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Roberto Luongo a finalist for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

The National Hockey League announced that Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo has been named one of three finalists for the 2017-18 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy awarded to “the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey”.

Luongo joins New Jersey’s Brian Boyle and Carolina’s Jordan Staal as the finalists for this season’s Masterton Trophy. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the conclusion of the regular season and will be announced during the 2018 NHL Awards presented by Hulu at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Wednesday, June 20.

Luongo, 39, posted an 18-11-2 record, along with a .929 save percentage, 2.47 goals against average and three shutouts this season. The 6-foot-3, 217-pound native of Montreal, Quebec, returned to the Panthers lineup from injury on February 17, registering a 12-5-1 record, .930 save percentage, 2.36 goals against average and two shutouts during Florida’s race for a playoff position, resulting in a 96-point campaign for the Cats.

On April 5, 2018 against the Boston Bruins, the five-time NHL All-Star set another historic milestone in his career by becoming only the third-ever goaltender to play 1,000 NHL games, joining Martin Brodeur (1,266) and Patrick Roy (1,029).

Luongo stands third all-time in games played (1,001), fourth in wins (471) and is tied for ninth in shutouts (76). With his 200th win with the Panthers on Nov. 27, 2017, a 3-2 victory against the New Jersey Devils, Luongo became the second goaltender in NHL history, along with Roy, to register 200 wins with two different franchises (Vancouver: 252, 2006-14). He became fourth all-time in wins with his 455th career victory on Nov. 10, 2017 in Buffalo, surpassing Curtis Joseph. Luongo continued to climb the charts by tying Tony Esposito and Ed Belfour for ninth all-time in shutouts with the 76th of his career on March 19, 2018 in a 2-0 win over Montreal.

The Masterton Trophy winner is selected from a poll of the 31 chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season. Jaromir Jagr is the only Panther to have won the Masterton Trophy (2015-16)

A $2,500 grant from the PHWA is awarded annually to the Bill Masterton Scholarship Fund, based in Bloomington, MN, in the name of the winner.

Stanley Cup Playoffs

Mikhail Sergachev, Nikita Kucherov and Ryan Callahan scored the goals and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 26 saves as the Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated the New Jersey Devils with a 3-1, Game Five win at Amalie Arena. Patrick Maroon scored the only goal for the Devils. Cory Schneider stopped 35 of 37 shots he faced. The Lightning await the winner of the Boston – Toronto series.

The visiting Toronto Maple Leafs held off the Boston Bruins for a 4-3 win at TD Garden. James van Riemsdyk’s power-play goal 11:55 into the second period turned out to be the game-winner. The series shifts back to Toronto with the Bruins holding a three games to two lead.

Nicklas Backstrom deflected a Dmitry Orlov shot past Sergei Bobrovsky 11:53 into overtime to give the host Washington Capitals a 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Braden Holtby made 39 saves to lead the Capitals to a third straight victory after they fell behind two to nothing in the series.

Today’s games

Pittsburgh at Philadelphia 3 p.m. NBC (Penguins lead series 3-2)

Nashville at Colorado 7 p.m. NBCSN (Predators lead series 3-2)