NHL Playoffs: Friday Night’s Three Stars

The excitement of the Stanley Cup Playoffs continued on Friday, delivering thrilling moments for hockey fans.

The action-packed night kicked off with the Florida Panthers securing a 5-4 overtime victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Veteran forward Brad Marchand netted the decisive goal after Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly had managed to tie the game 4-4 late in regulation. Marchand was one of five different goal scorers for Florida, a win that narrowed Toronto`s series advantage to 2-1.

In contrast, the game in Winnipeg was less dramatic as the Jets comfortably defeated the Dallas Stars 4-0, evening their second-round series at one game each. Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers contributed with a goal and an assist, while goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was stellar, stopping all 22 shots he faced to earn his first shutout of the current postseason.

Following another memorable night of playoff hockey, let`s highlight some of the standout individual performances from Friday`s contests.

3. Nikolaj Ehlers | LW | Jets

Nikolaj Ehlers, who missed the first five games of the Jets` opening-round series against the Blues due to a late-season foot injury, appeared to be regaining his top form in his fourth game back. He tallied a goal and an assist in Game 2 versus the Stars.

Early in Friday`s game, Ehlers demonstrated his determination around the net. Just 3:35 into the contest, he controlled the puck and attempted a shot from the slot which was blocked by Stars defenseman Cody Ceci. However, Ehlers quickly recovered the puck and fired another shot that Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger only partially stopped before Gabriel Vilardi of the Jets tapped in the rebound. Later in the same period, Ehlers also found the back of the net with a shot that deflected off Stars defenseman Esa Lindell. He capped off his night with an empty-net goal late in the game. Ehlers led his team with six shots on goal and played aggressively whenever he had possession.

2. Brad Marchand | C | Panthers

The Panthers made a significant move at the trade deadline by acquiring Brad Marchand, who had played his entire career with the Boston Bruins. Marchand`s seasoned presence proved invaluable when Florida needed it most, as he scored the game-winning goal in overtime of Game 3.

At the 15:27 mark of overtime, Marchand received a pass from teammate Dmitry Kulikov. Showing remarkable patience in the offensive zone, Marchand skated towards the far face-off circle. From there, he unleashed a shot that deflected off Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly and sailed over goaltender Joseph Woll, resulting in the impressive goal. This play highlighted that sometimes simply getting the puck towards the net can yield positive results, and Marchand benefited from this on Friday night.

1. Connor Hellebuyck | G | Jets

After winning the Vezina Trophy as the NHL`s top goaltender last season, Connor Hellebuyck was again named a finalist for the award earlier this month. Although he posted a 3.71 goals-against-average and a .830 save percentage against the Blues in the first round, Hellebuyck looked like an elite netminder in Friday`s Game 2 victory.

Hellebuyck shut down the dangerous Stars offense, stopping all 22 shots directed his way. He remained composed and collected throughout the night, making numerous crucial saves. In the second period, Hellebuyck made several key stops to keep Dallas off the scoreboard. Late in the frame, Stars defenseman Thomas Harley shot the puck towards the net, which Hellebuyck stopped. The rebound went right to Stars forward Evgenii Dadonov, but Hellebuyck quickly slid across the crease and got just enough of the puck with his glove to prevent the goal. This level of play is precisely what the Jets require from Hellebuyck if they hope to defeat the Stars in this series.