Nhl morning skate:stanley cup playoffs edition – Page 3

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* Auston Matthews added two awards to his collection Tuesday, claiming the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award. It was the first time in 67 years that a Maple Leafs player received NHL MVP honors and first time ever that a Toronto player was named the League’s Most Outstanding Player.

* For the first time in 35 years, the winners of the Calder Trophy (Moritz Seider, 21), Hart Trophy (Matthews, 24), Norris Trophy (Cale Makar, 23), Ted Lindsay Award (Matthews, 24) and Vezina Trophy (Igor Shesterkin, 26) were all age 26 or younger.

* Andrei Vasilevskiy and Mikko Rantanen can join rare company as the Lightning and Avalanche clash in Game 4 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday, with the hosts hoping to pull even and the visitors vying for a 3-1 series lead.

MATTHEWS WINS HART MEMORIAL TROPHY AND TED LINDSAY AWARD
Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews took home the Hart Memorial Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL’s regular-season MVP, as voted by the PHWA and NHLPA, respectively.

* Matthews became the third player in franchise history to win the Hart Trophy and first in 67 years, following Ted Kennedy (1954-55) and Babe Pratt (1943-44). Matthews became the first Toronto player to take home the Ted Lindsay Award. He added to a trophy case that also includes consecutive Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy wins (2020-21 & 2021-22).

MAKAR NABS JAMES NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY AS LEAGUE’S TOP DEFENSEMAN

Taking a break from his record-setting playoff run, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar won the James Norris Memorial Trophy, presented annually “to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.” Makar became the first Norris Trophy winner in Avalanche/Nordiques history and adds the honor to his NHL Awards collection that already includes a Calder Memorial Trophy win in 2019-20.

SHESTERKIN SECURES FIRST CAREER VEZINA TROPHY WIN
Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin was the recipient of the Vezina Trophy, awarded “to the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position,” as selected by NHL general managers. Shesterkin, a first-time finalist for the honor, became the third Rangers netminder to win the award under the current selection criteria (since 1981-82), joining Henrik Lundqvist (2011-12) and John Vanbiesbrouck (1985-86).

SEIDER CORRALS CALDER MEMORIAL TROPHY AS NHL’S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider secured the Calder Memorial Trophy, given annually “to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition.” Seider became the sixth Calder Trophy winner in franchise history and first since goaltender Roger Crozier (1964-65) 57 years ago.

VASILEVSKIY, LIGHTNING LOOK TO EVEN STANLEY CUP FINAL AT 2-2

Andrei Vasilevskiy and Tampa Bay, which rebounded from a 7-0 loss in Game 2 with a 6-2 win Monday, will aim to pull even in the Stanley Cup Final before the series shifts back to Denver.

* Vasilevskiy vaulted the Lightning to victory in Game 3 via a 37-save effort and improved to 8-0 in his last eight appearances at AMALIE Arena (1.57 GAA, .951 SV%, 1 SO). He can become the fifth different goaltender in NHL history with a home winning streak of nine or more games in a playoff year – only Grant Fuhr (11 GP in 1988 & 10 GP in 1985, both w/ EDM), Marc-Andre Fleury (9 GP in 2008 w/ PIT), Mike Vernon (9 GP in 1997 w/ DET) and Bernie Parent (9 GP in 1974 w/ PHI) have done so.

* The Lightning, who suffered consecutive losses against the Rangers to open the Eastern Conference Final, can become the 17th team in League history to tie two series in one postseason after facing a multi-game deficit in each (a feat New York achieved earlier this year). Only three of the 16 previous clubs did so in both the Final and Conference Finals/Semifinals: the 1965 Black Hawks, 1962 Black Hawks and 1945 Red Wings.

* Tampa Bay can become the 14th team in NHL history to even a best-of-seven Final at 2-2 after losing the first two games. The Lightning would be the third defending champions to accomplish the feat, following the 1966 Canadiens and 1962 Black Hawks.

RANTANEN CAN REACH RAREFIED AIR AS AVALANCHE AIM TO AVOID ANOTHER LOSS
Mikko Rantanen and Colorado enter Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final looking to take a 3-1 series lead and avoid suffering consecutive losses for the first time this postseason.

* Rantanen (0-7—7 in 3 GP), who factored on both Avalanche goals Monday, has recorded multiple assists in each of the first three games against the Lightning. He can become the first player in NHL history with multiple assists in four straight games at any point in a Final and the second with multiple points, joining Yvan Cournoyer with the 1973 Canadiens (4-4—8 from Game 1-4). Of note, Wayne Gretzky had multiple assists in four straight Final games in 1988, with one of the four being the suspended contest on May 24 (which is not recognized within official streaks).

* Colorado can become the 37th team in NHL history with a 3-1 series lead in the Final, a feat that Tampa Bay achieved in each of the past two years. Only five of the 36 previous clubs did so against a defending champion: the 2000 Devils, 1984 Oilers, 1956 Canadiens, 1954 Red Wings and 1947 Maple Leafs.

QUICK CLICKS

* Call for Donations: Ukrainian Hockey Dream charity fund striving toward creating a road map for kids
* Auston Matthews becomes Maple Leafs’ first Hart Trophy winner in 67 years
* NHL announces 2021-22 First and Second All-Star Teams
* NHL announces 2021-22 All-Rookie Team
* Julien BriseBois, Chris Drury and Joe Sakic finalists for Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award

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* In the first game in Stanley Cup Final history between teams riding active home and road winning streaks of seven or more games, respectively, it was the host Lightning that kept their run alive and claimed their first win of the series.

* Game 4 of the highest-scoring Stanley Cup Final in 40 years will be played Wednesday as the Lightning will vie for their ninth consecutive home win to send the series back to Denver tied 2-2.

* The 2022 NHL Awards show will air live tonight at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, Sportsnet and TVA Sports. The one-hour show will include the presentation of five awards, the reveal of finalists for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award and recognition of Lane Hutson, who received the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence during Game 3.

* Hilary Knight made her picks for the NHL Awards during a Twitter Takeover of @NHL for Game 3.

LIGHTNING MAKE PRESENCE FELT IN HIGHEST-SCORING FINAL IN 40 YEARS

After surrendering a ninth consecutive Avalanche goal, the Lightning responded with three straight of their own and scored six times overall in Game 3 to cut their series deficit to 2-1.

* This is the highest-scoring Stanley Cup Final through three games in 40 years, with the 22 combined goals (COL: 13, TBL: 9) standing as the most since the Islanders outscored the Canucks 15-9 en route to a 3-0 series lead in 1982.

* For the fifth time in NHL history – and third in the League’s modern era (since 1943-44) – the Stanley Cup Final has opened with seven or more goals in each of the first three contests. The other instances came in 1981, 1980, 1932 and 1918 – only the 1980 and 1918 series saw the streak run to four contests.

LIGHTNING REBOUND TO TAKE STANLEY CUP FINAL SWEEP OFF THE TABLE
After suffering two defeats in Denver – including a 7-0 decision in Game 2 – Tampa Bay rebounded to cut their series deficit to 2-1. This is the 23rd consecutive season that there will not be a sweep in the Stanley Cup Final, extending the longest such stretch in NHL history. The most consecutive World Series without a sweep is 12 (1977–1988) and the longest in the NBA/BAA Finals is also 12 (1947–1958).

* The Lightning became the third team in Stanley Cup Final history to score six goals after allowing seven-plus in their previous contest, joining the 1980 Islanders (8-3 L in Game 2 & 6-2 W in Game 3) and 1973 Canadiens (8-7 L in Game 5 & 6-4 W in Game 6).

FIVE LIGHTNING PLAYERS REGISTER MULTIPLE POINTS IN GAME 3

Ondrej Palat (1-1—2), Steven Stamkos (1-1—2), Nikita Kucherov (0-2—2), Victor Hedman (0-2—2) and Pat Maroon (1-1—2) each had two points in Game 3, while Corey Perry potted Tampa Bay’s sixth goal to achieve an NHL-first.

* Palat gave the Lightning their first lead of the series at 14:54 of the first period (following 136:17 of playing time) and extended his home point streak to nine games (7-7—14) – the longest such run in franchise playoff history. Of note, Brayden Point had a point in nine straight games when the Lightning were designated as the home team while playing in the neutral-site bubbles in Edmonton and Toronto in 2020.

* Stamkos recorded his 25th career multi-point game in the postseason to surpass Martin St. Louis (24) for sole possession of second place in franchise history – the Lightning’s all-time list is topped by Kucherov, who had his 44th career multi-point performance Monday.

* Kucherov and Hedman have seven and six career multi-point games in the Stanley Cup Final, respectively. Kucherovsurpassed Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane (both w/ 6) for sole possession of the most among active players in the championship series. Hedman, meanwhile, overtook Bobby Orr (5) and tied Larry Murphy for fourth place in NHL history for multi-point games in the Final among defensemen and now trails only Paul Coffey (8), Denis Potvin (7) and Doug Harvey (7).
* Perry became the first player in NHL history to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Final with four different franchises (also ANA: 2 G, DAL: 3 G & MTL: 1 G).

HOME IS FEELING PRETTY SWEET THIS POSTSEASON

Tampa Bay claimed its eighth consecutive victory on home ice and the 54th overall by a home club this postseason, tied with 1990 for the fourth most in one year in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.

* This marks the 25th Stanley Cup Final in NHL history to begin with the home team winning each of the first three or more contests. The last such instance came in 2017 when the host won each of the first five.

* The Lightning became the second team this postseason to string together eight consecutive home wins – the first time in NHL history multiple clubs have achieved the feat in the same year.

MAKAR MAKING HIS MARK ON STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS HISTORY BOOKS

Cale Makar (0-2—2) notched his second straight multi-point game and seventh overall this postseason as he assisted on both of Gabriel Landeskog’s goals (as did Mikko Rantanen).

* Makar and Rantanen each have 19 assists this postseason, the most by an Avalanche player in one playoff year since the club relocated to Denver in 1995-96 and tied with Peter Stastny for the franchise record (19 in 1985 w/ QUE).

* Makar has 7-19—26 in 17 games overall in 2022, the fifth defenseman in NHL history to accumulate as many in one postseason, following Paul Coffey (37 in 1985), Brian Leetch (34 in 1994), Al MacInnis (31 in 1989) and Miro Heiskanen (26 in 2020). Of note, Heiskanen recorded 0-4—4 of his 6-20—26 during the Stanley Cup Qualifiers in 2020 (3 GP).

USA HOCKEY DEFENSEMAN LANE HUTSON RECEIVES NHL AWARD DURING GAME 3

Lane Hutson, the 25th-ranked North American skater for the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft, was presented the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence during the second period of Game 3 in Tampa. First awarded in 2015, the award is presented annually by the League to a candidate who best exemplifies commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness and athleticism.

* Hutson also will be recognized during the 2022 NHL Awards show, which will air live tonight at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, Sportsnet and TVA Sports. Winners of the Hart Trophy, Vezina Trophy, Norris Trophy, Calder Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award will be unveiled during the one-hour live show, as well as the three finalists for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.