STARS OUTLAST AVALANCHE IN BACK-AND-FORTH GAME 1
Dallas’ trio of Alexander Radulov (2-1—3), Jamie Benn (0-3—3) and Tyler Seguin (1-1—2) outdueled Colorado’s trio of Nathan MacKinnon (2-1—3), Gabriel Landeskog (1-1—2) and Mikko Rantanen (0-1—1) en route to a Game 1 victory in their Second Round series.

* After he went scoreless during the qualifying round, Benn has collected 2-5—7 in seven contests since Game 1 of the First Round. The captain’s three-assist outing fell one helper shy of matching the most by a Stars/North Stars player in a single playoff game, shared by Bobby Smith, Tim Young, Brad Maxwell and Brian Bellows (all w/ MNS).

* Twenty-one-year-old defenseman Miro Heiskanen (0-1—1) continued to find the score sheet again after posting a four-point performance in his previous outing. While Heiskanen sits two assists shy of the most by a Stars/North Stars defenseman in a single playoff year (3-10—13 in 10 GP), he became the sixth blueliner in the last 25 years to collect 10-plus assists through his first 10 games of a postseason.

* Additionally, the third-overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft became the NHL’s eighth different defenseman (10 instances) since 1989 to collect at least 13 points through his first 10 games of a postseason.

MacKINNON CONTINUES ELITE POINT-PER-GAME PACE IN THE POSTSEASON
Nathan MacKinnon (2-1—3) factored on all three Colorado goals to extend his point streak to a playoff career-high nine games and register his second consecutive outing with at least three points (also 2-2—4 in Game 5 vs. ARI).

* MacKinnon has recorded 17-28—45 in 34 career playoff games – the fourth-highest point-per-game-played rate in Stanley Cup Playoffs history (min. 30 GP).

* Additionally, his nine-game run is tied for the second-longest playoff point streak in Avalanche/Nordiques history. The only players with a longer stretch: Joe Sakic (10 GP 1996 w/ COL) and Marian Stastny (10 GP 1982 w/ QUE).

* Saturday marked the second time that MacKinnon has recorded consecutive playoff games with three-plus points (also Game 1 and 2 of 2014 R1). He is just the third player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to accomplish the feat multiple times. The others: Peter Stastny (3x) and Michel Goulet (2x).


QUICK CLICKS

* Bruins, Lightning expect 'pretty intense' Eastern Second Round series

* Canucks embrace underdog role against Golden Knights in West Second Round

* Arttu ‘ArtuzioFIN’ Mustila Captures 2020 NHL Gaming World Championship European Title

* Reilly Smith thriving again for Golden Knights entering series with Canucks

* Chris Tanev roasts Canucks teammates while reading starting lineups

PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION
Two Second Round series are set to get underway in Toronto and Edmonton Sunday when the Bruins and Lightning clash at Scotiabank Arena, while the Canucks and Golden Knights will go head-to-head at Rogers Place.



BRUINS, LIGHTNING READY FOR THIRD PLAYOFF MEETING
The Bruins and Lightning will face off in a best-of-seven series for the third time, with the clubs splitting the previous matchups - Boston won in the 2011 Conference Finals and Tampa Bay won in the 2018 Second Round.

* Brayden Point needs one overtime goal to match the NHL record for most by player in a single postseason, a mark set by Boston’s Mel Hill in 1939 and equaled by Montreal’s Maurice Richard in 1951 as well as Anaheim’s Corey Perry in 2017.

* Andrei Vasilevskiy is 6-2 through eight appearances this postseason (1.98 GAA, .927 SV%). He is 21-17 in 41 career postseason appearances (2.62 GAA, .915 SV%) and needs one win to pass Nikolai Khabibulin and Ben Bishop (both w/ 21) for the most in franchise history.

* David Krejci enters Game 1 on six-game point streak (3-6—9 in 6 GP). The last Boston player to record a point streak of seven-plus games in a postseason was Patrice Bergeron in 2014 (3-6—9 in 7 GP).

* Jaroslav Halak is 3-0 in his last three appearances (1.67 GAA, .932 SV%). Only four different Boston goaltenders have recorded a win streak of four-plus games in a postseason at age 35 or older: Gerry Cheevers (6-0 in 1978, 5-0 in 1977, 4-0 in 1979), Tim Thomas (5-0 in 2011, 5-0 in 2009) and Eddie Johnston (6-0 in 1972).

CANUCKS AND GOLDEN KNIGHTS SET TO SQUARE OFF IN GAME 1
Fresh off ousting the reigning Stanley Cup champions in the First Round, the Canucks are back on the ice again Sunday to square off with the top-seeded Golden Knights. Vegas downed Chicago in its First Round series.

* Vancouver and Vegas have held a lead for 247:46 and 194:16 during the 2020 postseason, respectively. Among teams to advance to the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, only two have led for longer periods of time: Philadelphia (355:32) and New York (250:48).

* Quinn Hughes is tied for second in team scoring with 1-9—10 (10 GP) and leads all rookies. The most points by a rookie defenseman in a single postseason is 14, a mark held by three players: Glen Wesley (1988; 6-8—14 in 23 GP w/ BOS), Larry Goodenough (1976; 3-11—14 in 16 GP w/ PHI) and Al MacInnis (1984; 2-12—14 in 11 GP w/ CGY).

* Jacob Markstrom enters the Second Round with at least 30 saves in each of his last five games, including a 34-save performance in Vancouver’s series-clinching win in Game 6. Only one goaltender in Canucks history has strung together a longer stretch of consecutive games with 30-plus saves in the playoffs: Kirk McLean (6 GP in 1994), en route to backstopping the club to the Stanley Cup Final.

* The Golden Knights are 8-0-2 in 10 all-time regular-season games against the Canucks (VAN: 2-7-1). Vegas and Vancouver have never met in a Stanley Cup Playoffs series.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.