Five things to know about the National Hockey League playoffs
Listed below are 5 issues to know as we head into Tuesday’s post-season motion:
BATTLE OF FLORIDA
The 2-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Florida Panthers are assembly within the playoffs for the second consecutive season, with Recreation 1 beginning Tuesday on Florida’s residence ice. The NHL began awarding the Presidents’ Trophy in 1986 to the membership with the most effective regular-season file, and this marks the ninth time that the winner of that trophy has confronted the reigning Cup champion within the playoffs. Of the earlier eight cases, it’s a cut up — 4 wins for the Cup champs, 4 wins for the Presidents’ Trophy holders.
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BAD BLOOD IN DENVER
The Western Convention collection between St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche additionally will get underway Tuesday in Denver. This was the primary matchup of the second spherical to get locked in after Colorado swept Nashville and St. Louis beat Minnesota in six. It additionally may very well be the feistiest, particularly within the aftermath of Avalanche centre Nazem Kadri concussing Blues defenceman Justin Faulk with an unlawful test to the top within the collection final yr that prompted an eight-game suspension.
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LEAFS CLEAN OUT LOCKERS
The Toronto Maple Leafs will likely be cleansing out their lockers at Scotiabank Enviornment on Tuesday. The Leafs, who have been bounced from the playoffs on Saturday after dropping a 2-1 Recreation 7 determination to Tampa Bay, are anticipated to face some robust questions as they meet the media earlier than one other prolonged summer season break. Toronto, which received a franchise-record 54 video games and posted the league’s fourth-best file throughout the common season, hasn’t reached the second spherical since 2004 and is now 0-9 in elimination video games over the past 5 post-seasons.
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BATTLE OF THE MAYORS
The Battle of Alberta, which will get underway Wednesday with Recreation 1 on the Saddledome, is again with a pleasant wager between the town leaders of Calgary and Edmonton. Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says each council member within the dropping metropolis will put on the successful staff’s jerseys on the first assembly after the collection finishes. She or Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi will then take it a step additional by portray their face within the successful staff’s colors. The dropping council will even donate to youngsters’s most cancers analysis in recognition of Ben Stelter, an Edmonton boy who has mind most cancers and has turn out to be referred to as a good-luck appeal for the Oilers.
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A CITY DIVIDED
NHL allegiances are historically cut up in Pink Deer, which sits on the midway level of the 300-kilometre drive alongside Hwy. 2 between Calgary and Edmonton. However Mayor Ken Johnston says the town of round 100,000 individuals will profit regardless of which Alberta-based staff comes out on high within the Pacific Division closing. “Actually, each metropolis from Fort McMurray within the north to Lethbridge within the south goes to learn from the collection, the bars, the eating places, the hospitality trade, the flexibility for individuals to return collectively and socialize … and it could not come at a greater time from that perspective,” he stated. “Individuals are simply so wanting to get out and be in individual.” For the file, Johnston is throwing his help within the Battle of Alberta behind the Flames.
— With recordsdata from The Related Press.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Could 17, 2022.
The Canadian Press
