The 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs have been notable more for the unexpected than the expected. The regular-season juggernaut Boston Bruins and defending cup champion Colorado Avalanche were ousted in the first round. The final team to qualify for the playoffs — the Florida Panthers — is through to the Eastern Conference finals. Home-ice advantage has been largely nonexistent.
And then we have the Pacific Division bracket.
The No. 1 seed Vegas Golden Knights and No. 2 seed Edmonton Oilers both took care of business in Round 1 and have waged a back-and-forth, high-scoring battle this round that has looked like the glorious Smythe Division showdowns in which the Oilers played back in the 1980s — including a healthy dose of physical aggression, some of which resulted in suspensions. This series has been as great as expected.
But there must be a victor, and with a win in Game 6 tonight (10 ET, ESPN), the Golden Knights can ensure that it is them. The Oilers stand in their way and are certain to not go down without a fight — figuratively and perhaps literally as well.
Before the two teams take the ice at Rogers Place, let’s get you up to speed. We’ve put together a guide on what to watch from each team, including in-depth statistical insights from ESPN Stats & Information.
Much like the Golden Knights, the Oilers have been a successful team this postseason in games following a loss. Edmonton has yet to lose consecutive games this postseason, going 4-0 and averaging 4.5 goals per game following a loss in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. Connor McDavid (two goals, seven assists) and Leon Draisaitl (five goals, four assists) have led the way in those games with nine points each.
Among skaters to appear in at least 10 playoff games, Draisaitl (1.60) and McDavid (1.54) rank third and fourth, respectively, in points per game in postseason history, trailing only Wayne Gretzky (1.84) and Mario Lemieux (1.61).
Speaking of Gretzky and Lemieux, McDavid joined them as the only three skaters in the history of the game to record 70 goals and 100 assists in a single season (including playoffs). Gretzky did it four times (last in 1984-85 with Oilers) and Lemieux did it three times (last in 1995-96 with Penguins).
The three Oilers goals in Game 5 were each scored on the power play, giving Edmonton 18 in the playoffs so far (18-for-38, 47.4%). That is the most power-play goals by any team through the first 11 games of a playoff year since the Avalanche had 19 in 1997. The only time an Oilers team registered at least 18 power-play goals through the first 11 games of a playoff year was in 1988, which became Wayne Gretzky’s final Stanley Cup win in his career as Edmonton dropped only two games en route to the title (16-2).
Of the five NHL skaters with at least eight power-play points this postseason, four are from the Oilers — but the skater on top is not who you would think. Defenseman Evan Bouchard has four goals and 11 assists on the power play during the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, ahead of McDavid (12 power-play points), Draisaitl (eight power-play points) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (eight power-play points). Bouchard’s 15 power-play points are tied with Denis Potvin (1981 with Islanders) for the third most by a defenseman in a single playoff year. That total trails only Al MacInnis (Flames), who had 23 in 1989, and Ray Bourque (Bruins), who had 17 in 1991.
Golden Knights
Jack Eichel, getting his first taste of the postseason, pushed his point total in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs to 13 (six goals and seven assists), the most points by a Golden Knights skater through 10 games of a playoff campaign. The only active players to produce more points through their first 10 career playoff games than Eichel are Boston’s David Pastrnak (15), Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (15), Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby (15) and Florida’s Eric Staal (14) — who accumulated those points for the Hurricanes in 2006.
With their win in Game 5, the Golden Knights improved to 45-31 (.592) in postseason games all-time, the best win percentage in Stanley Cup playoff history. The only franchises to reach 45 playoff wins in fewer games than the Golden Knights (76) are the Oilers (67) and New York Islanders (75).
Game 5 was a microcosm of the Golden Knights’ playoff year, as Vegas seized control of the game in the second period. The Golden Knights have outscored the Jets (first round) and Oilers (second round) by 11 goals in the middle frame (16-5), the largest goal differential in a single period for any team this postseason.
Vegas was the most disciplined team in the NHL during the regular season (3:46 short-handed time on ice per game, the only team under four minutes) but has been uncharacteristically undisciplined in the first five games of this series, taking an NHL-high 41 penalties in the second round.
The Golden Knights won the Pacific Division during the regular season despite ranking outside of the top 10 in goals per game (14th) and goals allowed per game (11th). It is worth noting that no team has won the Stanley Cup the same season it ranked outside the NHL’s top 10 in both goals scored and goals allowed.
CHICAGO — Kyle Tucker had the fans on their feet, roaring and pumping their fists as he rounded the bases after hitting the go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning. His screaming line drive cleared the right-field wall with plenty of room to spare.
The Chicago Cubs went from giving up 10 runs in the eighth to scoring six in the bottom half and beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 13-11 on Friday in one of the wildest games on record.
The two teams combined for 21 runs in the seventh and eighth innings, with the Cubs scoring 11 runs and the D-backs plating 10. It was the first nine-inning game in MLB history in which both teams scored 10 or more runs from the seventh inning on, and the third game overall, according to ESPN Research.
“That’s kind of baseball,” Tucker said. “There’s a lot of ups and downs in this game, especially with how many games we play.”
There haven’t been many games like this, though.
The Cubs are just the seventh team in at least the past 125 seasons to allow 10 or more runs in an inning and win. They are also the fifth team to give up 10 or more runs and score six or more in the same inning.
The 16 combined runs in the eighth were the most in an inning at Wrigley Field, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“If you’ve seen that one, you’ve been around for a while,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said with a laugh. “It was crazy. You know, we gave up 10 runs in an inning and we won. So it was a wild game, but we kept going, and, you know, there’s 27 outs in a game and this kind of proves it, and you’re just happy to get out with a win.”
On a warm day with the ball carrying, Carson Kelly homered twice. Ian Happ belted a grand slam and Seiya Suzuki went deep, helping the Cubs open a weekend series on a winning note.
“You’ve seen it early — having some tough losses, coming back winning the next day,” Happ said. “Losing the first game of the series, winning the series. Little things like that. Today’s a great example of professional hitters going out there and continuing to have really good at-bats.”
The way things transpired in the final two innings was something to see.
Kelly hit a two-run homer in the second against Corbin Burnes, and Happ came through with his grand slam against Ryne Nelson as part of a five-run seventh. But just when it looked as if the Cubs were in control with a 7-1 lead, things took a wild turn in the eighth.
The crowd of more than 39,000 let the Cubs hear it, but their team regrouped in the bottom half. Bryce Jarvis hit Nico Hoerner leading off and walked Pete Crow-Armstrong before Kelly drove a three-run homer to center. Tucker, the Cubs’ prized offseason addition, came through after Happ singled with one out. Suzuki followed with his drive against Joe Mantiply to give the Cubs a 13-11 lead.
Arizona, which had won five straight, became just the third team over the past 50 seasons to lose a game in which it had a 10-run inning at any point, according to ESPN Research.
“You just got to stay locked in,” Kelly said. “Obviously, you don’t want to … give up 10 in an inning. Obviously, you don’t want to do that. I think the biggest thing is coming back, regrouping and continuing to fight.”
Major League Baseball suspended New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. for one game and fined him an undisclosed amount, the result of his actions during Thursday night’s win against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Chisholm was ejected in the seventh inning by plate umpire John Bacon for arguing after a called third strike on a full-count pitch from Mason Montgomery that appeared low.
Minutes later, he posted on his X account, “Not even f—ing close!!!!!” then deleted the post.
“I didn’t think before I had anything that I said was ejectable but after probably,” Chisholm said after the game. “I’m a competitor, so when I go out there and I feel like I’m right and you’re saying something to me that I think doesn’t make sense, I’m going to get fired up and be upset.
“I lost my emotions. I lost my cool. I got to be better than that. … I’m definitely mad at myself for losing my cool.”
Michael Hill, the league’s senior vice president for on-field operations, said Friday’s discipline was for Chisholm’s “conduct, including his violation of Major League Baseball’s Social Media Policy for Major League Players.”
MLB regulations ban the use of electronic devices during games. The social media policy prohibits “displaying or transmitting content that questions the impartiality of or otherwise denigrates a major league umpire.”
Chisholm did appeal the decision, allowing him to play in Friday night’s 1-0 win against the Rays. He started at second base and went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Manager Dave Roberts said before the Dodgers’ series opener Friday night against the Rangers that Ohtani was with his wife and going on MLB’s paternity list.
“He and Mamiko are expecting at some point. That’s all I know,” Roberts said. “I don’t know when he’s going to come back and I don’t know when they’re going to have the baby, but obviously they’re together in anticipation.”
The 30-year-old Ohtani posted on his Instagram account in late December that he and his 28-year-old wife, a former professional basketball player from his native Japan, were expecting a baby in 2025.
“Can’t wait for the little rookie to join our family soon!” said the Dec. 28 post that included a photo showing the couple’s beloved dog, Decoy, as well as a pink ruffled onesie along with baby shoes and a sonogram that was covered by a baby emoji.
Ohtani can miss up to three games while on paternity leave. The Dodgers have a three-game series in Texas before an off day Monday, then play the Cubs in Chicago on Tuesday.