The journey to the Stanley Cup Final has begun. And nothing sets the tone for a playoff series like Game 1.

Our B/R NHL Staff will have reactions to every playoff team's Game 1 performance, breaking down the best and most controversial moments.

Do you have your own thoughts on the postseason? Feel free to fire off your hot takes in the comments section of the B/R app.

Oilers Come Out of the Gate on Fire

This, Oilers fans, is what "Cup or bust" looks like.

Edmonton's defense was capable, and its goaltending was stable, but it was the sheer puck skill of the forward group, playing at an untenable (for the Los Angeles Kings) speed that made this version of Connor McDavid and Co. look like a legitimate threat.

For one game anyway. And to the psyche of a franchise and a fan base that hasn't tasted genuine success—read: a deep Cup run—in nearly 20 years, it was exactly what was needed. The 7-4 win for the Oilers was their first series-opening win in any round since 2017, having dropped seven straight Game 1s since while being forced to rally to win three of those series.

Spoiler alert, they've not won a series in which they've taken the first game since that deep run, beating Anaheim in the 2006 conference finals.

The top line of McDavid, Zach Hyman and Adam Henrique combined for a ridiculous 11 points, with No. 97 dishing out five assists, Hyman scoring three times and helping once and Henrique, who arrived at the trade deadline, providing one of each. Edmonton's other MVP/scoring champion, Leon Draisaitl, had a goal and an assist, too, and its vaunted power play was a true difference maker while accounting for three goals in four opportunities, including two in the opening half of the third period after the Kings had halved a 4-0 deficit.

The last two get-togethers with the Kings have included a combined 13 games, but if the Oilers play like this it won't be a long series.

-- Lyle Fitzsimmons

Kings Have More Questions Than Answers

t's hard to imagine a more difficult Game 1 from a Kings' perspective.

Los Angeles was down two goals in the first 10 minutes and later saw deficits of four and five on the way to an as-one-sided-at-it-looks 7-4 loss to the Oilers to open their third consecutive Pacific Division first-round duel.

The Kings were beaten in six and seven games in the other recent get-togethers, having won the opener both times and were often successful in slowing down Edmonton's fleet, skilled forward group with a 1-3-1 scheme that limited rushes and forced dump-ins.

But it wasn't a thing on Monday night as the hosts played at hyper-speed from the outset, established a 4-0 lead before Los Angeles displayed a pulse and unleashed a torrent of video-game moves on beleaguered goalie Cam Talbot.

It's hard to imagine coach Jim Hiller not considering, strongly, a move to David Rittich to start Game 2, given Talbot's struggles and Rittich's 13-6-3 record, 2.15 goals-against average and .921 save percentage across 24 appearances.

Still, there were moments. The Kings trimmed a 4-0 deficit to 4-2 with second-period goals from Adrian Kempe and Mikey Anderson and had a Rogers Place crowd drawing in its breath after a goal from Trevor Lewis during that stretch was disallowed after it hit the center's glove and went in. If they'd have gotten within one, who knows?

"There were dirty goals. That's how we're going to score," Kempe said. "We had some looks early in the game, and in the second and third period we had some high-danger chances that didn't go in, but those ugly goals went in, and that's something we have to keep doing. Keep throwing pucks on net and have bodies around there."

-- Lyle Fitzsimmons

Golden Knights Seize Home-Ice Advantage

There was only one NHL to win a Game 1 on the road during the first round of the 2024 NHL Playoffs.

For the haters out there, I'm sorry to say it was the Vegas Golden Knights.

Say what you want about the Golden Knights' various long-term injured reserve shenanigans. When it's playoff time, the defending Stanley Cup champions boast a strong, battle-tested roster led by captain Mark Stone.

The captain made an immediate impact after being on LTIR due to a lacerated spleen with a power-play goal just 1:23 into the first period.

Tallies from Jonathan Marchessault, Tomáš Hertl and Brayden McNabb proved to be enough for Vegas to hold on a win as Logan Thompson held down the fort in net with 27 saves.

Vegas was outshot 30-15 during the game, but at the end of the day, it's the pucks that go into the net that matter.

- Lucky Ngamwajasat

Stars Fall Behind Early and Can't Recover

Another game for the Dallas Stars against the Vegas Golden Knights this season and another loss.

What's frustrating about Game 1 for Dallas is that the Western Conference's best team during the regular season actually controlled play for most of the game and edged Vegas on expected goals according to moneypuck.com.

But the game is played on ice, not on a stats sheet, especially in the postseason. Falling behind 2-0 early to an experienced Golden Knights team is a recipe for failure. The Stars have yet to record a win against the defending champions this season and will no doubt be disappointed that they couldn't finish the comeback in Game 1.

- Lucky Ngamwajasat

Canucks Ride Home Momentum to Huge Win

It didn't look great for the Canucks through 40 minutes. They couldn't get through the neutral zone in the first period and handed the Predators three different power plays in the second period, allowing the go-ahead goal on one of them.

To be fair, they didn't exactly give the Predators much at even strength, but the biggest concern was the invisibility of their top players. Through two periods their leader in shots on goal was Pius Suter. Shutdown defensemen Tyler Myers and Nikita Zadorov had two shots on goal each. Meanwhile, Elias Peterson, Elias Lindholm, Conor Garland, J.T. Miller, and Brock Bowser combined for three total shots on goal in that span.

Two consecutive shifts in the third period changed it. Quinn Hughes found Pius Suter for a deflection after a sustained possession in the offensive zone. Lindholm immediately got on the forecheck the next shift, created a turnover behind the net, and found Dakota Joshua in the low slot for the eventual game-winner, with Joshua helping to kill the final minutes and seal the game with an empty netter.

For years, the Canucks paid premium prices for depth players they considered to be playoff material. It didn't work. How fitting that the difference makers in Game 1 were Pius Suter and Dakota Joshua; two unheralded players signed frugally as free agents. Great teams build depth not by winning bidding wars but with good scouting and the right head coach who can optimize their abilities.

- Adam Herman

Preds Will Make It a Competitive Series

It's a tough loss for the Predators in that they led the game for 51 minutes and then gave it away in about 20 seconds. Juuse Saros will want the first goal back. The team's top players will wish they found one more goal on the following power plays after Ryan O'Reilly's tally.

Overall, head coach Andrew Brunette is probably fine with his team's performance. They played the Canucks fairly even for a lot of the game. They held the Canucks, despite all their weapons, to just 21 shots on net. The penalty kill did a great job. It was a coin toss game that didn't go their way. The Predators don't have the talent to match the Canucks in a track meet and so a war of attrition plays into their identity; they're betting they can play more structured hockey than Vancouver and it almost worked tonight.

The underdog Preds aren't going to lose their heads over one close loss on Vancouver ice. Hockey fans in Nashville will lament what could have been but, if Game 1 is any indication, they're in this series.

Wild Night in Winnipeg Ends with Jets Taking Game 1

This series could easily be worthy of a Conference or Stanley Cup Final. And boy, did both teams delivered than we could've even asked for with a 7-6 Winnipeg win in front of the Peg's white-out crowd.

The worst -- or best? -- parts of the playoffs are the rogue accomplishments that don't matter when all that matters is the scoreboard at the end of the game. Like, what if I told you the Avalanche got six goals past Vezina favorite Connor Hellebuyck? If that's the regular season, they're proud of that even if they ended up losing the game.

But this is the playoffs, and we don't have the time to pat Colorado on the back. We're instead left wondering how the heck Alexander Georgiev allowed seven, and if he's the correct starter for Game 2.

The Jets have had the Avalanche's number all season with a sweep on the series. They've been the perfect defensive match to Colorado's offensive firepower in a way no other team has quite mastered.

I know Kyle Connor and Adam Lowry both scored twice to seal this win, but something about Mark Scheifele's goal shifted the vibes in series already. The man has been seeking a definitive playoff moment with the Jets, with a postseason history marred by suspensions and injury. His goal, and his reaction to his goal, felt like watching a defining moment in real time.

Now, it's only Game 1, and it was a one-goal win at home. There are miles to go when it comes to this series. But if I were you, I'd keep tuning in.

- Sara Civian

Georgiev Implodes as Avs Lose Goalfest in Winnipeg

We got all caught up talking about Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Devon Toews and Mikko Rantanen when it came to Colorado that maybe we didn't think long enough about how goalie Alexandar Georgiev wasn't quite as good as he was last season.

The thing is, maybe we should've seen this coming:

Whoops.

Georgiev was a major problem in Game 1. He provided little-to-no help for Colorado who had to score six to get it to within one of Winnipeg before losing.

If there's a bright side it's that the Avs put six past Vezina favorite Connor Hellebuyck. But if they have to do that every game to have a chance, they have no shot to take this series. There are a lot of questions to answer after how Game 1 went down. If we know anything about MacKinnon's intensity, the Avalanche will be ready to avenge matters in Game 2.

- Joe Yerdon

Job Done for Rangers in Convincing Win

Nothing is guaranteed, but the Rangers shouldn't have major issues on home ice against this Caps team. A 4-1 win is a satisfying way to get the job done.

The big source of optimism is that the Rangers' perceived weaknesses did not look like weaknesses. The bottom six, which has plagued the team all season, looked great. The third line dominated possession and, with the trio of Will Cuylle-Alex Wennberg-Kaapo Kakko on the ice, the Rangers out-attempted Washington 11-2. The fourth line scored two goals, with the first goal, in particular, being the result of a full 200-foot effort and a great cycle behind the net. K

Defenseman K'Andre Miller looks better alongside Braden Schneider and the sheltered Jacob Trouba-Erik Gustafsson pairing didn't bleed chances. Most importantly, the Rangers did not give up any rush offense.

It's only a matter of time before the power play gets going. The Rangers got two goals from Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider but their top players didn't need to dominate this game to comfortably win. We know that the Vincent Trocheck line, Adam Fox, and the power play can single-handedly win games. We know the Rangers can come back from behind. But can they get meaningful contributions from their depth, limit chances against, and protect the neutral zone with a lead? They succeeded with all of that in Game 1 against Washington. That's a hopeful bellwether for the rest of the series and a potential second-round matchup against Carolina.

- Adam Herman

Caps Need Much More to Stay in Series

If the Capitals are going to have even a fighting chance in this series they will need a few things to go their way.

First, goaltender Charlie Lindgren will have to stand on his head. He was okay at best, stopping 27 of 31 shots. While he can’t be directly blamed for any individual goal against, he could have made saves on those by Artemi Panarin and Jimmy Vesey.
Second, the Capitals need some magic from the power play and particularly Alexander Ovechkin. The power play went 0-4. Ovechkin is a player who can score from anywhere and that’s a massive boon for a team that doesn’t generate many great looks. Any type of look will do. The Rangers took Ovi out of the game, shadowing him on the PP and keeping him out of the offensive zone at even strength. Ovechkin attempted just three shots and all missed the net.

Third, the Caps need to grind the game down to a halt. The 2024 Capitals don’t have the talent to keep up in a track meet with other top teams. They did a good job in the first period, combining for 11 shots on goal. It got away from them in the next two periods.
The Capitals have a narrow path to victory in a best-of-seven series against the Presidents’ Trophy Winners. They got none of the necessary conditions in Game 1. It leaves a sliver of optimism because the Caps may have a chance if Lindgren and Ovechkin get going and their neutral zone defending improves. More likely, it foreshadows a swift playoff exit.
- Adam Herman

Panthers Do Just Enough to Take Game 1

The most important thing for the Florida Panthers in this series against the Tampa Bay Lightning is to stay out of the box and in Game 1 they did that reasonably well.

Sure, the Bolts did score on the power play but it was after it was 3-1 and with 10 seconds left in the game. If that's how it'll go for Florida, they'll take it.

But their Game 1 effort saw everything that's made the Panthers so tough this year. Sam Reinhart being a menace around the net, Aleksander Barkov being a monster all over the ice and physical presence that makes it hard to do anything. There's also Sergei Bobtovsky in goal.

This wasn't a dominant effort. Tampa Bay still looked dangerous with Nikita Kucherov being a threat every time he had or was near the puck and Steven Stamkos still being so brilliant in the offensive zone. What should be more concerning for the Panthers is how good Andrei Vasilevskiy was, particularly early on.

Still, Florida gets the win but holding it down on home ice could be the thing that ultimately decides the series.

- Joe Yerdon

Bolts Get Shut Down in First Battle of Florida

The latest installment of "The Battle of Florida" saw the Tampa Bay Lightning drop a 3-2 decision to the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of their opening-round series.

It was all Panthers for the first 16 minutes of the first period, with Sam Reinhart's tip-in opening the scoring at 6:17. The Lightning struggled to get going and would've fallen further behind on the score sheet if not for Andrei Vasilevskiy's solid goaltending.

The Lightning were outshot 9-0 before Brandon Hagel tied the score with less than four minutes remaining in the first. That sparked the Bolts as they generated five more shots before the end of the period.

That effort carried over for the Lightning into the second period as both clubs settled into a tight-checking mode. However, a holding penalty by Bolts forward Nick Paul late in the frame resulted in Carter Verhaeghe restoring the Panthers lead with a power-play goal early in the third.

Tampa Bay pressed for the equalizer but was stymied by Florida's aggressive forecheck. Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made a pair of big saves on Lightning forwards Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper pulled Vasilevskiy with 3:08 left in the third. However, an empty netter by Matthew Tkachuk put the Panthers up 3-1.

The Lightning got a sliver of hope when Verhaeghe took a cross-checking penalty with 1:11 left. Cooper pulled Vasilevskiy again for a six-on-four power-play. Stamkos got them within one with 9.3 seconds left but the Bolts ran out of time.

- Lyle Richardson

Kuznetsov and Andersen Come Up Clutch for Canes

The Hurricanes had been haunted by Evgeny Kuznetsov's eagle celebrations of playoffs past when he was a sniper for the division rivals Washington Capitals

That script flipped Saturday night as that eagle landed in Raleigh minutes into Game 1, but the pesky Islanders answered right back.

This was one of the most boring Game 1s you'll see this playoffs, and that is exactly what the Islanders needed. It still wasn't enough in this lopsided matchup.

In what was a general snoozefest, three things stood out.

1. Kuznetsov has the potential to be a real feel-good story by the end of this playoff run.

2. The Islanders did everything right, suppressed the Hurricanes' shots, and yet still lost. It's looking bleak for the rest of the series.

3. Freddie Andersen came back from that first questionable goal allowed with complete confidence and some gusty saves. I wonder what his story will be at the end of this run.

- Sara Civian

Isles Contain Carolina, but Lack Scoring Touch to Take Advantage

The New York Islanders did a good job of containing the Carolina Hurricanes' offense through most of Game 1 of their opening-round series. However, it wasn't enough as the Hurricanes prevailed, 3-1.

A power-play goal by the Hurricanes' Evgeny Kuznetsov put the Islanders on their heels early in the first period. However, they battled back to tie it when Kyle MacLean capitalized on a goalmouth scramble.

The second period was all Islanders. Their solid defensive play stymied the Hurricanes while outshooting them 13-6. Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen made a couple of big saves in the period, but the Isles had difficulty getting more high-danger scoring chances.

The Hurricanes regained the lead on a Stefen Noesen deflection in the third period. Martin Necas put it away with an empty netter late in the period.

The Islanders showed they can neutralize the Hurricanes offense for long stretches but need their best scorers to step up. Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, and Brock Nelson were held scoreless while Anders Lee collected an assist on the MacLean goal.

This looked like a repeat of last year's close-checking opening-round series between these two clubs with four of the six games decided by one goal. The Hurricanes prevailed in that series and could do so again if the Isles fail to generate more offense in this matchup.

- Lyle Richardson

Bruins' Depth Comes Through in a Big Way

One thing about the Bruins and the Leafs? You absolutely have to win at home.

Leave it to the likely Bruins heroes ... Johnny Beecher, Jesper Boqvist, and Pat Maroon to strike first and early to ensure that end.

Then it was another likely Bruin -- stay-at-home defenseman Brandan Carlo -- to make it 2-0.

As sarcastic as we're being, actual Leafs menace Jake DeBrusk tucked away two to confirm the 4-1 win.

The Bruins are in good shape if it's a sign of things to come. Boston will need all hands on deck if they're to have a deep run this time, and like many former Presidents' Trophy winners before them, they learned that the hard way. The Bruins had been humbled after their historic 2022-23 regular season ended in a 2023-24 first-round exit and the loss of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Perhaps that humility combined with the best goalie tandem in the league was what they needed all along.

But perhaps, despite the lore between the Leafs and the Bruins, this series is as always a mismatch. Possibly the regular-season dominance of the Bruins against the Leafs made this result obvious.

1. The Leafs always needed a better goaltender if they were going to win this series. Nothing magical happened and they still need better goaltending.

2. Jeremy Swayman bet on himself during arbitration in the offseason. He was right to do so. He's officially the No. 1 Bruins goaltender.

3. William Nylander deserves some more respect. The Leafs sorely missed the Swede on Saturday night after and it's terrible luck that he's out due to an undisclosed injury, especially after playing all 82 regular-season games.

- Sara Civian

Nightmare Series Start for Leafs Has Them Searching for Playoff Answers Again

It's starting to feel like watching the Toronto Maple Leafs in the playoffs feels like watching the plot of the movie "Groundhog Day" unfold in front of our eyes.

Toronto tried to outmuscle, out-physical and make life miserable for the Bruins by getting in their face and trying questionable tactics to gain an edge in Game 1. But one does not simply walk into Boston and beat the Bruins at their own game. All that managed to do was give the Bruins power plays which they scored to roll to a sound 5-1 win.

The Leafs' strengths lie with their skill players, and yes, they were without William Nylander in Game 1, but it's not as if Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Morgan Rielly and John Tavares weren't there. Yes, Toronto had more than a few chances to turn the game on its head (Matthews shooting at a vacated Jeremy Swayman net in the second period comes to mind as well as an extended 4-on-3 power play they didn't score on), but the Leafs wanted to be more annoying and physical than they wanted to be good and if they keep trying that tactic, this series is going to be extremely quickly.

- Joe Yerdon