Hockey striker David Pastrňák contributed a differential goal and pass to Boston to win 4: 2 over Carolina and reduce the series to 1: 2 in the opening round of the NHL playoffs.
Tampa Bay, which lost to Toronto at home 2: 5, also loses the same ratio to matches. Ondřej Palát stood at both goals of the Stanley Cup defender, scored a goal and assisted and was declared the second star of the match. David Kämpf scored the winning shot on the other side.
In the Western Conference, both senior teams turned the series from 0: 1 to 2: 1. Edmonton also won thanks to Evander Kane’s hat-trick on the Los Angeles ice high 8: 2 and Minnesota won 5: 1 in St. Louis.
After making two losses with a score of 3:10, Boston made a change in the goal area and entered the playoffs Jeremy Swayman for the first time in his career. He kept a clean sheet only until the 10th minute, when Vincent Trocheck overtook him from the finish line and opened a goal account.
Boston turned 4: 1 later. In the opening period, Charlie Coyle equalized from the renumbering in the weakening and in the 26th minute Brad Marchand added a second goal from close range. Pastrňák prevailed at 34:53 in a power play with a shot from the left circle over the defender and scored the first point in the series.
Subsequently, six minutes were not played, because Bruins fans banged the plexiglass behind the penalty bench to celebrate the goal of the Czech player, which came loose and fell on the head of one of the timekeepers. He left the playing area on a stretcher and was taken to the hospital for further examination.
“We heard that she is and will be fine,” said Pastrňák, who did not catch Antti Raant after his intervention last year and was missing in the third duel due to injury.
Pastrňák scored the second point in numerical advantage when, after his clever pass, Taylor Hall finished in an empty goal. Carolina further dramatized the match in the 52nd minute by throwing Jaccob Slavin, but she couldn’t do more.
“The key was a weakening goal. We came to life, we went back to the match. We just tighten the lead throughout the series and suddenly I felt more involved in the game. I haven’t experienced it so hard in a long time. We need this every day to move forward. “Marchand said.
“We were strong in the five-on-five game, we created our chances. But we have to avoid staying on the penalty bench, and if we get a power play, we need to play it better,” Slavin commented.
Toronto started well. Morgan Rielly and Colin Blackwell scored two goals in the first ten minutes, and at the beginning of the second period Kämpf increased to 3: 0. The Czech forward won a puck in the middle zone and ended the individual penetration with an accurate shot from the ring.
“I picked up the free disc, we basically got into a two-on-one situation. I tried to shoot between the concrete and it worked out. I’m happy,” said Kämpf, who hit the series for the second time.
Tampa Bay reduced to Ross Colton and Palát, who scored a contact goal in the 46th minute. However, the guests did not take the win, which Ilya Micheyev sealed with two hits into the empty net.
“We can’t wait for them to lead a few goals and then flip the switch. We’ve already dominated the second half of the match. We have to focus on starting the match and entering it with much more commitment,” said Colton.
Edmonton decided already in the first half of the match, after which he led 5: 0. The score was opened by Leon Draisaitl and then Zach Hyman and Kane hit twice. The home team reached for the fourth goal scored to change goalkeepers, Jonathan Quick was replaced by Cal Peterson, and in the second period they reduced Anže Kopitar and Philip Danault to 2: 5.
In the final, however, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins made his mark twice in 21 seconds, and in the last minute, Kane completed his first hat-trick in the NHL playoffs.
Minnesota benefited from a successful entry, with goals by Jordan Greenway and Kirill Kaprizov 2-0 in 2:18. In the middle, Mats Zuccarello increased and at the beginning of the third period, Joel Eriksson Ek adjusted to 4: 0. Honorable achievement Louis, who was injured in the match by key-back Torey Krug, was scored by Ryan O’Reilly. Guest defender Jonas Brodin had the last word.
1. kolo play off NHL:
Eastern Conference – 3rd match:
Boston – Carolina 4:2 (1:1, 2:0, 1:1)
Goals: 18. Coyle, 26. Marchand, 35. Parsnip45. Hall (Parsnip) – 10. Trocheck, 52. Slavin. Shots on goal: 28:27. Attendance: 17,850. Match Stars: 1. Marchand, 2. Coyle, 3. Forbort (all Boston). State of the series: 1: 2.
Tampa Bay – Toronto 2: 5 (0: 2, 1: 1, 1: 2)
Goals: 32. Colton (Palát), 46. Palát – 59. a 60. Michejev, 5. Rielly, 10. Blackwell, 26. Fight. Shots on goal: 34:36. Attendance: 19,092. Match Stars: 1. Campbell (Toronto), 2. Palát (Tampa Bay), 3. Marner (Toronto). State of the series: 1: 2.
Western Conference – Matches 3:
St. Louis – Minnesota 1: 5 (0: 2, 0: 1, 1: 2)
Goals: 43. R. O’Reilly – 1. Greenway, 3. Kaprizov, 28. Zuccarello, 41. Eriksson Ek, 53. Brodin. Shots on goal: 30:33. Attendance: 18,096. Match Stars: 1. Kaprizov, 2. M.-A. Fleury, 3. Eriksson Ek (all Minnesota). State of the series: 1: 2.
Los Angeles – Edmonton 2:8 (0:2, 2:3, 0:3)
Goals: 31st Kopitar, 38th Danault – 27th, 30th and 60th E. Kane, 7th and 28th Hyman, 55th and 56th Nugent-Hopkins, 4th Draisaitl. Shots on goal: 46:37. Attendance: 18,230. Match Stars: 1. E. Kane, 2. Hyman, 3. McDavid (all Edmonton). State of the series: 1: 2.
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