N.H.L. ‘Offs Update And Notes

Three of the four NHL “quarters” ended with road team wins in game 6.

On Thursday past, Chris Kreider had a “natural hat trick” in the New York Rangers series clinching (5-3) win at Carolina in game 6.

Last night, Gustav Forsling scored in the last two minutes of regulation time, lifting Florida (Panthers) (2-1) at Boston, their 6th straight ‘offs win at Boston over the last 2 years, thus eliminating the Bruins (the Bruins have but one title in 51 completed seasons ’73-2024 after winning 2 titles in 3 seasons, doing so in ’70 and ’72. They also won 2 crowns in the first 3 seasons of best of 7 NHL final rounds, doing so in ’39 and ’41, before not winning another until 1970) for the second straight season.

Last season, Florida was a huge underdog vs a record breaking Bruins team. This year with home ice a factor, they were pretty big series favorites vs Boston.

Meanwhile the Dallas Stars also won (2-1) in a series clinching road game 6, their win at Colorado (Avalanche), in 2 overtimes, on Matt Duchene’s goal.

6 of the 8 NHL “quarters” entrants have/had lost in their last NHL final and now all 5 remaining teams have final round loss skeins.

Carolina (’06) and Colorado (’22) won in their last final round series and in fact are a combined (4-1) in final round play with Colorado (3-0).

Neither Florida (0-2) or Vancouver (Canucks) (0-3), the latter leading Edmonton (Oilers) 3 games to 2, with #6 at Edmonton tonight, has ever won the crown.

The Panthers failed to “title” in their first 29 completed seasons (’94-2023) while “Van” failed to raise the Cup in their first 52 completed seasons (’71-2023).

Twice the Canucks lost the final in 7 games (the other final round loss was to a third straight New York Islanders title team in ’82), those to the Rangers in ’94 and the Bruins in 2011.

Both the Rangers and the now eliminated Bruins lost in their most recent final rounds, the Rangers in 2014 and the Bruins in both 2013 and 2019, the latter in a home game 7 vs the St. Louis Blues.

Edmonton “sandwiched” 5 Cup wins (’84,’85, ’87, ’88, and ’90) in between final round losses in ’83 and 2006, the latter in game 7 at Carolina.

Current Dallas Stars player, Matt Duchene, pictured above as a member of the Colorado Avalanche, scored, as cited above, to end Colorado’s season.

It is noteworthy that both the Stars and Panthers won all 3 road games in their quarterfinal series. The Rangers went (2-1) in “quarters” road games with “Van” hoping to do the same in tonight’s game 6 at Edmonton.