NHL playoffs full of lopsided scores
The NHL playoffs are missing the close games and comebacks that seemingly come annually with all the postseason intensity.
Excluding games with empty-netters increasing the margin, 10 of the 20 first-round games through Friday night have been decided by three or more goals. By comparison, there had been only four one-goal games with two reaching at least one overtime session.
Along the way, comebacks have been almost non-existent with teams that jump out rarely surrendering control.
“When you get behind, I guess you’re chasing the game,” said Florida Panthers interim coach Andrew Brunette, whose Presidents’ Trophy-winning team lost 6-1 at Washington on Saturday to add to the list of one-sided outcomes. “It forces you to open up a little bit. And then sometimes it goes the other way and you keep pushing. I think you see that throughout the league, actually, a lot.”
Looking at the Game 4 matchups Sunday, Carolina, Minnesota, Toronto and Edmonton are outscoring their opponents by a nearly 2-to-1 margin (53-27). Most notably, the Oilers have beaten the Los Angeles Kings by 6-0 and 8-2 margins in the past two games.
Hurricanes at Bruins
Carolina leads series 2-1 (12:30 p.m. EDT, ESPN).
Carolina and Boston are managing injury concerns.
The Hurricanes lost winger Jordan Martinook to a lower-body injury in Friday’s Game 3 loss. Martinook’s injury could open a spot for veteran Derek Stepan with 106 career playoff games on his resume.
“Obviously it’s probably not an ideal situation but it’s an opportunity for me,” Stepan said.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour said the Hurricanes will also look at whether to start Antti Raanta in net for Game 4. He was knocked early from Game 2 after taking a blow to the head from Boston’s David Pastrnak, with rookie Pyotr Kochetkov taking over that game and starting Game 3.
Wild at Blues
Minnesota leads series 2-1 (4:30 p.m. EDT, TBS).
The St. Louis Blues have taken another hit to their blue line.
Defenseman Torey Krug exited Friday’s Game 3 in the first period due to a lower-body injury and didn’t return.
“It’s going to be some time,” coach Craig Berube said Saturday.
St. Louis was already dealing with injury concerns for fellow defensemen Robert Bortuzzo and Nick Leddy.
Maple Leafs at Lightning
Toronto leads series 2-1 (7 p.m. EDT, TBS).
The Lightning feel they self-imploded in Game 3, spending far too much time in the penalty box against a team that had the league’s best regular-season power play. Over the past three postseasons, the two-time reigning Stanley Cup campions are 16-0 in games following a playoff loss.
“Let’s be honest, if you’re going to spend 10 of the first 40 minutes in the penalty box, that doesn’t help you either,” coach Jon Cooper said.
Oilers at Kings
Edmonton leads series 2-1 (10 p.m. EDT, TBS).
The Kings have to figure out how to slow a humming Oilers attack.
After winning Game 1 in overtime, the Kings have lost the last two games by a combined 14-2 margin. That made the Oilers the first team in league history to lose the first game of a playoff series then win each of the next two by at least six goals, according to STATS.