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The Florida Panthers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 in overtime to win their series 4-1.

Florida will open up in Raleigh to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final.

Below watch the series winning goal, handshakes and highlights.

Ruled no goal on the ice and the situation room confirms it.

NEW YORK (May 12, 2023) – Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak and Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk are the three finalists for the 2022-23 Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team,” the National Hockey League announced today.

Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association submitted ballots for the Hart Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists. The winner will be revealed live during the 2023 NHL Awards at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Monday, June 26 (8 p.m. ET, TNT, SN, TVAS).

Following are the finalists for the Hart Trophy, in alphabetical order:

via the YouTube page of the NHL,

Listen in to Maple Leafs defenseman Luke Schenn, Head Coach Sheldon Keefe, Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen and head coach Paul Maurice for a nail-biting game four of the Second Round between Toronto and Florida.

from Luke Fox of Sportsnet,

We’re not sure which was more impressive, the kid’s ability to lock down a 2-1 win facing elimination, or his composure in doing so.

“I’ve had a good mindset of what I want to pursue in my life, what’s important to me. And when I have that, when I have my groundwork, it’s easy to see everything that happens in life brings you closer to that. I’m just happy to be where I am,” Woll says.

“My mindset doesn't change regardless of what the situation is in the game, and that's the little game within the game I play in my mind.”

Ilya Samsonov skated Friday morning. That’s a first since leaving Sunday’s Game 3 with an upper-body injury.

The net — and all its pressures — belongs to Woll, who until Wednesday had not started a playoff game since March 23, 2019, for the Boston College Eagles.

“Confident but calm in there at all times,” Ryan O’Reilly observes. “It’s so impressive. To come in for that pressure of a game and doing what he did, only gives up one, that’s an amazing thing.”

Adds John Tavares: “You can just see the focus. His preparation, his focus, is elite.”

In attempt to shake the rookie, the Panthers vow to get more shots and more traffic Friday in Game 5.

“He was good,” Aleksander Barkov conceded. “Obviously, we could’ve had more guys at the net to make his job tougher.”

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from David Staples of the Edmonton Journal,

Which team will survive it best? Both the Vegas Golden Knights and the Edmonton Oilers are without their No. 1 d-men for Game 5 of their NHL playoffs series.

Both Alex Pietrangelo and Darnell Nurse have been suspended for a game.

Which team can best cover off the massive hole left in their line-up?

Here’s the deal with Vegas:

Pietrangelo has the most time-on-ice in the playoffs of any Vegas d-man for all situations, even strength, short-handed and power play. He leads the team in time-on-ice per game played at 24:37, more than four minutes more than the next player. That’s a huge hole.

Vegas has used both veteran d-men Ben Hutton, 30, who shoots left, and rookie Brayden Pachal, 21, who shoots right like Pietrangelo.

read on

NEW YORK (May 12, 2023) – Quest For The Stanley Cup™, the behind-the-scenes documentary series chronicling the remaining teams in the 2023 Stanley Cup® Playoffs, premieres tonight at 5 p.m. ET, exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. and on YouTube.com/NHL in Canada.

from Iain MacxIntyre of Sportsnet,

For hockey teams, a high floor is nice. But a high ceiling is better.

The Seattle Kraken have a high floor. Their talent is balanced, their effort and mindset uniform and consistent. But in terms of players, they haven’t yet built a high ceiling. The Dallas Stars have a soaring, vaulted canopy — pushed skyward by a showpiece top line of Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski.

On Thursday, with the Kraken and Stars tied 2-2 in their National Hockey League playoff series, Seattle was probably the better team. Certainly, they were the dominant one in the first half of Game 5 in Dallas. But the Kraken have no line that can elevate like Hintz, Robertson and Pavelski, who generated two early goals against the run of play and then manufactured the third-period clincher as the Stars won 5-2 to move within one game of the Western Conference Final.

Hintz scored twice and assisted on Pavelski’s goal that made it 3-0 for Dallas 35 seconds into the middle period, moving into a tie with the Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl for the Stanley Cup Playoffs scoring lead at 18 points through 12 games. And Robertson, the 46-goal scorer from the regular season whose lack of impact through the first three games of the series was concerning, had three assists to make it an eight-point night for the Stars’ No. 1 line.

Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger, pulled in Game 3 as the Kraken took a 2-1 series lead, stopped 29 of 31 shots and looks again like the best goalie still butterflying in the playoffs.

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* The Hurricanes rallied to earn their second straight series-clinching win in overtime and became the first team to earn a berth into the 2023 Conference Finals.

* Joe Pavelski joined elite company in NHL history with his 17th career playoff game-winning goal and attached himself to rare company in Stanley Cup Playoffs history with his League-leading seventh goal of the 2023 Second Round.

* The Maple Leafs, Panthers, Oilers and Golden Knights will compete in pivotal Game 5s as Florida enters with another opportunity to secure their first Conference Finals berth since 1996.

from Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun,

Ryan Reynolds departure from the sale process of the Ottawa Senators feels like a huge, missed opportunity.

Not only for the Senators, but also for the National Hockey League....

Talk about a sinking feeling....

The decision of the 46-year-old Vancouver-born Reynolds and Christopher Bratty of the Remington Group to pull out of the bidding for the Senators is a blow being felt from Carleton Place to Cumberland.

Two weeks ago, Postmedia reported that the group led by Reynolds and Bratty was poised to make a $1-billion bid (all figures US) for the franchise. That offer was presented to New York-based banker Galatioto Sports Partners around the same time....

It felt like such a good fit. Reynolds spent part of his youth in Vanier and has maintained connections to the city. He has a street named after him and made a large charitable donation to the Ottawa Food Bank during the COVID-19 pandemic with his wife, actress Blake Lively.

Twice Reynolds appeared at home games and people at the Canadian Tire Centre were on their feet when he was shown on the video board. People like Reynolds because he’s relatable, down to earth and has never forgotten his Canadian roots.

read on

Carolina defeated the New Jersey Devils 3-2 in OT to win the series 4-1.

They will play the winner of Florida/Toronto in the ECF.

Below watch the OT series winner, the Storm Surge, handshakes and highlights.

NEW YORK (May 11, 2023) – Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has been suspended for one game for slashing Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl during Game 4 of the teams’ Second Round Series in Edmonton on Wednesday, May 10, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 18:29 of the third period. Pietrangelo was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for slashing.

suspension video is below...

NEW YORK (May 11, 2023) – Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders and Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins are the three finalists for the 2022-23 Vezina Trophy, awarded “to the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position,” the National Hockey League announced today.

NHL general managers submitted ballots for the Vezina Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists. The winner will be revealed live during the 2023 NHL Awards at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Monday, June 26 (8 p.m. ET, TNT, SN, TVAS).

Following are the finalists for the Vezina Trophy, in alphabetical order:

NEW YORK (May 11, 2023) – Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse has been suspended for one game for instigating a fight during the final five minutes of Game 4 of the team’s Second Round series against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, May 10, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

In addition, Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft has been fined $10,000.

Nurse was assessed a minor penalty for instigating, a major penalty for fighting and a 10-minute misconduct for instigating at 19:10 of the third period.

Both the suspension to the player and the fine of the coach are automatic for a violation of Rule 46.21.

from Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now,

Though his name continues to be linked to NHL jobs, former Detroit Red Wings star Sergei Fedorov is insisting that he has no desire to become an NHL coach.

“No one from the NHL called me, the topic was sucked from the finger,” Fedorov told Russian news agency TASS. “I have another year of contract with CSKA. I don’t, didn’t have and won’t have plans to conquer America in a different status.”

The name of the 1993-94 Hart Trophy winner with Detroit is being linked to the vacant Columbus Blue Jackets job. Fedorov is a former Blue Jackets player. Last season, he was mentioned as a possible replacement for Jeff Blashill behind the Red Wings bench.

A three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Red Wings (1996-97, 1997-98, 2001-02), Fedorov has guided CSKA Moscow to the past two Gagarin Cup KHL titles.

“Winning the Stanley Cup and the Gagarin Cup is incomparable,” Fedorov told sport-express.ru. “When I was a player, there were some forces left to celebrate. Now you just switch off after the final siren.”

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If you missed the slash last night, watch it here.

from the Philadelphia Flyers,

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today the club has named Keith Jones to the position of President of Hockey Operations and named Daniel Briere to the position of General Manager.

With this announcement, the Flyers have finalized their new management structure. The President of Hockey Operations will lead the strategic direction for all aspects of the hockey operations department while collaborating on business goals. The General Manager is responsible for all hockey decisions as it pertains to signings, trades and draft picks as well as overseeing scouting, player development, roster construction and more. Head coach John Tortorella will remain boss of the bench and like most head coaches in the NHL, he'll provide input on various management topics.

Statement by Daniel J. Hilferty, Comcast Spectacor Chairman & CEO and Governor of the Philadelphia Flyers

"Today marks a new era for the Philadelphia Flyers. This is a storied franchise with the most passionate fans in the National Hockey League. Our ultimate goal is to deliver them a championship. Achieving that goal will take time. We intend to honor the incredible history of the Orange and Black while paving a fresh path forward. That starts by creating a winning culture throughout the organization.

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from Gerry Moddejonge at the NHL's website,

Stuart Skinner made 25 saves for the Edmonton Oilers in a 4-1 win against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 of the Western Conference Second Round at Rogers Place on Wednesday.

Skinner's performance came two days after he was pulled in the second period of a 5-1 loss in Game 3.

"He bounced back. That's what he does," Oilers captain Connor McDavid said. "I am sure he wanted to play a better game in Game 3, like we all did, and I thought he played really, really well tonight."

The best-of-7 series is tied 2-2. Game 5 will be in Las Vegas on Friday.

"It felt good. It was a huge win by the group and that is the most important thing," Skinner said. "Just the way the guys battled tonight was impressive. You always have to show up the next day and keep on working.

"I am going to keep on growing and learn from my mistakes from tonight as well and just move forward and get better tomorrow."

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catch the game highlights below.

from Ansar Khan of Mlive,

The phrases “lack of” and “lottery luck” are often joined in conjunction with the Detroit Red Wings. But while the ping pong balls haven’t bounced their way in any of the seven draft lotteries they’ve participated in, they haven’t been bereft of good fortune.

They landed a franchise cornerstone on defense in 2019 by selecting Moritz Seider sixth overall.

“I’ve been living in a dream ever since,” Seider said. “I’ve had the opportunity to make a living out of my dream, which not everybody in the world can say, so I’m very proud of that. I’ve been around an awesome organization with unbelievable teammates, and I enjoy every single minute.”...

“I think I’m in a really good place,” Seider said. “I made strides during the season. I think I’m a better defender now than I was last year. I’m doing a good job of trying to shut the best lines down on a daily basis.

“I’m not caught out of position that often anymore. I’m not leaning for big hits. I matured on the PK to just block more shots. Another 82-game season helped me to mature as well.”

He’ll continue doing that over the next couple of weeks while playing for Germany at the World Championship, which starts Friday in Tampere, Finland, and Riga, Latvia.

“I’ve said it all along, he’s a beast out there,” Jake Walman said. “He can do it all. He can do everything by himself.”

read on

* With only 11 NHL games under his belt, all in the regular season, rookie netminder Joseph Woll earned a win in his first career playoff start to help the Maple Leafs stave off elimination and force a Game 5.

* Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid continued their high-scoring ways to help Edmonton even their series – the duo currently sits first and second in points in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs and became just the fourth pair of teammates since 1990 to hit the 50-point mark across two postseasons.

* The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs marks just the sixth time in 36 years there will not be any best-of-seven sweeps through the first two rounds – with three of those instances coming in the past eight years. The others: 1991, 2002, 2010, 2016 and 2020.

If you missed the last 1 1/2 minutes of the Edmonton/Vegas game, here is what you missed.

Videos below.

from Luke Fox of Sportsnet,

With the Toronto Maple Leafs skating on a cliff’s edge and previously loyal supporters jumping off the bandwagon like lemmings following the club’s uninspired Game 3 loss, William Nylander made a curious prediction ahead of a do-or-die Game 4.

“I think it will be fun tomorrow,” Nylander smiled Tuesday, after what was in danger of being the final practice for some in the organization.

Fun? Fighting to keep this wobbly ship afloat? Why fun?

“Because that’s when you have to play your best,” Nylander replied.

Willy certainly has his own style, even when he’s calling his shot.

But the best Maple Leafs forward in this series backed up his words, backchecking like a beast, skating with purpose, and cracking open a knotty 0-0 contest by pouncing on a fortunate bounce off an official’s leg and beating Sergei Bobrovsky.

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Highlight are below.

from Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer,

Two months after firing former general manager and president of hockey operations Chuck Fletcher, the Flyers have found their next president of hockey operations.

The Flyers are set to hire former player Keith Jones to the role, a source confirmed to The Inquirer Wednesday. Former Flyers defenseman Chris Therien, who now co-hosts the Snow The Goalie podcast, broke the initial news on Twitter after multiple reports on Wednesday stated that Jones was a finalist for the position.

Jones, 54, most recently served as the Flyers’ color analyst on NBC Sports Philadelphia and previously played for the team from 1998-2001. He suited up in the NHL for a total of nine seasons before transitioning to a career in radio and television, which included co-hosting 94.1 WIP’s morning show.

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