Game one of Western Conference Final between the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers lived up to our expectations, and more.

We all expected goals, and boy we got goals. They scored five goals in the first period, six goals in the second period, and three in the third period. Fourteen goals in total! And three times each team traded goals within one minute of each other — including two goals in the final 30 seconds of the first period. All the stars came out as well. For Edmonton, Kane, Hyman and McDavid scored. And MacKinnon, Makar, Kadri and Rantanen scored for the Avs.

Mike Smith was pulled after allowing the first six goals, and Darcy Kuemper was pulled due to an injury after letting in three. That’s right, through barely more than one period the series already saw four goalies. I don’t know what the record is for most goalies used in one playoff series but this series may break it by the end of the second game.

We also had some controversy on the Avs’ third goal. Makar carried the puck into the zone as Nichushkin was just trying to get onside. On the review, it looked very clear that Makar had the puck in the offensive zone way before Nichushkin was onside. It looked pretty cut and dry... except the review kept going, and going, and then the refs came back and called it a good goal. Most people lost their minds, but then we got clarification.

The ruling was that Makar propelled the puck into the Oilers’ end but did not actually touch the puck with his stick when it was past the blueline until AFTER Nichushkin was onside again.

This caused all kinds of amateur lawyer debate about the rule and if it was called correctly, lots of splitting hairs occurred. For what it’s worth, it does appear as if the NHL called this consistently with how they have in the recent past.

Here’s the intermission panel on the goal.

As someone with no emotional investment in the outcome of the series, I want it to be as chaotic as this for a full seven games. And then the Avs advance to face the Lightning in the Finals like we all want.

Which is why you KNOW it’ll wind up being the Oilers vs Rangers, somehow.

Rasmus Sandin and the Leafs — a crossroads or just a bump in the road? | by Katya

Maple Leafs goaltending pipeline is not as grim as it might seem | by TLN

Jason Spezza on his retirement: “It will never feel the same as being a player, but I am going to try to win a Stanley Cup as an executive and as part of the [Maple Leafs] organization now” | by MLHS

Should the Maple Leafs commit to Jack Campbell? Or pursue alternative goalies? | by The Athletic

Even though this was already reported, I think the first time before the end of the Leafs’ season, expect to see it come up once a week or so until the off-season moves really start.

I still can’t believe that Binnington just... came out and admitted he threw the bottle at Kadri.

Some great news out of New Jersey.

In other front office news, the Canucks made some new changes as well:

Canucks add Samuelsson, Komisarek to player development, shift Sedins’ role | by TSN

In other Canadian NHL team news, well less news than off-season filler...

Flames off-season checklist: Clock is ticking to figure out Johnny Gaudreau’s contract | by Sportsnet

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