NHL North Division play begins

May 20, 2021
The GIST: While the Stanley Cup playoffs are well underway for the rest of the league, the North Division’s first round is just getting started.
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NHL North Division play begins
Source: Winnipeg Jets/Twitter

North Division: The Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets kicked things off last night, and it was not what we expected. A tight match tied until halfway through the third period, the Jets turned on the jets in the last 10 minutes and won Game 1 of the best-of-seven series 4–1.

  • And tonight, it’s the one we’ve all been waiting for: the Toronto Maple Leafs (featuring Rocket Richard-winning Auston Matthews) and the Montreal Canadiens will finally start their series at 7:30 p.m. ET. Saving the best for last.

East Division: Sidney Crosby played forward and goalie to help his Pittsburgh Penguins tie up the series 1-1 with the NY Islanders on Tuesday, while the Boston Bruins are up 2-1 over the Washington Capitals after last night’s overtime win.

West Division:The league-best Colorado Avalanche are up 2-0 over the St. Louis Blues after last night’s Game 2, and the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild are tied up ahead of tonight’s Game 3.

Central Division: A storm’s a brewing. The Carolina Hurricanes lead the Nashville Predators 2-0, and in the most unexpectedly exciting series of the postseason — the all-Florida battle between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers — Tampa leads 2-0.