NHL Playoff Recaps: Panthers stay hot, and Kraken win in OT
The Daily Goal Horn
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NHL Playoff Recaps: May 2, 2023
The Stanley Cup Playoffs second round action opened on Tuesday night with two thrilling contests.
In Toronto, the Florida Panthers opened up with a victory coming off their shocking series comeback against the Boston Bruins. Meanwhile, the Seattle Kraken win a thriller in Dallas over the Stars.
NHL Playoff Recaps: Panthers open hot
Panthers 4 vs Maple Leafs 2 (Series 1-0, FL)
Matthew Tkachuk had three assists and a career-high nine hits to help the visiting Florida Panthers to a 4-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference second-round playoff series on Tuesday night.
Sam Bennett had a goal and an assist, Nick Cousins, Carter Verhaeghe and Brandon Montour also scored and Sergei Bobrovsky made 34 saves for Florida, which upset the Boston Bruins in the first round by winning the final three games.
Tkachuk’s assist total tied the franchise record for a single postseason game, a mark set by Verhaeghe on April 26.
Matthew Knies and Michael Bunting scored and Ilya Samsonov made 24 saves for the Maple Leafs, who reached the second round for the first time since 2004 by getting past the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.
Game 2 is Thursday night in Toronto.
NHL Playoff Recaps: Kraken beat Stars
Kraken 5 vs Stars 4 (OT) (Series 1-0, SEA)
Yanni Gourde scored the overtime winning goal as the visiting Seattle Kraken recovered from blowing a two-goal, third-period lead to claim a 5-4 victory over the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of their Western Conference second-round series on Tuesday.
Amid a scramble while the Kraken were buzzing the net, Gourde chipped home a loose puck at 12:17 of overtime for his second goal of the playoffs.
Jordan Eberle and Oliver Bjorkstrand each collected one goal and one assist, while Jaden Schwartz and Justin Schultz added a goal apiece. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer made 31 saves for the Kraken.
Joe Pavelski scored four goals for the Stars in his first game back after sustaining a concussion in his team’s playoff opener. Goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 39 shots and Max Domi notched three assists.
Pavelski, 38, is the oldest player in NHL history to score four or more goals in a game. He tied the Stars/North Stars franchise record for most goals in a postseason contest. Denis Gurianov established the mark in 2020.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be played Thursday in Dallas.
–Field Level Media