* The Islanders and Lightning both staved off elimination and forced a Game 5 – for New York, it was via a double overtime winner thanks to Mathew Barzal, while Steven Stamkos hit the 50-goal and 100-point mark in his postseason career during Tampa Bay’s victory.
* Wyatt Johnston became the youngest player in Stars/North Stars history to score an overtime goal in the playoffs and helped his club move one game closer to tying their series.
* Brad Marchand climbed to the top of the Bruins’ all-time postseason goals list as he helped his club earn a win with the series shifting back to Boston for Game 5 on Tuesday.
* Sunday will feature the Capitals looking to force a Game 5, while the Jets, Predators and Kings will all take their shot at tying their First Round series.
BARZAL, ISLANDERS STAVE OFF ELIMINATION WITH WIN IN DOUBLE OVERTIME…
The Hurricanes entered Game 4 with an all-time record of 8-0 when scoring first in a potential series-clinching game as well as a streak of five consecutive wins when those contests go to overtime, but Mathew Barzal (2-0—2) brought both those stretches to a halt with a winning goal 1:24 into the second overtime period and helped the Islanders force a Game 5.
* The Islanders have been directly involved with three of the past four instances of a team staving off elimination with a multi-overtime win; the club achieved the feat against the Lightning during Game 5 of the 2020 Conference Finals and watched the Flyers do so against them during Game 6 of the 2020 Second Round. The Stars did so later that same postseason during Game 5 of the 2020 Stanley Cup Final against the Lightning.
* Barzal, the first Islanders player with a multi-goal outing in a potential elimination game since Mariusz Czerkawski (Game 6 of 2002 CQF vs. TOR), became the seventh skater in franchise history to score an overtime tally to help the club stave off elimination in a best-of-seven series. The others: Anthony Beauvillier (Game 6 of 2021 SF), Jordan Eberle (Game 5 of 2020 CF), David Volek (Game 7 of 1993 DF), Pat LaFontaine (Game 7 of 1987 DSF), Billy Harris (Game 5 of 1977 SF) and Jude Drouin (Game 4 of 1975 SF).
* Semyon Varlamov (42 saves) turned aside all 18 shots he faced through the two overtime periods to register his fourth 40-save game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Islanders. His Game 4 performance tied Glenn Healy (42 saves in Game 7 of 1993 DF) and Billy Smith (42 in Game 5 of 1984 DSF) for the third-most saves in a potential elimination game in franchise history. It trails just Kelly Hrudey’s legendary performance in Game 7 of the 1987 Division Semifinals (73 saves) and Varlamov’s 46 saves in Game 6 of the 2020 Conference Finals.
… WHILE STAMKOS, KUCHEROV HELP LIGHTNING EXTEND SERIES
With the Lightning facing elimination in Game 4, Steven Stamkos (2-0—2) and Nikita Kucherov (0-3—3) helped Tampa Bay score six goals and extend their First Round series. The Lightning improved to 8-5 in potential elimination games as the designated home team – their .615 win percentage in that scenario is the third highest among all teams (min. 2 GP) behind the Islanders (.720) and Red Wings (.642).
* Stamkos (50-51—101) reached the 50-goal and 100-point mark in his postseason career and became the fourth player age 34 or older with a four-game goal streak to begin a postseason in NHL history, joining Rick Tocchet (5 GP in 1998), Teemu Selanne (4 GP in 2011) and Gordie Howe (4 GP in 1963).
* Kucherov became the fifth player in Stanley Cup Playoffs history with 10 career three-assist games, joining Wayne Gretzky (28), Mark Messier (12), Paul Coffey (11) and Doug Gilmour (11).
JOHNSTON SCORES OVERTIME WINNER TO HELP STARS CUT SERIES DEFICIT
After getting Dallas on the board in the opening frame, 20-year-old Wyatt Johnston (2-0—2) ended the game with less than four minutes remaining in the first overtime period to help the Stars cut their series deficit to one. Dallas earned its first victory in a Game 3 after falling to a 2-0 series deficit since the 2014 First Round versus Anaheim.
* Johnston (20 years, 349 days) became the youngest player in Stars/North Stars history to score an overtime goal in the playoffs, surpassing the mark set by Steve Ott (21 years, 237 days in Game 3 of the 2004 CQF).
* Johnston also became the fourth-youngest player in franchise history to record a multi-goal game in the playoffs behind Brian Bellows (18 years, 221 days in Game 4 of 1983 DSF), Brad Palmer (19 years, 237 days in Game 6 of 1981 SF) and Mike Modano (20 years, 321 days in Game 4 of 1991 DF).
BRUINS MOVE WITHIN ONE WIN OF ADVANCING TO THE 2024 SECOND ROUND
Brad Marchand (1-1—2) scored the game-winning goal and Jeremy Swayman stopped 24 of the 25 shots he faced to propel the Bruins to a 3-1 series lead as they moved within one win of advancing to the 2024 Second Round. Boston is 21-3 all-time when holding a 3-1 series lead in a best-of-seven and has a 29-25 (.537) record in Game 5s contested as the home team.
* Marchand surpassed Cam Neely (55) for the most playoff goals in Bruins history and joined Chris Kreider (42 w/ NYR) as the second active player to lead an Original Six team in that category. It also came as his 17th power-play goal, which moved him into a tie with former captain Patrice Bergeron for third place on the playoff franchise list.
* Swayman has played in three of Boston’s four games so far in the 2024 First Round and owns a goals against average of 1.34 – the lowest among all goaltenders (min. 1 GS). His four goals allowed so far this postseason mark the lowest through the first three games of a playoff year by a Bruins netminder in exactly a decade.
QUICK CLICKS
* Saturday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates
* Start times for Stanley Cup Playoff games on April 29, 30, May 1 announced
* Shaquille O’Neal stops by ‘NHL on TNT’ studio to clown around as ‘Shaq Hyman’
*Michael McCarron fined for actions in Predators game
* Jets aim to step up defensively in Game 4 with Brenden Dillon day to day
PIVOTAL GAME 4s SET TO DROP THE PUCK ON A FOUR-GAME SUNDAY
Four pivotal Game 4s headline action in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday, including a win-or-go home contest for Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals. Elsewhere, the Jets, Predators and Kings each look to draw even in their First Round series against the Avalanche, Canucks and Oilers, respectively.
* The Capitals captain has yet to find the score sheet in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but has risen to the occasion in potential elimination games in a best-of-seven throughout his career (13-11—24 in 28 GP). Ovechkin’s 13 goals in that scenario are tied with Luc Robitaille (13 in 27 GP) for sixth most in NHL history and sit two shy of the most – a mark shared by Chris Kreider (15 in 28 GP), Justin Williams (15 in 26 GP), Jaromir Jagr (15 in 32 GP), Mark Messier (15 in 21 GP) and Maurice Richard (15 in 17 GP).
* Mark Scheifele (2-3—5) leads the Jets in scoring this postseason and has boosted his career totals to 21-16—37 (40 GP). Already the franchise leader in playoff goals, the 31-year-old now sits two points shy of tying Blake Wheeler (9-30—39 in 44 GP) for the most in Jets/Thrashers postseason history.
* Jason Zucker, who has points in each of the past three games, will aim to help the Predators rebound from Game 3 and tie their First Round series at 2-2. He can become the sixth player in franchise history to open a postseason with a four-game point streak and would join Ryan Johansen (5 GP in 2016-17, 4 in 2019-20 & 2017-18), Austin Watson (6 GP in 2017-18), Filip Forsberg (5 GP in 2016-17), Colton Sissons (4 GP in 2017-18) and J-P Dumont (4 GP in 2006-07).
* The Kings will be the third team who can tie their series Sunday when they take to the ice at 10:30 p.m. ET, with the club currently led by Adrian Kempe (3-1—4) and Quinton Byfield (0-4—4). Should Kempe continue his production, he can become the first player since Wayne Gretzky to be the Kings’ outright leader in points in at least three straight series – Gretzky paced the club in each round of the 1993 Stanley Cup Playoffs, leading them to the Final for the first time.
