NHL Notebook: Bolts Take 2-0 Series Lead; Dundon Approved; Nugent-Hopkins Signs

Happy July 1st.

Today would normally be the start of free agency in the NHL, however, we find ourselves enthralled in the middle of the Stanley Cup Final. Literally. With the Lightning holding a 2-0 series lead after a 3-1 victory in game two, the Canadiens are teetering very close to being swept which would bring a conclusion to this shortened NHL season over the weekend, something Habs fans hope isn’t the case. They will get their first shot on home ice on Friday in game three, of which, only 3,500 fans will be in attendance after the request to increase the limit by 7,000 was declined.

More Stanley Cup Notes

• Despite being in a 0-2 series hole, there is a lot for the Canadiens to be hopeful for moving forward such as the growth of some of their young players. Of course, rookie Cole Caufield gets a lot of the talk, however, Nick Suzuki scored his 10th playoff goal prior to his 22nd birthday with moves him into a tie for fifth-most in that category. He joined the likes of Evgeni Malkin, Auston Matthews, Milan Lucic, and James Van Riemsdyk with 10 and the Bolts Nikita Kucherov with 11 goals.
• After being held pointless in game two, both Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov had streaks of six consecutive Stanley Cup Final games with a point snapped.
• In eight previous instances, the Tampa Bay Lightning have taken a 2-0 series. They are 8-0. One of only four franchises in NHL history that haven’t blown a series after being up 2-0.
• Blake Coleman’s last-second, highlight-reel goal put him in rare company as well as he joins Mike Bossy (1982), Jeff Carter (2014), and Bob Pulford (1964) as the only four players to score a game-winning goal of a Stanley Cup Final game in the final two seconds of a period.

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NHL Board Of Governors Give Tom Dundon Stamp Of Approval

Tom Dundon is now the sole owner of the Carolina Hurricanes after his purchase of the minority stake held by Peter Karmanos and Co. was approved by the NHL Board of Governors. Dundon became the majority owner of the team in January 2018 and took sole ownership just three years later. Of course, Dundon was also in the news over the last couple of years with his involvement in the now-defunct Alliance of American Football.

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Nugent-Hopkins Gets Paid

The former first overall pick of the Oilers in the 2011 draft, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins assured his stay in Edmonton will continue after 10 seasons as he has signed an eight-year, $42 million contract to remain with the team. Nugent-Hopkins was set to become a free agent after he had 16 goals and 19 assists in 52 games. The Oilers finished 35-19-2, good for second in the All-Canada division but unfortunately did not make it out of the first round.

“It’s a huge deal to me,” Nugent-Hopkins said via NHL.com. “It’s always been my goal to be able to stay in Edmonton. That’s just what I’ve wanted. I’ve loved my time in Edmonton so far. The team is progressing the way we want it to, and I want to be a part of that, and obviously the biggest reason I want to say is that I want to win in Edmonton. We have lots of connections there. Fans have treated me so well. The organization has been great, so it was the easy decision to want to say and [I’m] just happy to be able to make it work.”