playoffs: 2019-20 | WCRR | St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas, & Dallas

ST. LOUIS BLUES:

2019-20 season: 44-14-12, .714 points percentage

Season series: TBL 1-2-1; WSH 1-1-1; PHI 1-0-2

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[td]Vladimir Tarasenko, who had surgery Oct. 29 to repair a dislocated left shoulder, was about a week away from returning to the lineup when the season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. Now with four more months to get stronger, Tarasenko should be back to form. His biggest impact could come at 5-on-5; his 112 5-on-5 goals from 2014-15 through 2018-19 were second in the NHL behind Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (118). The Blues were 12th in the NHL and third among the four teams in the West round-robin with 149 goals at 5-on-5 this season.[/td]

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[td]The Blues were 18th in the NHL on the penalty kill this season at 79.3 percent, but it didn't affect their record because they were one of the more disciplined teams in the League. They averaged 7:13 of penalty minutes per game, sixth lowest in the NHL, and were shorthanded 2.86 times per game, 12th fewest. The potential to be better is there; the 2020 postseason roster includes nine of the 11 skaters who averaged at least 1:16 of shorthanded ice time per game last season when St. Louis finished ninth on the penalty kill at 81.5 percent.[/td]

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COLORADO AVALANCHE:

2019-20 season: 42-20-8, .657 points percentage

Season series: DAL 0-2-2; STL 2-2-0; VGK 2-0-0

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[td]Center Nathan MacKinnon is a finalist for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP, the Ted Lindsay Award as most outstanding player and the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play. He was fifth in the NHL with 93 points (35 goals, 58 assists) in 69 games before the season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus, scoring 14 more goals and 43 more points than any teammate. In 12 playoff games last season, he scored 13 points (six goals, seven assists), second on the Avalanche to forward Mikko Rantanen's 14.[/td]

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[td]Defenseman Cale Makar has scored 56 points (13 goals, 43 assists) in the first 67 games of his NHL career, regular season and playoffs. He made his NHL debut in the 2019 postseason and scored six points (one goal, five assists) in 10 games, then scored 50 (12 goals, 38 assists) in 57 games this season and is a finalist for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year. He scored seven points (three goals, four assists) in eight games against the Avalanche's round-robin opponents: two assists in four games against the Dallas Stars, four points (two goals, two assists) in three games against the St. Louis Blues, and one goal in one game against the Vegas Golden Knights.[/td]

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VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS:

2019-20 season: 39-24-8, .606 points percentage

Season series: COL 0-2-0; DAL 1-1-0; STL 2-1-0

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[td]Forward Mark Stone led the Golden Knights in scoring in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season with 12 points (six goals, six assists) in seven games. He was leading them in scoring this season with 63 points (21 goals, 42 assists) in 65 games through Feb. 26, but a lower-body injury caused him to miss the final six games before the season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. He's healthy now and expected to return to his spot on the Golden Knights' top line.[/td]

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[td]The Golden Knights led the NHL in 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage at 54.8 percent. Vegas had four of the top 10 players in the NHL in SAT percentage (minimum 30 games), led by forward Max Pacioretty, who was fourth at 58.9 percent, and Shea Theodore, who was fifth and led NHL defensemen at 58.5 percent. Stone was seventh at 57.7 percent, and defenseman Nick Holden was 10th at 56.8 percent.[/td]

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DALLAS STARS:

2019-20 season: 37-24-8, .594 points percentage

Season series: COL 4-0-0; STL 1-3-1; VGK 1-0-1

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[td]Forward Jamie Benn had a disappointing regular season with 39 points (19 goals, 20 assists) in 69 games, his fewest in a season since he scored 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists) in 41 games in the shortened 2012-13 season. But he is a proven postseason performer with 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 32 Stanley Cup Playoff games. His average of 0.94 points per game in the playoffs is the best for the Stars since the team moved to Dallas in 1993-94 (minimum 10 games).[/td]

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[td]Dallas allowed 2.52 goals per game, second in the NHL behind the Boston Bruins (2.39), but was 26th in the League in scoring at 2.58 goals per game. The Stars scored 108 goals at 5-on-5, second fewest in the NHL ahead of only the Detroit Red Wings (92).[/td]

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[td]https://www.nhl.com/news/east-round-robin-stanley-cup-qualifiers-preview/c-317615044[/td]

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