Five things to know about the NHL playoffs
![Connor McDavid Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) competes for the puck agains Dallas Stars defenseman Chris Tanev (3) during the third period in Game 1 of the NHL hockey Western Conference Stanley Cup playoff finals, Thursday, May 23, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/5/25/connor-mcdavid-1-6900683-1716645485495.jpg)
The Florida Panthers got close but fell short of going up 2-0 in their series on Friday, something the Edmonton Oilers look to do Saturday night.
Here are five things to know heading into Saturday’s post-season action:
2-0?
Edmonton has the chance to grab a 2-0 series lead when it visits Dallas on Saturday night.
The Oilers defeated the Stars 3-2 in double overtime on Thursday to take the early edge in their best-of-seven Western Conference final series.
However, Dallas hasn't been great on home ice this post-season, only winning three of its eight games at American Airlines Center. On the other hand, the Stars have won five of six on the road.
It may serve as an added incentive for Edmonton to make good on its time in Dallas by taking a 2-0 series lead before looking to defend home ice in Games 3 and 4.
DEFENCE
While the Oilers have long been known for their offensive firepower and their prowess on the power play, they've really shown up defensively.
Edmonton is averaging 2.69 goals against in the post-season, while its penalty kill has neutralized 19 straight infractions to the tune of a playoff-leading 92.5 per cent.
It's not to say the Oilers haven't been the same offensively, however.
Edmonton has scored 49 times -- six ahead of Florida and Colorado -- to lead the playoffs and owns a power play clicking at a blistering 36.7 per cent.
POSSIBLE RETURN?
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Adam Henrique (ankle injury) is close to a return.
The veteran centre hasn't played since Edmonton closed out the Los Angeles Kings in Game 5 of the opening round.
However, Knoblauch didn't commit to the automatic inclusion of Henrique in the lineup, even though the Oilers had won three straight games dating back to the second round against Vancouver.
RESPONSE
The New York Rangers came out and provided the necessary response to avoid an early hole in the Eastern Conference final.
Barclay Goodrow scored the game-winning goal 14:01 into overtime to lift New York to a 2-1 victory and even the best-of-seven series at 1-1.
The Rangers fell 3-0 in the series opener on home ice and now have to focus on earning a split in the Sunshine State, where Games 3 and 4 will take place on Sunday and Tuesday.
HOME VS AWAY
Florida fell short of putting the pressure on New York to scramble on the road.
Now heading home for Games 3 and 4, the Panthers have quite the test in front of them.
Florida has won four of its six home games this post-season, while New York has gone 4-1-0 on the road in the playoffs.
With the series tied at 1-1, the question becomes if the Panthers will be the ones under further pressure because of the Rangers' strong road play.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6978861.1722008569!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
At least 4 buildings burned at Jasper Park Lodge, others damaged: Fairmont memo
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge said Thursday afternoon most of its structures are 'standing and intact,' including its iconic main lodge.
Major Canadian bank experiences direct deposit outage on payday
Scotiabank says it has fixed a technical issue that impacted direct deposits on Friday morning.
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Sask. appeal court says anti-trans group cannot join constitutional dispute over pronoun law
Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal has denied a political group that opposes so-called “gender ideology” intervener status in a legal dispute over the province’s controversial pronoun law.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Powerful cartel leader 'El Mayo' Zambada was lured onto airplane before arrest in U.S., AP source says
A powerful Mexican drug cartel leader who eluded authorities for decades was duped into flying into the U.S., where he was arrested alongside a son of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, according to a U.S. law enforcement official familiar with the matter.
Elon Musk's estranged daughter calls out his 'entirely fake' claims about her childhood
Vivian Jenna Wilson, Elon Musk's estranged daughter, publicly refuted several recent anti-trans statements her Tesla CEO and X owner father has made about her.
What we know about 'malicious' attack on French train network ahead of Olympics opening
French transport was thrust into chaos Friday just hours ahead of the Olympics 2024 opening ceremony after a series of co-ordinated 'malicious acts' upended high-speed train lines.Here's what happened and what we know so far.
When Barbie learned what a gynecologist was, so did many other people, according to new study
A new study published Thursday in the journal JAMA Network Open has found that the ending in the 2023 blockbuster film 'Barbie' had an influence on online search interest in terms around gynecology, the branch of medicine that deals with women’s reproductive health.