Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard both achieved impressive Stanley Cup Playoffs assists feats as they helped the Oilers become the first team in NHL history with five straight comeback wins in a postseason.
* Jaccob Slavin became the fourth Hurricanes/Whalers defenseman to score an overtime goal as Carolina completed a comeback victory to take a 1-0 series lead over the Capitals.
* Wednesday features Mikko Rantanen looking to achieve an NHL first when the Stars and Jets joust in a unique contest to open their Second Round series as well as William Nylander aiming to tie a franchise record from more than 107 years ago. Each game is available on ESPN in the U.S. as well as on Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports in Canada.-07125012.png)
MCDAVID, BOUCHARD HELP OILERS RALLY TO FIFTH STRAIGHT COMEBACK WIN
Game 1 began with two straight goals by Mark Stone – who tied the Golden Knights record for career goals in the postseason – but ended with four straight goals by Edmonton as Connor McDavid (0-2—2), Leon Draisaitl (1-1—2) and Evan Bouchard (0-2—2) all helped the Oilers earn their fifth straight comeback win to take a 1-0 series lead.
* Bouchard’s second assist of the night was the 50th of his postseason career. He reached the plateau in just 60 games – second to only Bobby Orr (59 GP) among defensemen in NHL history.
* McDavid factored on Edmonton’s first goal of the game – along with Draisaitl – to reach 90 career assists in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and became the second-fastest player in NHL history to reach the mark (81 GP), behind only Wayne Gretzky (63 GP).
SLAVIN PLAYS OT HERO TO HELP HURRICANES TAKE 1-0 SERIES LEAD
After the Capitals took a 1-0 lead, Hurricanes rookie Logan Stankoven scored in the third period to pull his team even and set the stage for Jaccob Slavin to complete the comeback in overtime and lift Carolina to a 1-0 series lead.
* Stankoven, who was acquired by the Hurricanes at the NHL Trade Deadline, scored his third goal of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs and tied Andrei Svechnikov (2019) and Seth Jarvis (2022) for the third most in a postseason by a Hurricanes/Whalers rookie behind only Erik Cole (6 in 2002) and Warren Foegele (5 in 2019).
* Slavin became the fourth different defenseman to score an overtime goal this postseason – the only playoff year in the past decade to feature more was 2020 (6). Slavin is no stranger to coming up big in crucial moments – the last time Carolina and Washington met, in the 2019 First Round, he set a franchise record for assists in a series (9), including three in Game 7.
QUICK CLICKS
* King Clancy nominee Ryan O’Reilly of Predators explains advocacy for foster care
* Panthers focused on restoring structure in Game 2 with Aaron Ekblad returning against Maple Leafs
* EDGE stats insights for Jets-Stars series
* PLYRS and National Hockey League announce multiyear international partnership
* “NHL Trophy Case” three-part documentary series returned Tuesday
STARS, JETS JOUST AFTER GAME 7 wins; MAPLE LEAFS LOOK FOR 2-0 SERIES LEAD
Mikko Rantanen and the Stars square off with Kyle Connor and the Jets after both teams tallied thrilling multi-goal, third-period comeback wins in Game 7s, while William Nylander and the Maple Leafs look to take a 2-0 series lead against Aleksander Barkov and the Panthers.
* Rantanen can become the first player in Stanley Cup Playoffs history with three straight four-point contests – he is one of 13 with a two-game run and just the second active skater among that group after Connor McDavid achieved the feat during the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. The Jets’ Connor, who collected three assists and skated 5.97 miles according to NHL EDGE during the series-clinching victory Sunday, can help the team improve to 5-0 in front of the “Winnipeg Whiteout” which would mark the League’s longest postseason-opening home winning streak since the Hurricanes’ seven-game run in 2022.
* The Second Round opener between the Stars and Jets marks the first contest in Stanley Cup Playoffs history where both teams are immediately coming off a multi-goal comeback victory during a Game 7. Wednesday will mark the fourth series to start where each club followed a one-goal comeback win in a Game 7. The others: the 2003 Conference Semifinals between the Wild and Canucks, 2001 Conference Finals between the Devils and Penguins as well as the 1984 Conference Finals between the Oilers and Minnesota North Stars.
* Nylander can become the first player with three straight multi-goal playoff games since Joe Pavelski did so with the Sharks from the 2010 Conference Quarterfinals to the Conference Semifinals and the second skater in franchise history to achieve the feat, following forward Alf Skinner against the Pacific Coast Hockey Association’s Vancouver Millionaires to open the 1918 Final. The lengthiest streak in Stanley Cup Playoffs history is four contests, shared by North Stars forward Steve Payne from the 1981 Preliminary Round to the Quarterfinals and Millionaires forward Cyclone Taylor during the series versus Skinner.
* Nylander can help the Maple Leafs log a 2-0 series lead after the opening round for the first time since the 1987 Division Finals and twice during a best-of-seven in the same postseason for the sixth time in franchise history (also 1963, 1962, 1949, 1948 & 1945). Barkov and the Panthers overcame a series deficit in the Second Round and Conference Finals during their run to the Stanley Cup last year and have done so to win a playoff series four times over the last three years (also 2022 R1 & 2023 R1).
