Playoff Stars Shine in NHL's Early Fireworks

0:00On April 20th, playoffs are underway in the NHL, and after the first games, we've got clear standouts lighting it up or falling flat. Young guns like Montreal's Jarash Slavkovsky dropped a hat trick, including the overtime winner against Tampa Bay. Minnesota's Jesper Walstead shut down Dallas with 27 saves out of 28 shots. Buffalo's Tays Thompson tally two goals in three points to steal a win from Boston. On the flip side, Dallas goalie Jake O'Edinger led in five on 28, and Utah's Clayton Keller went pointless with a minus three rating versus Vegas. These early fireworks set the tone, especially with small sample sizes that can make or break momentum. Slavkovsky became the first Canadian ever to score three power play goals in the playoffs, fueling hopes for a deep run. Walstead, just 23, earned the start over a vet and looks locked in for Game 2 Monday. Thompson sparked Buffalo's third-perry comeback from down 2-0, easing pressure on his first

1:01time playoff squad. Fans and coaches are buzzing about the pressure cooker. Star supporters remember O'Edinger's rough western final last year, and now whispers of the backup loom if he doesn't rebound. Keller, Utah's captain pulling 7.15 million a year, drew heat in their franchise debut loss. His response in Game 2 will be huge for. Moral. Meanwhile, these hots are carrying their teams. Thompson matched Keller's pay grade but delivered big, while Walstead outshown his regular season stats of 0.916 save percentage. Slavkovsky's 30 regular season goals pale next to this playoff bang, endearing him to desperate Habs fans. As series heat up, watch these players dictate the drama. Early birds like them could fly straight to the cup talk. You've been listening to NHL News today, AI-powered team coverage.