The New York Islanders look to be in complete control of their First Round matchup with the Washington Capitals following their 5-2 win in Game 2 on Friday night.

The win gives the Islanders a commanding 2-0 series lead, as they have completely shut down the Capitals’ offense through the first two games of the series.

For the second game in a row the Capitals scored first — Alex Ovechkin scored his first of the playoffs on the game’s first shift — but were unable to hold on. The Islanders received goals from five different players (Nick Leddy, Matt Martin, Brock Nelson, Cal Clutterbuck, and Anders Lee) and played their frustrating brand of defense that at times rendered the Capitals’ offense completely useless.

That was pretty much the story of this game.

Other than a great showing Ovechkin — two goals, a near-miss in the third period, and six total shots on goal — the Capitals’ offense looked like it was skating in mud all night. They struggled to get to dangerous scoring areas, they could not get any kind of a consistent push in the offensive zone, and when Ovechkin was not driving things there was nobody that even looked to be a threat to score.

[NBC 2020 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB]

Not having top center Nicklas Backstrom certainly hurt, and the other team on the ice absolutely has a role in the outcome, but the Capitals have not yet been able to find their game since the 2019-20 season resumed.

They won only one of their three Round-Robin games and so far have not scored more than two goals in any of the five postseason games they have played. It has been a carryover from the way they played during the stretch run of the regular season.

What has to be especially frustrating is that this is the second game in a row they started off with the lead only to allow the Islanders to later take over. In Game 1 they held a 2-0 lead until the final minute of the second period, only to watch Braden Holtby allow a soft goal and the Islanders pour in four unanswered goals for the win.

On Friday, they got the early goal from Ovechkin and allowed the Islanders to strike for two goals to take the lead. When Ovechkin tied the game in the second period, they allowed the Islanders to reclaim the lead just 15 seconds later when Jakub Vrana turned the puck over at the Islanders’ blue line, giving Nelson a clear breakaway.

For the Islanders this entire postseason remains a complete 180 turnaround from the team we saw at the end of the regular season. That team was a sinking ship trending in the wrong direction as they had lost 11 of 13 and seven in a row. Since the restart they have gone 5-1 and have put themselves in a great position to advance.

No. 3 Washington Capitals vs. No. 6 New York Islanders (NYI lead 2-0)

Wednesday, Aug. 12: Islanders 4, Capitals 2 (recap)
Friday, Aug. 14: Islanders 5, Capitals 2
Sunday, Aug. 16: Washington at NY Islanders, 12 p.m. ET – USA Network
Tuesday, Aug. 18: Washington at NY Islanders, 8 p.m. ET – NBCSN
*Thursday, Aug. 20: NY Islanders at Washington – TBD
*Saturday, Aug. 22: Washington at NY Islanders – TBD
*Sunday, Aug. 23: NY Islanders at Washington – TBD

MORE:
• Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round schedule

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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.

Matthew Tkachuk out for Flames in Game 3

By Adam GretzAug 14, 2020, 10:48 PM EDT

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Some bad injury news for the Calgary Flames going into Game 3 of their First Round playoff series against the Dallas Stars.

Matthew Tkachuk will not play on Friday night after being listed as a game-time decision earlier in the day.

He will be replaced on the second line by Tobias Rieder.

Tkachuk was injured early in the third period of Thursday’s game (a 5-4 Stars win) when he was sandwiched between Jamie Oleksiak and Jamie Benn. It was the third different time during the game that Tkachuk had to exit the game and go down the tunnel. That time, he did not return to the game.

[NBC 2020 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB]

There is no easy way to replace a player like Tkachuk. While he has the reputation for being a pest that always plays right on the line (and sometimes over it) to infuriate his opponents, he is also a legit first-line player and one of the Flames’ go-to offensive players.

He finished the regular season with 61 points (23 goals, 38 assists) in 68 games.

So far this postseason he has a goal and an assist for the Flames.

No. 3 Dallas Stars vs. No. 6 Calgary Flames (Series tied 1-1)

Tuesday, Aug. 11: Flames 3, Stars 2 (recap)
Thursday, Aug. 13: Stars 5, Flames 4 (recap)
Friday, Aug. 14: Dallas at Calgary, 10:30 p.m. ET – NBCSN
Sunday, Aug. 16: Dallas at Calgary, 2 p.m. ET – CNBC
*Tuesday, Aug. 18: Calgary at Dallas – TBD
*Thursday, Aug. 20: Dallas at Calgary – TBD
*Saturday, Aug. 22: Dallas at Calgary – TBD

MORE:
• Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round schedule

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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.

Horvat’s OT goal helps Canucks stun Blues, take 2-0 series lead

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By Adam GretzAug 14, 2020, 10:05 PM EDT

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The young, upstart Vancouver Canucks have the defending Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues on the ropes.

Thanks to their 4-3 overtime win on Friday night, the Canucks have jumped out to a stunning 2-0 series lead in their First Round matchup.

The story for the Canucks on Friday night was, once again, their young core players taking charge and carrying the offense. In this game in particular, it was captain Bo Horvat scoring two more goals, including the overtime game-winner.

[NBC 2020 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB]

Horvat opened the scoring for the second game in a row when he scored this ridiculous shorthanded goal just seven minutes into the game. He flew through the Blues’ power play and finished it off by just embarrassing a helpless looking Jaden Schwartz.

Horvat then won it overtime on a breakaway after taking an incredible bank-pass off the boards from standout rookie defenseman Quinn Hughes.

That goal came just minutes after Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom made a desperation diving save along the goal line to keep the game going.

Elias Pettersson also had another huge game for the Canucks, scoring a goal and adding an assist in the win.

This group of players is what this Canucks team is all about. It is still a team that has its share of flaws, and Friday’s game was far from perfect. They were dominated on the short chart, they allowed a two-goal lead to slip away in the final 10 minutes of regulation (Schwartz tied the game on a deflection with just six seconds to play), and they generated almost nothing at even-strength on Friday night outside of Horvat’s winner. That is not always a winning recipe. The roster still probably needs some added depth around the edges before it can really become a serious Stanley Cup contender.

But man, this Canucks team does have the most important pieces in place that can help them eventually get to the status. They do not just have franchise building blocks, they have stars. Stars that can carry a team in stretches and completely take over games. The core of Pettersson, Hughes, Horavt, Brock Boeser, and J.T. Miller is tremendous, and all of them have been shining so far in the postseason. Add in an underrated goalie in Markstrom and it’s a team that can look pretty special when all of those players are going the way they are right now.

As for the Blues, well, the 2019-20 season restart is not going as they planned. With Friday’s overtime loss they are now 0-3-2 and been outscored by an 18-11 margin.

Now they are in a position where they have to win four of the next five games against a young team that is playing with confidence and whose best players are clicking on all cylinders.

No. 4 St. Louis Blues vs. No. 5 Vancouver Canucks (VAN leads 2-0)

Wednesday, Aug. 12: Canucks 5, Blues 2 (recap)
Friday, Aug. 14: Canucks 4, Blues 3 (OT)
Sunday, Aug. 16: St. Louis at Vancouver, 10:30 p.m. ET – NBCSN
Monday, Aug. 17: St. Louis at Vancouver, 10:30 p.m. ET – NBCSN
*Wednesday, Aug. 19: Vancouver at St. Louis – TBD
*Friday, Aug. 21: St. Louis at Vancouver – TBD
*Sunday, Aug. 23: Vancouver at St. Louis – TBD

*if necessary

MORE:
• Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round schedule

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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.

Flames-Stars stream: 2020 NHL Stanley Cup First Round

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By Sean LeahyAug 14, 2020, 10:00 PM EDT

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NBCSN’s coverage of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs continues with Friday’s First Round matchup between the Flames and Stars. Coverage begins at 10:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Watch the Flames-Stars stream at 10:30 p.m. ET on the NBC Sports app by clicking here.

The Dallas Stars bounced back in Game 2 on Thursday night to even their series against the Calgary Flames when Jamie Oleksiak scored the game-winner with less than a minute to play in regulation.

Now, just 24 hours later, the two teams are back in action in Game 3 as each tries to get the upper hand in their First Round matchup. It was an unexpectedly high-scoring game given how much both offenses struggled during the regular season, and how bad Dallas’ offense was in the Round-Robin Phase of the return to play.

The Flames will not have Matthew Tkachuk in this game.

He was initially listed as a game-time decision after missing most of the third period on Thursday night after he was sandwiched between Stars players Oleksiak and Jamie Benn.

The Stars are turning to Anton Khudobin in goal, while the Flames are sticking with Cam Talbot on the second half of the back-to-back.

[NBC 2020 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB]

WHAT: Calgary Flames vs. Dallas Stars
WHERE: Rogers Place – Edmonton
WHEN: Friday, August 14, 10:57 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN
ON THE CALL: Kenny Albert, Pierre McGuire
LIVE STREAM: You can watch the Flames-Stars stream on NBC Sports’ live stream page and the NBC Sports app.

No. 3 Dallas Stars vs. No. 6 Calgary Flames

Tuesday, Aug. 11: Flames 3, Stars 2 (recap)
Thursday, Aug. 13: Calgary at Dallas, 10:30 p.m. ET – NBCSN (livestream)
Friday, Aug. 14: Dallas at Calgary, 10:30 p.m. ET – NBCSN
Sunday, Aug. 16: Dallas at Calgary, 2 p.m. ET – CNBC
*Tuesday, Aug. 18: Calgary at Dallas – TBD
*Thursday, Aug. 20: Dallas at Calgary – TBD
*Saturday, Aug. 22: Dallas at Calgary – TBD

*if necessary

MORE STANLEY CUP COVERAGE:
• Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round schedule