#12 Seeds Push #5 Seeds to Brink of Elimination in Stanley Cup Qualifiers

The Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks made it into the Stanley Cup playoffs due to the expanded format adapted for this Covid-19 year. As such, they are each conference’s lowest seeds in the playoffs and were expected to be dispatched in the qualifying round by the #5 seeds (in Montreal’s case by the Pittsburgh Penguins and by the Edmonton Oilers in Chicago’s case).

Well, nobody told the Blackhawks or Canadiens. Just like #5s lose to #12s in the NCAA basketball tournament, it’s been the 12s who have been giving the 5s fits. Montreal trailed 3-1 in the second period before scoring the last three goals of the game for a come from behind 4-3 victory over Pittsburg. Jeff Petry scored the eventual game winner with 5:33 left in the third period. The Canadiens hold a 2-1 lead in the best of five series.

Sometimes it helps to have a little luck on your side. Trailing 3-2 in the third period, Chicago’s Matthew Highmore evened the score with a goal with 5:47 left. Then with 1:16 left, Jonathon Toews scored his second goal of the night to clinch it for the Blackhawks. Toews shot was deflected by Edmonton’s Ethan Bear into the net, and the Oilers trail the Blackhawks 2-1 in the series.

The series resume on August 7th.