Playoffs News

 

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News and Notes from around the Stanley Cup Playoffs:

ANAHEIM --In three playoff contests this season, goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov has allowed only four goals, posting a 1.34 GAA and .948 save percentage. In 14 career postseason contests in 2006 and 2007, Bryzgalov has allowed 20 goals, posting a 1.43 GAA and .945 SV%.

ATLANTA -- Slava Kozlov tops all current Thrashers with 42 goals and 79 points in the Stanley Cup Playoffs . . . Eric Belanger, whotied his career high with 17 goals in the regular season, scored the first playoff goal in Thrashers history with 58.8 seconds left in the first period on Thursday.

BUFFALO -- In the first two games of the Sabres’ series against the Islanders, four of Buffalo's first six goals against the Islanders were scored by defensemen, including the first career playoff goals for Brian Campbell and Dmitri Kalinin. In Game 3, however, all three goals were scored by forwards – Adam Mair, Thomas Vanek and Daniel Briere.

CALGARY -- Miikka Kiprusoff has made 90 saves on the 97 shots he has faced (a .928 save percentage) in the first two games of Calgary’s series against Detroit . . . Kristian Huselius factored in both of Calgary’s goals. He assisted on the score by Alex Tanguay in opening game, and helped set up Dion Phaneuf in the in the second game . . . The Flames led the NHL in home victories with a 30-9-1-1 regular-season record at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

DALLAS -- In their playoff history, the Stars have trailed two games to one in a seven-game series 18 times and have come back to win six of those series (three in seven games, three in six games). In the previous 18 Game Fours in series in which they trailed two games to one, the Stars are 10-8.

DETROIT -- The Red Wings defense has allowed just 35 shots on goal over the first two games of their series with Calgary. The last time Detroit allowed 35 or fewer shots on goal in the first two games of a playoff series was in the 1996 Conference Quarter-final against Winnipeg. The Wings allowed just 30 shots on goal in the first two games of that opening round series . . . Nicklas Lidstrom is tied with Larry Murphy for fifth all-time among defensemen in playoff goals. To follow are the NHL's all-time leaders among blueliners in goals. (Paul Coffey 59, Denis Potvin 56, Ray Bourque 41, Al MacInnis 39, Larry Murphy and Lidstrom 37).

MINNESOTA -- The Wild look to become the third team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit . . . All three games have been decided by one goal in the series, as the Ducks improved their playoff record to 7-0 against the Wild . . . The Wild became the first team in NHL playoff history to come back from a 3-1 deficit twice in the same postseason, rallying to defeat Colorado and Vancouver before losing to Anaheim in the 2003 Western Conference Final . . . Minnesota has played in seven playoff elimination games and stands 6-1 in those contests.

NASHVILLE -- Predators drew sellout crowds for Games 1 and 2 and sold out remaining tickets for Game 5 in 20 minutes on Saturday . . . Alexander Radulov netted three goals and one assist in first two games of Predators-Sharks series and became only the third player since 1999 (rookie or veteran) to score four points in his first two career playoff games. Jason Pominville (Buffalo) and Eric Staal (Carolina) did it last year.

NEW JERSEY -- The Devils have reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons and 16 of the past 17. The club's stretch of consecutive post-season appearances is tied with Ottawa for the longest in the Eastern Conference, and the second-longest in the league (Detroit, 16).

NEW YORK ISLANDERS -- Mike Sillinger has set an NHL record by playing playoff hockey with his eighth different franchise. The teams, in order of appearance: Detroit, Vancouver, Philadelphia, Florida, Ottawa, St. Louis, Nashville and the Islanders. This season, Sillinger also set a new NHL record playing his with 12th NHL franchise.

NEW YORK RANGERS -- The Rangers will be looking to win their first postseason game at Madison Square Garden since May 8, 1997 (NYR 3, NJD 0) . . . The last time the Rangers had a 2-0 lead in a playoff series was in 1994, when they defeated the Washington Capitals four games to one in the Eastern Conference Semifinals . . . The last time the Rangers returned home to MSG with a 2-0 lead in a playoff series was 1983, when they swept the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 in the Division Semifinals.

OTTAWA -- Captain Daniel Alfredsson is the only Senators player to have played in all of the club's 82 playoff games. Alfredsson leads the franchise in all-time playoff goals (32), assists (31) and points (63).

PITTSBURGH -- The last time the Penguins overcame a 2-1 series deficit to win a playoff series was in 1995, when they beat the Washington Capitals in seven games . . . Pittsburgh has overcome a 2-1 series deficit five times in playoff history, including four consecutive series between 1991 and 1992.

SAN JOSE -- Defenseman Craig Rivet entered the year with one goal and 10 assists in 39 career playoff games. He has already added two goals and two assists in the three games against Nashville.

TAMPA BAY -- Martin St. Louis leads post-season scorers (2-4--6) and leads with a +5 rating . . . Brad Richards is on a 12-game playoff point streak dating back to May 31, 2004, Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final . . . He has 7-12--19 in those games.

VANCOUVER -- Trevor Linden is two goals shy of tying Pavel Bure's club record for most playoff goals (34). Linden is the Canucks’ all-time assists leader with 58 assists in 109 games. . . Mattias Ohlund is third all-time in playoff scoring among Canucks defensemen. He has 7-13--20 in 33 games played (7-13--20).

 

 

Photo: Dominik Hasek © Michail Boncea (HV)