The New York Rangers defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 to move on to face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round (which starts today the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens Game One).

Dan Carcillo would open the scoring for the game and give the Rangers that much needed first goal. It would be Benoit Pouliot with the eventual game winner before Flyers Jason Akeson would get Philadelphia on the scoreboard.

- Eleven different Rangers recorded a goal in the series, while 17 different skaters tallied a point.
- New York has posted a 6-0 record in Game 7s at Madison Square Garden in franchise history. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rangers are the only NHL team to be undefeated at home in Game 7 with a minimum of three Game 7s at home. The Rangers have won each of their last three Game 7s at home by a 2-1 score, and four of their last five at home, dating back to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 27, 1994 vs. New Jersey. Each of the last five Game 7s at MSG has been decided by one goal. New York has won seven of its last eight playoff series that have gone seven games.
- The Rangers are advancing to the second round of the playoffs for the third consecutive season. The Blueshirts are the only Eastern Conference team to reach the second round of the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. The last time the Rangers won a playoff series in at least three consecutive years was a four-year span from 1993-94 – 1996-97.

Not long after the game and the handshake line was over news started to leak out regarding Flyers netminder Steve Mason.

Mason says he did indeed have a concussion and was experiencing headaches up until night before Game 4.

— Frank Seravalli (@DNFlyers) May 1, 2014

The Western Conference would start their first Game Seven of the night shortly after the conclusion of the Flyers/Rangers game and see Minnesota Wild take on the Colorado Avalanche and start the game off with some controversy over an Avalanche goal.

Goaltender Interference? Guess not.... #mnwildpic.twitter.com/F2T3YwSxhc

— Minnesota Wild Rubes (@mnwildrubes) May 1, 2014

The game would see goalies snowed and run over, hard hits on skaters - the stuff rivalries are made out of (ironically on a Wednesday night on NBCSN).

Minnesota would see Mikko Koivu open their scoring with the captains first goal of the post season before the Avalanche would get a go ahead goal from Jamie McGinn within the opening period. Second period would see frustrations start to boil over with Colorado's Matt Duchene getting called for cross checking just thirty-three seconds in and then Minnesota's Koivu called shortly after teammate Dany Heatley ties the game back up.

Neither team would waste any time in the third and see the score go up to a 3-3 tie just over six minutes in. Not willing to risk anything in a Game Seven Colorado's Erik Johnson would score his first goal of the post season to get the let up on the Wild.

Eight minutes left in the third Darcy Kuemper would leave with a possible injury and Ilya Bryzgalov would go in in his place.

With just over two minutes left in the third defenseman Jared Spurgeon would tie it up yet again to force the game into extra time.

It would take just 5:02 into extra time for Nino Niederreiter to send the Minnesota Wild into the second round for the first time in over a decade.

In an opposite start to the Battle of California the game go scoreless though the first period. It would take Matt Irwin from the blue line to get the puck past Jonathan Quick to get the Sharks up 1-0 with that all important first goal of a Game Seven.

Penalties would quickly start to sink the Sharks and eventually lead to a game tying goal from Drew Doughty from the Kings.

Right place, right time for Doughty pic.twitter.com/8olVwryR6V

— Jeff Veillette (@Jeffler) May 1, 2014

A no-goal call for the Sharks would keep the game tied nearing the midway point in the second period. Anze Kopitar would get the go ahead goal for the Kings with 1:21 left in the second (his fourth of the post season).

Tyler Toffoli would give the Kings a 3-1 lead; but it would be two empty net goals for a 5-1 end to the San Jose Sharks season.

History will be made...

And the 2014 Sharks will join the 1942 Red Wings, 1975 Penguins and 2010 Bruins as only teams to lose a 3-0 lead.

— Ted Starkey (@TedStarkey) May 1, 2014