Running analysis of Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Our hockey writers share their observations and insights throughout Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Friday, April 24

Dach gets redemption in Game 3

Kirby Dach deactivated his Instagram account following harassment from fans after he made a pair of errors in Game 2's overtime that led to the Tampa Bay Lightning's winning goal. Three days later, Dach got redemption as he played a major role in Montreal retaking the series lead.

The 25-year-old assisted on Alexandre Texier's opening goal before tying the game in the second with a tally of his own. Dach also helped provide the screen on Lane Hutson's overtime winner.

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Dach's line with Texier and Zack Bolduc was excellent and rebounded from a tough start to the series. In seven minutes at five-on-five, the trio finished with a 3-0 advantage in goals and an 11-4 edge in shot attempts.

"The night after (Game 2), you kinda think about it, and you feel shitty," Dach told Sportsnet's Kyle Bukauskas after the Game 3 win. "You just move on. You have to move on. I don't think you have a choice; it's the playoffs. You gotta be ready for the next game. That was kinda my mentality. Get back at practice, just continue to work at it."

Over 20,000 fans at Bell Centre chanted "Kir-by" before the puck dropped. The Canadiens' faithful repeated the chant after Dach's assist in the first and then again following his second-period goal. As you'd expect in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it was a special night in Montreal. - Kyle Cushman

Thursday, April 23

Avalanche offense ready to explode?

The Colorado Avalanche are certainly pleased being up 2-0 on the Los Angeles Kings entering Thursday's Game 3, but they've yet to win in the convincing fashion many expected out of the Presidents' Trophy winners, earning back-to-back 2-1 victories.

Yes, the Kings sit back and play an ultra-defensive game that can frustrate opponents, and journeyman Anton Forsberg has been a great story in net, but the dam will break sooner or later. An early goal or two from the Avalanche, which would force the Kings to open up their game, might be all it takes.

Colorado's been credited for 7.45 expected goals through two games, nearly double the amount they've actually converted, per Natural Stat Trick. Nathan MacKinnon has been limited to just one assist. Cale Makar has been held off the scoresheet entirely. Eventually, the big dogs are going to eat. - Josh Wegman

Sabres' goalie change shouldn't come as surprise

The Buffalo Sabres turning to Alex Lyon between the pipes for Game 3 is right on brand with what the club has done all season. The Sabres carried three goalies for most of the campaign, with Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen each making 34 starts, and Colten Ellis making 14. Luukkonen's struggles to open the series, highlighted by his embarrassing gaffe in Game 2, made this an easy call for head coach Lindy Ruff.

Lyon played well this season, posting a .906 save percentage while stopping 23.56 goals above expected, the 16th-best mark in the league, per Evolving-Hockey. The 33-year-old, who started three playoff games for the Florida Panthers in 2023, has earned this shot. And if he falters, Ruff can go right back to a rested UPL for Game 4. - Josh Wegman

Wednesday, April 22

McDavid still searching for 1st point

The pyramid of elite forwards in the Oilers-Ducks series looks like this:

Oiler Connor McDavid at the top. His teammate Leon Draisaitl on the second level. Three Ducks - Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, Beckett Sennecke - comprising the base.

Draisaitl put forth a superstar performance in Monday's opener, despite it being his first game in a month thanks to a knee injury. The German's skating looked hindered, but he assisted on two Kasperi Kapanen goals in a wild Oilers win.

Gauthier, who broke out for 40 goals in the regular season, stole the spotlight Wednesday. The 22-year-old center wired a long-range shot past Oilers goalie Connor Ingram in the first period, earned a primary assist in the second, and buried a loose puck near the crease with 4:52 left in the third for the victory.

Somehow, in a 1-1 series with 17 total goals, McDavid doesn't have a point.

Is the best player in the world's signature moment coming Friday in Anaheim?

The smart money is on "yes," given McDavid's otherworldly abilities and the Ducks' suspect defense. Then again, he left Game 2 for a stretch to attend to an apparent leg injury then didn't look quite himself upon returning to action. - John Matisz

Everybody contributing as Philly rolls on

It was a scene straight out of a "Mighty Ducks" movie.

Trevor Zegras scored a power-play goal early in the second period to tie Game 3 of the Battle of Pennsylvania, 1-1. He slammed his fist against the Flyers' penalty box window in celebration. There were five rowdy teammates inside. A few feet away, six Penguins players slumped inside the other sin bin.

The Flyers have toyed with the Penguins in just about every way in what's evolved into a highly entertaining yet lopsided series. Philadelphia took Wednesday's messy, penalty-filled contest by a 5-2 final score to go up 3-0.

Nine Flyers have recorded two or more points against the Pens. The most notable: sensational 19-year-old rookie Porter Martone. He scored the winning goals in Games 1 and 2, pitched in an assist in Game 3, leads the team in shot attempts (16), and co-leads in shots on goal (nine). Martone, seemingly made in a lab to be a Flyer, is enjoying one of the finest starts to a career in recent memory. He's amassed 13 hard-earned points in 12 games since leaving Michigan State to sign his entry-level deal with the Flyers in March.

Philly's power play ranked 32nd in the regular season, failed to capitalize on eight PP opportunities to start the playoffs, then bagged two goals on three opportunities Wednesday. It was that kind of night for Pittsburgh's psyche.

The Flyers' top defense pairing of Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen has been tasked with minimizing Penguins captain Sidney Crosby during five-on-five action. A frustrated Crosby is still looking for his first point, period.

Fourth-line center Sean Couturier (three points, excellent defensive work) and goalie Dan Vladar (71 saves on 75 shots) round out the top of a very long list of impressive performances on a dialed-in Philly squad. - John Matisz

Waiting on Sid's arrival

One of the most prominent storylines leading into this year's postseason was Sidney Crosby's return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a three-year absence. Two games in, the hockey world is still waiting for the most accomplished player of his generation to create a signature moment.

Crosby has been held off the scoresheet. He needs to find a way to give Pittsburgh's offense life against what's been a suffocating defensive effort from the Flyers. Crosby's metrics are positive so far in the series; the Penguins are controlling 62.75% of shot attempts and 60.1% of expected goals with the captain on the ice at five-on-five. But at this point, the Penguins can't afford another night of puck possession that doesn't translate to the scoreboard.

Crosby traditionally feasts on the Flyers and has especially dominated on the road, recording 62 points in 45 games in Philadelphia. Maybe a change of scenery and a must-win game is all the motivation Crosby needs. - Sean O'Leary

Utah's young guns overwhelming Vegas

Welcome to the Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther show.

Utah's most lethal offensive players have dazzled in their first playoff series. In 17 five-on-five minutes spread across two games, the Cooley line (which also features Kailer Yamamoto) is up 24-13 in shot attempts, 13-5 in shots on goal, 1.71-0.31 in expected goals, and 2-0 in actual goals against the Golden Knights, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Utah has generated 54 total scoring chances against Vegas. Cooley and Guenther have combined for 21 chances, or 39% of the Mammoth's entire offense, according to data tracked by hockey analyst Dimitri Filipovic.

Cooley, a 21-year-old center with sublime skating, has potted a pair of goals. He logged 17:20 a night during the regular season to rank fourth among Mammoth forwards. He's now pacing the group at 20:49 in the postseason.

Guenther, a 23-year-old right winger with one of the quickest releases in the sport, scored on a one-timer and then earned an assist on Cooley's game-winning goal by exposing Vegas off the rush Tuesday night. Guenther averaged 17:24 in the regular season. He's been upgraded to 19 minutes even in the playoffs.

The Mammoth-Knights series is tied 1-1. Game 3 goes Friday in Utah. - John Matisz

Past analysis

Check out all our archived items from previous days here.

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