Day 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs belonged to the rising stars and the drama of overtime.
Montreal Canadiens 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 3 (OT)
Montreal Leads Series 1-0
Juraj Slafkovský has officially arrived as a playoff superstar. The 22-year-old forward put the Canadiens on his back, scoring a hat trick, including the overtime winner, to help lead Montreal over Tampa in Game 1. Rookie Ivan Demidov notched the primary assist on the winner, while Jakub Dobes held firm in net during a frantic third period. Tampa saw goals from Brandon Hagel, who notched two, while Darren Raddysh scored the third goal.
Colorado Avalanche 2, Los Angeles Kings 1
Colorado Leads Series 1-0
The Colorado Avalanche opened their first-round matchup with a clinical 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Artturi Lehkonen opened the scoring for the Avs, and Logan O'Connor provided the insurance in a game defined by structure rather than run-and-gun offense. Artemi Panarin found the scoresheet for the Kings late in the game.
Buffalo Sabres 4, Boston Bruins 3
Buffalo Leads Series 1-0
In their first home playoff game in over a decade, the Buffalo Sabres staged a stunning comeback to shock the Boston Bruins. Trailing late in the third period, the Sabres exploded for four goals in the final frame to secure a 4-3 win. Tage Thompson led the charge, netting two quick goals before Mattias Samuelsson and Alex Tuch sealed the game.
Vegas Golden Knights 4, Utah Mammoth 2
Vegas Leads Series 1-0
The Vegas Golden Knights utilized their veteran experience to navigate a physical 4-2 win over the Utah Mammoth in that franchise’s historic playoff debut. While Logan Cooley struck first to give Utah a 1-0 lead, the Golden Knights' depth eventually wore down the visitors. Colton Sissons, Nic Dowd, Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev all struck for Vegas.