With the arrival of another weekend, the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs action continues with four series that will have Game 2 played Friday and a fifth series already on to Game 3.
The No. 2 seed Avalanche will look for a 2-0 series lead on the Coyotes when they open Friday’s slate of games. Colorado recorded a 3-0 shutout in Game 1.
An hour after that start, the No. 8 Canadiens will be without head coach Claude Julien when they face the No. 1 Flyers for Game 2 of their series. Julien is expected to make a full recovery after experiencing chest pains following a 2-1 loss to the Flyers in Game 1. He had a procedure to stent a coronary artery and was released from the hospital Friday morning to return to Montreal.
The No. 5 Canucks own a 1-0 series lead over the No. 4 Blues and will look for a 2-0 advantage in the first game of the evening. Vancouver scored three times in the third period of Game 1 for a 5-2 victory to open the series.
For the No. 3 Capitals, the news isn’t great as they trail the No. 6 Islanders 1-0 in their series and will be without forward Nicklas Backstrom for Game 2 after he was placed in concussion protocol following a hit from New York’s Anders Lee. Washington will benefit from the return of Lars Eller, who missed Game 1 while quarantining in his hotel room after leaving the team to witness the birth of his son.
In the nightcap, the No. 3 Stars and No. 6 Flames will use Game 3 to break their 1-1 series deadlock.
Friday, Aug. 14
Arizona at Colorado, 1 p.m. (NHLN, SN360)
Montreal at Philadelphia, 2 p.m. (NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS)
Vancouver at St. Louis, 5:30 p.m. (NHLN, SN)
NY Islanders at Washington, 7 p.m. (NBCSN, TVAS)
Dallas at Calgary, 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS)
*All times Central