Facts and Figures: Blue Jackets win first second-round home game

The Columbus Blue Jackets won their first home game beyond the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by defeating the Boston Bruins 2-1 at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference Second Round.

Matt Duchene's power-play goal in the second period turned out to be the game-winner for Columbus, which had not advanced past the first round of the playoffs before this season since entering the NHL in 2000. Duchene's goal was his fifth, the most by a Blue Jackets player in a single postseason and one more than he scored in 23 regular-season games for Columbus after being acquired in a trade with the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 22.
The Blue Jackets are 3-0 at Nationwide Arena during the 2019 playoffs and 8-1-0 at home since March 9. Their only loss during that time was 6-2 to the Bruins on April 2.
Columbus was 1-for-3 on the power play and has converted on eight of 21 opportunities in seven playoff games this season (38.1 percent). Only the 2010 Los Angeles Kings (38.5 percent in six games) have completed a postseason with a higher power-play percentage.

Couture, Sharks too much for Avalanche in Game 3

Logan Couture scored the go-ahead goal with 7:10 remaining in the third period and added an empty-net goal to complete

and help the San Jose Sharks to a 4-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round at Pepsi Center. San Jose leads the best-of-7 series 2-1 after ending Colorado's eight-game winning streak on home ice.
Couture's tie-breaking goal came 55 seconds after Colorado forward Matt Nieto tied the game 2-2. Couture's nine goals are the most of any player in the playoffs. His 43 postseason goals since entering the NHL in 2010 are second to Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (50) and his 93 points are sixth.

Hurricanes try for third straight win against Islanders

The Carolina Hurricanes will try to take a 3-0 lead in a best-of 7 series for the second time in their history when they play the New York Islanders in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at PNC Arena on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS).
Carolina, which returns home after winning Games 1 and 2 at Barclays Center, has led 3-0 in a best-of-7 series once in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers history. The Hurricanes won the first three games of the 2006 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New Jersey Devils before winning the series in five games. With a win in Game 3, Carolina would become the 16th team in NHL history to take a 3-0 lead in the series immediately following a seven-game victory. All 15 teams that previously have done so went on to win the series.
The Islanders trail 2-0 in a best-of-7 series for the 12th time since entering the NHL in 1972; they are 3-8 in the first 11. The last time New York won after trailing 2-0 was the 1984 Wales Conference Final, when they won four straight games after losing the first two to the Montreal Canadiens.

Blues visit Stars, aim to stay perfect on road

The St. Louis Blues will try for their fifth win in as many road games in the 2019 playoffs when they play the Dallas Stars in Game 4 of the Western Conference Second Round at American Airlines Center (9:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS).
The Blues, who lead the best-of-7 series 2-1, have won their first four road games and can set a team record for the longest road winning streak in one postseason. The last team to open the playoffs with more than four consecutive road wins was the 2012 Kings, who won their first 10 road games en route to winning the Stanley Cup for the first time.
The Stars are down 2-1 for the second straight series. They lost two of the first three games in the first round to the Nashville Predators before winning three in a row.