Vladimir Tarasenko fired home the first playoff penalty shot goal in St. Louis Blues history, and with that marker he joins exclusive company as a franchise's first post-season penalty shot scorer. Who else is on that list? Here's a rundown for all 31 franchises.

You had a feeling about it the moment the official signalled to center ice and awarded Vladimir Tarasenko a penalty shot.

Throughout Game 5 of the Western Conference final, the Blues had looked dangerous, and early in the second frame the ice was starting to tilt heavily in St. Louis’ favor. So, when Tarasenko was hauled down by San Jose defenseman Brent Burns and the Blues sniper was given the chance to put the contest – which St. Louis was already leading 2-0 – further out of the Sharks’ reach, it felt as though his scoring was a near certainty. Of course, Tarasenko made no mistake, sharpshooting as sharpshooters do and ripping a wicked wrister past San Jose netminder Martin Jones.

As far as Game 5 was concerned, Tarasenko’s goal was a big one, a backbreaker that buried a bruised Sharks team and ended up as the insurance goal to the insurance goal in an eventual 5-0 victory over San Jose, a victory that gave St. Louis a 3-2 series lead. But what Tarasenko’s goal signified on a historical scale was a tally that was the first of its type: never before had a Blues played scored on a penalty shot in the post-season. Granted, Jimmy Roberts’ attempt during the second round of the 1968 playoffs was the only other playoff penalty shot opportunity in franchise history, but Tarasenko’s marker was a history-maker.

That leaves one to wonder, though: who are the others who have scored the first playoff penalty shots for each franchise? Here’s a look at the first such scorers for each team:

Anaheim Ducks: Twice in franchise history the Ducks have earned penalty shots in the post-season, twice it’s been a triggerman of high caliber for Anaheim – Corey Perry the first time, Ryan Getzlaf the second – and twice the shooter has failed to succeed. That means the Ducks’ next post-season penalty shot goal will be their first.

Arizona Coyotes: Some star scorers have come through the Coyotes/Original Jets organization, including Teemu Selanne and Dale Hawerchuk. But it was Mike Johnson who scored the lone playoff penalty shot goal for the franchise. It was the only goal in what was a season-ending defeat for the Coyotes at the hands of the Sharks in 2002.

Boston Bruins: The Bruins have had 73 penalty shots in franchise history, but only one of those came in the post-season. Peter McNab had the opportunity against the Minnesota North Stars in the first round of the 1981 post-season. He failed to score, the Bruins lost and were swept out of the playoffs the next game.

Buffalo Sabres: Talk about the game of a lifetime for John Tucker. In Game 3 of the opening round against the Bruins in 1982, Tucker opened the scoring, notched two power play tallies and added another with his penalty shot. His four-goal game made the difference in a 6-2 win, but Buffalo lost the series in six.

Calgary Flames: Al MacInnis was known for his bombs from the blueline, but he was also the first – and remains the only – Flame to score a penalty shot goal in the post-season. He blasted home the tally in Game 1 of the opening round against the Kings in 1990.

Carolina Hurricanes: Neither the Whalers or the Hurricanes have had a penalty shot in the post-season, let alone a playoff penalty shot tally.

Chicago Blackhawks: The Blackhawks had not one, not two, not three, not four, but five attempts at scoring a playoff penalty shot goal before getting their first. In 2011, Michael Frolik came through on the attempt to give Chicago its first goal of this type in an all-important Game 6 victory in the opening round against Vancouver. Oddly enough, Frolik scored the Blackhawks second playoff penalty shot goal little more than two years later.

Colorado Avalanche: Joe Sakic. Who else? In Game 1 of the 2001 conference final against the Blues, Sakic scored the game-winning goal on a penalty shot. Of all people, Ryan Smyth had the Avalanche’s second post-season penalty shot attempt, but he came up empty-handed in the 2008 opportunity.

Columbus Blue Jackets: It wasn’t until this season that the Blue Jackets got their first attempt in the post-season, but Boone Jenner wasn’t able to finish the chance. Who can blame him, though? The Bruins’ Tuukka Rask has been near impossible to beat in the 2019 playoffs, so it’s no surprise the door was slammed shut.

Dallas Stars: There’s a certain element of chance to this, but the Stars franchise has been fairly lethal on playoff penalty shots, converting three of four in their history. The first was Wayne Connolly’s in the first round against the Kings during the first year of the post-expansion NHL.

Detroit Red Wings: A laundry list of Hall of Fame talent has rolled through the Red Wings organization, so any guesses who scored the first playoff penalty shot goal in franchise history? Gordie Howe? Ted Lindsay? Steve Yzerman? Sergei Fedorov? Pavel Datsyuk? None of the above. It was Petr Klima in Game 3 of the opening round tilt with the Maple Leafs in 1988. The other Red Wing to score on a penalty shot in the playoffs? Dan Cleary, obviously.

Edmonton Oilers: Fittingly, it was ‘The Great One’ who earned and then delivered on the first post-season penalty shot in franchise history. To add a bit extra to Gretzky’s goal, it was a shorthanded penalty shot attempt in Game 3 of an eventual sweep of the conference final.

Florida Panthers: It would make sense if Florida didn’t have a single attempt in franchise history given the few trips to the post-season, but Aleksander Barkov went one-on-one with the Islanders’ Thomas Greiss during the opening round of the 2016 playoffs. Unfortunately, the Panthers are still waiting on playoff penalty shot goal No. 1.

Los Angeles Kings: Coincidentally, Los Angeles has had two playoff penalty shot attempts and both have come against the Canucks. The results were different, however. Steve Duchesne scored against Vancouver during the first round in 1991, whereas Dustin Brown came up empty in Round 1 during the 2012 playoffs.

Minnesota Wild: The Wild join the Hurricanes as clubs without a single playoff penalty shot in franchise history.

Montreal Canadiens: One would expect a franchise as storied as the Canadiens to have scored at least one penalty shot tally in the playoffs, right? Wrong. There have been four attempts, beginning with Charlie Sands’ shot against Detroit in Round 1 of the 1942 playoffs, but Montreal doesn’t have a playoff penalty shot goal in franchise history.

Nashville Predators: The Predators have twice earned penalty shots in the post-season, and Martin Erat came through on Nashville’s second attempt in 2010. The tally capped a 4-1 victory over the Blackhawks in the first round, but Chicago won the series in six games.

New Jersey Devils: John Madden made his career as a responsible two-way pivot and was often utilized in a shutdown role, which makes it odd that he has the only playoff penalty shot attempt in Devils history. He didn’t cash in, however, so New Jersey remains without a post-season penalty shot marker.

New York Islanders: Given the 1980s Oilers had at least one penalty shot goal in the playoffs, one might assume the dynastic Islanders of the same era had one, too. Not the case. Denis Potvin had an attempt in 1983 against the Capitals, but he failed to score. Randy Wood’s attempt in 1990 against the Rangers was unsuccessful, as well. Shawn Bates made up for both misses, though, with his 2002 penalty shot tally against the Maple Leafs.

New York Rangers: The Rangers had their first chance at playoff penalty shot success in 1937 when Alex Shibicky had his chance. It wasn’t until 44 years later that New York actually scored on a penalty shot attempt in the playoffs, though. That was Anders Hedberg coming up big.

Ottawa Senators: Antoine Vermette had a chance to score a penalty shot marker for the Senators in Game 5 of the 2007 Stanley Cup final against the Ducks, but he wasn’t able to convert. It was a microcosm of the series, which Ottawa lost in five games to Anaheim.

Philadelphia Flyers: Leave it to ‘Big E’ to get the job done. On what was the Flyers’ fourth playoff penalty shot attempt in franchise history, Lindros buried one past Steve Shields in Game 5 of the second round series against the Sabres in 1997. Another two decades passed before another Flyer scored on a penalty shot in the post-season, that one off the stick of Mike Richards during the 2008 playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins: The juggernaut Penguins teams of the early 1990s earned the franchise its first penalty shot goal in the post-season, and it was none other than Jaromir Jagr who delivered in Game 5 of the second-round tilt with the Rangers in 1992. Oddly enough, a whole two days passed before Pittsburgh got their second playoff penalty shot in franchise history, but Shawn McEachern came up empty handed.

San Jose Sharks: The Sharks have twice had post-season penalty shots, and those have both come with star players one-on-one with opposing netminders. Joe Pavelski missed his 2010 attempt against the Red Wings, however, and the same goes for Patrick Marleau and his 2016 attempt against the Kings.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Tampa Bay is still waiting to have a penalty shot attempt in the post-season. Maybe this would have been the year if not for the stunning four-game sweep they were handed by the Blue Jackets.

Toronto Maple Leafs: The bad news: Mats Sundin had a chance to get the Maple Leafs’ first post-season penalty shot marker in Round 1 of the 1999 playoffs against the Flyers, but he failed to find twine. The good news: Sundin made up for that miss little more than a month later in the conference final against the Sabres, beating Dominik Hasek in Game 4 of the conference final.

Vancouver Canucks: Of course Pavel Bure earned a penalty shot in the post-season. In fact, the penalty shot he drew against the Rangers in the 1994 Stanley Cup final was the first in Vancouver’s history. Unfortunately, he was turned away and the Canucks lost that Game 4 outing – and eventually the series.

Vegas Golden Knights: Given it has taken established franchises decades to get even one attempt, it makes perfect sense that Vegas is still waiting for their first. That said, who would have been surprised if the seemingly destiny-driven Golden Knights managed to earn one last playoffs?

Washington Capitals: There are a few players who would be considered frontrunners to have scored the first playoff penalty shot tally in franchise history, but it turns out that Nic Dowd, who scored on a penalty shot against Carolina earlier this post-season, was Washington’s first playoff penalty shot goal scorer.

Winnipeg Jets: The Jets are still waiting for their first opportunity. Based on the rest of the franchise’s listed, it’s probably going to take another 15 years before Winnipeg has that opportunity and the eventual goal scorer will be a bottom-six role player.

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