PetrMrazek couldn't know though be starting Game 1 of his team's playoff series, not to say closing hockey's most powerful offense. Then again, it had been more of the same for Corey Perry, who added another memorable postseason performance in a very career rich in them.
Although Day 2 on the Stanley Cup playoffs lacked the talk and overtime drama of this opening night, still it provided intrigue. The way it all played out:
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Rangers 2, Penguins 1(New Yorkleads series 1-0)When DerickBra sard opened the scoring 28 seconds directly into the game, the down sides that haveplagued goalieMarc-Andre Fleury and then the Pens in playoffs past did actually beresurfacing.
But afterRyanMcDonagh gave the Rangers a2-0 lead ahead of first intermi sion,Fleury and Pittsburgh rebounded. Goal byBlake Comeau6:15 in the second period cut the deficit by 50 %, additionally, the Pens' injury-ravaged defensecorps kept the Rangers at bay.Fleuryfinished strong, stopping all 25 Rangers shots covering the final two periods. He ended with 36 reduces 38 shots.
The Penguins' biggest stars,Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, came up short. Crosby was obviously a minus-1 with merely one shot Mike Sims-Walker Jersey on goal and Malkin had just two shots because deep Rangers defense keyed in within the stars.
''Their best defense was puck po se sion,'' Crosby told reporters following the game, ''and retaining it individuals end. You should get pucks to their rear and extremely work their D.''
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvistdid his part, too, stopping 24 of 25 shots and, more valuable, appearing healthy and sharp.
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Red Wings 3,Lightning 2(Detroit leads series 1-0)One of your teams in this series was purported to have got a goalie problem.It wasn'tsupposedto become the Lightning. But that's how Thursday's Game 1 playedout.
The stellar play of Red Wings starter Petr Mrazek, comparedwith a subpar showing from TampaBay's Ben Bishop, was the differences.
''Found an effective way to win as a team. It would not are actually generate an income could have drawn up, however i don't care, you got succe s,'' Detroit coachMike Babcock told reporters after the game. ''Mrazek stood tall right now. We can all progre s, the a valuable thing.''
Detroit scored its first 2 goals both by Pavel Datsyuk on four shots, and tooka 2-1 lead in the first intermi sion. The Lightning dominated puck po se sion beyond this concept, outshooting the Red Wings 27-10 from the final two periods. They carried out with a 46-14 shot advantage, but Mrazek developed a range of big saves as part of his first career postseason start.
Babcock deliberated until Wednesday over who does begin in net Allen Robinson Jersey the 23-year-old Mrazekorstruggling veteran Jimmy Howard.
''Petr really saved us tonight,'' Red Wings captainHenrik Zetterberg told reporters. ''We knew he was obviously a good goalie.''
Both goalies were making theirfirst career playoff starts.
The Lightning, who had the league's best power have fun with the regular season, finished 0 for 7 along with the man advantage.
Detroit improved to 27-1-4 when leading after two periods in 2010. Tampa Bay fell to 3-22-2 when trailing after two.
Wild 4, Blues 2 (Minnesota leads series 1-0)Even after one game, it may be here we are at the Blues, who haven't had the right luck inside the playoffs,to sweat a little bit of.
The Wild controlled the pace Thursday, mainly in the second periodwhen defensemanMatt Dumba scored at 4:10to a few Wild a 2-0 lead.Jaden Schwartz netted the Blues'first goal with 12:48 to experience through the third period. Looking for a Wild empty-net goal lasted 3-1, Alexander Steen responded with 58.7 seconds remaining.Jason Pominville ended the drama with another empty-netter.
The win was the Wild's first Game 1 victory since April 10, 2010, ending a streak of seven straight such lo ses. Minnesota is up1-0 inside of a series for those first timesince April 10, 2003, when thefranchise played itsfirst playoff game.
The Blues' history is a bit more ominous. They were eliminated through the first round in each for the pasttwo years and were swept within the second round next year.They're4-13 in their past17 playoff games.
Blues goalie Jake Allen stopped 25 shots on his first playoff start. Coach Ken Hitchcock, who produced last-minute decision to implement Allen over veteran Brian Elliott, told reporters Allenlooked "great" but will stick to him to come.
Ducks 4, Jets 2(Anaheim leads series 1-0)The inexperienced Jets received a le son in playoff hockey and holding leads this time of the season, thanks to Perry, Ryan Getzlaf along with the Ducks'legion of playoff vets.
Anaheim was sluggish at thestart and Winnipeg, the heavy underdog, matched itsphysicality and puck po se sion. The Jets took a 2-1 lead within the second intermi sion, but forgot one key point: The Ducks have been in existence the block an occasion full or two. Anaheim, which had12 wins in the regular season when trailing after two periods, tied the video game 1:09 directly into the thirdon Perry's first goal. It took the lead when Perry scored again with 6:39 remaining.
Perry's second goal was peculiar. He buried a rebound after Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec made the save the his initial shot, only Perry realized he previously scored. Desire to judge didn't first Akeem Davis Jersey turn on the red light, the referee didn't signal the purpose,and play continued.
The play was reviewed following a next whistle and Perry was awarded themost anticlimactic game-winning goal in recent playoff memory.
Getzlaf added the game's final goal immediately after while on an a sist from Perry.
Three stars3.PavelDatsyuk, F, Red Wings: He provided the more offensive support staring at the monitor ofthe night's first star.
2. Corey Perry, F, Ducks: Perry was dominant, finishing with four points (two goals, two a sists) including a game-high six shots.
1. Petr Mrazek, G, Red Wings: In a game title having a 32-shot differential, it is difficult to imagine an added important performance.
Injury reportSteven Stamkos, F, Lightning: Stamkos tweaked his knee on the second period and hobbled offto the bench. He finished the video game, playing a much Twenty minutes. There was no update on hisconditionafterward.
Rob Scuderi, D, Penguins: Scuderi took a KevinHayes high stick to the face while in the third period. He was quoted saying following a game the gash on his nose took "six or seven" stitches to seal.
Dan Girardi, D, Rangers: Girardi failed to return after he was hit with a backlash by thepuck and Chris Kunitz'sstick on the very same be in the third period. Rangers coachAlain Vigneault told reporters when the game that Girardi was still aided by the team dentist and also had no further update.
Gottasee itIt wasn't a good quality night for players getting hit hard.
Before Girardiand Scuderiwent down,Lightning wingerJ.T. Brown was hit square with a backlash by just a shot from Stamkos. He returned towards the ice a few momemts later.
Friday's games(Year ' Nila Kasitati Jersey round Eastern)
Islanders at Capitals, 7 p.m.
Senators at Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Blackhawks at Predators, 9:30 p.m.
Canucks at Flames, 10 p.m.