Vancouver Canucks' Brock Boeser (6) celebrates a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during first period second-round NHL playoff action in Edmonton on Sunday May 12, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

The New York Rangers can become the first team to reach the third round of the post-season with a win tonight against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes, while the Colorado Avalanche will aim to level their series with the visiting Dallas Stars.

And in Edmonton, where the Canucks lead the Oilers 2-1, Vancouver defenceman Nikita Zadarov is trying to figure out what to do between games in a city with "nothing to do except watch hockey."

Here are five things to know about the NHL playoffs:

CANUCKS REMAIN UNBEATEN ON THE ROAD

The Vancouver Canucks, unbeaten on the road in the NHL playoffs, added another puck to their victory collection last night by shocking the host Edmonton Oilers 4-3 — despite being outshot 45-18 — to take a 2-1 lead in their second-round, best-of-seven series.

Brock Boeser scored two goals and added an assist, Elias Lindholm had two power-play goals, and rookie backup netminder Arturs Silovs put on a show, especially in the third period when the Canucks were outshot 22-3.

Vancouver's J-T Miller, who had two assists in the win, felt his team defended well and limited the number of quality shots by the Oilers. Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch figured his squad was "unlucky" pointing to goalposts and a disallowed goal.

BRUINS IN A GRISSLY MOOD

The Boston Bruins wouldn't be the first team to point a finger at officials after a playoff loss, but two critical non-calls involving Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers have the bears growling foul.

Still steamed that Bennett wasn't penalized for his Game 3 hit — Bruins called it a sucker punch — that sidelined captain Brad Marchand, Boston's bench was livid when a the tying goal by Bennett last night was allowed despite protests of goaltender interference.

Four minutes after that goal was allowed, Aleksander Barkov scored the winner to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Bruins said last night that GM Don Sweeney would be addressing the media this morning.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?

The Colorado Avalanche, down 2-1 to the Dallas Stars, and trying to get big guns Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Valeri Nichushkin playing at the elite level they are accustomed, were called out by The Denver Post yesterday for being outcoached.

A Post sports columnist scribbled that if Avs' coach Jared Bednar doesn't adjust, Stars' bench boss Peter DeBoer will smother him out of the Stanley Cup post-season — again.

Yeah, the "playoff pain" has been insufferable in the Mile High City. Poor fans haven't seen their team hoist a Stanley Cup since 2022.

'CANES NEED TO SOLVE RANGERS AT MSG

Medical researchers have gone to great lengths to reveal the negative health effects of MSG. The Carolina Hurricanes are hoping to stay healthy, and alive after their full intake of hockey's MSG — Madison Square Garden — tonight in New York City.

Trailing 3-1 in their best-of-seven series — two losses coming in overtime — the Hurricanes need to put pucks past Igor Shesterkin, and contain the likes of Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trochek, both on seven-game point streaks.

Trochek has five goals and seven assists in the past seven outings, while Zibanejad has three goals and nine assists in his past seven games. The Rangers have not lost at home in the post-season.

THE GOOD OL' HURTING GAME

Former blue liner Willie Mitchell once said playing defence in the NHL was like getting into a car wreck six times a night. You kind of get used to the pain, the ice bags and never-ending bumps and bruises — then it gets turned up even more for the punishing post-season.

Entering play Sunday, the Boston Bruins had four players in the top seven playoff hitters — Charlie Coyle (44), Charlie McAvoy (43), Trent Frederic (41) and Jake DeBrusk (39). Jordan Stall of the Carolina Hurricanes lead the group with 46.

Dakota Joshua of the Vancouver Canucks (40) and Jacob Trouba (33) of the New York Rangers were also included on the hit list.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2024.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2024