THREE HARD LAPS: QUICK HITS FROM SATURDAY

* Nathan MacKinnon (COL), Brooks Orpik (WSH) and Craig Smith (NSH) were the overtime heroes Saturday.

* Three-time Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski rallied fans in Boston before the Bruins’ Game 2 victory to even the series.

* Orpik becomes oldest defenseman in NHL history to score a playoff overtime goal.

OVERTIME REQUIRED IN THREE OF FOUR GAMES ON SATURDAY

Four contests have required overtime through the first four days of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including three of four games contested on Saturday. Home teams own a 3-1 edge in overtime games during the 2019 postseason.

* The Capitals required overtime in the First Round for the 10th time in 14 such games since 2017 (71.4%), improving to 6-4 in those contests. Washington has contested a total of 37 overtime postseason games since the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs (18-19), trailing only the Chicago (38; 23-15) for the most in that span.

GRONK RALLIES BOSTON FAITHFUL AS RASK CHASES BRUINS GREATS

AfterRob Gronkowski rallied the fans at TD Garden prior to puck drop, Tuukka Rask turned aside 30 of 31 shots to help the Bruins win Game 2 and even their series with the Maple Leafs.

* Rask earned his 36th career playoff win to tie Andy Moog for second place on the franchise’s all-time list behind Gerry Cheevers (53). Rask’s 36 career postseason wins are also tied with Antti Niemi for the second-most in NHL history among Finnish goaltenders behind Nashville’s Pekka Rinne (44).

* David Pastrnak, who notched an assist on the winning goal by Brad Marchand (1-1—2), now has 33 points in 24 career games against Toronto (regular season: 11-8—19 in 15 GP; playoffs: 5-9—14 in 9 GP). His career points per game average of 1.37 versus the Maple Leafs franchise ranks fourth all-time among Bruins players (min. 10 GP), behind only Phil Esposito (1.52 P/GP), Jean Ratelle (1.46 P/GP) and Ken Linseman (1.41 P/GP).

AVALANCHE ESCAPE “C OF RED” WITH SERIES TIED

J.T. Compher tied the contest with 2:39 remaining in regulation and Nathan MacKinnon scored at 8:27 of overtime as the Avalanche evened their First Round series with the Flames at 1-1. Philipp Grubauer made 35 saves to earn the win, including multiple stops on Matthew Tkachuk late in the third period and a point-blank save seconds before the MacKinnon winner.

* The Avalanche won a postseason game after scoring a tying goal in the final five minutes of regulation and an overtime winner for the ninth time in franchise history. The last such contest also featured an overtime goal by MacKinnon (the first of his career), as he capped Colorado’s rally in Game 5 of the 2014 First Round (4-3 OT W vs. MIN).

* The Avalanche franchise improved to 24-14 in 38 all-time playoff games on the road that have required overtime. Their .631 win percentage is those contests is the fourth-highest such total among current NHL franchises (min. 5 GP), behind only the Lightning (.750; 12-4), Islanders (.696; 16-7) and Ducks (.652; 15-8).

ORPIK BECOMES OLDEST NHL DEFENSEMAN TO SCORE A PLAYOFF OT GOAL

The Hurricanes rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits, but Brooks Orpik scored 1:48 into overtime as the Capitals won Game 2 to take a 2-0 lead in their First Round series. Orpik scored his fourth career goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (4-22—26 in 151 GP), with three of those standing as game-winners and two coming in overtime (also OT goal in Game 6 of 2013 CQF w/ PIT).

* A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Orpik (38 years, 199 days) became the oldest defenseman in NHL history to score an overtime goal in the postseason, eclipsing the previous mark set by Keith Carney (38 years, 68 days) with the Wild in Game 2 of the 2008 Conference Quarterfinals (3-2 OT W vs. COL).

* Orpik also became the oldest Capitals skater to score a playoff overtime goal, besting current Hurricanes captain Justin Williams who was 35 when he lifted Washington to victory in Game 5 of the 2017 First Round (2-1 OT W vs. TOR). Only two players in franchise history older than Orpik have scored a goal of any kind in the Stanley Cup Playoffs: Mike Knuble (39 years, 303 days; Game 2 of 2012 CSF at NYR) and Sergei Fedorov(39 years, 136 days; Game 7 of 2009 CQF vs. NYR).

* Washington has won six consecutive playoff games dating to Game 2 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final (a franchise record), outscoring opponents 24-13 in those contests. Braden Holtby (25 saves) has been the goaltender of record in each of those contests, marking the longest winning streak by a netminder in club history. The 2012 Kings were the last to win more than six consecutive playoff games.

SMITH TALLIES OVERTIME WINNER AS PREDATORS EVEN SERIES

Craig Smith scored his first career playoff overtime goal as the Predators ended Game 2 after five minutes of extra time to even their series with the Stars. It was the third postseason game-winner of Smith’s career, tied for the most in franchise history.

* Nashville has earned at least one win in each of its 19 all-time playoff series. Only one other franchise in NHL history has avoided being swept in each of its first 19 or more postseason series: the Islanders earned at least one win in their first 34 series before being swept by the Capitals in a best-of-five series in 1986.

* ICYMI: P.K. Subban and Ryan Johansen had a dance off before leaving the ice.

BEST-OF-SEVEN SERIES SCENARIOS THROUGH TWO GAMES

* Teams that take a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoffs series own an all-time series record of 318-50 (86.4%), including a 241-30 (88.9%) mark when those wins come on home ice and a 72-20 (78.3%) clip when earned as visitors.
^Five best-of-seven series started 2-0 with Games 1-2 split between cities (last: 2000 CQF, PIT vs. WSH)

* When a best-of-seven series is tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 owns an all-time series record of 212-100 (67.9%).

PLAYOFF QUICK CLICKS

* Nikita Kucherov suspended one game for actions in Lightning game

* Mark Scheifele leads Jets into Game 3 with growing maturity

* Connor McDavid won't need surgery after PCL tear in left knee, Oilers say

* Joe Thornton leaving lasting legacy with Sharks

* Brooks Orpik inspirational hero for Capitals in Game 2 win against Hurricanes

* Nazem Kadri to have hearing for actions in Maple Leafs game against Bruins

SNEAK PEEK AT SUNDAY’S ACTION

The Islanders, Blue Jackets and Blues look to take a 3-0 lead in their respective First Round series. Teams that take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-sevenStanley Cup Playoffs series own an all-time series record of 186-4 (97.8%).

* The Islanders aim to take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series for the 10th time in franchise history and first since the 1983 Final – an eventual four-game triumph over the Oilers to capture the franchise’s last Stanley Cup.

* Pursuing their first-ever series win, the Blue Jackets can become the second team to take a 3-0 series lead in the opening round against the Presidents’ Trophy winner. Columbus would join Los Angeles in 2012, which defeated Vancouver in five games en route to becoming the first No. 8 seed to win the Stanley Cup in the conference era (since 1974-75). Tampa Bay set a franchise record with 30 road victories in 2018-19, five more than the next-closest team (CBJ).

* The Blues can win the first three games of a best-of-seven series for the ninth time in franchise history and third time in that last 20 years – they went up 3-0 on Dallas in the 2001 Conference Semifinals and against Minnesota in the 2017 First Round.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.