NHL playoff scores 2017: Corey Perry rises to lead Ducks’ incredible Game 5 comeback win

“Where is Corey Perry?”

A common refrain throughout the 2016-17 NHL season. The dynamic Anaheim Ducks winger won the Hart Trophy in 2010-11 when he scored 50 goals, joining the hockey landscape of elite wingers.

But this past season was a struggle. Perry went long stretches without scoring or even factoring on the scoresheet, leading coach Randy Carlyle to limit his minutes quite often. He ended the year with 19 goals and 53 points; his 0.65 points per game and 0.23 goals per game paces were his lowest rates in a decade.

Perry was a ghost.

And he materialized on Friday night in epic fashion. Anaheim trailed the Edmonton Oilers by three goals at home in Game 5. With three minutes left in regulation, Carlyle pulled his goalie. Ryan Getzlaf scored. Perry assisted on a Cam Fowler goal. Perry assisted on Rickard Rakell’s thrilling game-tying goal.

And two overtimes later, Perry ended things.

The ghost is back, and the Oilers will be haunted by how he enabled their collapse.

Blues 2, Predators 1 (NSH leads series, 3-2)

Ducks 4, Oilers 3 (2OT) (ANA leads series, 3-2)

When Alexander Steen, the Blues’ veteran two-way winger and a key part of their gameplan, couldn’t go for Game 5, young Dmitrij Jaskin drew into the lineup instead. I suppose he isn’t that young; at 24, Jaskin has been around the Blues’ roster for awhile now but hasn’t stuck around like some of his other forward peers.

Doesn’t mean he can’t make his mark, though. It was Jaskin’s goal in the second period of a taut Game 5 that tilted the balance in favor of St. Louis.

It was a good thing the Ducks came home for Game 5, honestly. For them, at least. Ten of 18 second round games have been won by the home team now; the Ducks’ win on Friday was the first home team win of that series.

James Neal had three chances on a 5-on-3 to put the puck in the net. Subban finally dished an apple to him on the third ...

... but sat in the penalty box as the Blues scored the game-winner in the opening minute of the third period.

Down three with three minutes left, the Ducks pulled their goalie. And tied the game.