By Basil Stroh
NHL Public Relations
April 29, 2025
Wyatt Johnston added his name to the NHL’s list of fastest goals to start a playoff game after scoring nine seconds in and Mikko Rantanen recorded his first postseason goal against the team he won the Stanley Cup with to allow the Stars to take a 3-2 series lead.
* Seth Jones and Aaron Ekblad scored the fastest two goals by defensemen for one team in Stanley Cup Playoffs history and helped the Panthers skate to a 3-1 series lead against the Lightning.
* A four-game Tuesday will see the Senators and Devils attempt to stave off elimination, while four different Western Conference teams will have the opportunity to take a 3-2 series lead as the Wild–Golden Knights and Oilers–Kings both contest Game 5.
JOHNSTON SCORES QUICK GAME-OPENING GOAL AS STARS WIN GAME 5
Wyatt Johnston (2-1—3) scored nine seconds into Game 5 to tie the fifth-fastest goal to start a playoff contest in NHL history and Mikko Rantanen (1-2—3) netted his first postseason tally with the Stars against the team he has over 100 playoff points with, to help Dallas take a 3-2 series lead. The Stars scored six goals in a contest that featured eight combined tallies – there have been 200-plus goals through this stage of a postseason (211 in 33 GP) for the fourth consecutive playoff year, which is the second-longest run in NHL history following a 15-year stretch from 1979 to 1993.
* WATCH HERE for full highlights from Avalanche–Stars Game 5
* Johnston scored his 15th and 16th career postseason goals to tie Jordan Staal and Brent Sutter for the fourth most by a player age 21 or younger in NHL history on a list topped by Sidney Crosby (24), Patrick Kane (19) and Jaromir Jagr (19). His third career multi-goal game tied the third most among that age category, behind Crosby and Pierre Turgeon (both w/ 4).
JONES, EKBLAD SCORE 11 SECONDS APART AS PANTHERS POUNCE ON 3-1 SERIES LEAD
The Lightning took a 2-1 edge into the third period and looked poised to tie the ‘Battle of Florida’ at two games apiece until Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones scored 11 seconds apart to help the Panthers take a 3-1 series lead. Florida, which is 11-9 all-time in potential series-clinching games, has the opportunity to defeat Tampa Bay in the First Round for the second straight postseason.
* WATCH HERE for full highlights from Lightning–Panthers Game 4
* Ekblad scored with 3:47 remaining in regulation, marking the second-latest game-tying goal by a defenseman in Panthers history behind Brandon Montour, who equalized with exactly one minute remaining to tie Game 7 of the 2023 First Round.
* There have been 11 tying goals in the final 10 minutes of regulation in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which is tied for the most at this stage of a postseason since 1993 and tied for the most ever through 33 contests (11 in 1989 & 11 in 1993). There have also been 17 tying or go-ahead goals in the final 10 minutes of regulation in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the third most at this stage of a postseason behind 1989 and 1983 (both w/ 19).
QUICK CLICKS
* #NHLStats: Live Updates from April 28
* Mike Sullivan out as Penguins coach after 10 seasons, no replacement named
* Bill to award ‘Miracle on Ice’ team Congressional Gold Medal approved by House
* Eli Manning mic’d up as he takes in Devils Game 4 with daughters
* Connor Hellebuyck, Darcy Kuemper, Andrei Vasilevskiy voted Vezina Trophy finalists
TUESDAY has 3-2 series leads on the line, teams trying to evade elimination
Tuesday’s four-game slate features the Wild–Golden Knights and Oilers–Kings looking to take a 3-2 lead in their First Round series as well as the Devils and Senators seeking to stave off elimination against the Hurricanes and Maple Leafs, respectively.
* Kirill Kaprizov and Minnesota return to Vegas and hope to come home ahead after the teams split the first four contests. Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman can become the second and third players in franchise history with a five-game postseason-opening point streak (also Zach Parise: 6 GP in 2014), while Tomas Hertl can become the Golden Knights’ second skater with at least one goal during each of their first three home contests in a playoff year (also William Karlsson: 3 GP in 2023).
* Leon Draisaitl and Edmonton head back to Los Angeles, where the Kings opened the series with two straight wins following the Harmonica Class from the Koreatown Senior and Community Center’s performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The series has featured three tying or go-ahead goals in the final 90 seconds of regulation and can tie the League’s most in a playoff round set during the 1964 Stanley Cup Final between the Maple Leafs and Red Wings (4).
* Nico Hischier hopes to help New Jersey force Game 6 after facing a 3-1 series deficit for the fourth time in franchise history (also 2012 SCF, 2000 CF & 1998 CQF). The Devils went on to win the postseason round in 2000 before defeating the Stars during the Final to capture their second of three Stanley Cup championships over an eight-year span (also 2003 & 1995).
* Brady Tkachuk can help Ottawa force Game 6 after facing a 3-0 series deficit for the second time in franchise history (also 2015 R1) and become the fifth team in NHL history to win a postseason round after losing each of the first three contests, following the Claude Giroux-led Flyers (2010 CSF) as well as the Kings (2014 R1), Islanders (1975 QF) and Maple Leafs (1942 SCF). Tkachuk, who has strong family ties to Massachusetts, recently referenced another instance in major professional sports history.
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