The Wraparound is your daily look at the 2020 NHL Return to Play. We’ll break down the NHL playoff games today with the all-important television and live streaming information included.
• The NHL Bubble Wrap has your roundup of Friday’s wild postseason action.
• Friday was Elimination Day as the Oilers, Penguins, Predators, Panthers, and Wild all exited the postseason.
NHL GAMES TODAY
Round-robin: Avalanche vs. Golden Knights, 3 p.m. ET, NBC; livestream: Two of the hottest teams so far in these playoffs will face off for a chance to earn the top spot in the West. The winner of this matchup will earn the West’s #1 seed; the loser will be #2. Through two games, Vegas has scored 11 goals (by eight different players) while Colorado has allowed just one goal. Even without their regular season leading scorer Max Pacioretty (undisclosed), the Golden Knights have scored 11 goals in two round robin games. Seven have come in the third period. The Avs have been spreading the love on offense. Through two round robin games, each of Colorado’s six goals have been scored by a different player – two from defensemen (Cale Makar and Ryan Graves) and four from players in their first season with the Avalanche.
[NBC 2020 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB]
Round-robin: Flyers vs. Lightning, 8 p.m. ET, NBC; livestream: The winner of this game will become the #1 seed in the East; the loser will be the second seed. Tampa, owner of the league’s best regular season offense (3.47 goals/game) has scored five goals in its first two games... and they’re without Steven Stamkos, who will not play against the Flyers after missing Tampa’s first two round robin games with a lower-body injury. He has been ruled out indefinitely. Carter Hart, who will turn 22 on Thursday, is expected to start after Brian Elliott got the nod in Philly’s last game vs Washington. Hart stopped 34 of 35 shots in their 4-1 win vs Boston last Sunday in his postseason debut, becoming the youngest Flyers goalie to win a playoff game.
Round-robin standings (ties broken by regular-season points percentage)
EAST
Lightning (2-0-0, 4 points)
Flyers (2-0-0, 4 points)
Capitals (0-1-1, 1 point)
Bruins (0-2-0, 0 points)
WEST
Avalanche (2-0-0, 4 points)
Golden Knights (2-0-0, 4 points)
Blues (0-2-0, 0 points)
Stars (0-2-0, 0 points)
SUNDAY‘S NHL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Round-robin: Bruins vs. Capitals, 12 p.m. ET - NBCSN
Round-robin: Stars vs. Blues, 3 p.m. ET - NBC
Game 5: Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs, 8 p.m. ET - NBCSN
