The Stanley Cup Final is underway and if it's like last year, there will be some overtimes.

The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers went to overtime three times in the first four games. The Oilers won Games 1 and 4 while the Panthers won Game 2 in double overtime. Games 5 and 6 were settled in regulation as the Panthers beat the Oilers for the second year in a row.

With the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights evenly matched, we might have some overtimes in this year's Final.

Unlike the Olympics and world championships, where 3-on-3 overtime is played even in the gold medal game, the NHL switches things up in the postseason when the games matter more.

There won't be any more 3-on-3 play. It is 5-on-5 instead, just like in regulation play. There won't be any more shootouts. There is sudden death, and it could last a very long time.

This postseason, there have been 20 overtime games, including three double-overtime games. Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals was the 20th.

Here's what to know about playoff hockey overtime, including the format, longest games and 2026 results.

It was always expected that 20-year-old Anton Silayev would transistion his game to North America for the 2026-27 season, and on Monday morning, New Jersey Devils general manager Sunny Mehta made it a reality by announcing the club signed the towering defenseman to a three-year, entry-level contract.

After he put pen to paper, Silayev and some of his family members celebrated the youngster’s latest achievement by taking a boat out and spending time on the water.

BIG deal? Yeah, we'd say so.

We've signed Anton Silayev to a three-year, entry-level contract.

📰: https://t.co/vDihjFjFeCpic.twitter.com/z5gT3F25N4

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) June 1, 2026

Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 210 pounds, Silayev completed the 2025-26 season with Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He appeared in 61 regular-season games, collecting three points (one goal, two assists). Playing in a limited role under head coach Alexei Isakov, the defenseman gained experience and understanding that his future self will be grateful for.

Under his former head coach, Igor Larionov, Silayev played around 18 minutes per game. This past season, under new head coach Alexei Isakov, his ice time dropped, sometimes dipping below 10 minutes. Understandably, the decreased role and limited opportunities influenced the defenseman’s confidence.

It also provided a valuable lesson.

It is not the amount of ice time given, but how impactful a player can prove to be within the minutes provided. By the time the playoffs began, Silayev’s ice time did improve, and he collected two assists in 10 playoff games. He ended the season playing for Nizhny Novgorod’s junior team in the MHL playoffs, picking up two assists in four games.

Drafted 10th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, the youngster has always been compared to Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman.

“He is 6-7, great size, but you quickly see his agility and footwork for that size, among the best you see at that age,” said Devils chief scout Mark Dennehy to NJD.TV after selecting Silayev. “He is mobile for his size with great defensive range. He is a pest to play against. He plays with a mean streak. Good shot, good hands.”

But direct comparissons aren’t always fair, are they? Especially given the amount of work in front of Silayev as he begins this chapter of his professional career.

There are two major components that Silayev will need to work on upon his arrival this summer. The first is the game itself. He needs to understand the mentality of a North American coach compared to that of a KHL head coach. His agent believes that Silayev, having played under Larionov, a former Devils player and Hockey Hall of Famer, will be an advantage in this regard, as he shared that North American mentality. In that same vein, the left-shot defenseman will need to learn the mindset and perspective of the rest of the coaching staff, management, trainers, and his new teammates.

Learning and improving his English remains a priority, and there is a belief he will pick it up quickly. Thankfully, there is a support team in place to help make the rookie’s transistion as smooth as possible. While his agent is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, his business partner, Peter Wallen, is within driving distance of New Jersey.

In addition to learning the dynamics of the people within the Devils organization, there is also the expanded 84-game NHL schedule.

“It is 84 games that you have to play 100% every night, every period, every shift,” Silayev’s agent shared. “I would say the first 10 games, you play on your emotions because you are in a new league, and everything is different and new.

“After those 10 games, it becomes routine, and you have to have the desire to come to the hockey rink and be ready for practice and for the game. It is very important,” he continued. “This is the stuff we explain to him, and he knows. There is a bunch of work to do.”

When he arrives, and training camp begins, one of the biggest questions is if he will start the season in New Jersey or with the Utica Comets, the organization’s American Hockey League (AHL) team. With an influx of defensemen at both levels, it seems Mehta and Comets’ general manager Braden Birch will have work to do to make everyone fit.

As it currently stands, New Jersey’s blue line includes Dennis Cholowski, Brenden Dillon, Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes, Johnathan Kovacevic, Simon Nemec, Brett Pesce, and Jonas Siegenthaler. In Utica, several defensemen are already under contract for 2026-27, including Seamus Casey, Mikaël Diotte, Ethan Edwards, and Jeremy Hanzel. It is worth noting that the latter spent last season in the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder. Additionally, Topias Vilén and Calen Addison are restricted free agents, while Colton White is an unrestricted free agent.

Similar to last season, when winger Arseny Gritsyuk transitioned his game here, the Devils organization doesn’t quite know what they have with Silayev until they see him here in North America, and then they can understand exactly where he is at relative to NHL hockey.

Silayev is currently working on his work permit and will aim to arrive well before training camp begins to get acquainted with the city and what life away from the rink looks like, so that his focus will be 100 percent on hockey and the Devils when the 2026-26 season gets underway.

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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The Carolina Hurricanes couldn't have asked for a better start to the Stanley Cup Final.

Just 25 seconds into the game, Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers kicked off the scoring, taking a puck from the defensive blueline all the way up and finishing past Vegas netminder Carter Hart.

Ehlers' tally was the third fastest Stanley Cup Final opening goal in NHL history and he didn't stop there.

Just over 12 minutes later, Ehlers would get sprung on another breakaway, this time deking out Hart and sliding one through the five-hole to double up the home team's lead.

Ehlers became the first player to score twice in the opening period of a Stanley Cup Final since Al MacInnis in 1989.

NIK EHLERS AGAIN!!! ✌️

THE CANES TAKE A 2–0 LEAD IN GAME 1 🤯 pic.twitter.com/IDiLZq0Ja1

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 3, 2026

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The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins got a couple of reinforcements to their roster on Tuesday.

The team announced that the Pittsburgh Penguins have sent goaltender Taylor Gauthier and defenseman Emil Pieniniemi to WBS from the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers. 

The Nailers were eliminated by the Florida Everblades in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final this past Saturday.

Goaltender Taylor Gauthier and defenseman Emil Pieniniemi have been reassigned to the Penguins by Pittsburgh from Wheeling.https://t.co/8HVZickdcXpic.twitter.com/svR5BhZ7zW

— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) June 2, 2026

Gauthier had another unbelievable season for the Nailers, finishing with a 21-9-5 record and a .929 save percentage. He finished the playoffs with a 9-6-2 record and a .922 save percentage.

Pieniniemi wrapped up his first season with the Nailers, finishing with six goals and 11 points in 26 games. He was great in the playoffs, compiling one goal and eight points in 15 games. 

The Penguins will try to even up their Eastern Conference Final series against the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET. 

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In a Stanley Cup Final that was expected to be a tightly contested battle between two evenly matched teams, the Carolina Hurricanes sent a message early and emphatically Tuesday night, with their prized offseason acquisition doing the damage before most fans had even settled into their seats.

Just 25 seconds into Game 1, Ehlers wired a wrist shot over the pad of Golden Knights netminder Carter Hart, giving Carolina the earliest of leads and setting the tone for what turned into a dominant opening period. It was a stunning moment, the kind that shifts momentum before a series even finds its footing.

THAT DIDN’T TAKE LONG 😱

NIK EHLERS PUTS THE CANES AHEAD JUST 25 SECONDS INTO GAME 1 🌪️ pic.twitter.com/KHAgkwIQpG

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 3, 2026

Then he did it again. Minutes later, Ehlers pounced on a sloppy Vegas turnover, burst in alone on a breakaway, and beat Hart a second time. Two goals in the first 12 minutes of his Stanley Cup Final debut.

The former ninth overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft spent a decade in Winnipeg, quietly racking up 520 points and becoming one of the most skilled forwards in franchise history. But meaningful playoff hockey largely eluded him there.

WELCOME TO THE #STANLEYCUP FINAL, NIK EHLERS 🤩 pic.twitter.com/xR4MPlB0lb

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 3, 2026

This past offseason he made the decision to leave, seeking a change of scenery and a chance to play a more meaningful role on a contender. Carolina gave him exactly that. He responded with 71 points in 82 regular season games, the best offensive campaign of his career, and carried that form into the playoffs with nine points in 12 games before Tuesday's heroics.

Vegas entered this Final having swept the Presidents' Trophy winning Colorado Avalanche in four games, and made every hockey fan expect this year's finals to be a close one. 

For Jets fans watching from home, the performance will sting in a particular way. The player they watched develop over ten seasons, the one they cheered through years of early exits, is now on the biggest stage in hockey and absolutely delivering. Tuesday night belonged to Nikolaj Ehlers, and Carolina is just getting started.

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The Carolina Hurricanes set the tone immediately by scoring one of the fastest goals we've ever seen in the Stanley Cup Final.

Nikolaj Ehlers brought the home crowd at the Lenovo Center to its feet as he gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead just 25 seconds into the first period of Game 1 against the Vegas Golden Knights. It's tied for the eighth-fastest goal ever scored in a Stanley Cup Final game, and the third-fastest to lead off a series, per the NHL record book.

NIKOLAJ EHLERS NETS THE FIRST GOAL OF THE #STANLEYCUP FINAL 🤯

He opens the scoring for the @Canes just 25 SECONDS into the game! 🌪️

🇺🇸: ABC
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet & @TVASportspic.twitter.com/qvrDvV46ea

— NHL (@NHL) June 3, 2026

Fast starts have been a theme for the Hurricanes these playoffs. They've now scored first in six consecutive games.

Ehlers wasn't done, either. He extended the Hurricanes' lead to 2-0 after scoring off a breakaway from the blue line.

NIK EHLERS AGAIN!!! ✌️

THE CANES TAKE A 2–0 LEAD IN GAME 1 🤯 pic.twitter.com/IDiLZq0Ja1

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 3, 2026

Carolina entered the Cup Final a blistering 12-1 in the postseason.

After establishing himself as a team leader and playing the best hockey of his career, it's no surprise that Dan Vladar and the Philadelphia Flyers have been equally receptive towards a contract extension.

Vladar, 28, bet on himself last offseason when he signed a two-year, $6.7 million contract ($3.35 million AAV) with the Flyers, willingly entering an open competition with incumbent Sam Ersson for the starting role.

The Czech netminder asserted himself from Day 1 and finished the 2025-26 season with a 29-14-7 record, a 2.42 GAA, and .906 save percentage, marking or tying career-highs across the board while playing in 52 games.

Vladar was even better in the playoffs, going 4-6-0 with a 2.18 GAA, .922 save percentage, and two shutouts--two more shutouts than he had in the entire regular season.

This is all to say that the Flyers have stumbled upon a starting-caliber goalie in Vladar on a relatively cheap prove-it deal, and the next step from here is a longer, more lucrative contract.

Both the player and the team want to make it happen, and it certainly seems as though it will in the very near future.

NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Perfect Fit for Star Islanders ForwardThe Philadelphia Flyers need to throw the kitchen sink at the New York Islanders and make a trade for Mat Barzal.

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman via The FAN Hockey Show, Vladar's contract extension with the Flyers is "pretty much done."

"Vladar, I think it's pretty much done. He's got a five-year extension done in Philly. They can't announce it, can't do anything until July 1st officially, but you're allowed to talk to the player."

Even the most ardent Vladar supporters can recognize the inherent risk in handing out a big five-year extension to a goalie coming off a great season after a bunch of average-to-below-average ones, but the Flyers aren't in a position to do otherwise.

Friedman went on to say he wonders about what this means for Ersson, who is widely expected to find a new NHL home this summer.

The Flyers will take the time to evaluate one of their homegrown draft picks, but even at his peak, Ersson was very close to Vladar at Vladar's worst, at least statistically.

Now that Vladar has virtually been extended until 2032, the Flyers will have to turn their attention to finding an adequate backup for him that can both help preserve him and be capable of stepping in as a starter if and when needed.

This move decreases the pressure the Flyers will have to put on prospects like Egor Zavragin, Carson Bjarnason, and Aleksei Kolosov to develop and be ready for NHL competition for the next few seasons.

Vladar will be 34 years old when the five-year contract extension expires.

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It was in the summer of 2024 that the Detroit Red Wings signed veteran goaltender Cam Talbot to a two-year, $5 million contract after opting not to re-sign James Reimer. 

Over the next two seasons, Talbot enjoyed varying degrees of success with the Red Wings, providing a steady, calming presence in goal while also stealing several games and valuable points for them. 

However, Talbot will be 39 years old by the time next season starts. With young goaltenders Sebastian Cossa and Michal Postava knocking on the door from Grand Rapids, Talbot's time with the Red Wings is likely through. 

Looking back on his tenure in Detroit, what were his top standout moments? 

42-Save Shutout In Red Wings Debut - October 12, 2024

Talbot's first official action with the Red Wings was in relief of Ville Husso during their 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Opening Night, but he was given the start in their next game against the Nashville Predators. 

He turned in a gem of a performance in his first full game in the Winged Wheel, turning aside all 42 shots from the Predators and picking up the 32nd shutout of his NHL career. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

28-Save Shutout Against Potent Lightning Offense - January 25, 2025

Thanks to a stingy performance between the pipes, Talbot became the first goaltender since 2023 to deny the Lightning a single goal during an NHL game. 

It was the 33rd shutout of his career. 

He made 28 saves, including seven saves alone on sniper Nikita Kucherov, who entered the game on an 11-game point streak. 

Clutch 38-Save Performance Against Maple Leafs - October 13, 2025

The Red Wings, who had defeated the Maple Leafs two days earlier thanks to 20 saves from Talbot at Little Caesars Arena, concluded the short two-game series against their Original 6 rival with another win. 

This time, it was Talbot who stole the game for the Red Wings, making 38 saves on the 40 shots he faced, enabling a late regulation goal from Mason Appleton. 

Talbot was easily the game's first star, and it would be the second of four straight wins against the Maple Leafs in their season series. 

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