The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs came to a close with a pair of thrilling weekend Game 7s. The Jets beat the St. Louis Blues, 4-3, in improbable fashion in double overtime Sunday night after host Winnipeg scored a goal with three seconds left in regulation to avoid elimination. On Saturday, the Dallas Stars ousted the Colorado Avalanche on a 4-2 comeback victory as Mikko Rantanen got revenge against his former team with a third-period hat trick.
The Jets trailed by two goals twice in the game, 2-0 in the first period and 3-1 with two minutes left to go in the game. before Vladislav Namestnikov scored with 1:56 remaining and then Cole Perfetti with three seconds left to force overtime. Then, after more than 36 minutes of sudden death play, Adam Lowry tipped in a Neal Pionk shot to end the the third-longest Game 7 in NHL history.
In the weekend’s other Game 7 classic, with the Stars down 2-0 in the third period, Rantanen scored two goals to tie the game, and then he assisted on Wyatt Johnston’s game-winning goal with under four minutes left. To pour a little more salt in the wound, Rantanen sealed the win with an empty-net goal to complete his hat trick.
The second-round will begin Monday night with the reigning champion Florida Panthers going on the road to open a series with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Canada — which hasn’t had a team raise the Stanley Cup since the 1993 Montreal Canadiens — had five teams make the playoffs, but is now down to Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton, last season’s runner-up.
For the complete schedule and results for every first-round matchup, follow along right here at CBS Sports.
(1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (3) Florida Panthers
Game 1: Monday, May 5 | 8 p.m. | at TOR | ESPN
Game 2: Wednesday, May 7 | 7 p.m. | at TOR | ESPN
Game 3: Friday, May 9 | 7 p.m. | at FLA | TNT/truTV/Max
Game 4: Sunday, May 11 | 7:30 p.m. | at FLA | TBS/truTV/Max
*Game 5: Wednesday, May 14 | TBD | at TOR | ESPN
*Game 6: Friday, May 16 | TBD | at FLA | TNT/truTV/Max
*Game 7: Sunday, May 18 | TBD | at TOR | TNT/Max
(1) Washington Capitals vs. (2) Carolina Hurricanes
Game 1: Tuesday, May 6 | 7 p.m. | at WSH | ESPN
Game 2: Thursday, May 8 | 7 p.m. | at WSH | ESPN
Game 3: Saturday, May 10 | 6 p.m. | at CAR | TNT/truTV/Max
Game 4: Monday, May 12 | 7 p.m. | at CAR | TNT/truTV/Max
*Game 5: Thursday, May 15 | TBD | at WSH | TNT/truTV/Max
*Game 6: Saturday, May 17 | TBD | at CAR | TBD
*Game 7: Monday, May 19 | TBD | at WSH | ESPN
(1) Winnipeg Jets vs. (2) Dallas Stars
Game 1: Wednesday, May 7 | 9:30 p.m. | at WPG | ESPN
Game 2: Friday, May 9 | 9:30 p.m. | at WPG | TNT/truTV/Max
Game 3: Saturday, May 11 | 4:30 p.m. | at DAL | TBS/truTV/Max
Game 4: Tuesday, May 13 | 8 p.m. | at DAL | ESPN
*Game 5: Thursday, May 15 | TBD | at Jets | TNT/truTV/Max
*Game 6: Saturday, May 17 | TBD | at DAL | TBD
*Game 7: Monday, May 19 | TBD | at WPG | ESPN
(1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (3) Edmonton Oilers
Game 1: Tuesday, May 6 | 9:30 p.m. | at VGK | ESPN
Game 2: Thursday, May 8 | 9:30 p.m. | at VGK | ESPN
Game 3: Saturday, May 10 | 9 p.m. | at EDM | TNT/truTV/Max
Game 4: Monday, May 12 | 9:30 | at EDM | TNT/truTV/Max
*Game 5: Wednesday, May 14 | TBD | at VGK | ESPN
*Game 6: Friday, May 16 | TBD | at EDM | TNT/truTV/Max
*Game 7: Sunday, May 18 | TBD | at VGK | TNT/Max