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Referees miss penalty just before Carolina’s OT winner!

Rob Taub

The Carolina Hurricanes took a 2-0 lead in their first-round series against the New York Islanders on Wednesday, but it comes with a huge controversy.

The game needed overtime to settle the score as it was tied 3-3 after regulation.

Both teams jumped back on the ice for overtime. Jesper Fast played the hero for Carolina, however, the referees played the villains. Fans on social media clearly noticed that the officials missed a high-sticking call on Scott Mayfield. The Islanders’ defenseman was injured on the sequence, but no call was made and Fast scored the overtime winner to give the Hurricanes the 4-3 victory.

However, former NHLer Mike Rupp explained why this call wasn’t made, especially in playoff overtime: 

Another officiating scandal in the first round of the series this postseason! 

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Bruins fans should be nervous following team update on Bergeron

Zuma Press

We don’t yet know when Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron will make his playoff debut.

Bergeron, of course, has missed Game 1 and Game 2 in the team’s opening round playoff series against the Florida Panthers at TD Garden. With the team now traveling to Florida for Games 3 and 4, it’s unclear if Bergeron will make the trip.

Head coach Jim Montgomery said earlier today that Bergeron skated by himself this morning at the team’s practice facility, but again they’re unsure if he’ll fly with the team to Florida.

Wow… 

That’s just…

If the Bruins can’t get Bergeron into the lineup sooner rather than later, they may be at risk of completely wasting their historic regular season. Honestly, it would be an absolute shame to see this team go down swinging without Bergeron on their side. Here’s hoping he makes a surprise appearance in Game 3.

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Stars get brutal update on Joe Pavelski

Zuma Press

Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski, a veteran player with a long history of head injuries, is officially on the shelf with a concussion.

Pavelski suffered the injury in Game 1 of the Stars’ opening round playoff series against the Minnesota Wild, after taking a HUGE hit from Wild defender Matt Dumba.

Here’s the hit in question:

Dumba earned himself no supplemental discipline for the hit and Stars fans are NOT happy about it.

Stars coach Peter DeBoer announced today that Pavelski is NOT on the road trip with the team to Minnesota for Game 3 and Game 4.

Get well soon, Pavs. You hate to see a guy’s career put in jeopardy due to brain injuries.

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Injury report on Victor Hedman for Game 2

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In case you missed it in Game 1 of the opening round playoff series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs, Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman left the game with a suspected lower body injury.

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was pretty tight lipped on Hedman’s status following the game, but this morning he did announce that Hedman would take morning skate today and would be a game-time decision for today.

Needless to say that if Hedman can’t play this evening, it would be a HUGE advantage for the hometown Leafs.

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Coach Cooper with an update on Hedman for Game 2

Zuma Press

In case you missed it in Game 1 of the opening round playoff series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs, Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman left the game with a suspected lower body injury.

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was pretty tight lipped on Hedman’s status following the game, but this morning he did announce that Hedman would take morning skate today and would be a game-time decision for today.

Needless to say that if Hedman can’t play this evening, it would be a HUGE advantage for the hometown Leafs.

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Vegas gets some more company with MLB relocation

ESPN

Just five years after the Vegas Golden Knights became the first major professional sports team in Las Vegas, the city now boasts three big dogs.

The Oakland Raiders of the NFL, of course, moved to Vegas back in 2020 to join the Golden Knights and now the MLB’s Oakland Athletics have reached an agreement to build a new stadium in Vegas. Man… you’ve gotta feel for Oakland sports fans.

More details from ESPN:

The Oakland Athletics have signed a binding agreement to purchase land near the Las Vegas Strip, where they intend to construct a major league ballpark, team president Dave Kaval said Wednesday night.

The agreement is for a 49-acre site owned by Red Rock Resorts, the parent company of Station Casinos.

Kaval told the Las Vegas Review-Journal a $1.5 billion, 35,000-seat stadium with a partially retractable roof would be built on the site, adding that other developments, including restaurants and an amphitheater, are being discussed.

The A’s will work with Nevada and Clark County on a public-private partnership to fund the stadium. Kaval said the A’s hope to break ground by next year and would hope to be moved into their new home by 2027.

– ESPN

This has to be the first time in major professional sports that a city has taken two teams from another city. Again, you’ve got to feel for Oakland sports fans. 

What concerns me the most though is that the Golden Knights, in my mind, will now be firmly in third place within the market. Part of the initial appeal of having the Golden Knights in Vegas was the novelty of it all as the city’s only pro team. Now, they’ll have to compete with America’s past-time (baseball) and well… America’s true past-time (football). I don’t like hockey’s odds in competing against those two sports, but then again anything can happen in Vegas. 

Really, it’ll come down to the competitiveness of each team and who can put on the best show. We’ve already seen that the Golden Knights can ice a great team and that their in-game theatrics are second to none. This should serve them well in a competitive market.

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Pat Maroon has words for Ryan O’Reilly

St. Louis Call Newspapers

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning are set to renew their postseason rivalry with their second straight first round matchup that officially begins tonight. And among the former teammates that will be facing one another include Lightning forward Pat Maroon and Leafs forward Ryan O’Reilly, both of whom were key figures on the 2019 Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues. 

Maroon would score the game winning goal in double overtime of Game 7 against the Dallas Stars for St. Louis, while O’Reilly would go on to earn the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. They’re both good friends, but that’s gonna have to be put to the side for the next few weeks.

But that doesn’t mean that Maroon will feel any differently about O’Reilly regardless of how the series turns out.

“It’s going to be weird,” said Maroon. “I just wish the best for him no matter what. We won together. He’s honestly my best friend. I’m just so happy for him. He gets an opportunity to play for the Stanley Cup again … I’m not happy the Leafs got him, but happy he gets an opportunity to play in his hometown.” 

Meanwhile, it’s former Lightning defenseman Luke Schenn who is now back on the Leafs, and he’s not talking to any of his former Lightning teammates – at least not for now.

“I’m not talking to them now,” he confirmed. “Phone has been shut off that way.”

The series gets underway from downtown Toronto later tonight.

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The boo birds are out early in Jersey, all over Shesterkin already

Sportsnet

UPDATE: Hate on’ Devils fans… Vladimir Tarasenko puts one up on the board early:

Just two minutes into Game 1 between the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers and the Devils faithful are already all over Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin:

This series is going to be electric!

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No suspension or fine for Dumba for late hit on Pavelski

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UPDATE: NHL Player Safety will NOT be handing out supplemental discipline to Minnesota Wild defender Matt Dumba for his hit on Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski in Game 1 of the two teams’ opening round playoff series.

Pavelski appeared to be out cold on the ice and then when clearly woozy when coming to…

After the game, Stars head coach Peter DeBoer provided an update on Pavelski’s health stating that Pavelski is “Ok” but isn’t certain for Game 2:

Read below for more details from our earlier published report on this developing story.

Scary situation in Dallas this evening in the opening game of the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild opening round playoff series with Wild defenseman Matt Dumba absolutely CRUSHING Stars forward Joe Pavelski.

Pavelski admires his pass and gets crushed hard by Dumba.

Check it out:

A longer look with no audio:

And more angles of the hit:

Dumba was initially assessed a five minute major penalty, but it was reversed to a minor upon review. The real damage for Pavelski seems to come as a result of smacking his head off the ice.

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Multiple controversies affecting Leafs ahead of Game 1

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This just in, the Toronto Maple Leafs have made an emergency recall from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies this morning, calling up goaltender Erik Kallgren to serve as the team’s 3rd string goalie tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

It’s expected that Kallgren will act as the team’s 3rd man in goal behind Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll for the duration of the playoffs. There’s no timeline yet for Matt Murray’s return but… even if he were healthy enough to play, would you want him in goal over Samsonov or Woll? Unlikely…

According to TSN insider Chris Johnston, the NHL made a change to their rules, allowing the Leafs to call up Kallgren.

Check it out:

So… while we’re making up new rules, can the Bolts get some sort of freebie too?

You know what though, maybe it’ll even out because if you believe in officiating bias, the Leafs will have their backs up against the wall this evening.

Wes McCauley will be calling Game 1 action this evening, which is always interesting but well… there’s a lot more at play happening when McCauley refs a Leafs game than most fans could ever know. For those not in the know, let me lay it out to you in a bit of detail.

First off, trigger warning for any survivors of sexual abuse out there.

Okay, surely we all remember the David Frost and Mike Danton scandal, right? David Frost was a former junior coach turned NHL player agent who was accused of sexually assaulting a number of underage hockey players, including Danton. Frost was acquitted of the charges and Danton was subsequently arrested and convicted for conspiring to murder Frost.

Okay, stay with me…

Danton and Keefe are lifelong friends. The two grew up playing hockey together and were teammates on a junior team coached by Frost when the alleged abuse took place. Fast forward to Danton’s trial and it was Keefe who was on the stand testifying against Frost.

So… how does this all relate back to McCauley and tonight’s game? 

Well, Frost and McCauley are brothers-in law and are reportedly very close.

I’m not saying that this is a conflict of interest but… well… maybe that’s exactly what I’m saying.

Remember when Keefe was fined for shouting at McCauley? Yeah, makes sense now doesn’t it?