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EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS GAME #1 — 5/22/24 vs. Location: Madison Square Garden — New York, NY Time: 8:00 PM TV: ESPN, ESPN+, SN, CBC Radio: 98.7 FM, 107.1 FM, 710 AM, Sirius XM USEFUL LINKS: Coverage: @NYP_Brooksie • @StapeAthletic • @ColinSNewsday • @vzmercogliano • @MollieWalkerr Team Official: @NYRangers • NYR on Instagram Official Team Websites: nhl.com/rangers • nhl.com/hurricanes GameCenter - here Series Preview - here SERIES SCHEDULE: Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Christopher James (7) Mika Zibanejad (11) Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck(14) K'Andre Miller (+4) Braden Schneider (14) Adam Fox (23:25) Vincent Trocheck (23:12) Starting Lineup:^ Chris Kreider A / Mika Zibanejad A / Jack Roslovic Artemi Panarın A / Vincent Trocheck / Alexis Lafrenière Filip Chytil / Alex Wennberg / Kaapo Kakko Jimmy Vesey / Barclay Goodrow A / Will Cuylle Ryan Lindgren / Adam Fox A K'Andre Miller / Jacob Trouba C Erik Gustafsson / Braden Schneider ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 10 8-2 .923 2.40 0 Healthy Scratches: Matt Rempe, Jonny Brodzinski, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Chad Ruhwedel, Zac Jones Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Blake Wheeler [LTIR] — Maybe he comes back? Maybe he was never really here to begin with? Maybe the real Blake Wheeler is the friends we made along the way. Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Carter Verhaeghe (6) Matthew Tkachuk (10) Matthew Tkachuk (14) Gustav Forsling (+8) Nick Cousins (20) Brandon Montour (23:14) Aleksander Barkov (21:24) Starting Lineup:^ Vladimir Tarasenko / Aleksander Barkov / Sam Reinhart Carter Verhaeghe / Anton Lundell / Matthew Tkachuk Eetu Luostarinen / Sam Bennett / Evan Rodrigues Ryan Lomberg / Kevin Stenlund / Nick Cousins Gustav Forsling / Aaron Ekblad Niko Mikkola / Brandon Montour Oliver Ekman-Larsson / Dmitri Kulikov ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Sergei Bobrovsky GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 1 8-3 .902 2.37 0 Healthy Scratches: Rasmus Asplund, Jonah Gadjovich, Patrick Giles, William Lockwood Steven Lorentz, Mackie Samsokevich, Justin Sourdif, Ulvis Balinskis Mike Benning, Tobias Bjornfot, Matt Kiersted, Josh Mahura Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: None QUOTE(S) TO NOTE: **THUD** — Christopher James Kreider GIF to HYPE:

(1C) Dallas Stars vs. (2P) Edmonton Oilers REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Stars: 52-21-9, 113 points; defeated Colorado Avalanche 4-2 in the second round Avalanche: 49-27-6 107 points; defeated Vancouver Canucks 4-3 in the second round SEASON SERIES: DAL: 2-0-1, COL: 1-2-0 GAME BREAKERS: Stars: You could still argue Wyatt Johnston for this category, but we'll go with Miro Heiskanen for this round. The defenseman has been outstanding in the postseason, leading the Stars with 13 points (five goals, eight assists). Heiskanen came up big in the second round, when he had eight points (four goals, four assists). He is averaging 28:01 of ice time per game, most among defensemen still in the postseason. Oilers: Leon Draisaitl narrowly edges McDavid, like he's doing in postseason production. The forward leads the playoffs with 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists); McDavid is next with 21 points (two goals, 19 assists). Draisaitl is also first with a 2.00 points-per-game average and six power-play goals. He has two game-winning goals in 12 postseason games, tied with Zach Hyman for second on the Oilers behind defenseman Evan Bouchard (three). GOALTENDING: Stars: Jake Oettinger (8-5) is one of three goalies with eight postseason wins, with Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers (8-2) and Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers (8-3). Oettinger has been up to the task once again, with a 2.09 goals-against average and .918 save percentage. He saved his best for his last start, making 29 saves in a 2-1 double-overtime win to eliminate the Avalanche. Oilers: Edmonton changed goalies for two games in the second round, but Stuart Skinner has gotten most of the starts, going 7-3 with a 2.87 GAA, .881 save percentage and one shutout. He made 15 saves in a 3-2 win against Vancouver on Monday, the first Game 7 of his NHL career. Calvin Pickard is 1-1 with a 2.21 GAA and .915 save percentage in three games (two starts). X FACTORS: Stars: Roope Hintz did not play Games 5 or 6 against the Avalanche because of an upper-body injury, and the forward's availability will be crucial if the Stars hope to match the Oilers' star power in the conference final. Hintz had 1.26 points per game (24 in 19 games) to lead the Stars last postseason. He would give them unmatched center depth among the remaining playoff teams, with him being their No. 1 option, and forwards Johnston, Joe Pavelski, Matt Duchene, Tyler Seguin and Logan Stankoven also capable of playing the position at a high level. Oilers: Evander Kane was a key playoff performer in 2022, when he had 13 goals and 17 points in 15 games. The forward was tied for most goals that postseason and first with 0.87 goals per game (minimum eight games). In these playoffs, Kane has seven points (four goals, three assists) in 12 games and plays on a line with Draisaitl. He had two points (one goal, one assist) and 10 shots on goal in three games against the Stars during the regular season and has scored at least 20 goals in eight straight seasons (minimum 42 games). WILL WIN IF: Stars: They continue to get balanced scoring. There are nine Stars players who have at least six points during the postseason and all on the playoff roster has at least one except defenseman Alexander Petrovic, who made his 2024 postseason debut in Game 6 against the Avalanche. The Stars have gotten scoring from a lot of different players, and that depth makes them dangerous. Oilers: They get more of what they did in their past two games. The Oilers talked a lot Monday about how everyone contributed on both ends of the ice in Games 6 and 7 against the Canucks. That was especially true on the score sheet, where names other than McDavid and Draisaitl were present often. It was center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. It was Bouchard. It was left wing Dylan Holloway. Yes, balance and depth are two words that come up a lot in the playoffs, but for good reason. MORE:

(1P) Vancouver Canucks vs. (2P) Edmonton Oilers REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Canucks: 50-23-9, 109 points; defeated Nashville Predators 4-2 in the first round Oilers: 49-27-6, 104 points; defeated Los Angeles Kings in the first round SEASON SERIES: VAN 4-0-0, EDM 0-4-0 GAME BREAKERS: Canucks: Quinn Hughes, the Canucks captain, had a breakout season with 92 points (17 goals, 75 assists), the most among NHL defensemen, in 82 games. Hughes is a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the League’s best defenseman, along with Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators and Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche. Hughes is an amazing talent and dominant at both ends of the ice. The Predators were physical with him in the first round but were unable to knock him off his game, and he had five assists in six games. Oilers: Leon Draisaitl had another impressive playoff series with 10 points (five goals, five assists) in five games. As impressive as the forward was offensively, it was his defensive play that stood out. Draisaitl was part of the penalty kill that did not give up a goal to Los Angeles in 12 opportunities. He also won 57.4 percent of his face-offs. Draisaitl had a strong regular season with 106 points (41 goals, 65 assists) in 81 games, but he really shines in the playoffs. In 54 playoff games, Draisaitl has 87 points (36 goals, 51 assists). GOALTENDING: Canucks: Silovs saved the Canucks with Demko and DeSmith injured, finishing with a 1.70 goals-against average and .938 save percentage. Vancouver is confident Silovs can continue to do the job if needed. The 23-year-old played most of the season with Abbotsford of the American Hockey League, where he was 16-11-6 with a 2.74 GAA, .907 save percentage and four shutouts in 34 games. Oilers: Stuart Skinner considers himself a different goaltender than he was a year ago, getting the start for the Oilers in the playoffs as a rookie. Skinner is confident and more composed this season, and he displayed his growth in the first round. Skinner overcame a few bad bounces in Game 1 and shaky moments in Game 2 to shut the door in the next two games. He gave up one goal in Game 3 and earned his first playoff shutout in Game 4, both victories, before helping Edmonton to a 4-3 win in Game 5 to end the series. Skinner had a 2.59 GAA and .910 save percentage in the first round, significantly better numbers than the 3.68 GAA and .883 save percentage he had in 12 playoff games last season. X FACTORS: Canucks: Elias Pettersson may be seeing a lot of Draisaitl in the series as Vancouver’s second-line center and will be counted on to perform well on both sides of the puck. Pettersson had three assists in six games against Nashville and assisted on the winning goal in Game 6 after intercepting a clearing attempt along the boards. Pettersson was minus-2 in the series and likely will have to be better against Edmonton. Pettersson had 89 points (34 goals, 55 assists) in 82 games this season and has 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in 23 playoff games. His play in this series will go a long way toward determining how Vancouver fares. Oilers: Mattias Ekholm’s all-around game is crucial to Edmonton's hopes of making a Stanley Cup run. The Oilers and Kings each scored 12 goals at 5-on-5 in the first round, with Edmonton making quick work of Los Angeles because of its special teams. Ekholm was held to one assist in five games, and the defenseman’s shot-attempts differential (minus-16) will need to be more like it was in the regular season (plus-509; fourth in the NHL) for the Oilers to defeat the Canucks and even more daunting opponents in the following rounds. Ekholm had NHL career highs in goals (11), points (45), rating (plus-44; third in the NHL) and shots on goal (177) in the regular season. -- Pete Jensen WILL WIN IF: Canucks: They can keep McDavid (12 points; one goal, 11 assists in five first-round games) and Draisaitl in check and play at even strength as much as possible. The Canucks also will have to be better on the man-advantage against a team that did not give up a power-play goal in the first round. Silovs is going to have to be outstanding and steal a game or two if he has to play in place of Demko and DeSmith. Forwards Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller, along with Hughes, will have to continue driving the offense. Oilers: They can continue to draw penalties and score on the power play at an impressive rate. The Canucks were not able to generate much offensively in the first round, scoring 13 goals in six games. The Oilers scored 22 goals in five games. If Skinner outplays whoever is in net at the other end, Edmonton will have an excellent chance of moving on to the Western Conference Final. MORE:

(1C) Dallas Stars vs. (3C) Colorado Avalanche REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Stars: 52-21-9, 113 points; defeated Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 in the first round Avalanche: 50-25-7, 107 points; defeated Winnipeg Jets 4-1 in the first round SEASON SERIES: DAL: 1-2-1, COL: 3-1-0 GAME BREAKERS: Stars: Wyatt Johnston continues to build off an impressive second season in the NHL (65 points; 32 goals, 33 assists in 82 games). The forward plays like a veteran and comes up in big moments, including the overtime goal in a 3-2 win in Game 3 against the Golden Knights and the opening goal in Game 7. Johnston led the Stars through the first round with seven points (four goals, three assists) in seven games. Avalanche: You have to go with Nathan MacKinnon again. Though other players scored more goals in the first round, MacKinnon is still the one who opponents want and need to shut down the most. He had nine points (two goals, seven assists) against the Jets, tied for the Avalanche lead with linemate Mikko Rantanen and defenseman Cale Makar, each of whom also had two goals and seven assists. GOALTENDING: Stars: Jake Oettinger was solid in a tight first-round series, going 4-3 with a 1.95 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. The Stars went 16-4 in their final 20 regular-season games, when Oettinger was 13-3-0 with a 2.26 GAA, .913 save percentage and two shutouts in 16 starts. He returned to form as the regular season ended and he's carried that over to the postseason. Avalanche: Alexandar Georgiev had a forgettable start to the playoffs, but it's how you finish, right? He rebounded from a 7-6 loss in Game 1 to win his next four, is 4-1 with a 3.03 GAA and .900 save percentage and didn't allow more than three goals in a game after the opener. Backup Justus Annunen is healthy again after missing the first two games with an illness. X FACTORS: Stars: Logan Stankoven was held to two assists in the first round but had a crucial game-tying assist in the first period of Game 5, 1:02 after Vegas took a 1-0 lead. The 21-year-old could be a key secondary scorer against the Avalanche whether he plays center or wing. Stankoven ranked second among NHL rookies who played at least 12 regular-season games with 0.58 points per game (14 in 24 games), behind Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard (0.90), and had two points (one goal, one assist) and four shots on goal in two games against Colorado. Avalanche: Artturi Lehkonen scored in all five games against the Jets and ranks second on Colorado in goals behind Valeri Nichushkin (seven). He's also tied with Mittelstadt for the fourth-most even-strength points (six) in the playoffs and is second on the Avalanche behind Rantanen (seven). Lehkonen is consistently a solid playoff performer; he had six points (three goals, three assists) in seven games last postseason and 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 20 games when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022. He's a big part of the top power-play unit with high-scoring skaters MacKinnon, Rantanen, Nichushkin and Makar. WILL WIN IF: Stars: They remain stingy on defense. Outside of Game 1, when the Golden Knights scored four goals, the Stars held them to three or fewer in the next six games, not easy to do against the defending Stanley Cup champions. They're allowing 2.29 goals per game (fifth in the playoffs) and will need that same type of defense against the Avalanche, who lead the postseason with 5.60 goals per game. Avalanche: They keep the balanced scoring going. Colorado got contributions across the board and not just from their top line of Nichushkin, MacKinnon and Rantanen. Six players have at least six points. You need depth scoring at this time of year, and it paid off for the Avalanche in the first round. It's something they'll need to continue if they're going to keep advancing. MORE:

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI FINALS GAME #6 — 5/16/24 @ Location: PNC Bank Arena or Center, I dunno — Raleigh, North Carolina Time: 7:00 PM TV: TNT, TruTV, MAX, SN, CBC Radio: 98.7 FM, 107.1 FM, 710 AM, Sirius XM USEFUL LINKS: Coverage: @NYP_Brooksie • @StapeAthletic • @ColinSNewsday • @vzmercogliano • @MollieWalkerr Team Official: @NYRangers • NYR on Instagram Official Team Websites: nhl.com/rangers • nhl.com/hurricanes GameCenter - here Series Preview - here SERIES SCHEDULE: Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Vincent Trocheck (5) Mika Zibanejad (10) Mika Zibanejad (13) K'Andre Miller, Will Cuylle (+2) Braden Schneider (14) Adam Fox (23:28) Vincent Trocheck (23:11) Starting Lineup:^ Chris Kreider A / Mika Zibanejad A / Jack Roslovic Artemi Panarın A / Vincent Trocheck / Alexis Lafrenière Will Cuylle / Alex Wennberg / Kaapo Kakko Jimmy Vesey / Barclay Goodrow A / Matt Rempe Ryan Lindgren / Adam Fox A K'Andre Miller / Jacob Trouba C Erik Gustafsson / Braden Schneider ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 9 7-2 .924 2.33 0 Healthy Scratches: Jonny Brodzinski, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Chad Ruhwedel, Zac Jones Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Blake Wheeler [LTIR] — Demoted to team mascot; Available in break glass in case of emergency scenario Filip Chytil [DTD] — Illness Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Seth Jarvis, Jake Guentzel, Stefan Noesen (4) Brady Skjei (8) Sebastian Aho (10) Brady Skjei, Jack Drury, Brent Burns (+6) Stefan Noesen (21) Jacob Slavin (22:56) Sebastian Aho (22:14) Starting Lineup:^ Jake Guentzel / Sebastian Aho A / Andrei Svechnikov Teuvo Teravainen / Jordan Staal C / Seth Jarvis Jordan Martinook A / Jack Drury / Martin Necas Jesperi Kotkaniemi / Evgeny Kuznetesov / Stefan Noesen Jaccob Slavin A / Brent Burns Brady Skjei / Tony DeAngelo Dmitry Orlov / Jalen Chatfield ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Frederik Andersen GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 8 5-3 .897 2.63 0 Healthy Scratches: Jackson Blake, Bradly Nadeau, Ryan Suzuki, Brendan Lemieux, Maxime Comtois, Scott Morrow, Dylan Coghlan, Ronan Seeley Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Brett Pesce [IR] — Lower-body injury; Questionable for series Jesper Fast [IR] — Upper-body injury; Unlikely to recover before end of playoffs QUOTE(S) TO NOTE: Time is a flat circle. Everything we've ever done or will do, we're gonna do over and over and over again. You are reborn, but into the same life that you've always been born into. — Igor Shesterkin, in a perfect Texas accent, on losing two straight to the Canes GIF to HYPE:

(1A) Florida Panthers vs. (2A) Boston Bruins REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Panthers: 52-24-6, 110 points; defeated Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 in the first round Bruins: 47-20-15, 109 points; defeated Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in the first round SEASON SERIES: BOS 4-0-0; FLA 0-2-2 GAME BREAKERS: Panthers: Though the Panthers have some dangerous weapons in Barkov, Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe is who the Bruins have to worry about the most. He led Florida with five goals in the first round and his nine points tied Tkachuk for the team lead. Verhaeghe scored in overtime to win Game 2. Over the past two postseasons he has five game-winning goals, three in OT including Game 7 against the Bruins last season. When the game is tight, keep an eye on Verhaeghe. Bruins: Brad Marchand proved his mettle leading the Bruins to their first-round win against the Maple Leafs. He took over in Games 3 and 4 with three goals and two assists and finished the series with eight points (three goals, five assists). It's not just his ability to produce. The Bruins feed off the emotion and fire of their captain, making his understanding of the gamesmanship in the playoffs just as important as the points he's producing. GOALTENDING: Panthers: Sergei Bobrovsky didn't get a ton of work against the Lightning, facing 135 shots on goal (27.0 percent per game). His .896 save percentage wasn't great, but he made the big saves when he needed to, including a stunning stop on Matt Dumba in Game 2. Bobrovsky was never under a constant barrage with the Panthers defense going long stretches without allowing a shot on the goal, especially in the first two games. He allowed only 14 goals, six coming in a Game 4 loss. He didn't start the first two against the Bruins last year, came on in relief in Game 3 and then helped Florida rally from down 3-1, so Boston knows how dangerous he can be. Bruins: The Bruins started the playoffs with a strict rotation through the first three games of the first round, but since then it has been Jeremy Swayman's net. Swayman went 4-2 against Toronto with a 1.49 goals-against average and .950 save percentage. Linus Ullmark started Game 2 and allowed three goals on 34 shots in a 3-2 loss, and started six games last year before Swayman took over in Game 7. Ullmark went 3-0-0 with a 1.62 GAA and .947 save percentage against the Panthers in the regular season. Swayman won his only start, allowing three goals on 21 shots. X FACTORS: Panthers: Anton Lundell was elevated in the lineup after the injury to center Sam Bennett (upper body) during the first round and tied for second on the Panthers with four assists behind Tkachuk's six. Lundell had assists in four straight games from Game 2 to the series-clinching Game 5 against the Lightning and will be relied upon heavily in the top-nine forward group at center or wing in the second round, regardless of when Bennett returns. He scored a goal and had 13 shots on goal in four games against the Bruins in the regular season. -- Pete Jensen Bruins: Hampus Lindholm had a clutch performance in Game 7 with the game-tying goal in the third period, the primary assist on Pastrnak's OT goal and six shots on goal. He will need to be more efficient on both ends of the ice against a dominant possession team like the Panthers after being held to no points in seven games against them last postseason. He then had a big dip in points per game this season (0.36) compared to 2022-23 (0.66; NHL career-high 53 points). Stopping Reinhart (second in NHL with 57 regular-season goals; three in five games during first round of playoffs) will be the top priority for one of Charlie McAvoy or Lindholm. The other defenseman will likely be on a separate pair trying to contain Tkachuk, a physical forward. Tough assignment either way. -- Pete Jensen WILL WIN IF: Panthers: They play the same way they did against the Lightning in the first round. All five skaters played tight defense, limiting Tampa Bay's shots on goal. If Boston had trouble scoring against Toronto, it may be close to impossible against Florida if it plays its game. Bruins: They need what they brought against the Maple Leafs, excellence in net. They will be facing Bobrovsky, a finalist for the Vezina Trophy given to the top goalie in the NHL. All the Bruins goalies have to do is better him. No pressure. MORE:

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI FINALS GAME #5 — 5/13/24 @ Location: Madison Square Garden — New York, NY Time: 7:00 PM TV: ESPN, TVAS, SN, CBC Radio: 98.7 FM, 107.1 FM, 710 AM, Sirius XM USEFUL LINKS: Coverage: @NYP_Brooksie • @StapeAthletic • @ColinSNewsday • @vzmercogliano • @MollieWalkerr Team Official: @NYRangers • NYR on Instagram Official Team Websites: nhl.com/rangers • nhl.com/hurricanes GameCenter - here Series Preview - here SERIES SCHEDULE: Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Vincent Trocheck (5) Mika Zibanejad (10) Mika Zibanejad (13) K'Andre Miller (+4) Braden Schneider (14) Adam Fox (23:48) Vincent Trocheck (23:20) Starting Lineup:^ Chris Kreider A / Mika Zibanejad A / Jack Roslovic Artemi Pınarın A / Vincent Trocheck / Alexis Lafrenière Will Cuylle / Alex Wennberg / Kaapo Kakko Barclay Goodrow A / Jonny Brodzinski / Jimmy Vesey Ryan Lindgren / Adam Fox A K'Andre Miller / Braden Schneider Erik Gustafsson / Jacob Trouba C ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 8 7-1 .927 2.25 0 Healthy Scratches: Matt Rempe, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Chad Ruhwedel, Zac Jones Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Blake Wheeler [LTIR] — Demoted to team mascot; Available in break glass in case of emergency scenario Filip Chytil [DTD] — Illness Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Seth Jarvis, Jake Guentzel, Stefan Noesen (4) Brady Skjei, Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov (7) Sebastian Aho (10) Brady Skjei (+6) Stefan Noesen (21) Jacob Slavin (23:13) Sebastian Aho (22:19) Starting Lineup:^ Jake Guentzel / Sebastian Aho A / Andrei Svechnikov Teuvo Teravainen / Jordan Staal C / Seth Jarvis Jordan Martinook A / Jack Drury / Martin Necas Jesperi Kotkaniemi / Evgeny Kuznetesov / Stefan Noesen Jaccob Slavin A / Brent Burns Brady Skjei / Tony DeAngelo Dmitry Orlov / Jalen Chatfield ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Frederik Andersen GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 8 5-3 .897 2.63 0 Healthy Scratches: Jackson Blake, Bradly Nadeau, Ryan Suzuki, Brendan Lemieux, Maxime Comtois, Scott Morrow, Dylan Coghlan, Ronan Seeley Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Brett Pesce [IR] — Lower-body injury; Questionable for series Jesper Fast [IR] — Upper-body injury; Unlikely to recover before end of playoffs QUOTE(S) TO NOTE: “Second period, I thought our guys really pushed to get back in the game. We talked about winning the second period − just winning the second. It didn't matter the score; set it up for the third period. We did that.” — Peter Laviolette on the Rangers attempted comeback in Game 4 GIF to HYPE:

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI FINALS GAME #4 — 5/11/24 @ Location: PNC Arena — Raleigh, NC Time: 7:00 PM TV: TNT, TruTV, MAX Radio: 98.7 FM, 107.1 FM, 710 AM, Sirius XM USEFUL LINKS: Coverage: @NYP_Brooksie • @StapeAthletic • @ColinSNewsday • @vzmercogliano • @MollieWalkerr Team Official: @NYRangers • NYR on Instagram Official Team Websites: nhl.com/rangers • nhl.com/hurricanes GameCenter - here Series Preview - here SERIES SCHEDULE: Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Vincent Trocheck (5) Mika Zibanejad (9) Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck (12) K'Andre Miller (+3) Braden Schneider (14) Adam Fox (23:43) Vincent Trocheck (23:59) Starting Lineup:^ Chris Kreider A / Mika Zibanejad A / Jack Roslovic Artemi Pınarın A / Vincent Trocheck / Alexis Lafrenière Filip Chytil / Alex Wennberg / Kaapo Kakko Will Cuylle / Barclay Goodrow A / Jimmy Vesey Ryan Lindgren / Adam Fox A K'Andre Miller / Braden Schneider Erik Gustafsson / Jacob Trouba C ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 7 7-0 .935 2.01 0 Healthy Scratches: Jonny Brodzinski, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Chad Ruhwedel, Zac Jones Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Blake Wheeler [LTIR] — Demoted to team mascot; Available in break glass in case of emergency scenario Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Seth Jarvis, Jake Guentzel (4) Brady Skjei, Sebastian Aho (7) Sebastian Aho (9) Brady Skjei (+7) Stefan Noesen (21) Brent Burns (23:29) Sebastian Aho (22:47) Starting Lineup:^ Jake Guentzel / Sebastian Aho A / Andrei Svechnikov Teuvo Teravainen / Jordan Staal C / Seth Jarvis Jordan Martinook A / Jack Drury / Martin Necas Jesperi Kotkaniemi / Evgeny Kuznetesov / Stefan Noesen Jaccob Slavin A / Brent Burns Brady Skjei / Tony DeAngelo Dmitry Orlov / Jalen Chatfield ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Frederik Andersen GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 7 4-3 .899 2.58 0 Healthy Scratches: Jackson Blake, Bradly Nadeau, Ryan Suzuki, Brendan Lemieux, Maxime Comtois, Scott Morrow, Dylan Coghlan, Ronan Seeley Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Brett Pesce [IR] — Lower-body injury; Questionable for series Jesper Fast [IR] — Upper-body injury; Unlikely to recover before end of playoffs QUOTE(S) TO NOTE: “It was pretty awesome. It’s emotional. Obviously, it was tough for him earlier in the year. It was tough for all of us to see him go down like that. All we could really do was support him. Seeing him come back, came back to New York about a month ago and came on the ice, looked great, felt great. Looked like the old Fil, and he kind of spoke up and said that he felt he could play again. Obviously, if he’s able to play, he makes our team better so, we want him out there.” — Vincent Trocheck on the return of Filip Chytil GIF to HYPE:

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI FINALS GAME #3 — 5/9/23 @ Location: PNC Arena — Raleigh, NC Time: 7:00 PM TV: TNT, TruTV, MAX Radio: 98.7 FM, 107.1 FM, 710 AM, Sirius XM USEFUL LINKS: Coverage: @NYP_Brooksie • @StapeAthletic • @ColinSNewsday • @vzmercogliano • @MollieWalkerr Team Official: @NYRangers • NYR on Instagram Official Team Websites: nhl.com/rangers • nhl.com/hurricanes GameCenter - here Series Preview - here SERIES SCHEDULE: Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Vincent Trocheck (5) Mika Zibanejad (8) Mika Zibanejad (11) Jacob Trouba (+3) Braden Schneider, Jacob Trouba (12) Adam Fox (23:57) Vincent Trocheck (24:11) Starting Lineup:^ Chris Kreider A / Mika Zibanejad A / Jack Roslovic Artemi Pınarın A / Vincent Trocheck / Alexis Lafrenière Will Cuylle / Alex Wennberg / Kaapo Kakko Jimmy Vesey / Barclay Goodrow A / Matt Rempe Ryan Lindgren / Adam Fox A K'Andre Miller / Braden Schneider Erik Gustafsson / Jacob Trouba C ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 6 6-0 .929 2.01 0 Healthy Scratches: Jonny Brodzinski, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Chad Ruhwedel, Zac Jones Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Filip Chytil [LTIR] — He is risen? Blake Wheeler [LTIR] — Leg snapped like a twig; Out for season Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Seth Jarvis (4) Brady Skjei, Sebastian Aho (6) Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho (8) Brady Skjei (+7) Stefan Noesen (21) Brent Burns (23:56) Sebastian Aho (23:00) Starting Lineup:^ Jake Guentzel / Sebastian Aho A / Andrei Svechnikov Teuvo Teravainen / Jordan Staal C / Seth Jarvis Jordan Martinook A / Jack Drury / Martin Necas Maxime Comtois / Jesperi Kotkaniemi / Stefan Noesen Jaccob Slavin A / Brent Burns Brady Skjei / Tony DeAngelo Dmitry Orlov / Jalen Chatfield ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Frederik Andersen GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 7 4-3 .899 2.58 0 Healthy Scratches: Jackson Blake, Bradly Nadeau, Ryan Suzuki, Brendan Lemieux, Maxime Comtois, Scott Morrow, Dylan Coghlan, Ronan Seeley Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Brett Pesce [IR] — Lower-body injury; Won't play in game one Jesper Fast [IR] — Upper-body injury; Unlikely to recover before end of playoffs QUOTE(S) TO NOTE: "I can’t tell how it went in. I’ll watch it and let you know.” — Vincent Trocheck on what it felt like to score the game-winning goal in double overtime GIF to HYPE:

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI FINALS GAME #2 — 5/7/23 vs. Location: Madison Square Garden — New York, NY Time: 7:00 PM TV: ESPN Radio: 98.7 FM, 107.1 FM, 710 AM, Sirius XM USEFUL LINKS: Coverage: @NYP_Brooksie • @StapeAthletic • @ColinSNewsday • @vzmercogliano • @MollieWalkerr Team Official: @NYRangers • NYR on Instagram Official Team Websites: nhl.com/rangers • nhl.com/hurricanes GameCenter - here Series Preview - here SERIES SCHEDULE: Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Vincent Trocheck (4) Mika Zibanejad (7) Mika Zibanejad (10) Jacob Trouba (+4) Braden Schneider (12) Adam Fox (22:01) Vincent Trocheck (21:57) Starting Lineup:^ Chris Kreider A / Mika Zibanejad A / Jack Roslovic Artemi Pınarın A / Vincent Trocheck / Alexis Lafrenière Will Cuylle / Alex Wennberg / Kaapo Kakko Jimmy Vesey / Barclay Goodrow A / Matt Rempe Ryan Lindgren / Adam Fox A K'Andre Miller / Braden Schneider Erik Gustafsson / Jacob Trouba C ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 5 5-0 .921 2.00 0 Healthy Scratches: Jonny Brodzinski, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Chad Ruhwedel, Zac Jones Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Filip Chytil [LTIR] — He is risen? Blake Wheeler [LTIR] — Leg snapped like a twig; Out for season Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Seth Jarvis (4) Brady Skjei (5) Seth Jarvis (8) Jack Drury, Brent Burns (+5) Stefan Noesen (19) Brent Burns (22:42) Sebastian Aho (21:47) Starting Lineup:^ Jake Guentzel / Sebastian Aho A / Andrei Svechnikov Teuvo Teravainen / Jordan Staal C / Seth Jarvis Jordan Martinook A / Jacak Drury / Martin Necas Jasper Kotkanimi / Evgeny Kuzntsov / Stefan Noesen Jaccob Slavin A / Brent Burns Brady Skjei / Tony DeAngelo Dmitry Orlov / Jalen Chatfield ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Frederik Andersen GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 6 4-2 .899 2.54 0 Healthy Scratches: Jackson Blake, Bradly Nadeau, Ryan Suzuki, Brendan Lemieux, Maxime Comtois, Scott Morrow, Dylan Coghlan, Ronan Seeley Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Brett Pesce [IR] — Lower-body injury; Won't play in game one Jesper Fast [IR] — Upper-body injury; Unlikely to recover before end of playoffs QUOTE(S) TO NOTE: “Your guys, I think when they start to feed off of that and build off of that, that’s nothing different than what’s happened through the course of the regular season. [Panarin's] a guy who has led this team offensively. Just the playoffs have now started and he’s just following through from what he did in the regular season.” — Peter Laviolette on Artemi Panarin GIF to HYPE:

(2A) Boston Bruins vs. (3A) Toronto Maple Leafs REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Bruins: 47-20-15, 109 points Maple Leafs: 46-26-10, 102 points SEASON SERIES: BOS 4-0-0; TOR 0-2-2 GAME BREAKERS: Bruins: David Pastrnak is the Bruins' most dynamic scorer, finishing fifth in the NHL with 110 points and leading Boston by 43 points over Marchand. It marked the second straight season he's gotten at least 110 points (113 last season). Pastrnak had 47 goals and 63 assists, including 35 points on the power play. He has scored more than a point per game in the playoffs, (35 goals, 44 assists in 77 games), including the 2019 Stanley Cup Final. Maple Leafs: It had been 31 seasons since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny each scored 76 goals in 1992-93. Though Matthews just missed 70 goals, his 69 were the most since Mario Lemieux scored 69 in 1995-96. Matthews is clearly the gamebreaker on a team full of offensive stars. He had 107 points in 81 games, a new NHL career high. He has 44 points (22 goals, 22 assists) in 50 playoff games, including 11 (five goals, six assists) last season when he reached the second round for the first time. GOALTENDING: Bruins: Goaltending is their biggest strength. They boast a 1A/1B tandem that no one can match, with Ullmark, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, and Jeremy Swayman. Ullmark went 22-10-7 with a 2.57 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and two shutouts in 40 games (39 starts), including 6-3-0 with a 1.90 GAA and .935 save percentage in nine games since the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline on March 8. Swayman went 25-10-8 with a 2.53 GAA and .916 save percentage in 44 games (43 starts). It is unknown, so far, who will start Game 1 and, beyond that, how the Bruins will use their goalies. Maple Leafs: Ilya Samsonov is likely to start for the Maple Leafs. He was 23-7-8 with a 3.13 GAA, .890 save percentage and three shutouts in 40 games, a season so up-and-down he required a break and reportedly considered retirement. He was placed on waivers Dec. 31 and recalled from Toronto of the American Hockey League on Jan. 10. Samsonov has 17 games of postseason experience and is 5-10 with a 3.06 GAA and .902 save percentage, including 4-4 in nine games last season with a 3.13 GAA and .898 save percentage. Behind him is Joseph Woll, who went 12-11-1 with a 2.94 GAA and .907 save percentage in 25 games (23 starts). X FACTORS: Bruins: Thanks largely to Charlie Coyle's NHL career highs in goals (25) and points (60), the Bruins maintained their regular-season dominance after Bergeron and Krejci retired. The 32-year-old has performed well in the playoffs as a third-line center; he had 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in 24 games during their Cup Final run in 2019 and six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games of the 2022 postseason. But Coyle and fellow center Pavel Zacha will have their most difficult assignment of their playoff careers against Maple Leafs centers Matthews and Tavares. Maple Leafs: Tyler Bertuzzi was elevated to Matthews' line down the stretch and bounced back from a slow start with 21 points (14 goals, seven assists) over his final 26 games. Toronto signed Bertuzzi to a one-year contract to bring a different element to its forward group come postseason time, and he faces his former team after he had 10 points (five goals, five assists) during Boston's seven-game loss to Florida in 2023. Bertuzzi also has a high goal-scoring ceiling considering he had 30 in 68 games for the Detroit Red Wings in 2021-22. WILL WIN IF: Bruins: Their goalie -- or goalies -- play at their best. Both can steal games and they'll need to do exactly that because the Bruins will struggle to match the Maple Leafs goal-for-goal in a high-scoring affair. Maple Leafs: Their offense takes over. Few teams can equal the Maple Leafs in terms of pure scoring potential with the combination of Matthews, William Nylander, Marner and Tavares. If that quartet is scoring in bunches, Toronto takes the series. MORE:

(D1) Dallas Stars vs. (WC2) Vegas Golden Knights REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Stars: 52-21-9 113 points Golden Knights: 45-29-8, 98 points SEASON SERIES: DAL: 0-1-2; VGK: 3-0-0 GAME BREAKERS: Stars: It starts with Jason Robertson, who led them in scoring for the second straight season. Robertson's numbers are down from his career-high 109-point season (46 goals, 63 assists) in 2022-23, but you could probably credit the Stars' balanced scoring to that more than any drop-off issues. Robertson had 80 points (29 goals, 51 assists) in 82 games. He also led the Stars with 28 power-play points. At 24, Robertson, born one month after the Stars last won the Stanley Cup in 1999, continues to be one of the most dynamic young players in the NHL. Golden Knights: This is a close argument between leading scorer Jonathan Marchessault and Jack Eichel, who's next, but let's go with Eichel. Despite missing 19 games this season, Eichel has 68 points (31 goals, 37 assists), second to Marchessault with 69 points (42 goals, 27 assists) in 82 games. Eichel leads Vegas with seven game-winning goals and 11 power-play goals. He also led the 2023 playoffs in scoring with 26 points (six goal, 20 assists) in 22 games. GOALTENDING: Stars: Jake Oettinger had some rough spots earlier in the season, but found his game late in the season. He was 35-14-4 with a 2.72 goals-against average, .905 save percentage and three shutouts in 54 games (53 starts). Oettinger was spectacular in the 2022 playoffs, with a 1.81 GAA and .954 save percentage in seven games but had a 3.06 GAA and .895 save percentage in 19 playoff games last season. Backup Scott Wedgewood went 16-7-5 with a 2.85 GAA and .899 save percentage in 32 games (28 starts) during the regular season. Golden Knights: Vegas has gotten similar strong work from each of its goalies. Logan Thompson is 25-14-5 with a 2.70 GAA, .908 save percentage and one shutout in 46 games (42 starts). Adin Hill, who led the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup last season, is 19-12-2 with a 2.71 GAA, .909 save percentage and two shutouts in 35 starts. Who gets the nod in the playoffs? The Golden Knights alternated between the two over the final six games of the regular season. X FACTORS: Stars: Jamie Benn had 60 points, including 21 goals, in 82 games this season and has sneaky upside heading into the playoffs on a strong third line with Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven. The Stars captain is one of six Dallas players to hit the 60-point mark this season. He additionally has significant lineup placement on their top power-play unit with Pavelski, Robertson, Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen. Benn ranked second on the team in power-play points (22). Dallas ranked third in the NHL in goals per game during the regular season (3.59) and had the sixth-best power-play percentage (24.2). Last postseason, Benn had 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 17 playoff games. -- Anna Dua Golden Knights: Tomas Hertl has played only six games with his new team after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks in a trade on Mar. 8, but has four points (two goals, two assists). The forward had 34 points, including 15 goals, in 48 games with San Jose this season prior to the trade. He has proven production ability that increases the depth of the Golden Knights, having had back-to-back 60 points seasons between 2021-22 (64 points, 30 goals) and 2022-23 (63 points, 22 goals). Hertl also had 15 points, including 10 goals in 19 postseason games with the Sharks in 2018-19 when they reached the Western Conference Final. He is seeing top unit power-play time with Eichel, Marchessault, William Karlsson and Shea Theodore. -- Anna Dua WILL WIN IF: Stars: They keep doing what they did at the end of the regular season. The Stars were playing complete games through the final weeks, getting great contributions from goaltending on out. They're going to need that against the Golden Knights. If this series is anything like last year, the Stars need to be able to win overtime games. They were 1-4 in overtime last postseason, including losing each of the first two games against Vegas. Golden Knights: Health is on their side. Stone had 53 points (16 goals, 37 assists) in 56 games in the regular season and was a big part of the Cup-winning team last season with 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 22 games. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has missed seven straight games and 13 of the past 15 with an illness. Forward William Carrier, who was out the final 11 games of the regular season with an undisclosed injury, has been skating. If the Golden Knights get them back, it would certainly give them a boost against the Stars. MORE:

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMI FINALS GAME #1 — 5/5/23 vs. Location: Madison Square Garden — New York, NY Time: 4:00 PM TV: ESPN Radio: 98.7 FM, 107.1 FM, 710 AM, Sirius XM USEFUL LINKS: Coverage: @NYP_Brooksie • @StapeAthletic • @ColinSNewsday • @vzmercogliano • @MollieWalkerr Team Official: @NYRangers • NYR on Instagram Official Team Websites: nhl.com/rangers • nhl.com/hurricanes GameCenter - here Series Preview - here SERIES SCHEDULE: Here for now Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Vincent Trocheck (3) Mika Zibanejad (6) Mika Zibanejad (7) Adam Fox, Jacob Trouba (+4) Braden Schneider (12) Adam Fox (22:20) Mika Zibanejad (20:15) Starting Lineup:^ Chris Kreider A / Mika Zibanejad A / Jack Roslovic Artemi Pınarın A / Vincent Trocheck / Alexis Lafrenière Will Cuylle / Alex Wennberg / Kaapo Kakko Jimmy Vesey / Barclay Goodrow A / Matt Rempe Ryan Lindgren / Adam Fox A K'Andre Miller / Braden Schneider Erik Gustafsson / Jacob Trouba C ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 4 4-0 .931 1.75 0 Healthy Scratches: Jonny Brodzinski, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Chad Ruhwedel, Zac Jones Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Filip Chytil [LTIR] — He is risen? Blake Wheeler [LTIR] — Leg snapped like a twig; Out for season Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Seth Jarvis, Stefan Noesen (3) Brady Skjei (5) Seth Jarvis (7) Jack Drury (+5) Stefan Noesen (19) Brent Burns (22:40) Sebastian Aho (21:50) Starting Lineup:^ Jake Guentzel / Sebastian Aho A / Andrei Svechnikov Teuvo Teravainen / Jordan Staal C / Seth Jarvis Jordan Martinook A / Jacak Drury / Martin Necas Jasper Kotkanimi / Evgeny Kuzntsov / Stefan Noesen Jaccob Slavin A / Brent Burns Brady Skjei / Tony DeAngelo Dmitry Orlov / Jalen Chatfield ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Frederik Andersen GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 5 4-1 .912 2.25 0 Healthy Scratches: Jackson Blake, Bradly Nadeau, Ryan Suzuki, Brendan Lemieux, Maxime Comtois, Scott Morrow, Dylan Coghlan, Ronan Seeley Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Brett Pesce [IR] — Lower-body injury; Won't play in game one Jesper Fast [IR] — Upper-body injury; Unlikely to recover before end of playoffs QUOTE(S) TO NOTE: “I think one of the biggest things we’ve talked about is not being satisfied but realizing that we have accomplished a lot this year. I think winning the league, winning our division, being the first team out of the first round, there are a number of things that we did first this year. That’s kind of the built-in standard of how we’ve grown this year and the competitive nature here around the rink. I think that’s the biggest thing." — K'Andre Miller IMG to HYPE:

(1P) Vancouver Canucks vs. (1WC) Nashville Predators REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Canucks: 50-23-9, 109 points Predators: 47-30-5, 99 points SEASON SERIES: VAN: 3-0-0, NSH: 0-3-0 GAME BREAKERS: Canucks: Quinn Hughes arguably was the most dominant defenseman in the NHL this season, leading players at his position with 92 points (17 goals, 75 assists) in 82 games, and was plus-38 while averaging 24:41 of ice time per game. The 24-year-old did some of his best work at even strength, with his 54 points in such situations first among defensemen. He was on the ice for 108 goals at even strength, second among defensemen to Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers (112), and his plus-41 even-strength goal differential was fourth. And when Hughes was on the ice the Canucks averaged 56.4 percent of the shots at 5-on-5. Simply put, whenever Hughes was on the ice, the Canucks had the puck and likely were creating something offensively. Predators: Forward Filip Forsberg had the best offensive season of his 12 in the NHL, setting a Nashville record with 48 goals and finishing with 94 points (46 assists), a personal high. He also scored an NHL career-high 11 game-winning goals, tied with Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett for second in the League, and his three overtime goals were tied for the lead. GOALTENDING: Canucks: Demko looked ready for the postseason after returning to the lineup with 39 saves in a 4-1 win against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, his first game since March 9 because of a knee injury. After struggling last season with a groin injury that kept him out for more than two months, Demko has been mostly healthy this season and played like a top goalie in the NHL, going 35-14-2 with a 2.45 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and five shutouts. Backup Casey DeSmith was reliable at times, going 4-5-1 with a 2.94 GAA and .888 save percentage while starting 10 of 14 games Demko was out, but the Canucks' fortunes will ride with Demko's play. Predators: Juuse Saros had what could be considered an off season but only by his outstanding standards. Discounting his one game in 2015-16, Saros' 2.86 GAA was the highest of his nine-season NHL career, and his .906 save percentage was the lowest. He also allowed eight goals on 48 shots in losing both of his starts against the Canucks. But Saros has the ability to raise his game at big moments, with a .914 save percentage in the playoffs that's not far off his .917 regular-season percentage for his career. Kevin Lankinen was solid (11-6-0, 2.82, .908) in 24 games (17 starts) as the backup, but the wild card could be rookie Yaroslav Askarov, widely regarded as the NHL’s top goalie prospect. In his only start this season he made 26 saves in a 3-2 shootout win against the Washington Capitals that included saves on Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin in the tiebreaker. If Saros struggles, could Brunette turn to the 21-year-old for an energy boost? X FACTORS: Canucks: Forward Elias Lindholm has 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 26 games with Vancouver after being acquired in a trade from the Calgary Flames on Jan. 31. Lindholm has bounce-back potential during the playoffs as he had 32 points (nine goals, 23 assists) in 49 games with Calgary prior to the trade. He at least finished on a bit of a roll with five points (two goals, three assists) in six games to close the regular season and is seeing top-six ice time and significant power-play usage. Predators: Gustav Nyquist was third on the Predators with an NHL career-high 75 points (23 goals, 52 assists) in 81 games. He has been a fixture on the top line with Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly, who was second to Forsberg with 26 goals. With Predators having struggled against the Canucks during the regular season, Nyquist being effective on their top line and first power-play unit will be necessary for Nashville to offset Vancouver's elite offense. WILL WIN IF: Canucks: They don't get caught up in the moment. Most of the core was in place in 2020 when they made a surprise run, but there were no fans in the bubble. Now they'll be the favorite and under pressure from what certainly will be a sold-out Rogers Arena, packed with fans with huge expectations. It can be a bit much for a group that's never experienced it, but the focus will have to be on staying even-keeled through the highs and lows that come with postseason hockey. Predators: Saros can carry his strong play from late in the regular season into the playoffs. He was 15-3-3 with a 2.51 GAA and .916 save percentage in his final 21 games, allowing two goals or fewer in 13 of them. The Canucks can attack in waves, so the Predators will need their No. 1 goalie to play like a star if they are to have any hope of advancing. MORE:

EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS GAME #3 — 4/26/23 vs. Location: Capital One Arena — Washington, D.C. Time: 7:00 PM TV: MAX, MNMT, MSGSN, MSG Radio: 98.7 FM, 107.1 FM, 710 AM, Sirius XM USEFUL LINKS: Coverage: @NYP_Brooksie • @StapeAthletic • @ColinSNewsday • @vzmercogliano • @MollieWalkerr Team Official: @NYRangers • NYR on Instagram Official Team Websites: nhl.com/rangers • nhl.com/capitals GameCenter - here Series Preview - here SERIES SCHEDULE: Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Eight of 'em (1) Alexis Lafrenière(3) Alexis Lafrenière, Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck (3) Six of 'em (+2) Braden Schneider (10) Adam Fox (22:15) Vincent Trocheck (21:22) Starting Lineup:^ Chris Kreider A / Mika Zibanejad A / Jack Roslovic Artemi Pınarın A / Vincent Trocheck / Alexis Lafrenière Will Cuylle / Alex Wennberg / Kaapo Kakko Jimmy Vesey / Barclay Goodrow A / Matt Rempe Ryan Lindgren / Adam Fox A K'Andre Miller / Braden Schneider Erik Gustafsson / Jacob Trouba C ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 2 2-0-0 .913 2.000 0 Healthy Scratches: Jonny Brodzinski, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Chad Ruhwedel, Zach Jones Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Filip Chytil [LTIR] — He is risen? Blake Wheeler [LTIR] — Leg snapped like a twig; Out for season Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Conor McMichael, Martin Fehervary, Dylan Strome, Tom Wilson (1) Tom Wilson (2) Tom Wilson (3) Dylan McIlrath (+2) Tom Wilson (12) John Carlson (29:07) Tom Wilson (19:58) Starting Lineup:^ Alex Ovechkin C / Connor McMichael / T.J. Oshie A Aliaksei Protas / Dylan Strome / Tom Wilson A Max Pacioretty / Hendrix Lapierre / Sonny Milano Beck Malenstyn / Nic Dowd / Nicolas Aube-Kubel Martin Fehervary / John Carlson A Trevor van Riemsdysk / Lucas Johansen Alexander Alexeyev / Dylan McIrath ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Charlie Lindgren GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 0 0-2-0 .864 4.12 0 Healthy Scratches: Michael Sgarbossa, Ivan Miroshnichenko Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Nick Jensen [DTD] — Upper-body injury Rasmus Sandin [DTD] — Upper-body injury Vincent Iorio [DTD] — Upper-body injury; Shoulder was dangling Ethan Bear [IR] — Personal reasons; out indefiniteely Nicklas Backstrom [IR] — Hip injury QUOTE(S) TO NOTE: “He’s having a tough time with the officiating. It seems like every time he hits somebody it’s been a penalty or suspension. It’s been a challenge to keep him playing the same way and understanding that being physical and playing on that edge are going to be staples of his game while avoiding suspensions and staying out of the box. When he’s playing, he’s a power-play net front, he has an impact on the game and his coaches are very happy with his leadership qualities and work ethic. It’s almost to a fault he’s the first one on and the last one to leave the ice every day. He’s a kid we’re really excited about." — Jed Ortmeyer on Matt Rempe GIF to TEETH OUT III:

(2P) Edmonton Oilers vs. (3P) Los Angeles Kings REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Oilers: 49-27-6, 104 points Kings: 44-27-11, 99 points SEASON SERIES: EDM: 3-1-0, LAK: 1-2-1 GAME BREAKERS: Oilers: Connor McDavid has accomplished practically everything left to accomplish in the regular season and is on the quest for playoff success. The five-time Art Ross Trophy winner as the NHL's leading scorer and three-time Hart Trophy winner as League MVP had another outstanding season with 132 points (32 goals, 100 assists) in 76 games. McDavid became the fourth player to have at least 100 assists in a season. What has eluded the NHL's most dynamic player is the Stanley Cup. Kings: Anze Kopitar is the heart and soul of the Kings and has plenty of game left. The 36-year-old had another strong season with 70 points (26 goals, 44 assists) in 81 games. Playing in his 18th NHL season, the two-time Stanley Cup champion (2012, 2014) knows how to win and will be crucial to Los Angeles' success in the series. Kopitar is the Kings top center and will likely get a heavy dose of McDavid in the series, particularly in games at Rogers Place in Edmonton. Kopitar can still hold his own with the best in the NHL and if he has a big series, could help Los Angeles get past Edmonton. GOALTENDING: Oilers: Stuart Skinner was given the responsibly to be the undisputed starter this season when Jack Campbell was assigned to Bakersfield of the American Hockey League on Nov. 7, and has made the most of the opportunity. In his second full season, Skinner has gone 36-16-5 with a 2.62 goals against average and .905 save percentage in 59 games (57 starts). Skinner started every playoff game for the Oilers last season and is looking to build on that experience. Backup Calvin Pickard was 12-7-1 with a 2.45 GAA and .909 save percentage in 23 regular-season games (20 starts). Kings: Cam Talbot rejuvenated his career in Los Angeles and is heading back into the playoffs as a starter. In his first season with the Kings, Talbot played in the NHL All-Star Game and was 27-20-6 with a 2.50 GAA and .913 save percentage in 54 games (52 starts). The Kings will need Talbot to have a strong series against his former team and if he falters, they will turn to David Rittich, who also had a strong season as the backup, going 13-6-3 with a 2.15 GAA and .921 save percentage in 24 games (22 starts). X FACTORS: Oilers: Corey Perry was brought in by Edmonton in large part because of his playoff experience. Perry is a Stanley Cup winner with the Anaheim Ducks (2007) and went to three consecutive finals with three different teams (Dallas Stars, 2020; Montreal Canadiens, 2021; Tampa Bay Lightning, 2022). Perry had 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 38 games with the Oilers after he had his contract terminated by the Chicago Blackhawks, and was his typical agitating self toward opponents. The Oilers hope the 38-year-old forward can be a factor in a long playoff run this postseason. Kings: Quinton Byfield was selected by Los Angeles with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. Byfield had a breakout season with 55 points (20 goals, 35 assists) in 80 games. The 21-year-old forward is immensely talented and can dominate with his strength and speed. Edmonton had difficulty containing Byfield this season. He had six points (two goals, four assists) in four games against the Oilers and is expected to be a handful again in the playoffs. WILL WIN IF: Oilers: They can play a patient game and not get frustrated by the Kings and their trapping system. The success Edmonton has had against Los Angeles this season and in the previous two playoffs comes from its ability to take care of the puck and not turn it over in the neutral zone trying to circumvent the trap. Getting the puck in behind the Kings defense and cycling it in the corner will be key to the Oilers success. If they can do the little things well, take care of the puck and stay out of the penalty box, they should be able to get past the Kings for a third consecutive time in the first round. Kings: They can grind the game down to a slog and stifle Edmonton's speed through the neutral zone. The Kings make opponents work for every inch of space on their own side of the ice and expect to do the same against the Oilers. Los Angeles will get its chances off the rush through turnovers in the neutral zone and needs to make the most of them. Talbot will need to be very good, and the penalty kill needs to continue its success into the playoffs. Los Angeles cannot afford to spend too much time in the penalty box; Edmonton's power play features two of the best offensive players in the game in McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, along with a 54-goal scorer in Zach Hyman. MORE:

(2M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (3M) New York Islanders REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Hurricanes: 52-23-7, 111 points Islanders: 39-27-16, 94 points SEASON SERIES: CAR: 2-1-1, NYI: 2-1-1 GAME BREAKERS: Hurricanes: Jake Guentzel, the marquee acquisition prior the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, was brought in to provide more offensive depth. The price was huge; the Hurricanes gave up forward Michael Bunting, forward prospects Vasily Ponomarev, Ville Koivunen, and Cruz Lucius, a conditional first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft for Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith. The payoff has been bigger. Guentzel has settled in on the top line and has 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) in 17 games. Sebastian Aho, his center, has 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in the same span. Islanders: Mathew Barzal is the most skilled player on the team and, not surprisingly, he is their leading scorer. The forward has 80 points (23 goals, 57 assists) in 80 games this season, the only point-per-game player on the roster. But it's not just his points, it is the speed at which he plays the game that gives fits to opponents. He can put a defense on its back foot and change a game plan. The Hurricanes will have to account for him each time he is on the ice. GOALTENDING: Hurricanes: Carolina has not had a bona fide No. 1 goaltender in recent memory. Frederik Andersen played 52 games in 2021-22, the first Carolina goalie to play more than 50 games since Cam Ward played 61 in 2016-17. Since, they have been a platoon team, which has been a boon in the regular season and a struggle in the postseason. It's more of the same this season with no clear-cut favorite to start. Four goalies started games this season: Pyotr Kochetkov (40 games), Antti Raanta (20), Andersen (16) and Spencer Martin (six), but now it is a 1a-1b situation with Kochetkov and Anderson. Kochetkov went 23-13-4 with a 2.33 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and four shutouts. Anderson, out long-term with a blood-clotting issue, is 9-1-0 with a 1.30 GAA, .951 save percentage and three shutouts since returning on March 4. Islanders: A late-season charge by Semyon Varlamov has unseated Ilya Sorokin as the No. 1 goalie. In his past 10 starts, Varlamov is 8-1-1 with a 2.09 GAA and a .930 save percentage. It's likely that Roy will go with the hot hand in Varlamov over Sorokin, who played in the All-Star Game last season when he was also a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. Varlamov played in 33 postseason games for the Islanders from 2019-21, going 18-14 with a 2.31 GAA and .922 save percentage. Sorokin played every minute against the Hurricanes in the first round last season and went 2-4 with a 2.60 GAA and .920 save percentage. X FACTORS: Hurricanes: Andrei Svechnikov did not play in 2023 postseason after having surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee but the forward bounced back this regular season; he tied for the second-best points per game average of his NHL career (0.88; 52 points in 59 games) and is an important secondary scorer considering Carolina has been playing Guentzel on the top line with Aho. Svechnikov's goal-scoring upside (30 in 2021-22) makes him a potential difference maker. Islanders: Noah Dobson had a breakout season with an NHL career-high 70 points (10 goals, 60 assists) in 79 games, seventh in the League among defensemen, but has missed the past three games because of an upper-body injury. Dobson ranks sixth among defensemen in assists this season and second at the position in primary assists (35) behind Roman Josi (38) of the Nashville Predators. Given the Islanders issues on special teams, Dobson's health and level of play at each end of the ice is crucial to their chances of upsetting the Hurricanes. WILL WIN IF: Hurricanes: They stick to the game plan. They are superior to the Islanders in almost every facet and have dominated the League for long stretches this season. Their plus-63 goal differential is the second-best in the League behind the Florida Panthers and their 216 goals against is fourth-best. They are deep, they are talented and they are disciplined. They haven't beaten themselves much this regular season and don't want to start in the postseason. Islanders: They figure out how to generate more offense, especially on their power play. New York averages 2.99 goals per game, the second-lowest output of any of the teams that qualified for the postseason behind the Washington Capitals (2.63). The Islanders drew 231 power-play opportunities, the fifth-lowest in the League and scored on 47 (20.4 percent). Among playoff teams, only the Winnipeg Jets (19.1) and Vegas Golden Knights (20.1) had worst conversion rates. MORE:

(D2) Winnipeg Jets vs. (D3) Colorado Avalanche REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Jets: 52-24-6, 110 points Avalanche: 50-25-7, 107 points SEASON SERIES: WPG: 3-0-0, COL: 0-3-0 GAME BREAKERS: Jets: Mark Scheifele continues to be one of the steadiest contributors in the NHL and led Winnipeg with 72 points (25 goals, 47 assists) in 74 games this season. That includes 18 power-play points, third on the Jets behind forward Kyle Connor and defenseman Josh Morrissey, who each had 19. The 31-year-old is averaging 0.97 points per game this season, the eighth consecutive season he's averaged more than 0.85 points per game. Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon had another tremendous season. The center reached 50 goals for the first time in his career, and his 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists) were second in the NHL behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (144 points), and set a single-season Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques record. GOALTENDING: Jets: Hellebuyck continues to be one of the best goalies in the NHL. The 30-year-old has once again gotten a bulk of the workload, going 37-19-4 with five shutouts in 60 games this season. Among goalies to play at least 30 games, he led the NHL with a .921 save percentage and was third with a 2.39 goals-against average. It won't be surprising if he's once again a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the goalie voted best in the NHL, which he won in 2019-20. He was a finalist in 2017-18, and again last season. Backup Laurent Brossoit was 15-5-2 with a 2.00 GAA, .927 save percentage and three shutouts in 23 games. Avalanche: Alexandar Georgiev has had his struggles this season; the 28-year-old was 38-18-5 with a 3.02 GAA, .897 save percentage and two shutouts in 63 games (62 starts). It's likely not a question of workload, because he had the same last season when he was 40-16-6 with a 2.53 GAA, .919 save percentage and five shutouts in 62 games. It's just that the consistency hasn't been there. Backup Justus Annunen was 8-4-1 with a 2.25 GAA, .928 save percentage and two shutouts in 14 games. X FACTORS: Jets: Nikolaj Ehlers was limited to one playoff game last season because of injury when Winnipeg lost to Vegas. This season, the forward tied Scheifele for the Winnipeg lead in even-strength points (54), and he led the Jets with 233 shots on goal. He could continue to be a crucial secondary scorer and beneficiary of Winnipeg's trades for forwards Tyler Toffoli and Sean Monahan. Ehlers had five points (one goal, four assists) in three games against the Avalanche this season. -- Pete Jensen Avalanche: Valeri Nichushkin was on a leave of absence for the final five games of Colorado's first-round series last season, when it lost in seven games to Seattle. Nichushkin nearly averaged a point per game (53 points in 54 games) this season but missed time while in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, and also because of an injury later in the season. With Nichushkin, the Avalanche are better positioned for another deep playoff run; he had 15 points (nine goals, six assists) in 20 postseason games to help them win the Cup in 2022, including six points (four goals, two assists) in six games during the Stanley Cup Final. -- Pete Jensen WILL WIN IF: Jets: They can hold off the Avalanche's high-powered offense. They've done well in that capacity during the regular season, but the playoffs are different. Colorado is going to be hungry, especially after the lopsided loss to Winnipeg in the final week of the regular season. The Jets will need everyone playing great defense in front of Hellebuyck. Avalanche: If Georgiev rights the ship. Colorado checks off a ton of boxes. But its goaltending is the big question mark. If Georgiev gets his consistency back, the Avalanche will advance to the second round. MORE:

(D1) Florida Panthers vs. (WC1) Tampa Bay Lightning REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Panthers: 52-24-6, 110 points Lightning: 45-29-8, 98 points SEASON SERIES: FLA: 2-1-0, TBL: 1-2-0 GAME BREAKERS: Panthers: Forward Sam Reinhart had a breakout season scoring 57 goals, which shattered his previous NHL career high of 33 in 2021-22. He scored 27 of Florida's 63 power-play goals and was tied with forward Matthew Tkachuk with 55 even-strength points. Among those to play at least 60 games, he led the NHL with a 24.5 percent shooting percentage. He's also defensive-minded, ranking second among Panthers forwards in plus-minus (plus-29) behind captain Aleksander Barkov (plus-33). Lightning: How could it be anyone but Nikita Kucherov? The forward has had a season for the ages, leading the NHL with a career-high 144 points (44 goals, 100 assists). He now has the three most productive seasons in Lightning history (128 points in 2018-19, 113 in 2022-23). He's the first Eastern Conference player with at least 144 points in a season since Mario Lemieux (161) and Jaromir Jagr (149) for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1995-96. How dominant is Kucherov? He has 54 more points than Tampa Bay's second-leading scorer, Brayden Point (90). GOALTENDING: Panthers: It's almost hard to believe that Alex Lyon and not Sergei Bobrovsky began the 2023 playoffs as the starter. Once Bobrovsky was in goal, he dominated, going 12-6 with a 2.78 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and one shutout, including a 12-game run between Game 5 of the first round against the Bruins and Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Hurricanes, when he faced 465 shots and made 438 saves to go 11-1 with a 1.95 GAA and .942 save percentage. He followed that up this season by going 36-17-4 with a 2.37 GAA, .915 save percentage and six shutouts in 58 games. His backup was Anthony Stolarz, who was 16-7-2 with a 2.03 GAA .925 save percentage and two shutouts in 27 games (24 starts). Lightning: In a recent poll among NHL players, they were asked which goalie they would want on their team if they had to win one game. Almost half (46.92 percent) picked Vasilevskiy. And why not? In 110 postseason games, he's 65-42 with a 2.27 GAA, .921 save percentage and seven shutouts. Since the Lightning were swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2019 first round, Vasilevskiy is 50-27 with a 2.21 GAA and .924 save percentage in the postseason. When he's on his game, there may not be a better goalie in the League. He has two Stanley Cup titles and three straight trips to the Final to prove it. X FACTORS: Panthers: Florida started the season without injured defensemen Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad, but Gustav Forsling held down the fort, led the NHL in plus/minus (plus-56) and ranked ninth in shot-attempts differential (plus-444). The Panthers outscored the Lightning 15-9 and outshot them by an average of 37-25 during the regular season, when Forsling had three points (one goal, two assists). With Tampa Bay often outscoring its problems and lack of depth without injured defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, Florida needs Forsling to help dictate possession dominance early and often and lead the penalty-kill efforts against the best power play in the NHL. -- Pete Jensen Lightning: Forward Brandon Hagel thrived whether playing on the top line with Kucherov and Point or the second unit with Stamkos, ranking eighth in the NHL in even-strength points (66). Hagel also had NHL career highs in assists (49), points (75) and shots on goal (184). But with limited production over his first two postseasons (11 points in 29 games), Tampa Bay will count on Hagel to provide more depth scoring to offset Florida's offense, which was second in shots on goal per game (33.7) behind the Edmonton Oilers (33.9). Hagel had three points (one goal, two assists) in three games against the Panthers this season. -- Pete Jensen WILL WIN IF: Panthers: Tkachuk plays like Tkachuk. He proved to be the ultimate clutch performer in the run to the Final last season, and it's not a stretch to expect more of the same. Though Reinhart and Bobrovsky will no doubt be in the spotlight for Florida, Tkachuk is the one who makes this team go. And if he gets going, they will advance. Lightning: Their top players score. When the Lightning lost the first round in six games to the Maple Leafs last season, Kucherov (one), Stamkos and Point (two each) combined for five goals. Anthony Cirelli and Alex Killorn combined for six (three each). If those three can get going, it would spell bad news for Florida. MORE:

EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS GAME #4 — 4/28/23 @ Location: Capital One Arena — Washington, D.C. Time: 8:00 PM TV: MAX, MNMT, MSGSN, MSG Radio: 98.7 FM, 107.1 FM, 710 AM, Sirius XM USEFUL LINKS: Coverage: @NYP_Brooksie • @StapeAthletic • @ColinSNewsday • @vzmercogliano • @MollieWalkerr Team Official: @NYRangers • NYR on Instagram Official Team Websites: nhl.com/rangers • nhl.com/capitals GameCenter - here Series Preview - here SERIES SCHEDULE: Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Vincent Trocheck, Chris Kreider (2) Mika Zibanejad (4) Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck (5) Adam Fox, Jacob Trouba, Barclay Goodrow (+3) Braden Schneider (10) Adam Fox (21:59) Vincent Trocheck (22:39) Starting Lineup:^ Chris Kreider A / Mika Zibanejad A / Jack Roslovic Artemi Pınarın A / Vincent Trocheck / Alexis Lafrenière Will Cuylle / Alex Wennberg / Kaapo Kakko Jimmy Vesey / Barclay Goodrow A / Matt Rempe Ryan Lindgren / Adam Fox A K'Andre Miller / Braden Schneider Erik Gustafsson / Jacob Trouba C ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 3 3-0-0 .933 1.67 0 Healthy Scratches: Jonny Brodzinski, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Chad Ruhwedel, Zac Jones Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Filip Chytil [LTIR] — He is risen? Blake Wheeler [LTIR] — Leg snapped like a twig; Out for season Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Five of 'em (1) Tom Wilson (2) Tom Wilson (3) Dylan McIlrath (+2) Tom Wilson (14) John Carlson (29:34) Tom Wilson (20:58) Starting Lineup:^ Alex Ovechkin C / Connor McMichael / T.J. Oshie A Aliaksei Protas / Dylan Strome / Tom Wilson A Max Pacioretty / Hendrix Lapierre / Sonny Milano Beck Malenstyn / Nic Dowd / Ivan Miroschnichenko Martin Fehervary / John Carlson A Alexander Alexeyev / Dylan McIrath Lucas Johansen / Trevor van Riemsdysk ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Charlie Lindgren GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 0 0-3-0 .864 3.77 0 Healthy Scratches: Michael Sgarbossa, Nicolas Aube-Kubel Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Nick Jensen [DTD] — Upper-body injury Rasmus Sandin [DTD] — Upper-body injury Vincent Iorio [DTD] — Upper-body injury; Shoulder was dangling Ethan Bear [IR] — Personal reasons; out indefiniteely Nicklas Backstrom [IR] — Hip injury QUOTE(S) TO NOTE: “All the noise outside doesn’t always come in. I think [after Game 3] we were at the hotel just hanging out talking, no one’s really talking about [Matt Rempe’s hit] or hockey or anything that really goes into that. It’s just friends hanging out being together, and a lot of the outside noise, I guess, just stays outside." — Jacob Trouba on the Rangers' focus and mentality going into game four GIF to HYPE:

EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS GAME #2 — 4/23/23 vs. Location: Madison Square Gardn — New York, NY Time: 7:00 PM TV: ESPN, MNMT, MSG Radio: 98.7 FM, 107.1 FM, 710 AM, Sirius XM USEFUL LINKS: Coverage: @NYP_Brooksie • @StapeAthletic • @ColinSNewsday • @vzmercogliano • @MollieWalkerr Team Official: @NYRangers • NYR on Instagram Official Team Websites: nhl.com/rangers • nhl.com/capitals GameCenter - here Series Preview - here SERIES SCHEDULE: Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Matt Rempe, Jimmy Vesey, Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider (4) Barclay Goodrow (2) Jimmy Vesey, Barclay Goodrow (2) Matt Rempe, Ryan Lindgren, Jimmy Vesey, Barclay Goodrow (2) Braden Schneider (10) K'Andre Miller (21:10) Mika Zibanejad (20:23) Starting Lineup:^ Chris Kreider A / Mika Zibanejad A / Jack Roslovic Artemi Pınarın A / Vincent Trocheck / Alexis Lafrenière Will Cuylle / Alex Wennberg / Kaapo Kakko Jimmy Vesey / Barclay Goodrow A / Matt Rempe Ryan Lindgren / Adam Fox A K'Andre Miller / Braden Schneider Erik Gustafsson / Jacob Trouba C ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 1 1-0-0 .952 1.000 0 Healthy Scratches: Jonny Brodzinski, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Chad Ruhwedel, Zach Jones Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Filip Chytil [LTIR] — He is risen? Blake Wheeler [LTIR] — Leg snapped like a twig; Out for season Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): Martin Fehervary (1) Aliaksei Protas, Tom Wilson (1) Aliaksei Protas, Tom Wilson, Martin Fehervary (1) Dylan McIlrath (+1) Tom Wilson (12) John Carlson (27:24) Dylan Strome (20:53) Starting Lineup:^ Alex Ovechkin C / Connor McMichael / T.J. Oshie A Aliaksei Protas / Dylan Strome / Tom Wilson A Max Pacioretty / Hendrix Lapierre / Sonny Milano Beck Malenstyn / Nic Dowd / Nicolas Aube-Kubel Martin Fehervary / John Carlson A Trevor van Riemsdysk / Lucas Johansen Alexander Alexeyev / Dylan McIrath ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Charlie Lindgren GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 0 0-0-0 N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) Healthy Scratches: Michael Sgarbossa, Ivan Miroshnichenko Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Nick Jensen [DTD] — Upper-body injury Rasmus Sandin [DTD] — Upper-body injury Vincent Iorio [DTD] — Upper-body injury; Shoulder was dangling Ethan Bear [IR] — Personal reasons; out indefiniteely Nicklas Backstrom [IR] — Hip injury QUOTE(S) TO NOTE: "That [Rempe goal] was a big goal. It put energy into the building. That was a turning point in the game.’’ — Peter Laviolette GIF to TEETH OUT II:

EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER FINALS GAME #1 — 4/21/23 vs. Location: Madison Square Gardn — New York, NY Time: 3:00 PM TV: ESPN, MNMT, MSG Radio: 98.7 FM, 107.1 FM, 710 AM, Sirius XM USEFUL LINKS: Coverage: @NYP_Brooksie • @StapeAthletic • @ColinSNewsday • @vzmercogliano • @MollieWalkerr Team Official: @NYRangers • NYR on Instagram Official Team Websites: nhl.com/rangers • nhl.com/capitals GameCenter - here Series Preview - here SERIES SCHEDULE: Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) Starting Lineup:^ Chris Kreider A / Mika Zibanejad A / Jack Roslovic Artemi Pınarın A / Vincent Trocheck / Alexis Lafrenière Will Cuylle / Alex Wennberg / Kaapo Kakko Jimmy Vesey / Barclay Goodrow A / Matt Rempe Ryan Lindgren / Adam Fox A K'Andre Miller / Braden Schneider Erik Gustafsson / Jacob Trouba C ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Igor Shesterkin GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 0 0-0-0 N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) Healthy Scratches: Jonny Brodzinski, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Chad Ruhwedel, Zach Jones Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Filip Chytil [LTIR] — He is risen? Blake Wheeler [LTIR] — Leg snapped like a twig; Out for season Team Leaders: Goals: Assists: Points: +/-: PIM: TOI/G (D): TOI/G (F): N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) Starting Lineup:^ Alex Ovechkin C / Connor McMichael / T.J. Oshie A Aliaksei Protas / Dylan Strome / Tom Wilson A Max Pacioretty / Hendrix Lapierre / Sonny Milano Beck Malenstyn / Nic Dowd / Nicolas Aube-Kubel Martin Fehervary / John Carlson A Trevor van Riemsdysk / Vincent Iorio Alexander Alexeyev / Dylan McIrath ^Subject to change Starting Goaltender: Charlie Lindgren GS: REC: SV%: GAA: SO: 0 0-0-0 N/A (0) N/A (0) N/A (0) Healthy Scratches: Michael Sgarbossa, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Lucas Johansen Injuries, Suspensions, Misc: Nick Jensen [DTD] — Upper-body injury Rasmus Sandin [DTD] — Upper-body injury Ethan Bear [IR] — Personal reasons; out indefiniteely Nicklas Backstrom [IR] — Hip injury QUOTE(S) TO NOTE: “Why not [us]? It’s true. You just need to work hard every game and every second. We have a pretty good team this season, everyone played the best hockey they can. We just need to be strong together.” — Igor Shesterkin GIF to TEETH OUT: