The NBA playoffs on Sunday may not have lived up to expectations, but the NHL’s Game 7s were nothing short of thrilling, with both matches going into overtime to determine which team would advance to the second round.
In the first game, the New York Rangers showed remarkable composure at home to stage a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit and eliminate the Pittsburgh Penguins. Despite the Penguins taking the lead twice, including a spectacular goal from Jake Guentzel, and later a shorthanded goal from Evan Rodrigues, the Rangers fought back and tied the game with less than six minutes remaining in the third period thanks to a goal by Mika Zibanejad.
With the score tied at 3-3, the game went into overtime, and the Rangers capitalized on a power play opportunity when Artemi Panarin scored less than five minutes into the extra period to secure a 4-3 victory.
A similar narrative unfolded in Calgary, where the Flames emerged victorious over the Dallas Stars with a 3-2 overtime win. Despite Dallas leading twice in the game and goaltender Jake Oettinger making an impressive 64 saves, Calgary managed to break through in overtime, with Johnny Gaudreau netting the decisive goal 15 minutes into the extra period, propelling the Flames to a 3-2 win.
Calgary’s victory marked only their second series win in the past 17 years, setting up a matchup with the Oilers in the next round, while the Rangers will face the Hurricanes in their upcoming playoff series.
