Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: McDavid, Oilers host Flames, seek series lead

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily in-depth look at the 2022 NHL postseason. There are three playoff games scheduled for Sunday, the 21st day of the postseason.

On Tap

There are three games on the Stanley Cup Playoffs schedule for Sunday:
Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning (1:30 p.m. ET; TNT, SN, TVAS)
The Lightning are hoping to take a 3-0 lead against the Panthers and defending Stanley Cup champions are 68-3 when leading a best-of-7 series 2-0. Tampa Bay has scored 11 power-play goals in nine postseason games. Florida forward Carter Verhaeghe has been held without a point in the first two games of this series after getting 12 (six goals, six assists) in the first round against the Washington Capitals.
Carolina Hurricanes at New York Rangers (3:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN360, SN [JIP], TVAS)
After winning their first six playoff games at home, the Hurricanes visit the Rangers looking to gain a 3-0 series lead. Carolina goalie Antti Raanta is 5-2 with a 1.83 goals-against average, .939 save percentage and one shutout in the playoffs. Rangers forwards Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad have combined for seven shots on goal in two games.
Calgary Flames at Edmonton Oilers (8 p.m. ET; ESPN2, CBC, SN, TVAS)
Connor McDavid continues his torrid scoring pace for the Oilers, who will try go up 2-1 in the Battle of Alberta. McDavid (20 points; six goals, 14 assists in nine games) is the fastest player since Mario Lemieux (22; nine goals, 13 assists) for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992 to reach 20 in the postseason. The Flames and Oilers have combined for 23 goals, matching the second-highest total through two games of an NHL postseason series behind 24 scored by the Minnesota North Stars and Boston Bruins in the 1981 Preliminary Round.

What we learned

Binnington injured
The St. Louis Blues took a huge blow in a 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round when goalie Jordan Binnington sustained a lower-body injury at 6:45 of the first period. Ville Husso, who allowed four goals on 23 shots, made his first appearance since he had 28 saves in a 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild in Game 3 of the first round. Blues coach Craig Berube had no update on Binnington, who was injured after being knocked over by teammate Calle Rosen and Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri when was skating hard for a rebound. Husso is 1-3 with a 3.38 GAA and .891 save percentage in four playoff games (three starts). Binnington, who had won four of his five postseason starts, has a 1.72 GAA and .949 save percentage in six games. -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer
Avalanche rebound after loss
The Avalanche responded just the way coach Jared Bednar drew it up following a 4-1 loss in Game 2. They received goals from four different players and solid production from five defensemen after losing Samuel Girard to a broken sternum 1:42 into the first period, and goalie Darcy Kuemper came up big with 29 saves to help Colorado take a 2-1 in the best-of-7 series. Girard, injured when he was checked hard behind his net by Blues forward Ivan Barbashev, is out the rest of the postseason and will be replaced by either Jack Johnson, Ryan Murray or Kurtis MacDermid in Game 4 on Monday. "Someone else is going to get an opportunity here and we need him to step in and step up," Bednar said. Devon Toews (30:56 in ice time) and Cale Makar (28:49) led the defense corps in ice time Saturday. -- Morreale

About Last Night

Colorado Avalanche 5, St. Louis Blues 2 -- Artturi Lehkonen scored two goals and Kadri had a goal and an assist. Husso made 19 saves in relief of Binnington.