40 years. In the extra frame, Casey Cizikas scored his first career playoff overtime goal as New York evened the series at 1-1.

* The Islanders played their 60th all-time postseason overtime game, improving to 39-21 in those contests for a .650 winning percentage – trailing only the Lightning (.667; 22-11 in 33 GP) and Jets (.667; 4-2 in 6 GP) for the highest in League history.

* After the First Round concluded with 16 overtime games – tied for the third-most in a single round in NHL history (18 in 2017 R1, 17 in 2013 CQF and 16 in 2012 CQF) - the Islanders won the first such contests of the Second Round. Overall, there have been 17 overtime games this postseason totaling 22 periods and 243:11 of action.

QUICK CLICKS

* Moment of reflection held after remains of 215 Indigenous children were discovered

* Stanley Cup Playoffs coverage
* #NHLStats Live Updates: Tuesday, June 1
* Golden Knights’ Ryan Reaves suspended two games

* Nazem Kadri’s eight-game suspension upheld by Commissioner Gary Bettman

DISCOVER CENTRAL DIVISION TAKES SPOTLIGHT TONIGHT
The lone Stanley Cup Playoffs game tonight will see the host Hurricanes aiming to tie their Second Round series against the Lightning. Carolina has contested five consecutive one-goal games – including four straight decided in overtime to end the First Round – tied for the longest such run in franchise history (also Games 2-6 of 2006 CQF vs. MTL). Tampa Bay, meanwhile, will look to take a 2-0 lead for the second straight series to start the postseason – something achieved by only one of the past 19 defending Stanley Cup champions (Pittsburgh did so in 2017 en route to a second straight title).