After a Friday night headlined by the San Jose Sharks' Joe Thornton-led explosion and the Carolina Hurricanes' defensive showcase against the New York Islanders, it's time for another round of Game 2 action in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
First up, the St. Louis Blues once again hosted the Dallas Stars and looked to double-down on an impressive win in Game 1 to take a 2-0 series lead into Dallas. However, the Stars spoiled those plans by grabbing a win on the road and knotting up the series. Roope Hintz had three points, including a pair of goals, in the victory.
Capping off Saturday's action was the Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets, who went to overtime for the second straight game in their series. This time, they needed a double dose of OT to find a winner, but ultimately it was Matt Duchene and Columbus who were able to come away victorious.
Note: Stanley Cup Playoff games on NBC, NBCSN and USA can be streamed via fuboTV (Try for free).
Stanley Cup Playoffs for Saturday, April 27
- Game 2: FINAL - Stars 4, Blues 2 (Series tied 1-1) -- Box score
- Game 2: FINAL - Blue Jackets 3, Bruins 2 (2OT) (Series tied 1-1) -- Box score
Duchene wins it
This series is heading back to Columbus all knotted up at 1-1. After Patrice Bergeron took a tripping penalty early in double-OT, Matt Duchene buried the game-winner on the doorstep.
A Matt Duchene power play goal in OVERTIME ties the series! pic.twitter.com/ldX0W4XWJS
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) April 28, 2019
Double-overtime it is
The goalies are unbeatable, the offenses are flummoxed and the fans are growing tired and restless. We're heading to double-overtime in Boston, largely because of some huge stops from Sergei Bobrovsky in the Blue Jackets' net.
Just one of many perfect OT saves for @SergeiBobrovsky. #StanleyCup
— NHL (@NHL) April 28, 2019
🇺🇸Watch: https://t.co/H6T1B2tSH5 @NBC
🇨🇦Watch: https://t.co/Ru1tdgCszT @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/xQ4wcI5ThK
It's a good thing these two teams are due an extra day of rest before Game 3, huh?
Heading to OT ... again
Through the first two games, this Bruins-Blue Jackets series has been an incredible battle of refusing to win in regulation. As a result, the game is heading to overtime tied at 2-2, making this the seventh straight night in which there has been at least one Stanley Cup Playoffs game going to overtime. What a time to be alive.
Columbus takes advantage of Bruins' mistakes
The middle frame was a rough one for the Bruins, who struggled to get much going in the way of sustained possession. They were sloppy with the puck and had a number of ugly turnovers -- a few of which led to immediate offense for the Blue Jackets. A failed clear attempt from Zdeno Chara on the penalty kill led to a goal from Artemi Panarin that tied it at 1-1.
Then, after Charlie Coyle quickly responded by banking a shot in off David Pastrnak's skate, Coyle committed a brutal turnover that once again led to a Panarin game-tying goal. Coyle attempted a pass to the center of the ice but there was no teammate anywhere to be found. The Jackets collected it and Panarin unleashed a snipe top shelf.
Brutal Charlie Coyle turnover leads to Artemi Panarin’s second goal of the game pic.twitter.com/4foqqr9Mcn
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 28, 2019
Ridiculous. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/c6bO4Ndcln
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) April 28, 2019
As such, we head to the third period tied up at 2-2.
Bruins, Blue Jackets get nasty
The Bruins and Blue Jackets brought some unfinished business into Game 2. The Bruins didn't like a hit that Riley Nash threw on David Krejci late in Game 1, and Nash was on the receiving end of some heavy payback early on Saturday night. On his first shift of the game, Nash got absolutely blasted by Zdeno Chara in open ice.
Riley Nash gets crushed by Zdeno Chara pic.twitter.com/88O6wiRxGv
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 28, 2019
That hit sent Nash to the locker room for a little while but he eventually returned to the game. He wasn't the only player who took some damage in a very physical opening period, though. Oliver Bjorkstrand took a brutal reverse check from Connor Clifton.
And Clifton with the big-time reverse hit on Bjorkstrand. Bruins getting nasty early on pic.twitter.com/goU5PE1CM7
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 28, 2019
Boston's Matt Grzelcyk also took a high stick to the face that sprung a leak in his nose, but he returned the favor with some damage on the scoreboard. The Bruins defenseman had the only goal of the first period, scoring on the power play.
.@Matt_Grzelcyk5 opens the scoring in Game 2. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/0ccTwbqUBC
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) April 28, 2019
Schwartz tip gets Blues back in it, but it's not enough
The Blues got a huge goal early in the third period when Jaden Schwartz was able to redirect a puck past Ben Bishop to make it 3-2. The goal underwent a lengthy review as referees examined whether Schwartz interfered with Bishop -- he makes contact with the goaltender's stick while executing the redirect -- but ultimately the ruling of "good goal" was upheld.
The @StLouisBlues waste no time in the third.
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) April 27, 2019
WE HAVE A ONE GOAL GAME!@nbc or stream it here: https://t.co/TUZYHseSQE pic.twitter.com/LLkWb6aUpV
St. Louis made it interesting down the stretch but not quite interesting enough. They failed to pull even and eventually Roope Hintz added another goal (an empty-netter) to seal the Dallas win. The Stars steal a road game and pull even in the series as it heads back to Texas for Games 3 and 4.
Ben Bishop came to play
We've still got the same 3-1 scoreline after two periods and that's thanks in large part to to Ben Bishop, who had a great middle frame for the Stars. The Dallas goaltender made a few awesome stops, though this was probably the most stress-inducing.
We don't kid around when we're talking about saves like this! #BudLightBeauty pic.twitter.com/UMl2HQBIKq
— NHL (@NHL) April 27, 2019
Wild first period in St. Louis
If you were expecting a slow, defensive start to Saturday's action in St. Louis...well, whoops! We got off to a flying start in the first period of Game 2 between the Blues and Stars. Roope Hintz had a very solid first period for Dallas. Not only did he score the game's opening goal, but he also added this tremendous assist on Miro Heiskanen's goal several minutes later.
Where were you when Roope Hintz became the best player alive? pic.twitter.com/zAw8T159Fl
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 27, 2019
The Blues got a goal back less than a minute after Heiskanen's tally when Colton Parayko delivered a laser that made its way past Ben Bishop. That's Parayko's first goal in 28 games.
Parayko gets the @StLouisBlues on the board. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/savfUnjKNO
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) April 27, 2019
But the Blues quickly gave a goal right back when Mattias Janmark scored 26 seconds later.
😍 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/0uISkvT9Ul
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) April 27, 2019
Dallas has showcased some excellent passing and puck movement early in this game and it's allowed them to break through St. Louis' stingy defense. Let's see if they can keep it up.