Stanley Cup Playoffs 2019: PHT predicts NHL’s Conference Finals

By Sean LeahyMay 9, 2019, 11:30 AM EDT

BRUINS VS. HURRICANES

SEAN: Bruins in 6. You really want to see the Hurricanes advance and continue their memorable run this postseason, but in the end I think Boston’s top line and the play of Tuukka Rask will be what does them in. The Bruins got through the Blue Jackets with only a single goal from Brad Marchand, showing they can match the depth production of Carolina. The Hurricanes’ special teams have been abysmal through two rounds. They own the worst power play (10.5%) and penalty kill (75%) of the four teams remaining and are coming off a four-game series where the unit managed only one goal with the man advantage.

JAMES: Bruins in 7. The Hurricanes’ excellent defense, two-way depth, underrated talent, and fresh legs make them a tough opponent for anyone, Bruins included. Boston boasts the most complete team Carolina’s seen yet, with Tuukka Rask playing the best hockey of his career, improving supporting cast members picking things up well on the rare off nights for the Bruins’ ridiculous top line, and … oh yeah, that ridiculous top line.

And no, I’m not going to take the bait and make a bunch of jerks/Brad Marchand joke. Never. Not me.

ADAM: Hurricanes in 6. I do not think this run comes to an end. The Bruins are a great team and don’t really have a weakness anywhere on their roster, but I just love the way this Hurricanes team is playing. Their defense from top to bottom is better than Boston’s, I think their speed up front is going to give the Bruins fits, and as long as either Petr Mrazek or Curtis McElhinney doesn’t turn into a pumpkin I think they are getting enough goaltending to get through this. They don’t need whoever plays in net to steal this thing; they just need them to not lose it. And I think they can do that.

JOEY: Bruins in 6. Hurricanes fans should be thrilled. I didn’t pick Carolina in the first or second rounds and we all know how that turned out. I’m not trying to disrespect the ‘Canes, but I think their run ends here. The Bruins started getting production from David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron at the tail end of their second-round series against Columbus, and Tuukka Rask has been nearly unbeatable for a while now. The Hurricanes will need to be almost perfect if they’re going to cause another upset. I don’t see that happening.

SCOTT: Bruins in 6. You have to give Carolina credit here. They just walked through the New York Islanders and took down the defending Stanley Cup champions in the round prior. They keep getting it done despite an injury to Petr Mrazek (who may be back for Game 1). And they possess, possess, possess. And they grind like Rod Brind’Amour used to. But they’re coming up against a Bruins team that has found its stride. The ‘Big Three’ are scoring and Tuukka Rask is playing lights out. Boston is going to win the physical battle, and if Rask doesn’t let up, its the end of the line for these bunch of jerks.

RYAN: Bruins in 7. Boston already took down something of a Cinderella story in Columbus and I think that’s going to happen again. The Hurricanes have really impressed in this playoff run and I think teams are going to look at them a lot differently next year. However, the Bruins are the ones with the experience and star power to pushed past Carolina and into the Stanley Cup Final. I do think that the Hurricanes will be able to at least frustrate the Bruins though and steal some games through their goaltending and defense.

BLUES VS. SHARKS

SEAN: Blues in 6. “This will be the series Jordan Binnington is solved for good,” he says, probably regrettably. The Sharks getting their captain back in Game 7 was a huge boost for them — and that was before he scored the opening goal and added an assist. Fully healthy, San Jose can be a dominant team as long as Martin Jones is playing like Good Martin Jones, which he showed in Round 2. But Binnington has been unflappable — even when he’s “celebrating” a double overtime series-clinching goal. He won’t be rattled, even in high-danger situations as he’s shown in 13 starts. The Blues’ stars have stepped up, they’re getting balanced scoring, and they have a goaltender who’s been consistently great since making his NHL debut at the age of 25 just four months ago. Play Gloria!

JAMES: Sharks in 7. It sure looks like San Jose is destined to do this the hard way. These two teams are pretty versatile – able to win games with scoring or defense, with the occasional night stolen by a hot goalie. The Sharks’ firepower just looms a little to large to me, much like the Bruins’ high-end pieces. It’s not just the obvious, like Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, and a recently rejuvenated Joe Pavelski. I expect Timo Meier to torment the Blues in much the same way as Roope Hintz did in Round 2. Tomas Hertl won’t be easy to handle. This should be a slugfest, and the Sharks’ haymakers simply hit a little harder.

ADAM: Blues in 6. The Blues were my pick to come out of the Western Conference at the start of the playoffs and I am sticking with them here. I just like the way they have been playing for the past few months — pretty much ever since the Jordan Binnington and Craig Berube duo showed up. They have been one of the best teams in the league since then defensively (it is not all Binnington) and while they may not have a lot of star power up front after Vladimir Tarasenko it is a deep, balanced group of forwards that can put pressure on you. I could easily see the Sharks winning this, especially if they keep getting the same Martin Jones they got in Round 2, but I think that is my concern. I have to see it from him again before I believe it.

JOEY: Sharks in 7. Yeah, another seven-game series for the Sharks. Jordan Binnington has received a lot of positive press for the way he’s played since the start of the new year, but Martin Jones has quietly bounced back in a big way. Also, it’s impressive that the Blues managed to get to the Western Conference Final without getting a goal from Brayden Schenn and Ryan O'Reilly in the second round, but they can’t have that happen against the Sharks. San Jose has many a lot of guys who can put the puck in net.

SCOTT: Sharks in 7. A Martin Jones that can stop pucks and Joe Pavelski back and reasonably rested? I don’t know what it’s going to take to stop the San Jose Sharks, who have all sorts of weapons. That said, Jones is no Ben Bishop, so the goals could come a little easier. But the Sharks just seem bloody determined at the moment. There’s so much motivation for them outside of just winning the Cup. Joe Thornton hoisting it finally. Pavelski, too. The Blues will put up a fight. Jordan Binnington has been special in these playoffs and the Blues have found ways to grind out teams have got contributions from everywhere. The Sharks just seem destined for this at the moment.

RYAN: Sharks in 7. San Jose was my pick to win the Cup and I’ll stick with that. Certainly I do like St. Louis a lot. They’re a deep, well-rounded team and Jordan Binnington has done enough to push them this far. Ben Bishop deserves a lot of credit for his Game 7 heroics, but Binnington faced back-to-back elimination games and held the competition to a single goal in each contest. He’s been attracting a lot of attention for a reason. Still, the Sharks seem to have everything a championship team needs with the possible exception of a goaltender they can depend on. Martin Jones held his own against Colorado in Round 2, so maybe now they even have that.

MORE:
• Conference Finals schedule, TV info
• Hurricanes/Bruins series preview
• PHT Roundtable

Rangers sign Filip Chytil to 4-year extension

Associated PressMar 30, 2023, 7:53 PM EDT

Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK — The New York Rangers have signed forward Filip Chytil to a four-year contract extension worth $17.75 million, locking up another member of their core long term.

The team announced the deal Wednesday night. Chytil will count just under $4.44 million annually against the salary cap through the 2026-27 season.

Chytil, 23, is in the midst of a career year. He has set career highs with 22 goals, 20 assists and 42 points in 66 games for the playoff-bound Rangers.

The Czech native is the team’s sixth-leading scorer and ranks fourth on the roster in goals. The 2017 first-round pick has 144 points in 342 NHL regular-season and playoff games. He was set to be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer.

New York already had top center Mika Zibanejad signed through 2030, No. 1 defenseman Adam Fox through 2029, veteran Chris Kreider through 2027, winger Artemi Panarin through 2026 and reigning Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Igor Shesterkin through 2025.

General manager Chris Drury’s next order of business is an extension for 2020 top pick Alexis Lafrenière, who is only signed through the remainder of this season and can be a restricted free agent.

Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews returns to ice, hints at retirement

Associated PressMar 29, 2023, 9:51 AM EDT

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

CHICAGO — Longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews returned to the ice but hinted his stellar NHL career could be winding down after 15 years.

Toews, 34, skated with teammates prior to Chicago’s game with the Dallas Stars. It was his first time practicing with them since a game in Edmonton on Jan. 28.

He made a statement through the team on Feb. 19 saying he would be stepping away because of the effects of Chronic Immune Response Syndrome and “long COVID.”

In meeting with reporters, Toews stopped short of saying he hoped to play in any of last-place Chicago’s nine remaining games. His eight-year, $84 million contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

Toews said he’s feeling stronger, but isn’t sure if he’ll be able to play again for the Blackhawks or another team.

“Both if I’m being fully honest,” Toews said. “I feel like I’ve said it already, that I’ve gotten to the point where my health is more important.

“When you’re young and you’re playing for a Stanley Cup and everyone’s playing through something, that means something and it’s worthwhile. But I’m at that point where it feels like more damage is being done than is a good thing.”

Toews, the Blackhawks’ first-round draft pick (third overall) in 2006, joined the team in 2007 and was a pillar of Stanley Cup championship clubs in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

At the peak of his career, he was one of the NHL’s top two-way centers, winning the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward in 2013.

In 1,060 regular-season games, Toews has 371 goals and 509 assists. In 139 playoff games, he’s posted 45 goals and 74 assists, and he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2010.

Toews missed the entire 2020-21 season with Chronic Immune Response System, which caused debilitating inflammation and fatigue.

He appeared in 71 games in 2021-22, then started this season with renewed energy before slowing and eventually shutting himself down.

Entering this season, it looked as if Chicago might deal him, as it did fellow star Patrick Kane, before the March trade deadline. But Kane went to the New York Rangers and Toews to injured reserve.

Toews believed he was progressing before a relapse in January left him so sore and tired that he could barely “put on my skates or roll out of bed to come to the rink.”

Toews said his progress over the past month has been “pretty encouraging” and he’s delighted to be back among his teammates. He has no timetable beyond that.

“We’re just going to go day by day here,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. He deserves anything he wants to try to achieve here.”

Richardson hoped Toews “can take that next step later in the week and hopefully (he) gives us the green light to go in a game.”

But Toews emphasized his long-term health and ability to lead a “normal life” is most important. He wants to go out on a positive note and not hit the ice for a game playing through excessive pain and dysfunction.

“It’s definitely on my mind that this could be my last few weeks here as a Blackhawk in Chicago,” Toews said. “It’s definitely very important for me to go out there and enjoy the game and just kind of soak it in and just really appreciate everything I’ve been able to be part of here in Chicago.”

Budding Wild star Matt Boldy more willing to shoot, and it shows

Associated PressMar 29, 2023, 9:48 AM EDT

Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Matt Boldy was unable to resist a smile in the aftermath of his second hat trick in five games for the Minnesota Wild, a young right wing and reluctant star trying to make sense of a remarkable hot streak.

Does the puck feel as if it’s automatically going in the net these days each time he shoots?

“Yeah, it does,” Boldy said in the locker room after leading the first-place Wild to a 5-1 win over Seattle. “My linemates are playing great. Hopefully you guys are giving them a lot of credit. You look at some of those goals – just putting it on a tee for me.”

This non-attention-seeker has found himself squarely in the NHL spotlight. Boldy has 11 goals in nine games since Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov was sidelined with a lower-body injury to raise his goal total to 28, in part because he’s been more willing to shoot. With vision and stickhandling as strengths and the humility of being a second-year player, it’s easy to be in a pass-first mindset.

“Everybody kind of took turns talking to him. But it’s not that he didn’t want to. A lot of times a situation like that where a guy’s got that skillset, it’s a real unselfish quality, right?” coach Dean Evason said. “But I think he gets now that he helps the team a lot when he scores goals.”

The Wild were confident enough in Boldy’s scoring ability to commit a seven-year, $49 million contract extension to him earlier this winter, after all.

“I think I’ve always had that mentality, but sometimes you just get into spots and it comes off your stick good,” Boldy said. “When things are going well, the puck goes in the net.”’

The Wild are 6-1-2 without Kaprizov. Boldy is a big reason why.

“You go through the slumps, you learn what you need to do to score. I think he’s found a good way to be in the right spot and shoot the puck when he had a good opportunity,” center Joel Eriksson Ek said.

The Wild have only won one division title in 22 years, the five-team Northwest Division in 2007-08. They’re leading the eight-team Central Division with eight games to go, with both Colorado and Dallas too close for comfort. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2015.

With Kaprizov due back before the postseason and Boldy on this heater, a Wild team that ranks just 23rd in the league in goals per game (2.93) ought to have a better chance to advance. Eriksson Ek and Marcus Johansson have been ideal linemates for the Boston College product and Massachusetts native.

Since the Wild entered the league in the 2000-01 season, only five NHL players have had more hat tricks at age 21 or younger than Boldy with three: Patrik Laine (eight), Marian Gaborik (five), Steven Stamkos (five), Alex DeBrincat (four) and Connor McDavid (four). Boldy turns 22 next week, so there’s still time for one or two more.

“He’s big. He controls the puck a lot. He’s got a good shot, good release. He’s smart. He switches it up. He’s got good moves on breakaways. He’s a total player,” goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said. ”Fun to watch him grow this year.”

Pezzetta scores shootout winner; Canadiens beat Sabres 4-3

Associated PressMar 27, 2023, 11:57 PM EDT

Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports

BUFFALO, N.Y. ⁠— Brendan Gallagher and the Montreal Canadiens rallied back to avoid playoff elimination with less than three weeks left in their season. The Buffalo Sabres, meanwhile, are running out of chances to stay in the Eastern Conference wild-card hunt.

Gallagher forced overtime by scoring his 200th career goal, and Michael Pezzetta scored the decisive shootout goal in a 4-3 win over the Sabres on Monday night.

“It’s one of those things I think we earned that chance. We weren’t fantastic but we did enough on the road tonight to get a win,” Gallagher said. “Smiles all around.”

The Canadiens could laugh, especially after Pezzetta celebrated his goal by putting his stick between his legs and riding it like a wooden horse — much like former NHL tough guy Dave “Tiger” Williams did during his 14-year NHL career spanning the 1970s and 80s.

“I’m not sure we’ll see that again. One of a kind,” said Gallagher. “I’d be worried about falling over.”

Pezzetta scored by driving in from the right circle to beat Eric Comrie inside the far post. Buffalo’s Jack Quinn scored in the fourth shootout round, but was matched by Montreal’s Jesse Ylonen, whose shot from in tight managed to trickle in through Comrie.

Jordan Harris and Alex Belzile also scored for Montreal, and Jake Allen stopped 30 shots through overtime, while allowing one goal on six shootout attempts.

Montreal would have been eliminated from playoff contention for a second straight season – and two years removed from reaching the Stanley Cup Final – with any type of loss.

The Sabres squandered a 3-2 third-period lead to drop to 3-6-3 in their past 12. Buffalo also blew a chance to move to within four points of idle Pittsburgh, which holds the eighth and final playoff spot.

“Just a little hesitation,” forward JJ Peterka said of the Sabres third-period lapse. “We didn’t play with much energy and we didn’t play that aggressive as we played the two periods before. I think that was the difference.”

Buffalo’s Lukas Rousek scored a goal and added an assist while filling in for leading scorer Tage Thompson, who did not play due to an upper body injury. Peterka and defenseman Riley Stillman also scored, and Comrie stopped 38 shots through overtime, and allowed two goals on six shootout attempts.

Montreal blew two one-goal leads to fall behind 3-2 on Stillman’s goal at the 8:31 mark of the second period.

Gallagher scored on the fly by using Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin as a screen to snap in a shot inside the far left post. With the goal, Gallagher tied Bobby Rousseau for 24th on the Canadiens career scoring list.

“I liked the way we corrected ourselves, it’s a sign of maturity, in the way we stayed on task,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said, in recalling how the Canadiens recently unraveled in an 8-4 loss two weeks ago to Colorado, which plays a similar up-tempo style as Buffalo.

PRIDE NIGHT

The Sabres hosted their third Pride Night, with Russian D Ilya Lyubushkin electing not to participate in warmups by citing an anti-gay Kremlin law and fears of retribution at home in Moscow, where he has family and visits in the offseason. The remainder of the team wore dark blue jerseys with the Sabres logo on the front encircled by a rainbow-colored outline.

During the first intermission, the Sabres broadcast a video in which GM Kevyn Adams said: “This is about recognizing someone’s humanity and true identity. We know there are people out there struggling with who they are, and we want them to know that they have an ally in the Buffalo Sabres.”

UP NEXT

Canadiens: At the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.

Sabres: Host the New York Rangers on Friday night.