Peter Koutroumpis (@pksport)
RALEIGH, NC – With the 82-game regular season in the rearview mirror, the quest to claim the Stanley Cup was underway as the 2023 NHL Playoffs launched on Monday.
For the two-time Metropolitan Division champion Carolina Hurricanes, a 2-1 win to claim Game 1 from the New York Islanders led it all off at PNC Arena.
Eventful wins from the Boston Bruins (3-1 over Florida), Los Angeles Kings (4-3 over Edmonton in OT), and Minnesota Wild (3-2 over Dallas in 2OT) posted the remaining finishes on the board.
Per NHL PR, Monday’s four Game 1s were either tied or within one goal for over 85% of total playing time, which included 41:39 of overtime.
It marked the 12th opening night of the Stanley Cup Playoffs where multiple games finished in OT.
Just so you know
Some more information gems from NHL PR:
Teams that take a 1-0 lead in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoffs round hold an all-time series record of 507-235 (.683), including an 8-7 (.533) mark in 2022.
Teams that take a 1-0 lead in a best-of-seven round at home hold a series record of 350-118 (.748), including a 6-4 (.600) mark in 2022.
Teams that take a 1-0 lead in a best-of-seven series on the road hold a series record of 157-117 (.573), including a 2-3 (.400) mark in 2022.
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Set your calendar
2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs 1st-round schedule (NHL.com)
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