After almost 20 years of futility, the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets* franchise has won a playoff game. It’s not easy for expansion teams to have post-season success and-

What?

It took the Vegas Golden Knights just one game?

Oh Atlantapeg.

In more important news....

FINALLY! IT’S PLAYOFF DAY!

Yesterday the NHL warmed us up with some series that, whatever man.

Now today it’s the big one.

It’s the Boston Bruins.

It’s at the Toronto Dominion Garden.

IT’S TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS PLAYOFF HOCKEY.

Last night’s Stanley Cup Playoffs games:

Winnipeg Jets* 3 - Minnesota Wild 2
This was Winnipeg’s Stanley Cup.

Game One Recap: Jets win a Wild one - Arctic Ice Hockey
The Jets came into this game as a franchise who had no playoff wins; they now have one.

Minnesota Wild 2, Winnipeg Jets 3: Game 1 highlights and reaction - Hockey Wilderness
Game 1 is in the books and the Minnesota Wild feel like they missed an opportunity to steal one. Here is your Game 1 highlights and reactions.

Pittsburgh Penguins 7 - Philadelphia Flyers 0

Touchdown!

Penguins/Flyers Game 1 Recap: Crosby and Malkin shine in blowout 7-0 win - PensBurgh
Sidney Crosby records a hat trick after Evgeni Malkin scores a beauty of a goal. Check out all the highlights of the Penguins big, big Game 1 win over the rival Flyers here

Flyers vs. Penguins recap, score: Less than ideal - Broad Street Hockey
Why are you hurting us like this, the Flyers?

Vegas Golden Knights 1 - Los Angeles Kings 0

Golden Knights take Game 1 against Kings, 1-0 - Knights On Ice
Vegas wins 1-0 in the opening salvo of their best-of-seven series but it’s L.A who draws first blood.

Other news:

Riley Nash will not play in Game 1 - Stanley Cup of Chowder
A bit of a blow to the Bruins as the series is set to begin.

Tod Leiweke Named CEO of Seattle Expansion Team - Last Word on Hockey
Leiweke worked as a COO in the NFL for three years before leaving his job in March. He was the number two guy behind NFL Commissioner Rodger Goodell. He also was the CEO of the Seattle Seahawks from 2003-2010.

Down Goes Brown: The 2018 playoff bandwagon ranking
This year’s NHL playoffs feature the usual standard field of 16 teams. But thanks to expansion, we’ve also got an all-time high of 15 non-playoff teams, meaning we’ve never headed into a post-season with so many fans without a team to root for.

Rest of Canada ‘super torn’ whether to support Winnipeg or Toronto in NHL playoffs - The Beaverton
Do I go with the plucky upstarts from the city full of nice people, or the team representing the city I swore a blood oath to always despise?

Non-Playoff Team News:

Recapping the Sens’ Town Halls - Silver Seven
The Fake News Media weighs in on Melnyk and Dorion’s comments in their three town halls

Look: Alex DeBrincat’s adorable dog Ralph has his own Instagram - Second City Hockey
#DeBrindog

Zeitgeist: Islanders issue third apology letter to fans this week - Lighthouse Hockey
[humor] The Islanders issued another statement to fans via their Twitter account this morning, the third straight day ownership has apologized to fans for their disappointing season.

Enjoy the day. Find a way to occupy your mind. May I suggest going through the archives and reading my wonderful old works of art?

We’re only hours away from the game.

GO LEAFS GO!

From The Branches