Maple Leafs vs. Bruins (Bruins lead, 1-0)
The Maple Leafs came out strong in the opening game of the series, but the Bruins quickly asserted their dominance. Boston scored early and never looked back, skating away with a 5-1 win. Jake DeBrusk led the Bruins with two goals and an assist, while goaltender Jeremy Swayman had a solid outing, stopping 35 of 36 shots faced.
Islanders vs. Hurricanes (Hurricanes lead, 1-0)
Fans were treated to a goaltending battle in the first game of this series, with both Fredrik Andersen of the Hurricanes and Semyon Varlamov of the Islanders playing well. However, Carolina eventually prevailed thanks to timely scoring from Evgeny Kuznetsov and Stefan Noesen.
Golden Knights vs. Stars (Game 1)
A rematch of last year’s Western Finals, this series promises to be exciting. The Stars have been impressive this season, with Jason Robertson emerging as a star and Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven contributing offensively. The Golden Knights, meanwhile, had a rollercoaster season but managed to stabilize their play towards the end. This matchup is sure to be close.
Kings vs. Oilers (Game 1)
This is the third straight year that the Kings and Oilers will face off in the first round of the playoffs. Unfortunately for L.A., Edmonton has won both previous meetings. However, the Kings are a rising team led by Anze Kopitar and Quinton Byfield, so they will be looking to change their fortunes this time around.
