NHL, PLAYERS UNITE IN FIGHT TO END RACISM
Prior to all three games on Saturday, a pre-game presentation shined a light on the need for the League and its players to join together in the fight against racial injustice “today, tomorrow and well after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.”

The video presentation included player comments from Kevin Shattenkirk, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand prior to the Lightning-Bruins game, James van Riemsdyk and Ryan Pulock prior to the Flyers-Islanders game and Ryan Reaves and Bo Horvat prior to the Golden Knights-Canucks game.



LIGHTNING TRIO PROPEL CLUB WITHIN ONE WIN OF THE CONFERENCE FINALS
The trio of Ondrej Palat (2-0—2), Nikita Kucherov (0-2—2) and Brayden Point (0-1—1) sparked the Lightning offense as Tampa Bay took a 3-1 lead in their Second Round series with Boston and moved within one win of advancing to the Conference Finals for the fourth time in the last six years.

* Palat extended his goal streak to three games (4-1—5) and his point streak to four games (4-2—6). Palat is one game shy of the longest playoff goal streak in Lightning postseason history – accomplished four times: Steven Stamkos (4 GP in 2015 and 2018), Vincent Lecavalier (4 GP in 2007) and Martin St. Louis (4 GP in 2003).

* Kucherov, with a multi-point outing for the second time in as many games, boosted his career playoff totals to 33-44—77 (77 GP). He joined Point (14-19—33 in 33 GP), who extended his point streak to five games (2-7—9), as one of only four players in Lightning history to produce at a point-per-game pace in their postseason career (min. 10 GP). The others: Martin St. Louis (1.08 P/GP in 63 GP) and Brad Richards (1.04 P/GP in 45 GP).



GOLDEN KNIGHTS BLANK CANUCKS TO TAKE 2-1 SERIES LEAD
Alex Tuch scored his third game-winning goal this postseason and Robin Lehner turned aside all 31 shots he faced as the Golden Knights blanked the Canucks to take a 2-1 lead in their Second Round series.

* Tuch has scored a team-leading seven goals since Aug. 1 (7-2—9 in 11 GP), including one in each of Vegas’ last four games. His four-game goal streak is the longest by any player this postseason – the last instance of a skater with a five-game run in the playoffs occurred in 2015, when Chicago’s Patrick Kane and Anaheim’s Matt Beleskey combined for the feat.

* Lehner, who allowed four goals in Game 2, recorded his second shutout this postseason and improved to 7-2 in nine appearances overall (2.08 GAA, .921 SV%). His first shutout was versus Vancouver in Game 1 (5-0 W).

* The Golden Knights and Canucks will play Game 4 in their Second Round series tonight. Vegas earned nine wins in the second half of back-to-back sets during the 2019-20 regular season (9-2-0), while Vancouver had four (4-4-1). The Golden Knights and Canucks are 0-1 and 1-1, respectively, in those contests during the 2020 postseason.



DID YOU KNOW?
Vegas improved to 25-13 in 38 all-time postseason games, including a 9-2 record in 2020. The Golden Knights required the fewest games to reach 25 postseason wins among all NHL franchises, besting the previous low of 43 shared by the Islanders and Oilers.



ACQUISITIONS FROM 2018, 2019 OFFSEASONS LEAD ISLANDERS TO GAME 3 WIN
Matt Martin, Leo Komarov and Anders Lee each scored and Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves as the Islanders took a 2-1 lead in their Second Round series with the Flyers.

* Martin and Komarov, who were teammates with Toronto from 2016-17 to 2017-18, were both acquired during the 2018 offseason by New York general manager Lou Lamoriello – who served in the same capacity with the Maple Leafs over that two-season span. Varlamov was also acquired by the Islanders with Lamoriello at the helm, signing with the club just over a year ago on July 1, 2019.

* Varlamov, who was relieved in Game 2 after allowing three goals in the opening 15:09, improved to 9-2 in 12 appearances this postseason (1.69 GAA, .935 SV%, 2 SO). He became the second different goaltender in franchise history with nine or more wins through 11 decisions in a postseason, joining Billy Smith in both 1980 (10-1) and 1981 (9-2).

* The Islanders and Flyers will contest Game 4 in their Second Round series tonight. New York and Philadelphia each earned six wins in the second half of back-to-back sets during the 2019-20 regular season (NYI: 6-1-1, PHI: 6-5-2). The Islanders and Flyers are both 0-1 in those contests during the 2020 postseason.




QUICK CLICKS

* Alain Vigneault explains being unaware of NBA protests, focused on Flyers
* Nathan MacKinnon seeking ways for Avalanche to aid fight for social justice
* Joe Pavelski says violence in home state of Wisconsin 'tough to see'
* Jaccob Slavin of Hurricanes seeks equality for adopted daughter
* Stars confident they can rebound against Avalanche in Game 4

PREVIEW OF TODAY’S ACTION
The Stars and Avalanche will also contest a pivotal Game 4 in addition to the Islanders-Flyers and Golden Knights-Canucks.

* Teams that hold a 2-1 lead in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoffs series own an all-time series record of 355-154 (.697), including a 5-1 mark in 2020.



AVALANCHE LOOK TO DRAW EVEN WITH STARS IN GAME 4
After dropping the first two games, the Avalanche withstood a Stars rally in Game 3 and now set their sights on evening their Second Round series 2-2 Sunday.



* Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon has recorded multiple points in each of his last five games dating back to Game 4 of the First Round (vs. ARI). Should MacKinnon notch two points in Game 4 against Dallas, he would join Wayne Gretzky (8 GP in 1983 w/ EDM), Darryl Sittler (7 GP in 1977 w/ TOR), Tony Currie (7 GP in 1981 w/ STL), Dale Hawerchuk (6 GP in 1993 w/ BUF) and Evgeni Malkin (6 GP in 2009 w/ PIT) as the only players to record at least two points in six or more consecutive playoff games.

* Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who ranks tied for third in playoff scoring with 3-12—15 in 12 games, needs one point to surpass Craig Hartsburg (3-12—15 in 1981 w/ MNS) for the most points by a blueliner in a single postseason in Stars/North Stars history.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.