NHL, CLUBS HOLDS MOMENT OF SILENCE IN REMEMBRANCE OF 9/11
Ahead of Game 3 between the Lightning and Islanders, the NHL held a moment of silence in remembrance of the tragedy of 9/11 and Nicole Ravivsang the Star-Spangled Banner from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.



ISLANDERS SCORE LATE TO WITHSTAND LIGHTNING RALLY AND WIN GAME 3
After Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson helped the Lightning erase a multi-goal, third-period deficit, Islanders forward Josh Bailey (0-2—2) factored on two goals in a span of 2:49 – including an assist on Brock Nelson’s game-winning goal with 3:25 remaining in regulation – as New York earned its first win of the 2020 Eastern Conference Final.



* The Islanders’ win Friday guaranteed the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs will not have a best-of-seven sweep through the Conference Finals. The best-of-seven format has been used in all four rounds since 1987 – this marks the fourth time over that span in which no sweeps have occurred through the opening three rounds (also 2016, 2002 and 1991).

* Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final marked the second time in as many games in which the winning goal was scored within the final four minutes of regulation (Nikita Kucherov: 59:51 in Game 2). It became the ninth playoff series to have the game-winning goal scored in the final four minutes of regulation in consecutive games and second in 2020. It has never happened in three straight postseason contests.



* Bailey’s performance also marked his seventh multi-point game of the postseason (2-17—19 in 19 GP) — the most by any Islanders player since Bob Bourne (8x) and Bryan Trottier (7x) in 1983.

* Nelson (1-1—2), who collected his first points of the Conference Finals, netted his third game-winning goal of the 2020 postseason and sits tied with Anthony Beauvillier for the team lead. Only two Islanders players have scored more in a single playoff year: Mike Bossy (5 in 1983) and Clark Gillies (4 in 1977).

* Semyon Varlamov (34 saves), who posted his highest save total of the playoff year, improved to 10-5 in 2020 and became the second goaltender in Islanders history to record 10 or more wins in a single playoff year. The other: Billy Smith (5x; 15-4 in 1980, 15-3 in 1982, 14-3 in 1981, 13-3 in 1983 and 12-8 in 1984).

ISLANDERS DEPTH PROVING PIVOTAL IN 2020

* Adam Pelech scored one of two second-period goals and helped the Islanders build a two-goal lead in the middle frame. He became the 17th different Islanders goal scorer during the 2020 postseason. There is only one playoff year in franchise history with more players tallying at least once: 1983 (18).

* Pelech also became the sixth different defenseman to score for the Islanders this playoff year – the most in a single postseason in franchise history. During the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, both the Bruins (7) and Blues (6) had as many en route to the Final.





* Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon wins Lady Byng Trophy
* NHL Draft to be held virtually October 6-7
* NHL free agency to start October 9
* Nick Bjugstad acquired by the Wild from Penguins for a draft pick
* Rick Bowness guides Stars to lead in Western Final against Golden Knights

STARS LOOK TO KEEP MOMENTUM, WHILE GOLDEN KNIGHTS HOPE TO DRAW EVEN
After Alexander Radulov scored the second-fastest goal from the start of overtime in a Conference Finals contest in Game 3, the Stars look to move within one win of the Stanley Cup Final when they clash with the Golden Knights tonight in Game 4.



* A team has rallied to win their Conference Finals series after facing a series deficit of either 2-1 or 3-2 in each of the last five postseasons. All five of those teams went on to win the Stanley Cup: St. Louis (trailing 2-1 in 2019), Washington (trailing 3-2 in 2018), Pittsburgh (trailing 2-1 in 2017 and trailing 3-2 in 2016) and Chicago (trailing 3-2 in 2015).

* Miro Heiskanen paces all defensemen in both assists and points this postseason (5-17—22 in 19 GP), which are franchise records for most by a Stars/North Stars blueliner in a playoff year. He also sits one helper shy of establishing the most in a single playoff year by a Finnish player - he would eclipse Jari Kurri (14-17—31 in 19 GP) and Esa Tikkanen (10-17—27 in 19 GP), who both had 17 with the Oilers in 1988.

* Shea Theodore has points in three of his last four games, including two goals over that span. Four of Theodore’s seven markers this postseason have been either go-ahead or tying goals (57.1%). Only 11 different defensemen in NHL history have scored five or more goals in a playoff year that either gave their team the lead or tied a game, including just three over that last 20 years: Rob Blake (5 in 2001 w/ COL), Alec Martinez (5 in 2014 w/ LAK) and Brent Burns (5 in 2016 w/ SJS).

* Teams that hold a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoffs series own an all-time series record of 288-29 (.909), including a 10-0 mark in 2020. Additionally, since the conference format was adopted ahead of the 1981-82 season, teams that hold a 3-1 lead in the Conference Finals own an all-time series record of 34-1 (.971).

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.