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This year’s Stanley Cup playoffs have started with a bang. There have been highlight reel performances and some head-scratchers.
With the first set of games in this year’s first round in the rearview mirror, a number of hits and misses come to mind.
So, let’s take a closer look at the three biggest hits and the three biggest misses as the first round of the Stanly Cup playoffs shifts to the next set of matchups.
3 biggest hits from the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 1
#1: Connor McDavid’s five-assist night
The Edmonton Oilers pounded the Los Angeles Kings 7-4 behind Connor McDavid’s five assists. The best one came following a spin-o-rama move that led to a nifty feed to 50-goal scorer Zach Hyman.
The Kings will need to find an answer to McDavid if they hope to have a chance to get past Edmonton and deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
#2: Jake DeBrusk and Bruins power play
The Boston Bruins continued their dominance over the Toronto Maple Leafs with a convincing 5-1 win. But it was the Bruins’ powerplay that sealed the deal for Boston.
Jake DeBrusk tallied two markers with the man advantage roughly two-and-a-half minutes apart. The deuce essentially put the game out of reach, giving the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the series.
#3: Impressive night from Dakota Joshua
The Vancouver Canucks’ Dakota Joshua left his mark on his second NHL playoff game. He tallied two goals and added an assist in the Canucks’ 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators. The young forward showed he belonged in the lineup, playing 17:48 minutes.
It’s been a long road for Joshua. He was originally drafted in 2014 but hadn’t found a permanent home until landing with the Canucks in 2022. Now, he looks poised to help the Canucks earn a Stanley Cup.
3 biggest misses from the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 1
#1: Josh Manson and the Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche scored six goals on Vezina Trophy favorite Connor Hellebuyck. Yet, the Avs lost 7-6 in a wild first game. In particular, two of the Jets’ seven goals resulted from misplays by Avs’ defenseman Josh Manson in the first period.
First, a giveaway in the Avs’ end set up Winnipeg’s second goal. Then, with the Avs leading 3-2 about four minutes before the first intermission, Manson failed to cover the Jets’ Mark Scheifele, leading to the tying marker.
Manson and the Avs will need to do better than that, as the Jets have proved they can score when given the chance.
#2: Max Domi “crossed the line”
Maple Leafs’ coach Sheldon Keefe called his club’s penalties “careless,” specifically referring to Max Domi’s slash on Bruin’s captain Brad Marchand as “undisciplined.”
The Bruins scored two powerplay goals due to the Leafs’ careless play. The Hockey News quoted Keefe, stating that Domi had “crossed the line there, and can’t do that.”
The Leafs’ undisciplined play cost them game one. They had better stay focused to win the club's first Stanley Cup in decades.
#3: Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals showed up flatfooted for game one against the New York Rangers. The Caps were outshot 31-21 and outhit 33-21.
Even worse, the Caps gave up three unanswered goals early in the second period. Washington captain Alex Ovechkin had a quiet night, registering two shots on goal and a minus-2.
The Caps went on a brief hot streak down the stretch to lock up the second wildcard spot but failed to get going against the Rangers. Ovechkin and company must turn the heat up to get back in this series. Otherwise, it could be over quickly for the Capitals.
