Leon Draisaitl’s overtime winner gave the Oilers a 2-0 series lead as Edmonton erased another deficit for its sixth consecutive come-from-behind victory.
* John Carlson scored the game winner for the Capitals to help his club even their Second Round series before the matchup shifts to Carolina for Games 3 and 4.
* Five more goals were scored by defensemen Thursday, bringing the 2025 postseason total to 60. Check out the May 9 edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates for more League trends.
* Stanley Cup Playoffs action continues on Friday as the Panthers look to cut their series deficit when they return home to Amerant Bank Arena, while the Jets aim to even the series at home before the action shifts to Dallas.
DRAISAITL, McDAVID COMBINE IN OVERTIME AS OILERS SKATE TO 2-0 SERIES LEAD
A back-and-forth Game 2 saw both Edmonton and Vegas battle back from deficits but Leon Draisaitl (1-0—1) and Connor McDavid (0-1—1) connected on the overtime winner to help the Oilers earn their sixth straight comeback win en route to a 2-0 series lead. Edmonton became the first team to take a 2-0 series lead against Vegas at T-Mobile Arena as their Second Round matchup moves to Rogers Place for Game 3.
* McDavid and Draisaitl factored on the same game-winning goal for the seventh time in the playoffs and 110th time overall including the regular season. Only three other duos have combined on at least 100 game-winning goals (regular season & playoffs): Henrik and Daniel Sedin (159), Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri (106) as well as Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier (102).
* The Oilers recorded their first six-game win streak in the playoffs since 2006 and earned at least six comeback victories in a postseason for the first time since that same year. The franchise mark for comeback wins in a single playoff run is eight (1991 & 1987).
* Edmonton, which overcame a 2-0 series deficit against Los Angeles in the First Round, also became the seventh team in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to post a six-game winning streak after losing its first two games of a postseason. The others include the 1993 Canadiens (11 GP), 2006 Hurricanes (7 GP), 2014 Blackhawks (6 GP), 2013 Kings (6 GP), 2002 Red Wings (6 GP) and 1987 Nordiques (6 GP).
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CAPITALS CLAIM GAME 2, EVEN SERIES AT 1-1
The Capitals scored the first goal of the contest just like they did in Game 1, but additional contributions from Tom Wilson (1-1—2) and John Carlson (1-0—1) helped Washington quell another Carolina rally as it evened its Second Round series at 1-1.
* Carlson’s goal served as the game winner and tied Peter Bondra (13) for the third-most power-play tallies in the postseason in franchise history, behind Alex Ovechkin (30) and T.J. Oshie (17). It also marked the 10th time he factored on a game-winning goal in the postseason, which passed Scott Stevens for the most by a Capitals defenseman.
QUICK CLICKS
* #NHLStats: Live Updates for May 8, 2025
* Mikko Rantanen hat trick puts capper on Hockey Fights Cancer donation
* AutoTrader and NHL announce multiyear Canadian partnership
* Ducks hire Joel Quenneville as head coach
* NHL Quarter-Century Team: Players who debuted before 2000
FRIDAY’S SLATE HAS REIGNING CHAMPS BACK HOME, RED-HOT RANTANEN
Stanley Cup Playoffs action continues on Friday with a pair of contests, opening with the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers looking for their first win of the series back on home ice against the Maple Leafs and Mikko Rantanen, coming off back-to-back hat tricks, looking to lead the Stars to a 2-0 series lead with consecutive road wins.
* After winning the first two games on home ice – both by a one-goal margin – the Maple Leafs head to Florida aiming to take a 3-0 lead in consecutive series. Toronto can take multiple best-of-seven 3-0 series leads in a single postseason for the first time in 77 years – its only other occurrence was in 1948.
* Toronto can also become the first team in over a decade, and sixth in NHL history, to take a 3-0 series lead against the defending Stanley Cup champions. The five teams to achieve the feat to date hold a 5-0 series record: Vancouver (2011 CQF: 4-3 W vs. CHI), Anaheim (2003 CQF: 4-0 W vs. DET), Philadelphia (1995 CSF: 4-0 W vs. NYR), Montreal (1976 SCF: 4-0 W vs. PHI) and Detroit (1952 SF: 4-0 W vs. TOR).
* The Panthers hit the ice at Amerant Bank Arena for the first time in two weeks and will look to earn the seventh consecutive victory by a defending Stanley Cup champion in a Game 3 when facing a 2-0 series deficit. The reigning champions have come back to win three of the last six series after losing the first two games: Tampa Bay in the 2022 Conference Finals, Chicago in the 2014 First Round and Los Angeles in the 2013 Conference Quarterfinals.
* The Jets are 4-1 at Canada Life Centre in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs as they look to even their series with the Stars on home ice in Game 2. Winnipeg has not lost consecutive home games since Jan. 2-4 (0-1-1).
* Mikko Rantanen, who can become the first player in NHL history to post a hat trick in three straight games, is one of four players in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to record 14 points over a four-game span alongside Wayne Gretzky (1987, 1985 & 1983), Leon Draisaitl (2022) and Rick Middleton (1983). Only five players in the 107-year history of the League have amassed 15 or more points across five games in one postseason: Draisaitl, Gretzky and Middleton in the years noted above, plus Mario Lemieux (1992) and Jari Kurri (1988).
