NHL PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: Panthers stun top-seeded Bruins with 7-5 win to force Game 7 on Sunday in Boston after teams combined for SEVEN third period goals…Hurricanes advance with OT win over Islanders
- The Bruins face elimination in Sunday’s Game 7 against the Panthers
- The Hurricanes advance to the second round after defeating the Isles in OT
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The Florida Panthers are very much alive in the Eastern Conference Playoffs after surviving a wild third period to beat the top-seeded Boston Bruins 7-5 in Friday’s Game 6.
The series now shifts back to Boston, where the heavily favored Bruins will try to avoid elimination – and embarrassment – in Game 7 on Sunday.
In total, the two teams combined for seven goals in the third period, three of which came in the middle of the frame within a four-minute window.
Jake DeBrusk put the Bruins up 5-4 at 10 minutes into the period on a short-handed goal, but the Panthers fought back to take the lead on goals from Matthew Tkachuk and Eetu Luostarinen. Florida’s Sam Reinhart would add an empty netter for the 7-5 lead.
Tyler Bertuzzi had two goals for Boston, while Tkachuk scored his third and fourth of the series.
A Panthers fan celebrates after Brandon Mountour’s goal in the first period on Friday night
Garnet Hathaway of the Bruins and Josh Mahura of the Panthers get confused behind the net
HURRICANES 2, ISLANDERS 1 OT
Paul Stastny scored 6:01 in overtime as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the New York Islanders 2-1 in Game 6 on Friday night to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Sebastian Aho tied the score for the Hurricanes midway through the third period. Frederik Andersen stopped 35 shots in his first start of the postseason.
Cal Clutterbuck scored for the Islanders and Ilya Sorokin finished with 39 saves. New York was eliminated in the first round for the first time in their last five trips to the postseason.
The Hurricanes advanced to face the winner of the series between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils. The Devils lead 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Saturday night.
Derek Stepan started the winning streak in overtime when he intercepted Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech’s liberating pass. Stepan skated up and passed to Stastny, who fired a sharp shot from the goal line that ricocheted off Sorokin’s left pad and between his legs.
It was Stastny’s third career overtime winner.
After going outshot in each of the first two periods, the Hurricanes held a 19–5 lead in the third and tied the game midway through the period.
The Carolina Hurricanes celebrate after beating the New York Islanders in overtime
Sorokin denied a backhand shot from Jesse Puljujarvi 2:13 into the third to keep the Hurricanes off the scoreboard. On the other hand, Andersen saved a shot from Casey Cizikas less than 10 seconds later. Sorokin also had a nice glove save on Jordan Martin at 8:17.
Aho from the left threshold at 9:24 as he knocked the puck out of the air with his glove and smashed past Sorokin. It was his fourth goal in the series.
The Islanders defeated the Hurricanes 17-11 in a scoreless second period that saw both sides have plenty of scoring opportunities.
Sorokin gloved Brady Skjei’s punt shot 1:03 into the second period. Andersen then fired from between the circles four minutes later through Brock Nelson.