Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

05/03/2015 at 10:47am EDT

SATURDAY’S RESULT
Home Team in Caps
NY RANGERS 3, Washington 2 – series tied 1-1

RANGERS HOLD ON FOR GAME 2 VICTORY, TIE SERIES AT 1-1
Derick Brassard scored what proved to be the game-winning goal at 6:07 of the third period and Henrik Lundqvist made 30 saves to help the Rangers even their series with the Capitals.


* Each of New York’s seven games this postseason has been decided by one goal. In fact, 14 of the Rangers' last 16 playoff outings have been one-goal decisions, including nine consecutive contests dating to Game 4 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final vs. Los Angeles. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rangers are the first club in League history to skate in nine consecutive one-goal games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* Lundqvist made 26 of his 30 saves after the first period to improve to 5-2 with a 1.67 goals-against average and .938 save percentage this postseason (7 GP). He has allowed two goals or fewer in 10 consecutive playoff victoriesat Madison Square Garden dating to last year in Game 1 of New York’s opening-round series with Philadelphia.

* ICYMI: Lundqvist made a series of impressive saves in Game 2 – first on a point-blank shot by Alex Ovechkin, then a timely blocker save on a fluttering puck and finally asprawling pad stack on Evgeny Kuznetsov.

* Brassard scored his fourth career playoff game-winning goal. He paces the Rangers with four goals and five points (tied w/ Rick Nash: 1-4—5) in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* Chris Kreider opened the scoring just 38 seconds into the first period, marking the sixth-fastest goal to start a playoff game in Rangers history. DerickBrassard scored the second-fastest goal to start a postseason game in franchise history at 0:28 of the first period in Game 1 of their First Round series vs. PIT. Ed Hospodar set the mark with his goal at 0:27 of the first period on April 9, 1981 vs. LAK.

* Elias says the Rangers scored in the opening minute of the first period three times during the 2014-15 regular season, including one such tally by Kreider on Nov. 8, 2014 at TOR (0:53).

* Dan Boyle scored his first goal in the postseason since May 28, 2013 at LAK (w/ SJS). His goal came via the power play, the first such tally yielded by the Capitals this postseason (19-of-20, 95.0% PK in 9 GP).

QUICK STRIKES
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rangers are the only team to score in the opening minute of the first period in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Overall, there have been nine goals scored in the opening minute of any period this postseason, including four in the First Round series between the Blackhawks and Predators.

Goals Scored in Opening Minute of Any Period, 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Derick Brassard (NYR): 0:28 of the first period in Game 1 vs. PIT on April 16
Tomas Jurco (DET): 0:08 of the second period in Game 1 at TBL on April 16
John Tavares (NYI): 0:15 of overtime in Game 3 vs. WSH on April 19
Jonathan Toews (CHI): 0:36 of the second period in Game 3 vs. NSH on April 19
Mattias Ekholm (NSH): 0:58 of the second period in Game 3 at CHI on April 19
Brent Seabrook (CHI): 1:00 of triple-overtime in Game 4 vs. NSH on April 21
James Neal (NSH): 0:47 of the third period in Game 5 vs. CHI on April 23
Corey Perry (ANA): 0:44 of the third period in Game 1 vs. CGY on April 30
Chris Kreider (NYR): 0:38 of the first period in Game 2 vs. WSH on May 2

DID YOU KNOW?
* Game 2 marked the 21st playoff meeting between the Capitals and Rangers since 2010-11, surpassing the Kings and Sharks for the most over that span.

* Saturday’s contest also was the 50th all-time playoff game between the clubs, with Washington owning a 26-24 edge.

* New York played its 64th playoff game since the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, tying Los Angeles for the most in that span.

LOOSE PUCKS
ICYMI: Alex Ovechkin split the Rangers defense before scoring from his knees to bring the Capitals within one goal in the third period. Ovechkin extended his point streak to four games (2-3—5), has tallied seven points in his last six contests (3-4—7) and has 69 points (35-34—69) in 67 career playoff games.


Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov scored his fourth goal of the playoffs to keep pace with Ovechkin for the team lead . . . Capitals forward Jason Chimera notched one assist while celebrating his 36th birthday . . . The Stanley Cup made an appearance on the red carpet at the Kentucky Derby . . . Johnstown, Pa., was announced as winner of the first-ever Kraft Hockeyville USA. The community will host a 2015-16 pre-season game between the Penguins and Lightning. Click here for more information.

SNEAK PEEK AT SUNDAY'S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Tampa Bay @ Montreal, TBL leads series 1-0, 6:00 p.m., CBC, TVA, NBCSN
Minnesota @ Chicago, CHI leads series 1-0, 8:30 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, SN360, TVA2
Calgary @ Anaheim, ANA leads series 1-0, 10:00 p.m., CNBC, TVA, SN

* Tampa Bay's Game 1 overtime hero Nikita Kucherov tied for first place in NHL in plus-minus during the regular season (+38) and also shares the postseason lead (+7).
* Carey Price will make his 50th career playoff appearance for the Canadiens in Game 2, becoming the fourth goaltender in franchise history to reach the milestone. Price will join Patrick Roy (114), Ken Dryden (112) and Jacques Plante (90) on the exclusive list.
* The Blackhawks are 4-0 at United Center in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* The Wild have not lost consecutive games in regulation since acquiring goaltenderDevan Dubnyk on Jan. 14.
* The Ducks' Corey Perry leads all playoff scorers 11 points (five goals, six assists) in five games.
* The Flames' Game 2 starting goaltender Karri Ramo registered a win over the Ducks in his only appearance against them this season (29 saves in a 6-3 win on March 11).

the above information was 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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