Sports
What we learned from the Flyers’ 5-3 Game 5 loss to the Canadiens – Broad Street Hockey
Yesterday, we had a whole slate of elimination games on deck, including the Flyers, who had a chance to put this one away neatly and punch their ticket to the second round. But, of course, we know the Flyers, and we know that would have been much too easy, so they had to make things interesting. We saw the Flyers make some improvements in some areas, but what really killed them were some mental errors and lapses. It was a pretty deflating 5-3 loss for the Flyers, and now they’re looking to Game 6 on Friday to win one more and advance. We’ll try this again later.
All stats via Natural Stat Trick.
25—shot attempts on the power play
Probably the biggest story to come out of this one was that the power play finally did something! It looked a little dicey to begin with, as they gave up a shorthanded goal on their first attempt, but the Flyers were really able to bear down after that one, and they had more than an ample opportunity to do so. They had 9:54 on the man-advantage to work with, including a five minute continuous power play, and did they ever work with it. They picked up 25 shot attempts, 17 scoring chances, and seven high danger chances, as they looked really sharp in their ability to maintain possession and generate dangerous chances. The process was sound, and it really paid dividends, to the tune of two goals for Jake Voracek and one for Joel Farabee. In some ways, it felt like they were going zero to 60, after how positively brutal they’ve looked for just about the whole series, but this was an important step. Things are finally clicking for them, and even if we shouldn’t expect for them to put up three on the power play every night, at least we can feel better about their chances of producing something.
.875—save percentage for Carter Hart
One of the other big stories from this one is that it was something of an uncharacteristically shaky game for Hart. We’ve made note already that he’s been pretty stellar through the first four games of this series, and even when the skaters in front were struggling, he was playing well and giving them a chance to stay in the game. But last night we saw him looking more like he was fighting things—his rebound control wasn’t great, and he seemed to be a just a little off on his angles. He did have some defensive breakdowns in front of him making his job a little more difficult, and he did have a heavier workload relative to what he’s seen so far this series—he faced 32 shots, of which he stopped 28—but the fact remains that he just didn’t really seem to be himself in this one. Given his play before, this one, we can feel confident enough that he’ll be able to bounce back for his next start, but this certainly wasn’t his strongest showing.
2—scoring chances against on the penalty kill
The power play is understandably getting the most buzz after this game, but it’s worth noting that the Flyers, overall, also had a strong showing on the penalty kill. They had 9:35 of 4-on-5 time to kill off, and they did well with it. They limited the Canadiens to just seven shot attempts, two scoring chances, and one high danger chance, and also went and recorded four shot attempts, two scoring chances, and two high danger chances of their own, all while shorthanded. They played this one pretty aggressively, and overall, it paid off for them.
Of course, the Flyers did still give up a power play goal, and it was a pretty ugly defensive breakdown in front that left Brendan Gallagher open for that goal, but really outside of that, the Flyers’ penalty kill looked sharp. There was a lot to like about what they brought, even if it wasn’t perfect.
2—goals for Jake Voracek
There’s really no sense beating around the bush with this one—Voracek had a pretty stellar game last night. There was, of course, the fact of the two goals scored, as well as the feed he made to Farabee to set up his goal, and the jump he gave to what had been a struggling power play. But we didn’t just see his effects on the power play, he had a strong showing at 5-on-5, as well. His line continued to do well in their matchup, and Voracek on his own had an adjusted 53.29 CF% (second among skaters) and a 69.80 xGF% (first among skaters), as we saw the Flyers pretty comfortably getting the better of the shot attempt and high danger chance share when Voracek was on the ice. Overall, everything seemed to be clicking for him, and it was a really strong showing, and it’s one that the Flyers really needed.
6—high danger chances for the Flyers
One of the Flyers’ big weaknesses from Game 4 was that they hadn’t really found a way to get to the front of the net and really test Carey Price with any terribly difficult chances. They came out of that one with just one high danger chance at 5-on-5, but we did see them take a step forward in that department in this one. The Flyers totaled six high danger chances at 5-on-5, with none coming in the first period, one in the second, and five in the third, as we saw them making a push late in the game to tie things back up. Six isn’t a stellar total, and we’d still like to see them do even more with this, because as we saw in this one, it’s going to take even more to get to Price at 5-on-5, but this is at least a step in the right direction.
6.34—xGF% for the fourth line
We talked after Tuesday’s game about how bad the fourth line had been, but guess what, folks, it’s gotten even worse. Their underlying numbers in this one, to be blunt, are pretty brutal. On the night, they put up adjusted 24.75 CF%, 14.53 SF%, and 6.34 xGF% at 5-on-5, as we saw them pretty consistently getting caved in just about every time they were on the ice. It just wasn’t working.
And just as much as we don’t like the showing they put up, we have some questions about the decision making behind why we saw them so much and in what situations. The Flyers had just put up some good work to tie the game and pick up some momentum from the Farabee goal, and what do they do? Throw the fourth line and third pair out there, and they immediately get pinned in their own end, break down, and give up the game winner. It’s a situation that, frankly, shouldn’t have happened.
But maybe there is some optimism to be had here—this line clearly isn’t working, and after making the turnover to allow for that goal, we really didn’t see much from Nate Thompson after that. Could this suggest that Vigneault has seen the light, seen that he’s been a detriment to their offensive game all series and is considering a new look, pulling him out of the lineup on Friday? We can’t know for sure, but here’s hoping.
Sports
Marchand says Maple Leafs are Bruins’ ‘biggest rival’ ahead of 1st-round series – NHL.com
BOSTON – Forget Boston Bruins-Montreal Canadiens.
For Brad Marchand, right now, it’s all about Bruins-Toronto Maple Leafs.
“You see the excitement they have all throughout Canada when they’re in playoffs,” Marchand said Thursday. “Makes it a lot of fun to play them. And I think, just with the history we’ve had with them recently, they’re probably our biggest rival right now over the last decade.
“They’ve probably surpassed Montreal and any other team with kind of where our rivalry’s gone, just because we’ve both been so competitive with each other, and we’ve had a few playoff series. It definitely brings the emotion, the intensity, up in the games and the excitement for the fans.
“It’s a lot of fun to play them.”
The Bruins and Maple Leafs will renew their rivalry in their first round series, which starts Saturday at TD Garden (8 p.m. ET; TBS, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS). They’ll be familiar opponents.
Over the past 11 seasons, the Bruins have faced the Maple Leafs four times in the postseason, starting with the epic 2013 matchup in the first round. That resulted in an all-time instant classic, the Game 7 in which the Bruins were down 4-1 in the third period and came roaring back for an overtime win that helped propel them to the Stanely Cup Final.
That would prove to be the model and, in the intervening years, the Bruins have beaten them in each of the three subsequent series, including going to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference First Round in 2018 and 2019.
Which could easily be where this series is going.
“Offensively they’re a gifted hockey club,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said Thursday. “They present a lot of challenges down around the netfront area. We’re going to have to be really sharp there. We’re a pretty good team defensively when we stick to what our principles are. So I expect it to be a tight series overall.”
But if anyone knows the Maple Leafs — and what to expect — it’s Marchand. In his career, he’s played 146 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, 11th most of any active player. Twenty-one of those games have come against the Maple Leafs, games in which Marchand has 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists).
“They’re always extremely competitive,” Marchand said. “You never know which way the series is going to go. But that’s what you want. That’s what you love about hockey is the competition aspect. They’re real competitors over there, especially the way they’re built right now. So it’s going to be a lot of fun, and that’s what playoffs is about. It’s about the best teams going head-to-head.”
But even though the history favors the Bruins — including having won each of the past six playoff matchups, dating back to the NHL’s expansion era in 1967-68 and each of the four regular-season games in 2023-24 — Marchand is throwing that out the window.
“That means nothing,” he said.
The Maple Leafs bring the No. 2 offense in the NHL into their series, having scored 3.63 goals per game. They were led by Auston Matthews and his 69 goals this season, a new record for him and for the franchise.
“You have to be hard on a guy like that and limit his time and space with the puck,” forward Charlie Coyle said. “He’s really good at getting in position to receive the puck and he’s got linemates who can put it right on his tape for him. You’ve just got to know where he is, especially in our D zone. He likes to loop away after cycling it and kind of find that sweet spot coming down Broadway there in the middle. It’s not just a one-person job.”
Nor is Matthews their only threat.
“They have a lot of great players, skill players, who play hard and can be very dangerous around the net and create scoring opportunities,” forward Charlie Coyle said. “You’ve just got to be aware of who’s out there and who you’re against, who you’re matched up against, and play hard. Also, too, we’ve got to focus on our game and what we do well and when we do that, we trust each other and have that belief in each other, we’re a pretty good hockey team.”
Especially against the Maple Leafs.
Marchand, who grew up in Halifax loving the Maple Leafs, still gets a thrill to see their alumni walking around Scotiabank Arena in the playoffs. And it’s even more special to be on the ice with them, to be competing against them — even more so when the Bruins keep winning.
But that certainly doesn’t mean this series will be easy.
“They’ll be a [heck] of a challenge,” Marchand said.
Sports
NHL sets Round 1 schedule for 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Daily Faceoff
The chase for Lord Stanley’s silver chalice will begin on Saturday.
After what could be described as the most exciting season in NHL history that saw heartbreaks and last-ditch efforts to clinch playoff spots, players and staff now get ready as 16 teams go to battle.
We saw the Vancouver Canucks have a massive year and finish first in the Pacific Division with captain Quinn Hughes leading all defensemen in points. The Winnipeg Jets set a franchise record for most points. The Nashville Predators went on a franchise-record winning streak in order to lock themselves into a Wild Card spot, and the Washington Capitals clinched the last Wild Card spot in the East after a wild finish that saw the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers see their playoff hopes crumble in front of them.
While Auston Matthews missed out on scoring 70 goals, Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid and Tampa Bay Lightning standout Nikita Kucherov became the first players since 1990-91 to record 100 assists in a single season. They joined Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr as the only players to do so.
With the bracket set, it’s time to expect the unexpected.
Here is the schedule for Round 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs:
Eastern Conference
#A1 Florida Panthers vs. #WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning
Date | Game | Time |
Sunday, April 21 | 1. Tampa at Florida | 12:30 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 23 | 2. Tampa at Florida | 7:30 p.m. ET |
Thursday, April 25 | 3. Florida at Tampa | 7 p.m. ET |
Saturday, April 27 | 4. Florida at Tampa | 5 p.m. ET |
Monday, April 29 | 5. Tampa at Florida | TBD |
Wednesday, May 1 | 6. Florida at Tampa | TBD |
Saturday, May 4 | 7. Tampa at Florida | TBD |
#A2 Boston Bruins vs. #A3 Toronto Maple Leafs
Date | Game | Time |
Saturday, April 20 | 1. Toronto at Boston | 8 p.m. ET |
Monday, April 22 | 2. Toronto at Boston | 7 p.m. ET |
Wednesday, April 24 | 3. Boston at Toronto | 7 p.m. ET |
Saturday, April 27 | 4. Boston at Toronto | 8 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 30 | 5. Toronto at Boston | TBD |
Thursday, May 2 | 6. Boston at Toronto | TBD |
Saturday, May 4 | 7. Toronto at Boston | TBD |
#M1 New York Rangers vs. #WC2 Washington Capitals
Date | Game | Time |
Sunday, April 21 | 1. Washington at New York | 3 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 23 | 2. Washington at New York | 7 p.m. ET |
Friday, April 26 | 2. New York at Washington | 7 p.m. ET |
Sunday, April 28 | 2. New York at Washington | 8 p.m. ET |
Wednesday, May 1 | 2. Washington at New York | TBD |
Friday, May 3 | 2. New York at Washington | TBD |
Sunday, May 5 | 2. Washington at New York | TBD |
#M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. #M3 New York Islanders
Date | Game | Time |
Saturday, April 20 | 1. New York at Carolina | 5 p.m. ET |
Monday, April 22 | 2. New York at Carolina | 7:30 p.m. ET |
Thursday, April 25 | 3. Carolina at New York | 7:30 p.m. ET |
Saturday, April 27 | 4. Carolina at New York | 2 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 30 | 5. New York at Carolina | TBD |
Thursday, May 2 | 6. Carolina at New York | TBD |
Saturday, May 4 | 7. New York at Carolina | TBD |
Western Conference
#C1 Dallas Stars vs. #WC2 Vegas Golden Knights
Date | Game | Time |
Monday, April 22 | 1. Vegas at Dallas | 9:30 p.m. ET |
Wednesday, April 24 | 2. Vegas at Dallas | 9:30 p.m. ET |
Saturday, April 27 | 3. Dallas at Vegas | 10:30 p.m. ET |
Monday, April 29 | 4. Dallas at Vegas | TBD |
Wednesday, May 1 | 5. Vegas at Dallas | TBD |
Friday, May 3 | 6. Dallas at Vegas | TBD |
Sunday, May 5 | 7. Vegas at Dallas | TBD |
#C2 Winnipeg Jets vs. #C3 Colorado Avalanche
Date | Game | Time |
Sunday, April 21 | 1. Colorado at Winnipeg | 7 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 23 | 2. Colorado at Winnipeg | 9:30 p.m. ET |
Friday, April 26 | 3. Winnipeg at Colorado | 10 p.m. ET |
Sunday, April 28 | 4. Winnipeg at Colorado | 2:30 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 30 | 5. Colorado at Winnipeg | TBD |
Thursday, May 2 | 6. Winnipeg at Colorado | TBD |
Saturday, May 4 | 7. Colorado at Winnipeg | TBD |
#P1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #WC1 Nashville Predators
Date | Game | Time |
Sunday, April 21 | 1. Nashville at Vancouver | 10 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 23 | 2. Nashville at Vancouver | 10 p.m. ET |
Friday, April 26 | 3. Vancouver at Nashville | 7:30 p.m. ET |
Sunday, April 28 | 4. Vancouver at Nashville | 5 p.m. ET |
Tuesday, April 30 | 5. Nashville at Vancouver | TBD |
Friday, May 3 | 6. Vancouver at Nashville | TBD |
Sunday, May 5 | 7. Nashville at Vancouver | TBD |
#P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. #P3 Los Angeles Kings
Date | Game | Time |
Monday, April 22 | 1. Los Angeles at Edmonton | 10 p.m. ET |
Wednesday, April 24 | 2. Los Angeles at Edmonton | 10 p.m. ET |
Friday, April 26 | 3. Edmonton at Los Angeles | 10:30 p.m. ET |
Sunday, April 28 | 4. Edmonton at Los Angeles | 10:30 p.m. ET |
Wednesday, May 1 | 5. Los Angeles at Edmonton | TBD |
Friday, May 3 | 6. Edmonton at Los Angeles | TBD |
Sunday, May 5 | 7. Los Angeles at Edmonton | TBD |
Sports
With matchup vs. Kings decided, Oilers should be confident facing familiar foe – Sportsnet.ca
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