Western Quarterfinal Nightly Recap

Western Quarterfinal

Minnesota Wild - 3 @ Anaheim Ducks - 7

• Anaheim leads series 3-2

After being held to just 1 goal during the two games in Minnesota, Anaheim broke out of their scoring slump at the Honda Center in a big way.

Bryan Rust was a monster, scoring a goal in each period to complete the hat trick and the Ducks chased Jake Allen from the net just over halfway through the game with 5 goals on 22 shots. Dustin Tokarski, who came in for relief, faired only slightly better by stopping 10 of the 12 shots he faced.

Minnesota will hope the trend of the home side winning each game continues if they hope to force a game 7 back in California.

Arizona Coyotes - 1 @ Edmonton Oilers - 2 (OT)

• Edmonton leads series 3-2

The saying quality over quantity certainly applied in this game. 

The Oilers didn't test Connor Hellebuyck very often, only managing a meagre 20 shots on net throughout the contest, but it was enough as they skated with a 2-1 win that staked them a 3-2 lead.

After going scoreless through the first two periods, the teams traded goals in the third and headed to overtime. That's when things got a bit bizarre. Jamie Oleksiak was given a major and ejected from the game for attempt to injure just 22 seconds into overtime. Chandler Stephenson made sure to not waste the opportunity and pumped home the winner 47 seconds later to the delight of the home crowd.

Dallas Stars - 1 @ Winnipeg Jets - 3

• Winnipeg leads series 3-2

Mikko Rantanen continues to pilot the Jets in the playoffs. 

Rantanen, who amassed 111 points (46-65-111) in the regular season, wasted little time by scoring a powerplay goal just 10 seconds into the second period that held up as the game winner. Chris Driedger made the initial stop off a redirection by Elias Lindholm but Rantanen stepped into the rebound and fired a howitzer into the yawning cage.

Jeff Skinner's lone goal for the Stars held up after video review. 

Dallas will be without Phillipe Myers for the remainder of the series after he was injured with a sprained finger near the end of the second period.

Colorado Avalanche - 3 @ Nashville Predators - 1

• Colorado wins series 4-1

The Avalanche waved their magic wand and turned Nashville's fairy tale run back into a pumpkin.

'Preds defenseman Bowen Byram took three minor penalties in the third, leading to a Mitch Marner powerplay goal to make the score 3-1 with seven minutes left to play. But the damage had already been done when Filip Forsberg scored the winner, his 3rd of the playoffs, earlier in the period.

Nashville threw everything they had at Mike Smith, but after surrendering a goal to Travis Konecny early in the first, the Avs' trade deadline aquisition was perfect the rest of the way. 

THREE STARS

Bryan Rust (ANH): 3 goals, +2, 4 hits, 8 shots, 1 takeaway, 20:11 TOI
Mike Smith (COL): 35 saves, .972 SP%
Mikko Rantanen (WPG): 1 G (GWG), 1 A, +1, 2 hits, 2 shots, 2 SB, 2 giveaways, 19:48 TOI