Watch live: Canes, Capitals battle in Game 7

When Joel Kiviranta capped a hat trick by scoring the series-clinching goal in overtime in his playoff debut in the second round, the young Finn had one real desire. ”I hope I get more games,” Kiviranta said. Kiviranta hasn’t come out of the Dallas Stars lineup since, and he’s emblematic of the impact a player can have in the fight for the Stanley Cup after playing but not practicing for weeks on end.

The three-time Stanley Cup champion has eight goals and 19 assists in his past 15 games, inserting himself into the conversation for a second Hart Trophy for NHL MVP