WILD, OILERS TIE RESPECTIVE SERIES WITH SIX-GOAL OUTINGS
Six goal performances from both the Wild and the Oilers, highlighted by Kirill Kaprizov’s first career playoff hat trick and Evander Kane’s three points, catapulted both clubs to a tie in their respective First Round series.

* After setting the Wild record for most goals, assists and points in a season with 47-61—108 (81 GP) in 2021-22, Kaprizov became the first player in franchise history to score a playoff hat trick. Kaprizov (3-0—3) and Joel Eriksson Ek (2-1—3), who scored a highlight-reel goal, became the second set of Wild teammates to each record three points in a postseason contest. The only other instance was Game 7 of the 2017 First Round, when Kyle Brodziak (0-3—3), Nino Niederreiter (2-1—3) and Dany Heatley (1-2—3) combined for the feat.

* As his teammates scored six goals, tied for the second most in a game in franchise history trailing only a seven-goal performance in Game 5 of the 2003 Conference Semifinals, Marc-Andre Fleury made 32 saves in the victory. The Blues became the 18th different franchise Fleury has earned a win against in a best-of-seven playoff series, which stands as the second most in NHL history behind only Patrick Roy (20).

* Kane (2-1—3) led the Oilers with his first career three-point outing in the playoffs and Mike Smith (30 saves) earned his first postseason win since Game 1 of the 2019 First Round in shutout fashion to lead Edmonton to victory. Kane’s three points all came in the final frame – the only two players in Oilers history with more in a single playoff period are Glenn Anderson (4 in Game 1 of 1988 DSF) and Wayne Gretzky (4 in Game 4 of 1987 DSF).

* Smith (40 years, 43 days) recorded the 10th instance in NHL history of a goaltender age 40 or older posting a shutout in a playoff game and the first since Dwayne Roloson did so with Tampa Bay in Game 7 of the 2011 Conference Quarterfinals.

HEDMAN, VASILEVSKIY REBOUND AS TAMPA BAY EVENS SERIES WITH TORONTO

Victor Hedman (1-3—4) established a franchise record for points in a playoff game by a Lightning defenseman and Andrei Vasilevskiy improved to 15-0 (1.31 GAA, .948 SV%) following a postseason loss since 2020 as Tampa Bay rebounded from a Game 1 shutout defeat with a five-goal output.



* Hedman (20-72—92 in 134 GP), the active leader in career playoff points by a defenseman, became the 17th blueliner in NHL history to eclipse the 90-point mark. His four-point performance propelled him past Sandis Ozolinsh (23-67—90) and Sergei Gonchar (22-68—90) on the League’s all-time playoff points list among blueliners and into a tie with Bobby Orr (26-66—92) for 16th place.

* Vasilevskiy improved his postseason career record to 50-30 (83 GP) and joined Marc-Andre Fleury (91) and Braden Holtby (50) as just the third active goaltender to win at least 50 career playoff games. Additionally, only six netminders in NHL history required fewer games to reach the mark – a list paced by Canadiens icon and six-time Stanley Cup champion Jacques Plante (69 GP).

KOCHETKOV WINS PLAYOFF DEBUT AS HURRICANES TAKE 2-0 SERIES LEAD
While Sebastian Aho (2-0—2) netted his fourth career multi-goal game in the postseason and Jaccob Slavin (0-2—2) broke a longstanding franchise record for playoff points by a defenseman, Pyotr Kochetkov (30 saves) came on in relief of Antti Raanta to win in his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut and lead Carolina to a 2-0 series lead against Boston.



* Kochetkov (22 years, 313 days), who was a perfect 3-0-0 during the regular season which included a 17-save performance in his NHL debut on April 23, became the third-youngest goaltender in franchise history at the time of his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut behind Kay Whitmore (21 years, 360 days: Game 1 of 1989 DSF) and Cam Ward (22 years, 54 days: Game 2 of 2006 CQF).

* Kochetkov, who started his season in the KHL with the Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, spent 15 games in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves prior to being called up to Carolina on April 17. The Hurricanes bought him Rosetta Stone while he was in Russia and a month before Kochetkov came to the United States, his coach David Nemirovsky made him set an alarm and practice English for an hour each day.

QUICK CLICKS

* #NHLStats: Live Updates for Wednesday, May 4
* Series Scenarios for Thursday, May 5
* 2021-22 King Clancy Memorial Trophy nominees announced by NHL
* Central Scouting to release final NHL Draft rankings on Thursday
* 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs draw strong viewership on ESPN, ESPN2

FOUR CLUBS AIM TO EVEN SERIES IN FIRST TURNER SPORTS PLAYOFF BROADCASTS

A quartet of clubs are looking to even their First Round series Thursday as Turner Sports launches their first-ever playoff broadcasts on TNT and TBS – of the eight First Round series in 2021, half saw the team that lost Game 1 rebound to win Game 2 (BOS, PIT, TOR & VGK). After a triple-overtime thriller in Game 1, New York and Pittsburgh can become just the third best-of-seven series in NHL history to feature each of the first two games require multiple overtime periods (MTL at DET, 1951 SF & STL at TOR, 1993 DF).

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.l