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NHL Playoff Buzzer: Canadiens stun Leafs in Game 7; Isles top Bruins in OT

Montreal Canadiens v Toronto Maple Leafs - Game Seven

TORONTO, ON - MAY 31: The Montreal Canadiens celebrate after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena on May 31, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)

NHLI via Getty Images


  • The Canadiens took Game 7 in Toronto, will face Winnipeg in the Second Round.
  • Casey Cizkas won it in OT for the Islanders in Game 2, tying the series 1-1 as it heads to Long Island.
  • Carolina and Tampa Bay face off in Game 2 in Raleigh tomorrow night with the Hurricanes looking to tie it up.

Game 7: Canadiens 3, Maple Leafs 1

Once it became a 3-1 lead for the Maple Leafs, could this series really end any other way? Montreal won consecutive overtime contests then cruise controlled their way to a Game 7 win, and a date with the Jets. Corey Perry scored what was ultimately the game winner in the late second period. The lone Leafs goal came from William Nylander with 1:36 remaining. Brendan Gallagher scored the other goal to give Montreal the initial lead, and Tyler Toffoli iced it with an empty net tally right before Nylander scored.

Game 2: Islanders 4, Bruins 3 OT

Casey Cizkas intercepted a bad pass deflection from Jeremy Lauzon off Charlie Coyle’s skate for an overtime breakaway as the Islanders took Game 2, 4-3. The Bruins stormed back to tie the game in the third period and force overtime, but a three-goal second period from the Islanders aided them to be in a position to win in overtime. Now 1-1, the series heads to Long Island for the first time.

Monday’s Three Stars

1. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens

Price gets the first star of the night and the First Round. What a performance for the Habs goalie to win a Game 7 in Toronto, stopping 32 Maple Leafs shots in a must-win performance.

Next up he gets a goalie duel he’s worthy off with Connor Hellebuyck and the Jets.

2. Kyle Palmieri, New York Islanders

A seemingly perennial discussion topic for the Bruins at the NHL Trade Deadline the past few years, it was the Islanders trade acquisition in Palmieri who burnt the Bruins. He scored the original go-ahead tally for the Islanders in the second period, his fourth goal of the postseason, and added an assist on the Josh Bailey goal prior for his first helper of the playoffs. He and Jean-Gabriel Pageau were the only Islanders players to have multi-point nights.

3. Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins

Marchand has continued to put up clutch goals for the Bruins. He assisted on Patrice Bergeron’s third period tally, then tied the game himself on the power play to force overtime. Ultimately it was an overtime loss for the Bruins, but Marchand has been picking up timely goals the entire playoffs. It wasn’t the first time he scored late in the third to give the Bruins a chance to win.

STANLEY CUP SEMIFINAL SEEDING SET

• The winner of Bruins-Islanders will play the winner of Hurricanes-Lightning. On the other side, the winner of Avalanche-Golden Knights will play the winner of Canadiens-Jets

Highlights from Monday

• Corey Perry scored the winner for the Canadiens late in the second period, and Montreal held on.

• Kyle Palmieri put the Islanders ahead in the second period of Game 2 with the Bruins.

Tuesday’s Playoff Schedule

Game 2: Lightning at Hurricanes, 7:30 p.m. ET (TB leads 1-0) - NBCSN (livestream)

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Marisa Ingemi is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop her a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Ingemi.