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Irish Trio Set For Stanley Cup Playoffs

SOUTH BEND, Ind.  – The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs open on Monday, May 2 with a trio of former Notre Dame players currently on playoff rosters including Ian Cole (Carolina), Cal Petersen (Los Angeles) and Bryan Rust (Pittsburgh).

Cole and the Carolina Hurricanes finished first in the Metropolitan Division (54-20-8/116 pts.) and will play the Boston Bruins in the first round. Cole skated in 75 games on the Carolina blue line, scoring a pair of goals and adding 17 assists for 19 points in his first season with the Hurricanes. Cole won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017.

Carolina vs. Boston

Game 1: May 2, 7 p.m. ET – Bruins at Hurricanes (ESPN, SN360, TVA Sports)

Game 2: May 4, 7 p.m. ET – Bruins at Hurricanes (ESPN, SN360, TVA Sports)

Game 3: May 6, 7 p.m. ET – Hurricanes at Bruins (TNT, SN360, TVA Sports)

Game 4: May 8, 12:30 p.m. ET – Hurricanes at Bruins (ESPN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports)

*Game 5: May 10, TBD – Bruins at Hurricanes (TBD)

*Game 6: May 12, TBD – Hurricanes at Bruins (TBD)

*Game 7: May 14, TBD – Bruins at Hurricanes (TBD)

Petersen and the Los Angeles Kings finished third in the Pacific Division (44-27-11/99 points) and will play the second-place Edmonton Oilers. Petersen played a career-high 37 games in 2021-22, posting a 20-14-0-2 mark in 35 starts. He added three shutouts on the season while splitting time in the Kings’ net with Jonathan Quick. 

Edmonton vs. Los Angeles

Game 1: May 2, 10 p.m. ET – Kings at Oilers (Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2)

Game 2: May 4, 10 p.m. ET – Kings at Oilers (Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2)

Game 3: May 6, 10 p.m. ET – Oilers at Kings (TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)

Game 4: May 8, 10 p.m. ET – Oilers at Kings (TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)

*Game 5: May 10, TBD – Kings at Oilers (TBD)

*Game 6: May 12, TBD – Oilers at Kings (TBD)

*Game 7: May 14, TBD – Kings at Oilers (TBD)

Rust and the Pittsburgh Penguins finished third in the Metropolitan Division (46-25-11/103 pts.) and will face the second-place New York Rangers. Rust, a two-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017, had a career-high 58 points in 2021-22 on 24 goals and 34 assists in 60 games played.  

New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh

Game 1: May 3, 7 p.m. ET – Penguins at Rangers (ESPN, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)

Game 2: May 5, 7 p.m. ET – Penguins at Rangers (TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)

Game 3: May 7, 7 p.m. ET – Rangers at Penguins (TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)

Game 4: May 9, 7 p.m. ET – Rangers at Penguins (ESPN, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports)

*Game 5: May 11, TBD – Penguins at Rangers (TBD)

*Game 6: May 13, TBD – Rangers at Penguins (TBD)

*Game 7: May 15, TBD – Penguins at Rangers (TBD)

In addition to Cole, Petersen and Rust, several other Notre Dame alums could be in line for playoff call-ups depending on AHL playoff results and additional roster needs as the NHL playoffs progress. 

#IrishInTheNHL

  • Fourteen former Fighting Irish players have played in the NHL this season: Anders Bjork (Buffalo Sabres), Ian Cole (Carolina Hurricanes), Jake Evans (Montreal Canadiens), Steven Fogarty (Boston Bruins),  Jordan Gross (Colorado Avalanche) Vinnie Hinostroza (Buffalo Sabres), Anders Lee (New York Islanders), Kyle Palmieri (New York Islanders), Andrew Peeke (Columbus), Cal Petersen (Los Angeles Kings), Bryan Rust (Pittsburgh Penguins), Riley Sheahan (Seattle Kraken), Alex Steeves (Toronto Maple Leafs) and TJ Tynan (Los Angeles Kings).
  • Steeves made his NHL debut for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 7 against Columbus (and former Notre Dame teammate Andrew Peeke) in a 5-4 Toronto win.
  • Steeves became the 25th former Irish player under head coach Jeff Jackson to reach the NHL and the Notre Dame program’s 39th NHL player overall. 
  • Prior to Steeves, the most recent Notre Dame players to make their NHL debuts were Jordan Gross, Peeke, Jake Evans and Thomas DiPauli during the 2019-20 season. 

– ND –