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There was great news in the NHL on Sunday as the league and the Canadian government agreed to allow cross-border travel into Canada.
The American team will be under a modified quarantine, not the 14-days that had been required for United States visitors to Canada, as well as enhanced protocols. Teams will be required to travel into the Canadian city, be it Montreal or Winnipeg, on a private plane, and have daily COVID-19 testing.
Finally, American teams will be allowed to cross the border and we can only hope it continues with baseball and MLS soccer.
Don’t forget, for everything NHL, check out NBCSportsEdge Player News, and follow @NBCSEdge HK and @mfinewaxhockey on Twitter.
MONTREAL 5 WINNIPEG 1 (Montreal leads the best-of-seven series 3-0)
Who would have thought it? Everyone, and I mean everyone, thought that the Jets would romp in this series as they easily beat Edmonton in the opening round in four straight, while the Canadiens were all-out to defeat Toronto in seven games.
But it has been all Montreal in this series as they took a stranglehold on the series, going up three games to none as they dominated the Winnipeg Jets in front of 2,500 fans, by the score of 5-1.
Montreal got off to a 1-0 lead on a nice goal by Corey Perry, his third of the playoffs as went right around the net and came out to the front and put it past Connor Hellebuyck.
The Canadiens scored twice in the second to make it 3-0 as Artturi Lehkonen scored his first of the post-season and Joel Armia potted an unassisted shorthanded goal, his first of two on the night.
Winnipeg cut the lead to 3-1 late in the second as Adam Lowry scored with Mathieu Perreault and Mason Appleton drawing the assists.
Nick Suzuki restored the three-goal lead in the third period with a power play goal and Armia with his second, also shorthanded, scored into the empty net to make the final 5-1.
I’ve really been impressed by the play of Cole Caufield. He has yet to score but picked up his third assist of the playoffs on Suzuki’s power play goal. Caufield generates plenty of chances and will be a star in the NHL.
Caufield had six shots on goal, one less than Lehkonen.
Josh Anderson had six hits.
Carey Price stopped 26 shots in picking up his seventh win against three losses. He had a shutout streak of 99:33 that ended with the Lowry goal. Price has sensational peripherals as he has a 1.97 GAA and a .938 save percentage.
Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves in taking his third straight loss. He has a 4-3 record with a 2.14 GAA and a .931 save percentage.
Jeff Petry suffered a finger injury and while he continued to play in the second period, he did not return for the third.
Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor were each a minus-four.
Paul Stastny had a pair of minors in his return to action after missing Game 2.
Game 4 is Monday night back in Montreal where the Canadiens will have an opportunity to clinch the series.
VEGAS 5 COLORADO 1 (The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2)
Jonathan Marchessault had the hat trick as the Vegas Golden Knights evened their best-of-seven series at two games apiece with a 5-1 win over Colorado.
Both teams have won each of their home games with Game 5 in Denver on Tuesday.
The Golden Knights were much the better team Sunday as they outshot Colorado 35-18, thoroughly outplaying Colorado all night.
The Avalanche got off to a quick 1-0 lead when Brandon Saad opened the scoring at the 1:50 mark of the first period. It was his sixth goal in the playoffs but it was all downhill after that for Colorado.
Marchessault tied the game at 7:07 of the first with his third of the playoffs and the first period ended tied at one.
Max Pacioretty scored the winner at the 1:11 mark of the second with his third goal in five games as he missed the first six games of the playoffs with an undisclosed injury.
Marchessault scored on the power play to complete the scoring in the second period and completed his hat trick in the third with his fifth of the playoffs.
William Karlsson assisted on all three of Marchessault’s goals.
Patrick Brown scored at the 13:13 mark with assists going to Ryan Reaves and William Carrier as the fourth line chipped in with a goal.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 17 saves for his sixth win of the playoffs, Fleury has a 1.79 GAA with a .924 save percentage.
Philipp Grubauer turned aside 30-of-35 shots in taking the loss, his second straight after winning his first six games. Grubauer saw his GAA rise from 1.86 to 2.24 while he has a .929 save percentage.
Marchessault had seven shots on goal.
Kiefer Sherwood had eight hits with Reaves picking up seven.
Samuel Girard was a minus-three.
Alex Pietrangelo had an assist, five blocked shots and three hits with playing a game leading 25:42.
NIGHTLY LEADERS
Goals
Jonathan Marchessault – 3
Joel Armia – 2
Assists
William Karlsson – 3
Shots on Goal
Artturi Lehkonen – 7
Jonathan Marchessault – 7
Cole Caufield – 6
Hits
Kiefer Sherwood – 8
Ryan Reaves – 7
Josh Anderson – 6
Penalty Minutes
Paul Stastny – 4
