By Canadian Press

Five things to know about the NHL playoffs

May 6, 2024 | 3:11 AM

The Vegas Golden Knights were denied a Stanley Cup repeat in a 2-1 loss in Game 7 to the Dallas Stars, while the rested New York Rangers edged the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 to start their second-round series Sunday.

The second round’s all-Canadian clash between the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks gets underway Wednesday in Vancouver.

Here are five things to know entering Monday’s post-season action:

RESTED RANGERS

The New York Rangers remain undefeated in the post-season at 5-0 after their 4-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes to kick off their second-round series.

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The Rangers had a week off after sweeping the Washington Capitals in the first round. 

New York’s goalie Igor Shesterkin became the third goalie in franchise history to open a post-season with five straight wins.

Carolina’s power play ranked No. 2 in the NHL during the regular season, but went 0 for 5.

Game 2 goes Tuesday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

STARS SHINE BRIGHT

Dallas moved on with a 2-1 win at home in Game 7 and ousted the 2023 Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights from contention in 2024.

Radek Faksa scored the game-winner 44 seconds into the third period after sitting out four straight games with an undisclosed injury.

The Stars, who are the No. 1 seed in the West, start their second round Tuesday on the road against the No. 4 seed Colorado Avalanche.

GAME 7 GLORY

Stars head coach Pete DeBoer improved to 8-0 in Game 7s with four different teams, and that includes the Knights in 2020 and 2021.

The only coach other than DeBoer to win eight Game 7s is Darryl Sutter, who was 8-3 over 182 playoff games over 15 post-seasons with four teams.

BRUINS, PANTHERS MEET AGAIN

No shortage of storylines for the Florida-Boston rematch.

There’s the Panthers, trying to move another step closer toward a return to the Stanley Cup Final. There’s the Bruins, looking to avenge a shocking upset in a first round series to the Panthers last season. 

The rested Panthers having just gotten a few days off, the razor-sharp Bruins rolling in after a Game 7 overtime win over Toronto. 

A second-round series between these two clubs starts Monday night in South Florida.

The two best teams in the NHL’s Atlantic Division square off with a trip to the NHL’s final four on the line.

SELKE FINALISTS

Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews, Florida Panthers centre Aleksander Barkov and Carolina Hurricanes centre Jordan Staal are the finalists for the NHL’s Frank J. Selke Trophy that goes to the forward who shines in the defensive aspects of the game.

Barkov was the first Panther to win a Selke in 2021. Staal was a finalist in 2010 for a 14-year gap between nominations. Matthews is a Selke finalist for the first time.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2024

The Canadian Press