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2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Game Recaps, Previews, How to Watch, Schedule and Day 25 Open Thread

The Rangers are headed to the golf course, and two more teams will join them tonight.

By Kyle Morton, Peter Dewar, and Brett Finger
NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Ottawa Senators at New York Rangers Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Every day during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Canes Country recaps the night before, previews the games for that night, and gives you game times and broadcast information.

Tuesday’s Recap

Ottawa Senators v New York Rangers - Game Six Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Ottawa Senators 4, New York Rangers 2 (OTT wins series 4-2)

The Ottawa Senators closed out their Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night with a 4-2 victory at Madison Square Garden.

The Sens got out to a hot start in the first period, as Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone each tallied their fourth goals of the postseason to stake Ottawa to a 2-0 lead after one.

That was a lead they would never relinquish. Mika Zibanejad struck for the Rangers in the second, but he was quickly answered by a goal from his former teammate Erik Karlsson. Chris Kreider then scored early in the third period to bring the Rangers within one, but they would get no closer as Craig Anderson shut the door the rest of the way. An empty-net goal from Jean-Gabriel Pageau sealed each team's respective fates.

Anderson was stellar in the winning effort, turning aside 37 of 39, while Henrik Lundqvist stopped 22 of 25 in the loss. The Senators will now await the winner of tonight's Game 7 between the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final. -Kyle Morton

Wednesday’s Previews

Washington Capitals v Pittsburgh Penguins - Game Six Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals (Series tied 3-3)
7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN

  1. This Is It: By virtue of holding the east coast time slot, the Pens/Caps series will yield the first Game 7 of these playoffs. The Penguins have taken all three prior Game 7 matchups, two of which have come during the Sidney Crosby/Alex Ovechkin era, and certainly have the weapons to do it again, but the momentum is working hard against them. After dropping a 3-1 series lead and failing to show up on home ice in Game 6, Pittsburgh has more than opened the door for Washington to reverse the narrative and earn their first conference finals berth since 1998.
  2. Who's the Hero? Part of the allure of a do-or-die Game 7 is the ability for a support player or a glue guy to step up and decide the entire series in a moment. But in this series, many of the support players on each team have their own successful pedigree. You've got Mr. Game 7 himself, Justin Williams, playing in his first Game 7 with the Caps; Marcus Johansson, who decided Washington's first-round series with a Game 6 OT winner in Toronto; and Lars Eller, a sneaky, skilled third/fourth-liner who could steal the spotlight if given the chance. And on the other side, names like Carl Hagelin, who will be fresher after coming into the playoffs late; Nick Bonino, who scored the series winner between these two teams last year; and Bryan Rust, who just seems to find the right place to be at the biggest times. So who makes the difference, one of these guys? A superstar? Someone way out of left field? Who knows, that's why we love Game 7.
  3. Goalie Battles: We've seen moments of sheer brilliance from Marc-Andre Fleury and Braden Holtby in this series. We've also seen absolute duds, as represented by Fleury's abysmal Game 6 performance. Holtby has played much better across the past two games (though tightening up in the final few minutes would be a welcome adjustment for his team's blood pressure), but Fleury has stolen more than a couple games in these playoffs. Both on their game could give us a goaltending clinic for the ages and upstage the Sid/Ovi drama, and it's hard to see either guy not having his A-game in such a crucial moment. -Peter Dewar
NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Anaheim Ducks at Edmonton Oilers Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks (Series tied 3-3)
10:00 p.m. ET, NBCSN

  1. History Going Against Anaheim: It's Game 7 between the Oilers and Ducks, but don't tell the Ducks. Each of their past four playoff runs has been ended in Game 7 on home ice against a lower seeded team. The Oilers, meanwhile, haven't seen a Game 7 since they lost one in 2006, a game you might remember a thing or two about.
  2. Oilers Riding High: Edmonton won Game 6 in blowout fashion, topping the Ducks 7-1 in Alberta. Leon Draisaitl had five points and a hat trick in that game and another big performance from him could mean a Western Conference final berth for the Oilers, but the player to watch on Edmonton's side has to be Connor McDavid. He has been overshadowed by Draisaitl this postseason, but it's times like this where superstars show up, and McDavid is just that. A Game 7 win would be a huge moment in McDavid's young career.
  3. A Crazy Ending to a Crazy Series: Of all the series in the 2017 playoffs, this has been the wildest and most unpredictable. One game is a blowout, the next is a tight goalie matchup that heads to overtime, rinse and repeat. No one knows how this one will end, but if it's like any other game in this series, it will be a treat to watch. Be ready for anything tonight as either the Oilers continue to defy the odds or the Ducks finally break through when it matters the most. -Brett Finger