Welcome to the PHT Morning Skate, a collection of links from around the hockey world. Have a link you want to submit? Email us at phtblog@nbcsports.com.
• Jordan Eberle is thrilled to be back in the playoffs. “You get excited for these games. It’s a fun time of the year. I played in the playoffs a couple of years ago and it didn’t go too well personally. I got a lot of criticism for it, and I really wanted to come out and play hard this year.” (NHL.com)
• University of Minnesota-Duluth head coach Scott Sandelin has had a ton of success at the college level, but he hasn’t had an opportunity in the NHL just yet. (The Hockey News)
• Rotoworld’s Gus Katsaros picked one player on each team that might be a difference maker in the playoffs. (Rotoworld)
• Has any member of the New Jersey Devils become expendable? (All About the Jersey)
• Lightning head coach Jon Cooper is good at his job, but he’ll have to be even better heading into Game 2 against Columbus. (Tampa Bay Times)
• The Islanders’ pairing of Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech has become an important part of the team. (Newsday)
• Shooting percentage is the name of the game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Pension Plan Puppets)
• Pensburgh breaks down potential adjustments the Penguins might make in Game 2. (Pensburgh)
• Craig Berube’s passion helps ignite the St. Louis Blues. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
• Penalties killed the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of their series against the Sharks. (Sinbin.Vegas)
• The Winnipeg Jets paid a big price to get Kevin Hayes from the Rangers at the trade deadline, now they need him to contribute a little bit more. (Winnipeg Free Press)
• The San Jose Sharks found a way to beat the Golden Knights’ forecheck in Game 1. (Fear the Fin)
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Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri.