Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

05/27/2016 at 7:26am EDT

RUST LEADS PENGUINS TO GAME 7 VICTORY, STANLEY CUP FINAL
Bryan Rust scored twice, including the decisive goal just 30 seconds after the Lightning tied the contest in the second period, to help the Penguins win Game 7 and advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the fifth time in franchise history (also 1991, 1992, 2008 and 2009).


* Rust registered his second career multi-goal game in the postseason, both of which have come in series-clinching wins (also Game 5 of FR vs. NYR: 2-1—3). Per Elias, he became the second rookie in NHL history to record multiple goals in two series-clinching wins within a single postseason. The other: Chicago’s Jeremy Roenick in 1990.

* Elias adds that Rust became the fourth player in Penguins history – and first rookie – to post multiple goals in a Game 7. The others: Jiri Hrdina (1991 DSF vs. NJD: 2-0—2),Sidney Crosby (2009 CSF at WSH: 2-1—3) and Max Talbot (2009 F at DET: 2-0—2).

* Rust also became the eighth different rookie in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to score twice in a Game 7 and the first to do so since New Jersey’s Adam Henrique in the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at FLA (2-0—2).

* Rust has scored five goals through 17 games in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs (5-3—8), equaling a Penguins record for a rookie in a single postseason (Michel Briere: 10 GP in 1970). Rust’s five playoff goals also match his career total from his 55 regular-season appearances (5-8—13).

DID YOU KNOW?
Via Elias, Pittsburgh’s Matt Murray (16 SV) and Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy (37 SV) became the sixth set of rookie goaltenders to face off in a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the first to do so since the 2006 Eastern Conference Final, when Carolina’sCam Ward defeated Buffalo’s Ryan Miller.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: PENGUINS WIN GAME 7
* The Penguins improved to 8-7 all-time in Game 7s, including a 3-7 record at home. They earned their first such win on home ice since the 1995 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals vs. WSH (3-0 W), snapping a four-game skid.

* The Lightning fell to 5-2 all-time in Game 7s, including a 2-2 record on the road. Their last loss in any Game 7 was in the 2011 Eastern Conference Final at BOS (1-0 L).

* The team that scores first improved to 124-42 (.747) all-time in Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including a 5-0 record this year.

* Home teams improved to 97-69 (.584) all-time in Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including a 4-1 record this year.

NHL ANNOUNCES 2016 STANLEY CUP FINAL SCHEDULE
The Penguins now will face the Sharks in the 2016 Stanley Cup Final, which begins Monday, May 30, in Pittsburgh.

Based on their superior regular-season point total, the Penguins will host Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-seven series, as well as Games 5 and 7, if necessary. The Sharks will host Games 3 and 4, as well as Game 6, if necessary.

Click here for the complete schedule, including broadcast information.

MILESTONES & BENCHMARKS
* Lightning forward Brian Boyle skated in his 100th career playoff game.

* Penguins forward Chris Kunitz (0-1—1), who appeared in his 100th playoff game with the team, extended his point streak to five contests (3-3—6).

LOOSE PUCKS
Lightning captain Steven Stamkos logged 11:55 and two shots on goal while playing in his first game since March 31 . . . Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (0-2—2) extended his point streak to five games (1-5—6). He has collected 20-28—48 in 38 career outings vs. TBL (regular season and playoffs) . . . Lightning forward Jonathan Drouin (1-0—1) totaled 5-9—14 in the playoffs (17 GP), compared to 4-6—10 during the regular season (21 GP) . . . ICYMI: Senators defenseman Chris Phillips, who played all of his 1,179 career games with Ottawa, announced his retirement from the NHL. Per Elias, he joinedGilbert Perreault (1,191 w/ BUF) and Denis Potvin (1,060 w/ NYI) as the only first overall picks in NHL history to skate in more than 1,000 regular-season games while playing their entire careers with one franchise . . . Jimmy Fallon, host of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, handed out superlatives about members of the Sharks, Penguins and Lightning.

SECOND EPISODE OF “ALL ACCESS: QUEST FOR THE STANLEY CUP”
SHOWTIME Sports debuts the second episode of ALL ACCESS: Quest for the Stanley Cup – the first-of-its-kind docu-series chronicling the 2016 Conference Finalists – tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME in the U.S.

Sportsnet also will air the episode at midnight ET in Canada.

* Click here for a clip from the second episode.

* ICYMI: Click here to watch the first episode in its entirety.

TWITTER Q&A WITH KEEPER OF THE CUP
Phil Pritchard, the Keeper of the Cup, will visit Twitter Canada’s headquarters in Toronto today for a Q&A with fans beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Twitter members can use the #AskStanley hashtag to ask Pritchard (@keeperofthecup) questions about his adventures with the iconic trophy as well as what to expect heading into the Stanley Cup Final.

REMINDER: WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY ROSTER ANNOUNCEMENTS
All eight teams competing in the World Cup of Hockey 2016 will announce their final, 23-man rosters – 20 skaters and three goaltenders – today (all times ET):

Team Finland – 3 a.m.
Team Czech Republic – 5 a.m.
Team Russia – 5 a.m.
Team Sweden – 11 a.m.
Team Europe – 6:09 p.m.*
Team USA – 6:13 p.m.*
Team North America – 6:16 p.m.*
Team Canada – 6:22 p.m.*

* World Cup of Hockey 2016 rightsholders Sportsnet, TVA Sports and ESPN will reveal the rosters for these teams as part of special programming.

the information above was provided by the NHL PR department

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

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