NHL Three Stars: Overtime heroics by Tavares and Weise
No. 1 Star: Dale Weise, Montreal Canadiens
In Game 3, Weise played the role of evil stepmother in the Cinderella-esque run of the Senators. With 5:47 remaining in the game, the Habs forward scored the game tying goal. He followed it up with a controversial game winning OT goal at 11:13. With the win, the Canadiens take a 3-0 stranglehold on the series.
No. 2 Star: Scott Darling, Chicago Blackhawks
Darling made his first ever playoff start count by fending off 35 shots by the Nashville Predators in the Blackhawks 4-2 win. Chicago goes up in the series 2-1.
No. 3 Star: John Tavares, New York Islanders
Doesn't get much better than a playoff overtime goal in front of the home crowd, does it? With Tavares's goal 15-seconds into overtime, the Islanders take a 2-1 series lead over the Capitals.
Honorable Mention: Braden Holtby returned to the net for Washington after sitting out Game 2 due to illness. He made 40 saves in the loss. The Isles and Caps combined for 87 hits in the game ... Torrey Mitchell assisted on both Dale Weise goals. Ottawa alone was credited with 61 hits (hometown scoring, much?). Craig Anderson took to the net for the Senators in Game 3; making 47 saves against Montreal. He fared pretty well considering he hasn't played since March 29th and his last win was on March 9th. Erik Karlsson recorded 6 hits, including this terrific one on Nathan Beaulieu:
... Jonathan Toews had a goal, an assist, and was 67% on the face-off dot. Nashville credited with 57 hits to Chicago's 37. Craig Smith assisted on both Predators goals and had 6 SOG. I believe the correct phrase for this next highlight is 'KNEEL BEFORE SAAD':
... Congrats to Calgary youngster Sam Bennett for killing two birds with one stone by scoring his first NHL goal and his first playoff goal in the same play. It stood as the game winner in the Flames 4-2 victory. The Flames have taken a 2-1 series lead. Best moment of the game came as Jonas Hiller got out of the way of a scrum. As the great Earl Milford of the Milford School said, "Children should be neither seen nor heard."
GIF Hiller emerges from the scrum like a bantha pic.twitter.com/OdCM9kqI6Q
— Stephanie Vail (@myregularface) April 20, 2015
Did You Know? Calgary's Michael Ferland is not allowed to hit the Sedins because his mom said not to.
#Flames Michael Ferland’s mom told him not to hit the Sedins. “She told me, 'Leave the Sedins alone.' She loves them,” he said.
— Randy Sportak (@SUNRandySportak) April 20, 2015
Dishonorable Mention: Eric Fehr left the game early in the first after a hit by Kyle Okposo. He sustained an upper-body injury and is questionable for Game 4 ... Nathan Beaulieu, featured in the Karlsson hit above, played out the rest of the second period and did not return for the third. Michel Therrien revealed it was an upper-body injury and nothing else. Shocking ... Punching people while on they're on the bench is not going to help your rep, Mike Ribero. Even if the person is Andrew Shaw, it's not OK:
GIF here's the close up/replay of Ribeiro throwing a punch at Shaw's face because Shaw was holding his arm pic.twitter.com/0ktGl6cF5t
— Stephanie Vail (@myregularface) April 19, 2015
... Eddie Lack has dropped 2 of 3 games for the Canucks. Have to wonder if Ryan Miller might make an appearance in Game 4. Congrats to Alexandre Burrows on his 21 PIM evening.
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Jen Neale is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @MsJenNeale_PD.
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