Huge sensations in the NHL play-offs: Colorado, defending champion, and Boston, big favorite to succeed him, were eliminated in the first round of the play-offs, respectively beaten on their ice, in the decisive seventh game, by Seattle and Florida, Sunday.
The Avalanche, who thought they had done the hard part, winning with their backs to the wall in the previous game to tie the game at 3-3, were unable to finish the job in front of their home crowd. A double from Oliver Bjorkstrand offered the victory (2-1) of the feat to the Kraken, which is only playing its second season in the NHL and is discovering the play-offs.
The disillusion is even stronger for the Bruins, who had flown over the regular season of the North American Ice Hockey League, setting a new record of victories (65). They will wait to hope to win the seventh Stanley Cup in their history.
And regrets they will be able to nourish, because they led 3 to 1 in their series, before therefore giving in during the three following matches, the last of which in their lair of TD Garden, on the score of 4 to 3 after extra time.
One minute from the end of regulation time, Brandon Montour saved Florida by scoring his second goal of the evening for the equalizer at 3-3, before Carter Verhaeghe scored the victory.
. Eastern Conference
A Boston,
Match N.7, Boston – Florida 3 – 4 (a.p.)
Florida qualified 4-3
Already played:
Match N.1, Boston – Florida 3 – 1
Match N.2, Boston – Florida 3 – 6
Match N.3, Florida – Boston 2 – 4
Match N.4, Florida – Boston 2 – 6
Match N.5, Boston – Florida 3 – 4 (a.p.)
Match N.6, Florida – Boston 7 – 5
. Western Conference
A Denver,
Match N.7, Colorado – Seattle 1 – 2
Seattle qualified 4-3
Already played:
Match N.1, Colorado – Seattle 1 – 3
Match N.2, Colorado – Seattle 3 – 2
Match N.3, Seattle – Colorado 4 – 6
Match N.4, Seattle – Colorado 3 – 2 (a.p.)
Match N.5, Colorado – Seattle 2 – 3
Match N.6, Seattle – Colorado 1 – 4
. Last current series
New Jersey – NY Rangers, the two teams are tied 3 to 3
. Teams already qualified
Toronto (won Tampa Bay 4-2)
Carolina (Winner of NY Islanders 4 to 2)
Dallas (beat Minnesota 4-2)
Las Vegas (won Winnipeg 4-1)
Edmonton (beat Los Angeles 4-2)
NB: each series is played best of seven matches, the first team to reach four wins qualifies for the next round. For each confrontation, the first two matches take place on the ice of the first named team, as well as matches N.5 and N.7 if necessary, the other matches (N.3, 4 and 6 if is required) take place on the other team’s rink.