NFT: NHL Thread (the stretch run)

again, then Gauthier - BC pp goals during 5 min major resulting from the (interrupted by a BC minor)

Gauthier BC player with most goals in one season (37) since Johnny hockey.

winning puck battles early, beats the NCAA top goaltender for the 1-0 lead over Wisconsin. Just a couple min in.

from the badgers, and they lead Quinnipiac 2-1.

One off a brutal turnover in the d-zone. the other a wrap around by a D for his 1st goal of the season. not a great start to the 2nd for the Bobcats. lol.

ties it up at 2 off a face off win/shot rebound.

2-2 end of 2.

great game.

beating Michigan State 4-2.

If MSU loses I wonder if Isaac Howard goes pro.

He's a Lightning draftee. Not big, but like a Brayden Point type.

MSU with 2 late, one in the final minute, to send it to OT in Missouri.

MSU 4 Western Michigan 4

wins in OT.

Headed to OT in Providence too. Quinnipiac and Wisconsin remain tied at 2.

wins it in OT. Great game.

They play like this though on Sunday, BC will beat them by 4 or 5.

(thanks to Frankie Nazar and Dylan Duke) had just enough to beat North Dakota and held on for a 4-3 win.

Todays regional final games:
Denver (3) vs Cornell (4:00pm)
BU (2) vs Minnesota (6:30pm)

All the one seeds advanced.

15 games.

4 teams clinched in the East (NYR, CAR, BOS, FLA) No EC teams can clinch today though TOR is not far off. 8 - 11 games left for most teams.



Here are the Stanley Cup Playoffs clinching scenarios for March 30:
WESTERN CONFERENCE

The Vancouver Canucks will clinch a playoff berth:

If the Minnesota Wild lose to the Vegas Golden Knights in any fashion (3:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+) AND the St. Louis Blues lose to the San Jose Sharks in regulation (8 p.m. ET; BSMWX, NBCSCA).

The Colorado Avalanche will clinch a playoff berth:

If they defeat the Nashville Predators in regulation or overtime (6 p.m. ET; BSSO, ALT)

OR

If they defeat the Predators in a shootout AND any result in the Blues-Sharks game other than a Blues regulation win

OR

If they get one point against the Predators AND the Blues lose to the Sharks in any fashion

OR

If the Wild lose to the Golden Knights in any fashion AND the Blues lose to the Sharks in regulation.

DAL has already clinched in the West - the only West team so far, but COL and VAN can clinch.

pound Russian goalie Ivan Fedotov finally gets to PHI. He was drafted in 2015 and has had a roller coaster ride since.

he is playoff eligible should PHI make it. I think Ersson has been playing well, but not well enough IMO. Not sure Fedotov is the answer but can't hurt.

great story about his journey on nhl.com

it would be McDavid. but just amazing he's this close he only played 2 games less but he came back a couple weeks ahead of schedule to play in the heritage classic and was clearly not 100%.

David Pagnotta
@TheFourthPeriod
Top 10 NHL points leaders, as of today:

1. Nikita Kucherov, 124
2. Nathan MacKinnon, 123
3. Connor McDavid, 122
4. Artemi Panarin, 103
5. David Pastrnak, 101
6. Mikko Rantanen, 97
7. Leon Draisaitl, 96
8. Auston Matthews, 94
8. William Nylander, 94
10. JT Miller, 92

I think if McDavid passes Kucherov and winds up #1 in points then McDavid wins Hart.

putting the pressure on Kucherov and MacKinnon with 2 goals (through 2 periods).

gets the 3rd point (nice assist on a Hyman one-timer), to (temporarily) take the points lead.

holds on vs a pesky Cornell team, 2-1 and heads to the Frozen Four.

LaChance (I played with his father) ties it up for BU (off the Celebrini assist) 2-2 BU and Minnesota.

BU other goal came from Quinn Hutson (Lane's younger brother)

the lead 3-2 of a Harvey goal (assisted by LaChance and Celebrini)

MIN ties it up. 3-3 late second.

Luke Mittelstadt with the assist (Habs pick and Casey's younger brother)

MacKinnon will not go easily. This is going to be a fun race to watch.

Kucherov with 1 point so far (after 1) and MacKinnon with 2 (2nd winding down)

Lane Hutson this time to give BU the 4-3 lead, 2nd winding down.

has been playing decoy for most of the season. He is going to average 3 points a game the rest of the way.

says "I'll give you a decoy" and puts up 4 pts of his own tonight (2 min left)

Kucherov still just the one point through 2 periods.

ices it with the ENG.

5-3 with under 1 min left.

Chalk so far halfway through the regional finals with BU (2 seed) and Denver (3 seed) headed to St. Paul.

with his 60th.

I don't think he has a shot at 70, but who knows if they get some cookie games the rest of the way.

Ovechkin came close but I think 65 was his best. Brett Hull? I know he broke 80 once but I can’t remember what year. I know Selanne and Mogilny each had 76 in 1993. Lemieux’s 80something season was 1990 I think.

And it was Selanne and Mogilny who were last. Lemieux had 69 in 1996, Ovechkin 65 in 2008 and McDavid 64 two years ago. Hull had 72, 86, and 70 1990-92 and Lemieux 70 and 85 in 1988-89.

BC puck drop coming up from Providence.

my wife and kids are at the game. I am home watching the dogs. WTF?

In comment 16451699 Greg from LI said:

Quote:

And it was Selanne and Mogilny who were last. Lemieux had 69 in 1996, Ovechkin 65 in 2008 and McDavid 64 two years ago. Hull had 72, 86, and 70 1990-92 and Lemieux 70 and 85 in 1988-89.

that's why I was thinking if Matthews gets 70 he is in the Hart discussion automatically, but I doubt he does so I think the 3 Hart finalists are all but locked at MacKinnon, Kucherov and McDavid.

No D is getting to 100 points like Karlsson last year and no goalie has been so lights out they warrant inclusion IMO (and Makar has caught Hughes too in the Norris race IMO).

dominant period by BC, but Duplessis comes up huge and keeps BC off the scoreboard.

Scoreless after 1.

tips it home on the PP Quinnipiac up 1-0.

another. The Bobcats up 2-0.

one back on the PP on a ridiculous embellished high stick call (by Perreault).

never touched the BC player, but the refs called it.

2-1 Quinnipiac

about the Lightning. Playoffs against the Lightning haven't been kind to us, and Vasy seems to be back to his old self.

Kucherov + Vasy + Cooper = frightening

In comment 16452149 pjcas18 said:

Quote:

one back on the PP on a ridiculous embellished high stick call (by Perreault). never touched the BC player, but the refs called it. 2-1 Quinnipiac

I hope Fortescue wasn't responsible for either of those goals

In comment 16452159 Anakim said:

Quote:

In comment 16452149 pjcas18 said: Quote: one back on the PP on a ridiculous embellished high stick call (by Perreault). never touched the BC player, but the refs called it. 2-1 Quinnipiac I hope Fortescue wasn't responsible for either of those goals

Direct turnover by Fortescue on the 2nd. Just threw it up the boards.

Quinnipiac kills off another PP but BC scores just after.

Tied at 2 8 min left in the 2nd.

not going away. Fillion skate to stick on the rebound gives Quinnipiac the 3-2 lead. 4 min left in the 2nd.

even a penalty, let alone a 5?

this should be no penalty.

BC player taking a dive IMO.

ties it up on the PP.

Ryan Leonard is BC's best player.

but you can't like the antics and as a hockey fan you have to hope Karma pays them a visit.

in the 3rd and it ends up tied at 3.

Quinnipiac still has 18 seconds of PP time heading into the 3rd.

Casey for Michigan vs Michigan State in the other regional final. Big loss.

fails to get a puck deep and BC transitions and ties it up.

4-4 4:44 left.

players diving all over the ice like flounders

in Providence.

BC has the edge in OT, where I feel like talent wins.

Gauthier opened Quinnipiac's season, at the banner raising, with an OT GW. Hopefully Quinnipiac can pay him back.

I think BC has a big edge though.

it in OT, Duplessis made a great save, but lost it.

a no show in the big games, so much for the "Collin Graf sweepstakes" the Rangers fans were hoping to win.

good luck with that.

Quillan is a much better player, but probably still an AHL player or maybe a bottom 6 guy. He can win some face offs.

freshman line (and Fortescue) should stay another year. Playing against older NCAA players (like Quinnipiac has) showed they need another year physically. especially Will Smith, who I thought was the best of them before the season. Ryan Leonard is the most NHL ready of them all, and I think maybe this time next year he could consider signing an ELC.

Fowler looked disappointing in the BC net (as a Habs fan).

Gauthier could play in the NHL after the season IMO.