The Roundup- Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition: May 2/19

CAROLINA HURRICANES 5 NEW YORK ISLANDERS 2- (Carolina leads 3-0)

Is that a stranglehold? It looks like a stranglehold. Home ice sure seems to look good on the Hurricanes as they pushed the New York Islanders to the brink of elimination with a 5-2 win in Raleigh last night. Teuvo Teravainen got things started in the first on the 11th assist of the playoffs from Jaccob Slavin:

It didn’t take long for the Isles to answer though, as Devon Toews 1st of the playoffs would tie it at 1-1.

The teams would trade goals again in the 2nd, as Justin Faulk’s 1st of this post-season restored the Carolina lead:

You should keep this video handy to show how to jump into the play as you come out of the penalty box, because that was literally perfect. Once again though, the Isles tied it up a couple minutes later when Josh Bailey scores the tying goal, but check out Brock Nelson with the headpat on Curtis MacElhinney as he skates by:

Should that have been called for unsportsmanlike? Yeah, probably. But the refs let it go. The Canes response was just as good on Twitter as it was on the ice though:

It stayed tied until halfway through the 3rd, when Justin Williams put an end to it:

They added empty netters from Teravainen and Sebastian Aho for the 5-2 win. MacElhinney was solid in the win, and the Hurricanes are now one win away from the Conference Finals, just like everyone predicted. Game 4 is Friday in Raleigh.

DALLAS STARS 4 ST LOUIS BLUES 2- (Series tied 2-2)

Dallas’ top line combined for 5 points as the Stars sent the series back to St Louis tied up with a 4-2 win last night, ending the Blues’ playoff winning streak on the road. St Louis opened the scoring early in the 1st on the PP as Vladimir Tarasenko goes through Ben Bishop’s legs for the lead:

The lead wouldn’t last though as the Stars would tie it on this Jason Dickinson goal:

And then on a late period PP, Jason Spezza gives them the 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.

Yeesh, did he get all of that shot or what?

The Stars took over in the 2nd on goals by John Klingberg:

And late in the period a Roope Hintz goal extended their lead to 4-1.

Some shenanigans to end the 2nd, starting with an uncalled slash by David Perron on Ben Bishop got tempers flaring.

Absolute garbage non-call by the ref there. Then at the end of the period, Jamie Benn pays a visit to Jordan Binnington, giving him a poke which draws a punch from Binnington.

But he wasn’t done there, as he skated off the ice and delivered a chop to Bishop on his way off the ice.

Binnington was penalized for both incidents and the Stars would start the 3rd on the PP.

The Blues would get one back in the 3rd from Robert Thomas but that would be as close as they got. When asked about the incidents at the end of the 2nd, Benn had this comment:

Love it. Game 5 goes Friday night in St Louis.