We now know the eight teams that have qualified for the first round of the 2020 National Hockey League Stanley Cup Playoffs. On Sunday night from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Joonas Korpisalo made 33 saves as the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0. With the win, the Blue Jackets beat the Maple Leafs 3-2 in the best of five series.
Korpisalo made six saves in the first period, 13 saves in the second period, and 14 saves in the third period. It was his second shutout of the series, as he also made 28 saves for Columbus in game one of the series on August 2 in a 2-0 Columbus win. Korpisalo’s shutouts were also the first two shutouts in Blue Jackets’ postseason history. Korpisalo also became the 14th goaltender in NHL history to record a shutout in his first playoff game a week ago.
The goal scorers in the Blue Jackets’ 3-0 series-clinching win on Sunday were Zach Werenski of Grosse Pointe, MI, Liam Foudy of Toronto, Ontario, and Nick Foligno of Buffalo, NY. The Blue Jackets will now play a familiar playoff foe in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Last season, the Blue Jackets were the talk of the entire NHL. Despite the fact the Lightning won the Presidents’ Trophy with a NHL-leading 128 points, they were swept in the first round by the Blue Jackets, who finished eighth in the East with 98 points. Columbus outscored Tampa Bay 19-8 in the four games as well.
The other three Eastern Conference first-round matchups will have the Montreal Canadiens versus the Philadelphia Flyers, the New York Islanders versus the Washington Capitals and the Boston Bruins versus the Carolina Hurricanes. The four Western Conference first-round matchups will have the Vegas Golden Knights versus the Chicago Blackhawks, the Calgary Flames versus the Dallas Stars, the Vancouver Canucks versus the St. Louis Blues and the Colorado Avalanche versus the Arizona Coyotes.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
