* The Canucks pulled off a stunning win to take a 1-0 series lead as they joined the Avalanche as the second team in as many days to record a three-goal comeback victory. Two of four Game 1s in the 2024 Second Round have featured the winning club overcoming a three-goal deficit.
* Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart and Brandon Montour helped the Panthers erupt for six unanswered goals against the Bruins and even their Second Round series at 1-1.
* The 2024 Second Round continues Thursday as the Hurricanes aim to cut their series deficit in half as games shift to Carolina, while the Stars aim to even their series at home.
CANUCKS THRILL AT ROGERS ARENA WITH THREE-GOAL COMEBACK WIN
After hat trick heroics from Brock Boeser in Game 4 of the 2024 First Round allowed the Canucks to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the final frame, Vancouver once again pulled off a third-period, multi-goal comeback win – this time it came after trailing 4-1 then 4-2 through 40 minutes and was propelled by Nikita Zadorov tying the contest and factoring on Conor Garland’s winner just 39 seconds later. The Canucks own a 13-10 all-time record when leading 1-0 in a best-of-seven series and a 9-5 mark when starting a home.
* The Canucks recorded just their fourth third-period, multi-goal comeback win in a playoff contest. They entered the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with just two previous instances in the postseason (Game 1 of 2003 CSF & Game 1 of 1991 DSF).
* Vancouver also established just the second instance in franchise history of overcoming a three-goal deficit to win a playoff contest, after first doing so in Game 5 of the 1994 Conference Finals. The Canucks secured the third three-goal comeback win of the postseason and the second in as many days after the Avalanche did so Tuesday.
BARKOV BURIES ANOTHER WINNER AS PANTHERS BOUNCE BACK TO BEAT BRUINS
Aleksander Barkov (2-2—4) scored the second and fifth of Florida’s six unanswered goals and Sam Reinhart (0-4—4) established a franchise record for most assists in a postseason game as the Panthers pulled even in their Second Round series with the Bruins.
* Barkov and Reinhart became the first players in franchise playoff history with an even-strength, power-play and shorthanded point in a contest, while Brandon Montour (1-2—3) became the second defenseman in club history with a shorthanded goal in the postseason following Gustav Forsling (Game 3 of 2023 R1). Montour matched the franchise playoff record for most points in a contest by a blueliner set by Robert Svehla (0-3—3 in Game 1 of 1997 CQF).
* Barkov has buried the decisive goal in each of Florida’s last two wins and can extend his streak to three when the series shifts to TD Garden, where the Panthers have earned three consecutive postseason victories dating to the 2023 First Round. Click here to read Wednesday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates, which featured more notes on Florida’s victory.
QUICK CLICKS
* Second Round on ESPN nets up 36%
* Color of Hockey: Leah Lum inspired by playing for China on international stage
* King Clancy nominee Bryan Rust of Penguins discusses helping kids with speech impediments
* O’Ree Award Finalist: Mark Burgin – Diversity Athletics Society
* O’Ree Award Finalist: Estela Rivas-Bryant – Empowerment Effect
* Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon and Auston Matthews voted Ted Lindsay Award finalists
STREAKING RANGERS OPEN NHL ON TNT DOUBLEHEADER
The Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs continues with a pair of games on TNT, Sportsnet, TVA Sports and Max when the Hurricanes host the Rangers at PNC Arena while the Western Conference’s top seed looks to rebound from a series-opening loss against the Avalanche.
* Vincent Trocheck and the Rangers look to win each of their first seven games of a playoff year for the second time in franchise history (7-0-0 in 1994) – a postseason that concluded with the club’s fourth Stanley Cup championship and first in 54 years – and become the first team to achieve the feat since the 2008 Penguins (7-0-0). Trocheck has been an integral piece to New York’s postseason success after matching the franchise record with a five-game goal streak and now sets his sights on becoming the first player in Stanley Cup Playoffs history (since 1933-34) to score a power-play goal in five consecutive games.
* The Hurricanes return to PNC Arena, where the club has collected an NHL-best 18 home victories (tied) since the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as their quest to overcoming a 2-0 series deficit for the third time in franchise history begins (2019 R1 & 2006 CQF). Captain Jordan Staal is no stranger to his team’s current predicament after also rallying from a 2-0 hole during the 2009 Conference Semifinals and 2009 Stanley Cup Final (both w/ PIT) in addition to Carolina’s most recent rally. His three series victories in that scenario are tied with Alec Martinez and Marc-Andre Fleury for the most among active players.
* Twenty-year-old Wyatt Johnston (5-3—8 in 8 GP) has found the score sheet in six of eight games for the Stars during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the club now requires a rally from a series deficit to advance for the second time in as many rounds. He can become just the eighth player age 20 or younger in NHL history with 10 or more points prior to his 10th game of a postseason; Wayne Gretzky (21 in 1981), Sidney Crosby (14 in 2008), Don Maloney (13 in 1979), Glenn Anderson (12 in 1981), Jari Kurri (12 in 1981), Rod Brind’Amour (11 in 1990) and Brent Sutter (11 in 1983) are the only ones to do so.
* Valeri Nichushkin (8-1—9 in 6 GP) was pivotal in Colorado’s three-goal comeback win in Game 1 by scoring the first of his team’s three straight goals in regulation. His string of success was established at the start of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs and enters Game 2 with the opportunity to join Pat LaFontaine (7 GP in 1992 w/ BUF) as just the second player in NHL history to score in each of his club’s first seven games of a postseason.
