The NHL playoffs are in full swing, and the action on the ice has been nothing short of thrilling. In the latest round of games, the Vegas Golden Knights advanced to the second round, while the Tampa Bay Lightning forced a Game 6 against the Florida Panthers. Meanwhile, the New Jersey Devils continued their winning streak against their cross-town rivals, the New York Rangers.
First up, let’s talk about the Vegas Golden Knights. The team made history in their inaugural season by making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, and they’re looking just as strong this year. In their first-round series against the Minnesota Wild, the Golden Knights won four out of seven games to advance to the next round. The team’s top line of Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone, and Chandler Stephenson has been dominant, combining for 16 points in the series. The Golden Knights will now face off against the Colorado Avalanche in what promises to be a highly competitive second-round matchup.
Next, we have the Tampa Bay Lightning. The defending Stanley Cup champions have had a tough first-round series against the Florida Panthers, but they managed to stave off elimination in Game 5 with a 4-0 victory. Andrei Vasilevskiy was outstanding in net, stopping all 29 shots he faced for his second shutout of the series. The Lightning will now head back home for Game 6, where they’ll look to even up the series and force a Game 7.
Finally, we have the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers. The Devils have had the Rangers’ number all season long, winning all eight of their matchups. In their latest game, the Devils came away with a 4-2 victory thanks to goals from Pavel Zacha, Jesper Bratt, Yegor Sharangovich, and Janne Kuokkanen. The win keeps the Devils’ slim playoff hopes alive, while the Rangers are now officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Overall, it’s been an exciting week of NHL action, and there’s still plenty more to come. With the second round of the playoffs heating up and the regular season winding down, hockey fans have plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks.
