It’s time for the next episode of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, second round edition. It has everything you’d want. The high stakes, history, Twitter antics, on-ice antics, goaltenders being pressed into duty that no one expected. And tons more.
Let’s start in Carolina where the Hurricanes hope to become the fifth team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit and the first since the 2014 Los Angeles Kings did it at the expense of the San Jose Sharks. The Hurricanes need a Game 6 win at home to force a Game 7 back at Madison Square Garden, and they’d be in position to be the fourth team in league history to win Game 7 on the road.
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As for Vancouver-Edmonton, we now have two goaltenders we didn’t expect to see in the playoffs squaring off against each other. Calvin Pickard’s 19-save win resulted in his first-ever Stanley Cup playoff victory. He’s come a long way from his humble beginnings in the Colorado Avalanche organization before being drafted by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 expansion draft. Pickard even took to Twitter to ask fans for suggestions on how to draw his mask, thinking he’d enter the season as their backup goalie.
Calvin Pickard has a message to fans in Las Vegas.
"Please help me design my mask."
More: https://t.co/yNjf1gP94Y pic.twitter.com/iq2X8bE9Fl
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) August 1, 2017
He was waived before he was allowed to play a game for Vegas and was eventually traded to Toronto. Following stops in Philadelphia, Arizona, and Detroit, Pickard now finds himself in Edmonton with the hot hand. It’s funny how these things play out.
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BuyNew York Rangers at Carolina Hurricanes — Game 6
How to watch: 7 p.m. ET on TNT, SN
Rangers lead series 3-2
Series odds: Rangers -250, Hurricanes +200
• The last two NHL teams who’ve come back from 3-0 series deficits in the Stanley Cup playoffs both advanced to the Stanley Cup final that year (Los Angeles in 2014 and Philadelphia in 2010). Something to think about if you’re Carolina.
• Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad was held pointless in Game 5 against the Hurricanes, snapping an eight-game points streak. However, Zibanejad is on a four-game goalless streak.
• Carolina’s Evgeny Kuznetsov has goals in back-to-back playoff games for the first time since the 2020 postseason when he was with the Washington Capitals. Kuznetsov hasn’t scored in three consecutive playoff games or more since the 2018 postseason against Tampa Bay.
• Igor Sheshterkin has allowed seven goals in his last two games with a collective save percentage of .879. Sheshterkin has finished his last two games with sub-.900 save percentages for the first time in the playoffs since playing back-to-back games against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2022 postseason.
Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks — Game 5
How to watch: 10 p.m. ET on TNT, SN
Series tied 2-2
Series odds: Oilers -200, Canucks +165
• Arturs Silovs has allowed three goals or more in his last four playoff starts. He’s only allowed two goals or fewer in two of his seven postseason games this year.
• Canucks forward Elias Pettersson has drawn a ton of criticism for his play in the playoffs. He’s scored just one goal in 10 playoff games this spring. That one goal came against the Oilers in Game 2, his sole point in the series.
• For the third time in his career, Leon Draisaitl is on a nine-game playoff points streak. If he gets a point on Thursday, it will be the longest points streak he’s ever had in the playoff. Draisaitl has eight goals and 20 points in his latest streak.
• Calvin Pickard had a 12-7-1 record with a .909 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average in 23 regular season contests for Edmonton in the regular season.
Picks standings
(Photo of Frederik Andersen: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
