Brayden Point scored the winning goal in overtime and forced a Game 7, as the Tampa Bay Lightning secured a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.
Ondrej Palat, Anthony Cirelli and Nikita Kucherov also scored for the reigning Stanley Cup champions, but they had to battle until 1:56 remaining in overtime for Point's sealer.
The Lightning had to fight their way back from 3-2 down in the final period with their season on the line, after Leafs captain John Tavares scored twice in the second period's closing 34 seconds.
With his side dropping a lead for the second straight game, Tavares said the focus is now on regrouping as the series heads back to Toronto for the decider.
"We worked hard all year to earn home ice and we've got a great opportunity going home in front of our fans to try to close this thing out," he said.
"So just regroup here, and look forward to the opportunity. This is what the game's all about."
The Boston Bruins also forced a Game 7 after they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2, while the St. Louis Blues advanced to the second round, beating the Minnesota Wild 5-1 in Game 6.
In Thursday's final game, the Edmonton Oilers evened their series up with the Los Angeles Kings in Game 6, winning 4-2.
Hill's save propels Golden Knights to 5-2 win over Panthers in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final
Zach Whitecloud snapped a third-period tie and Adin Hill made a highlight-reel save for one of his 33 stops to lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Whitecloud’s long-range goal with just over 13 minutes left put Vegas ahead 3-2, and captain Mark Stone extended the lead with 6:19 remaining with a goal that was reviewed for a high stick and confirmed. Jonathan Marchessault and Shea Theodore also scored for the Golden Knights, who rallied for their ninth comeback win this postseason.
The Panthers got goals from Eric Staal and Anthony Duclair as their eight-game road winning streak was snapped.
Hill came up with arguably the save of the playoffs in the second period with Vegas holding a 2-1 lead. He reached across the crease with his stick to make a desperation save on Nick Cousins on what would have been a sure goal.
The Golden Knights are in the final for the second time in its six years of existence after making it in the inaugural 2017-18 season.
Florida also has reached the final for the second time but first since it was swept by Colorado in 1996.
Game 2 is Monday in Las Vegas.
THE VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS HAVE TAKEN A 1-0 LEAD IN THE STANLEY CUP FINAL!!!!!!! #UKnightTheRealm pic.twitter.com/Hk9ImREfdb
— z - Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 4, 2023
Three-time Stanley Cup-winner Patrick Kane has hip procedure, expected to miss four-to-six months
Three-time Stanley Cup-winner and pending free agent Patrick Kane underwent a hip resurfacing procedure and is expected to be sidelined four-to-six months.
His agent Pat Brisson told this news to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Thursday.
Brisson told Friedman that the surgery was a success and that Kane “wants to play for a long time.”
Doctors are optimistic that will happen.
The 34-year-old Kane has been playing with an ailing hip the past few seasons and told the New York Rangers during his recent exit interview that it slowed him during the team’s first-round playoff exit against the New Jersey Devils.
Kane, who was acquired by the Rangers from the Chicago Blackhawks on February 28, had a goal and five assists in the seven-game series.
"I look at that series and I know it’s like, if I felt a little bit better, I can like, help us win that series, you know?" Kane said. "It’s almost like disappointing and depressing in a way, but that’s just kind of how I feel about it."
Set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 after concluding an eight-year, $84million contract he signed in 2014, Kane played the final 19 games of the 2022-23 season for the Rangers, tallying five goals and seven assists after Chicago shipped him to New York for a pair of 2023 draft picks.
Kane left the Blackhawks as one of the greatest players in franchise history.
He was instrumental to their dynasty in the 2010s, helping the club to Stanley Cup titles in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He scored the championship-clinching goal over the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime of Game 6 of the 2010 Final, while winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs in 2013.
He had spent his entire 16-season NHL career with the Blackhawks after being selected first overall in the 2007 draft.
The nine-time All-Star ranks second all-time in franchise history with 1,225 points, while his 446 goals are third most by a Blackhawk. He also ranks third in franchise history in games played (1,161) and fourth in power-play goals (122).
As a 19-year-old rookie in 2007-08, Kane made an immediate impact in the NHL, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top first-year player.
Eight years later in 2015-16, Kane won the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP as well as the Art Ross Trophy as scoring champion.
He finished the 2022-23 season with 21 goals and 57 points in 73 games – his fewest points since registering 55 in just 47 games during the strike-shortened 2012-13 season.
Kraken sign general manager Francis to extension; Maple Leafs name Treliving GM
A pair of eliminated playoff teams announced front-office moves Wednesday, as the Seattle Kraken signed general manager Ron Francis to an extension and the Toronto Maple Leafs hired Brad Treliving as their next GM.
Francis received a three-year extension through the 2026-2027 season, while Treliving joined Toronto after spending the previous nine seasons as GM of the Calgary Flames.
Francis was named the first GM in Kraken history in July 2019 and the team posted a 27-49-6 record in its inaugural NHL season in 2021-22. Seattle then went 46-28-8 this season to reach the playoffs.
The Kraken upset the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the postseason before losing in seven games to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference semifinals.
"Ron has done remarkable work over the last four years and deserves this recognition," Kraken co-owner Samantha Holloway said.
"He has built a tremendous team, putting Seattle hockey on the map. He is building for long term success and is dedicated to our city, our fans, and our community."
Treliving, meanwhile, left the Flames last month after they missed the playoffs with a 38-27-17 record.
That came after Calgary had 111 points last season – the second-most in franchise history – before being eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the West semis.
The Flames made the playoffs five times in Treliving’s nine seasons as GM.
Treliving takes over for Kyle Dubas, who was fired less than two weeks ago after Toronto won a playoff series for the first time since the 2003-04 campaign.
The Maple Leafs were ousted by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers in five games in the semis, extending the Original Six franchise’s Stanley Cup drought to 56 years.
"I'm very pleased to welcome Brad into the Maple Leafs organization," Maple Leafs president and alternate governor Brendan Shanahan said.
"Brad brings a wealth of knowledge from his years of experience as a general manager and hockey executive in Calgary, Arizona and beyond.
“He has earned tremendous respect amongst his peers throughout his years in the NHL and has built excellent relationships at all levels within the game.
“We are confident that Brad's leadership and strategic vision will elevate the Maple Leafs in our continued pursuit of a championship."
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