Hockey Today
SCOREBOARD
Friday, May 15
No games scheduled. The Western Conference finals begin Sunday when Detroit hosts Chicago. The Eastern Conference finals start Monday when Carolina visits Pittsburgh.
STARS
Thursday
— Scott Walker(notes), Hurricanes, scored his first NHL playoff goal 18:46 into overtime to send Carolina into the Eastern Conference finals against Pittsburgh with a 3-2 win over Boston in Game 7.
— Dan Cleary, Red Wings, scored the tiebreaking goal with 3 minutes left to lift Detroit over Anaheim in Game 7 and send the defending Stanley Cup champions to the Western Conference finals for the third straight year.
STATS
The Carolina Hurricanes became the sixth consecutive road team to win a Game 7 that went to overtime when they beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 on Thursday night. Of the past 14 Game 7s that have needed extra time, 11 have been won by the visitors. … The Hurricanes’ last four playoff series, dating to their 2006 run to the Stanley Cup title, have been won by them in Game 7s.
SIGNING
The Vancouver Canucks re-signed forward Steve Bernier(notes) to a two-year, $4 million contract extension on Thursday. The 24-year-old right winger gave up his chance to become a restricted free agent on July 1. Bernier scored 15 goals and posted a career high with 32 points in 81 games in his first season in Vancouver.
SCOUTING
The Washington Capitals signed 19-year-old center Anton Gustafsson, their first-round pick in last year’s draft. Gustafsson, the son of former Capitals player Bengt Gustafsson, signed a three-year entry-level contract Thursday. He was the 21st overall selection.
SPEAKING
“Most teams that have won the Stanley Cup don’t even get here. For us to be in this situation is a real positive, but we have a hungry Chicago team waiting for us.”—Red Wings coach Mike Babcock after Detroit beat Anaheim 4-3 in Game 7 on Thursday night to reach the Western Conference finals for the third straight year—this time against the Blackhawks.