Oshie, Capitals jump to series lead against Penguins

OSHIE COMPLETES HAT TRICK IN OVERTIME TO LEAD CAPITALS TO GAME 1 WIN
T.J. Oshie completed his first career playoff hat trick at 9:33 of overtime to lead the Washington Capitals past the Pittsburgh Penguins in a back-and-forth opening game of their Eastern Conference Second Round series.
Oshie became the first player to record a Stanley Cup Playoff hat trick that included an overtime goal since June 8, 2013, when Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane did so in the team's series-clinching win against the Los Angeles Kings in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final.

It was the eighth playoff hat trick in Capitals history and first since April 17, 2010, when Nicklas Backstrom also completed the feat in overtime in Washington's victory against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
Oshie, who scored his first career playoff overtime goal, posted his second multi-goal game in the postseason. The other was May 6, 2013 at the Kings, when he scored two goals as a member of the St. Louis Blues.
Oshie wasn't the only hero for the Capitals. Goaltender Braden Holtby made 42 saves to registered his 21st career playoff win, all with Washington, to surpass Olaf Kolzig (20) for the most in franchise history.

BERGERON, KESLER, KOPITAR VOTED SELKE TROPHY FINALISTS
The NHL announced Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins, Ryan Kesler of the Anaheim Ducks and Anze Kopitar of the Kings are the three finalists for the 2015-16 Selke Trophy, awarded "to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game."
The NHL will reveal the three finalists for the James Norris Memorial Trophy prior to tonight's games.
ICYMI
Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey, the face of Florida's "Spacey in Space" hoodie, showed his support for Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov in the EA SPORTS NHL 17 Cover Vote:

DOZEN GET BETTER FOR STARS, BLUES
The Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues renew their rivalry when they meet in Game 1 of their Western Conference Second Round series at American Airlines Center on Friday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports). The Stars and Blues have met 12 times in the postseason, and each has won six series. The coaches also have playoff history; St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock led Dallas to its first and only Stanley Cup in 1998-99, defeating Stars head coach Lindy Ruff (then with the Buffalo Sabres) in six games in the Final. The Stars and Blues boast two of the top goal-scorers in the regular season: Dallas captain Jamie Benn ranked third with 41 goals, and St. Louis forward Vladimir Tarasenko finished fourth with 40.

SHARKS, PREDATORS RENEW ACQUAINTANCES
The San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators match up for the third time in the playoffs when they faceoff in Game 1 of their Western Conference Second Round series at SAP Cente on Friday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports). San Jose has won the previous two postseason meetings, both in five games, in the 2006 and 2007 Western Conference Quarterfinals. Sharks forwards Patrick Marleau (10-4-14 in 10 games) and Joe Thornton (0-10-10 in 10 games) were instrumental in those victories. The lone player on the Predators roster who faced San Jose in those back-to-back series is defenseman Shea Weber (2-3-5 in nine games).