Tag: 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs

Victor Hedman now holds an incredibly obscure NHL record that will likely never be repeated

A goal in each of the 12 calendar months? No problem for Victor Hedman.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are well on their way to cruising to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final wins. Everything’s been clicking for Tampa Bay against the Montreal Canadiens in this series, from goal scoring to goaltending. Not only that, star defenseman Victor Hedman also broke quite an obscure record during Friday’s Game 3.

In the early goings of the first period, with the Lightning up 1-0 on the Canadiens, Hedman doubled Tampa Bay’s lead with a power play tally less than four minutes into the game. It was a blast from the top of the zone that Canadiens goaltender Carey Price just missed, but it’s also a historic goal in NHL history.

Why? Because with that tally, Hedman has now become the first NHL player to score a goal in each of the 12 calendar months.

Yes, you heard that right. It seems strange at first glance, but considering hockey is a sport that — in a normal year — would run from October to June, Hedman’s goal in July is quite a feat. Add in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs that ran in August to September due to the pandemic, which the Lightning played all the way through, and it makes even more sense.

Not only that, just moments earlier, Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta became the first player in NHL history to score a goal in the month of July.

Given that the NHL will be returning to its regular schedule in the fall, it’s highly unlikely Hedman’s record will be broken unless the league has to shift games into the summer again. Quite the rare and unusual accomplishment, as not even Wayne Gretzky himself could come close to this mark.

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WATCH: 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy value picks

SportsGrid looks at the best value bets to win the 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens play Game 3 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final Friday. The odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP are tightening up with a clear favorite in Lightning G Andrei Vasilevskiy. Let’s dive into the 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy odds with a look at SportsGrid’s value picks.

As the Lightning hold a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Final, Vasilevskiy is a commanding favorite by the odds for the Conn Smythe Trophy. Teammates RW Nikita Kucherov and C Brayden Point follow behind, and Tampa Bay rosters five of the top-six betting favorites.

Are there values a little further down the board with only two games played thus far?

Also see: Lightning vs. Canadiens Game 3 odds, picks and prediction

SportsGrid breaks down the race for the 2021 Conn Smythe Trophy:

Lightning at Canadiens Game 3: Odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:45 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Lightning -135 (bet $135 to win $100) | Canadiens +110 (bet $100 to win $110)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Lightning -1.5 (+200) | Canadiens +1.5 (-250)
  • Over/Under: 5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

Special NHL Betting Promotion!

Bet $1 on either team’s money line, WIN $100 (in free bets) if either team scores a goal in the game. Betting offer available in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA, WV and Washington D.C. Place your legal, online bets at BetMGM. New customer offer, terms and conditions apply. Bet now!

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The Islanders scored three goals in three minutes to take commanding lead over Penguins in Game 6

The Islanders continued their offensive onslaught with an impressive second-period performance to give them a two-goal cushion vs. Penguins.

The New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins have been putting on quite the offensive showing during Wednesday’s Game 6, combining for four goals in the first 13 minutes of the first period.

That offensive firepower continued into the second period, where four more goals were added. While the Islanders and Penguins went blow-for-blow in the first period, it was a much different story in the second.

Trailing 3-2 with 12 minutes left in the second period, the Islanders took a commanding lead scoring three goals in a span of three minutes to go up 5-3.

Islanders center Brock Nelson scored two of those three goals in the second period to give his team that two-goal cushion heading into the third period.

With the Penguins facing elimination, it’s going to take an inspired effort — both offensively and defensively — to mount a comeback to keep their postseason hopes alive and force Game 7.

If not, the Islanders will close out the series at Nassau Coliseum for the first time since 1993.

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The Islanders and Penguins put on a show in the 1st period of Game 6

For every goal the Penguins scored in the first period, the Islanders had an answer for it.

There’s no need to stress the importance of Wednesday’s Game 6 to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who face elimination by the New York Islanders in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It’s simple: Win, and you survive to force Game 7. Lose, and you’re done. Ah, there’s nothing quite like the adrenaline of playoff hockey.

The first period of Game 6 was entertaining as Pittsburgh and New York combined to score four goals in the first 13 minutes of action. Well, maybe not so much entertaining for Islanders and Penguins fans, who found themeslves deadlocked at 2-2 at the end of the first. But it was certainly a productive first period for both teams.

Pittsburgh struck early in the first period off a wrist shot from Jeff Carter, which silenced a raucous Long Island crowd to give the Penguins an early 1-0 lead. But it didn’t last long.

The Islanders answered four minutes later with a backhand goal from Anthony Beauvillier to tie things up at 1-1. Pittsburgh once again took the lead with a timely power play goal from Jake Guentzel at the 8:48 mark. But just about a minute later, Kyle Palmieri scored for the Islanders to tie it up again.

For every goal the Penguins scored, the Islanders had an answer for it, which led to an entertaining first period in a must-win Game 6 for Pittsburgh.

Here’s a look at every goal scored by the Penguins and Islanders in the first period:

Canadiens Carey Price committed absolute robbery against the Maple Leafs with this desperation stick save

Absolutely the best save of the Stanley Cup playoffs so far.

With a goaltender like Carey Price in net, the Montreal Canadiens are never out of a play as long as he can make an attempt on a save. The Toronto Maple Leafs — and Jason Spezza — got a front row seat to Price stealing a goal away with his stick during Monday night’s Game 3 of their first round Stanley Cup playoff series.

At the halfway point of the first period, the Maple Leafs were able to exploit a Canadiens’ misplay in their zone, allowing Spezza to receive a pass wide open at the side of the net. Though Spezza had net to shoot at, Price was able to dive over Superman-style to stop the puck, as it deflected off his stick and up out of play.

And yes, it was absolutely as mind-blowing as it sounds.

Talk about the save of the playoffs so far! Here’s the money-shot angle from inside the net to showcase just how good this save was by Price as Spezza had nothing but daylight to shoot at.

That tinniest bit of hesitation from Spezza upon receiving the pass was a big reason why Price was able to gather himself enough to dive over to stop the shot. If it was a tap-in attempt, like it seemed to be as the play was happening live, Price would have had no shot.

And yet! Price made the desperation stop to keep the game scoreless for Montreal, no doubt one of the best saves we’ve seen this year.

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Avalanche broadcaster loses mind during Gabriel Landeskog’s playoff scrap vs. Brayden Schenn

“Right by Landeskog! Right by Landeskog!”

Playoff hockey breeds intensity, and the tempers were flaring early between the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues in Game 1 of their first round series on Monday. During Monday’s game, just 10 minutes into the contest, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog and Blues forward Brayden Schenn got into a headed fight that got Colorado fans on their feet.

It was a quick bout, with Landeskog getting the decisive victory over Schenn, but the real gem of this fight was the call from the Avalanche broadcast team and play-by-play announcer Marc Moser specifically.

Seriously, you need to hear the call on this one, and see the fight for yourself.

Moser calls this fight so quickly that it’s almost hard to keep up with what he was saying, but the intensity and passion in his voice turn what was an already great fight into a stellar one.

Schenn caught the ire of the Avalanche — and Landeskog especially — after the Blues forward collided with Mikko Rantanen in a knee-on-knee hit. Rantanen ended up being okay on the play, and assisted on Colorado’s tally in the first period, but the Avalanche were less than pleased about the incident.

What a scrap between Landeskog and Schenn, though, and what an incredible call to match its intensity to boot.

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Tom Wilson scored the first goal of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and NHL Twitter was conflicted

There was no other way the NHL playoffs were going to go this year.

The 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs have officially begun! Saturday kicked off the NHL postseason with Game 1 between the Washington Capitals and the Boston Bruins, and less than 10 minutes in we had our first goal scored by… Tom Wilson?

Yes, that Tom Wilson, who less than two weeks ago was in hot water after his unnecessary extracurriculars against the New York Rangers drew the ire of fans, media, and even the team itself! The NHL didn’t help things either by fining Wilson — who has a suspension history — just $5,000 for the whole affair.

Wilson’s antics were the biggest story coming into the playoffs this year, and it seemed the NHL’s script writers knew what they were doing as he opened the scoring for the Capitals with the first goal of the postseason.

Wilson was able to pick the top corner on Tuukka Rask off a Capitals rush to get Washington on the board early. It was a gorgeous goal to kick off the 2021 NHL playoffs, as the Capitals were able to exploit Charlie McAvoy who was without a stick on the play.

And yet, hockey fans were… conflicted over Wilson being the first goalscorer of these playoffs. The jokes poured in on Twitter quickly after Wilson’s goal.

There really was no other way the 2021 playoffs were going to begin other than Wilson scoring the first goal to the chagrin of hockey fans.

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5 must-watch series during the first round of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs

The 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs are here and these are the five best series to watch across the NHL in the first round.

The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs are always incredibly overwhelming with the amount of teams playing and games on at any given time. The 2021 NHL playoffs are likely going to be no exception either, given that the league’s regular season is set to continue for another week.

This time of year is always the most fun for any hockey fan, casual or hardcore. The playoffs often showcase the best of what the NHL has to offer, and the first round packs in the excitement with three or four games a day for nearly two weeks of non-stop hockey action.

While there are a lot of games to watch, you only have so many hours in your day and not every playoff series might be worth your time. With that in mind, here are the five best first-round NHL playoff series for you to sink your teeth into.

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Here’s how the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoff format will work

The 2021 NHL playoffs will look a bit different this year. Here’s what you need to know.

This year’s 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs will look a bit different than usual. In a normal year, the NHL playoffs would be divided by conference and feature the wild card system fans have been accustomed to for the last seven years or so. Now, however, thanks to the pandemic-shortened 56-game season that featured just intra-division play, the Stanley Cup playoffs are set to get a little weird and a little wild.

Of course, NHL playoff hockey is playoff hockey. We’re going to get the same heart-stopping, intense postseason action we usually do until a Stanley Cup champion is crowned. It’ll just look a bit different than normal.

There’s a lot to get caught up on, from which teams made the playoffs to seeding to the schedule and more. With that in mind, here’s all you need to know about the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs and how they’ll work.