PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 18: An exterior view of PPG Paints Arena before of Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 18, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Penguins haven’t given the home fans at PPG Paints Arena a lot to cheer about over the last several years.
With losses to the Flyers in Games and 2 of the team’s playoff series, there’s no guarantee that the fans will get to see another home hockey game in Pittsburgh this season unless the Penguins can earn a split on the road in Philadelphia, at minimum.
Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017, when the Penguins boasted an impressive home playoff record of 19-7 across two long playoff runs, the Penguins have won just five home playoff games.
Over the past nine seasons, the Penguins have a home record of just 5-11 across six playoff series. A seventh series was played at a neutral location in the COVID-19 pandemic “bubble.”
Only three of the Penguins’ home playoff wins have come since May of 2021.
The Penguins have a tall task ahead of themselves now, trailing 2-0 to the Flyers.
Game 3 is set for 7 p.m. tomorrow night in Philadelphia.
BRIDGEPORT, CT -- During his end-of-the-season press conference, New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche announced that the team had signed forward prospect Quinn Finley (2022, Rd. 3) to his two-year entry-level contract.
"We signed Quinn Finley to a contract starting next year," Darche said on Apr. 15. "We'll try to send him to Bridgeport. We just have some medical things to go over, but we agreed on a contract this morning with Quinn Finley."
The Hockey News has learned that Finley will ultimately not be joining the Bridgeport Islanders, the club's AHL affiliate for the Calder Cup Playoffs.
A specific reason was not confirmed.
The 21-year-old, now-former Wisconsin forward, elected to turn pro following his junior season, during which he recorded 33 points (17 goals, 16 assists) in 36 games. Because his contract kicks in for the 2026-27 season, he would have had to sign an ATO with Bridgeport to join them.
Finley will play for Hamilton, the Islanders' soon-to-be AHL affiliate, beginning in 2026-27 and is likley to attend development camp after the 2026 NHL Draft in late June, before returning to Long Island for rookie camp in mid-September.
While Finley won't be joining Bridgeport for their playoff run, the AHL affiliate did get some additional help.
Forwards Cal Ritchie and Victor Eklund, along with defenseman Isaiah George, who ended the season on the Islanders' roster, were optioned to Bridgeport, and all three will play in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Hershey Bears.
Puck drop is at 7 PM ET. You can watch the game on FloHockey.
Over the past several postseasons, it has become commonplace to see the Florida Panthers playing hockey deep into May and June.
It’s also been normal to see family members of Panthers players cheering on their loved ones from the stands.
Naturally, that could include current and former NHL players.
You probably know where I’m going with this.
During each of the past three Panthers run to the Stanley Cup Final, TV cameras would often scan the crowd and locate Florida star Matthew Tkachuk’s family, generally featuring dad Keith, mom Chantal, sister Taryn and brother Brady, who also plays for the NHL’s Ottawa Senators.
This year, however, things are a little different in Pantherland.
For the first time in seven seasons, Florida did not qualify for the playoffs.
But Ottawa did.
That means Matthew now has the opportunity to support his brother the same way Brady has done for Matthew, and he did just that.
Monday night, when the Senators played Game 2 of their opening round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Matthew Tkachuk was in the crowd, right next to his dad Big Walt, cheering on the Senators.
Unfortunately for Brady and his teammates, the good vibes from his family didn’t translate to a victory, as Ottawa lost the game 3-2 in double overtime.
Now the Senators are heading back to Ottawa down two games to zero in the series.
Hopefully, for the Sens and the Tkachuks, Ottawa is able to turn things around on home ice so that Matthew and Co. can continue to follow Brady’s quest for his own Stanley Cup ring.
Game 3 between the Senators and Hurricanes is set for Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Photo caption: Feb 22, 2026; Milan, Italy; Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk of the United States celebrate after winning the men's ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. (James Lang-Imagn Images)
Rickard Rakell has already had success against the defensively disciplined Philadelphia Flyers this season, recording at least a point in three of their four matchups, including the playoffs.
Heading into Game 3, our Penguins vs. Flyers predictions expect the top-line winger to stay involved offensively as the Pittsburgh Penguins look to swing momentum and get back into the series.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Wednesday, April 22.
Penguins vs Flyers Game 3 prediction
Who will win Penguins vs Flyers Game 3?
Pittsburgh: This series has not been as one-sided as the 6-2 scoreline suggests. The Penguins are winning the high-danger chance battle 19-15 but are shooting only 4.55% after ranking fourth in finishing rate (12.38%) during the regular season.
Penguins vs Flyers best bet: Rickard Rakell Over 0.5 points (-110)
They've controlled 66% of expected goals, 71% of scoring chances, and generated 33 shot attempts through two games with Rakell on the ice, the most of any Penguins forward.
He's also a focal point on the man advantage, where only Evgeni Malkin's had more ice time.
Rakell’s being used in prime offensive situations, and the Penguins are generating chances. Dan Vladar is unlikely to sustain a .954 SV%, and Rakell is a prime candidate to help break through.
Penguins vs Flyers Game 3 same-game parlay
Bryan Rust skates on the same line and power play unit as Rakell, so there is strong correlation there. There are also encouraging signs production could be coming.
Rust is tied for first in the series in high-danger chances, so I’m buying stock.
We’ll round out the parlay with Travis Sanheim blocks. The minute-munching defenseman blocked multiple shots in 73% of his home games following one day of rest, and his usage is predictably higher in the playoffs.
The Penguins will make a big push in Game 3, which should lead to plenty of block opportunities for the Philadelphia Flyers stalwart.
Penguins vs Flyers SGP
Rickard Rakell Over 0.5 points
Bryan Rust Over 0.5 points
Travis Sanheim Over 1.5 blocked shots
Penguins vs Flyers Game 3 goal scorer pick
Rickard Rakell (+210)
Rakell finished the regular season with seven goals over his final eight games. While he hasn’t found the net in this series, he leads the Penguins in expected goals at 5-on-5.
The vast majority of his shot volume comes from the slot and in, which is key. An in-form Vladar is unlikely to be beaten from range.
Penguins vs Flyers odds for Game 3
Moneyline: Pittsburgh +100 | Philadelphia -120
Puck line: Pittsburgh +1.5 (-270) | Philadelphia -1.5 (+210)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (+120) | Under 5.5 (+100)
Penguins vs Flyers trend
Rickard Rakell has points in three of four games against Philadelphia this season. Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Flyers.
How to watch Penguins vs Flyers Game 3
Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
TNT
Penguins vs Flyers latest injuries
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After breaking the longest active playoff drought in the NHL by finishing the season in the Atlantic Division’s top spot, the No. 1 seed Buffalo Sabres opened their first playoff series since 2011 with a big win at home.
Though the Boston Bruins were up 2-0 going into the final eight minutes of Game 1, Buffalo’s Tage Thompson ended the Sabres’ 15-year playoff scoring drought with a goal, before scoring the game-tying goal minutes later. Mattias Samuelsson followed that up with the go-ahead goal to make it 3-2 Buffalo, and Alex Tuch hit the empty net for Buffalo’s insurance goal.
Boston ended up scoring another in the final eight seconds of the game, but Buffalo took Game 1, 4-3.
Following tonight’s game, the series will move to Boston for Games 3 and 4, beginning with Game 3 on Thursday, April 23.
Bruins vs. Sabres start time
Game 2 of the Bruins vs. Sabres playoff series is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight, April 21.
How to watch Bruins vs. Sabres Game 2 for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the Ducks-Oilers game for free.
DIRECTV is our top pick for watching hockey live for free — the five-day free trial of its MySports genre pack has ESPN, plus all of the other channels you’ll need for the NHL playoffs. When the trial is over, you’ll pay $44.99/month for your first two months and gain access to 20+ live sports channels.
TRY DIRECTV FOR FREE
If you aren’t ready to commit to a full-on subscription, you can try a Sling Orange Day Pass. Priced at $4.99, you’ll get 24 hours of access to all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including ESPN. Sling also offers weekend and week-long passes for its Orange plan, which offer between three and seven days of access.
Bruins vs. Sabres playoff schedule
Game 1:Buffalo 4, Boston 3
Game 2: Boston at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m. ET April 21 (ESPN)
Game 3: Buffalo at Boston, 7 p.m. ET April 23 (TNT)
Game 4: Buffalo at Boston, 2 p.m. ET April 26 (TNT)
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
In a lot of ways, the American Hockey League's Springfield Thunderbirds are a lot like their NHL big brother, the St. Louis Blues.
The only difference, at least this season, is that one was able to overcome a slow start and the other didn't.
When the Thunderbirds (32-32-6-2) open their first-round series in the Calder Cup Playoffs against the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday in a best-of-3 series in Charlotte (6 p.m. CT), nobody would could have foreseen in October that the T-birds would be in this position.
Not after starting the season 2-10-4-2 and sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic Division at the time. But here they are, the Blues' AHL affiliate stocked with the team's prospects are in the tournament, and although they have to play all three games (if necessary) away from home, they're glad to be in the position that they're in all things considered.
"Things transitioned really quick for this group and I'm really proud of this group," said Springfield coach Steve Ott, who started this season as an associate coach to Jim Montgomery in St. Louis and brought up to Springfield to replace the fired Steve Konowalchuk on Jan. 19. "They believed from the get-go of the process of how we're going to play, and we kind of took it day by day. The practice habits and details continued to get better and you could see it transitioned into our game. We picked up a lot of valuable points along the way and kind of grew into a team to kind of get into this situation."
Springfield was starting to dig itself out of the doldrums of a really poor start and were 14-18-4-2 at the time of Ott's arrival and finished 18-14-2-0 under him. But the change seemed to reinvigorate what was starting out as a long season and finished off as an entrant into the tournament, which is where Springfield felt it belonged all along.
"It wasn't what I saw, it was more the things I believed in as a coach and used some past experience that I thought could really help this group out," Ott said. "Getting the buy-in from the leaders early, helping develop all our young guys, to see them play a pro game in which I really believe in I thought really helped them and instrumental into their own success, but it also led to team success, which was even better. You add all those elements together, I thought the guys were very hungry for information early. We pushed from practice and kind of started building it from there. Very excited to be in this opportunity for this group.
"I think we got great leadership down here with (captain) Chris Wagner, [Hugh] McGing, you've got Calle Rosen who we are obviously familiar with the Blues and Dillon Dube."
A number of Blues prospects have made major contributions, but perhaps none other than Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, a third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft who ended the season with 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 15 games.
Kaskimaki had a five-game stint with the Blues earlier in the season (zero points) and was basically told by Blues general manager Doug Armstrong to go back down and to find his scoring; he finished with 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists) in 64 games.
"Finding your scoring comes with different opportunity, I would say," Ott said. "Being set up for success to be put in that and using his God-given ability. He's been put on a top line with Dube and Wagner and they've had great chemistry. All three of them play the game the right way and they're getting rewarded offensively by not only being offensive but from checking, and when they're checking their offense back, 'Kasky's been able to use his skill level to really take the next step. Power play situations where you really start to learn that he's a real deceptive passer and he continues to put up numbers by going to the harder areas, driving the net off the rush where he got rewarded in the Lehigh (Valley) game (a 7-1 win last Wednesday that clinched a playoff berth).
"There's areas of his game that just continue to develop and for a young player to be put in those opportunities, he's been one of them to really grab it."
The uniqueness of the series is that all three games will be played in Charlotte, with Game 2 slated for Friday, and a Game 3 (if necessary) set for Saturday. All three game times are 6 p.m. (CT). The Thunderbirds lost six of the eight matchups against the Checkers, the affiliate of the Florida Panthers but the last two games (a 5-1 Springfield win on Feb. 28 and 3-2 overtime loss on Feb. 27) resemble more of what Springfield has been playing like.
"We're up against it. There's no other way of putting it in any other terms," Ott said. "... Coaching staff and I have been preparing our game plan. They have a more of a veteran-based team, a lot of high-end players that are kind of players in between NHL age and AHL. For us, we've been playing meaningful hockey and playoff-type hockey for weeks on end now, maybe even months to be in this situation. i really like where our game is at. I think we have a very competitive group and we want to make some noise. We're going to push as hard as we can here, continue to play the way that we've identified our team, our team identity, and we're going to see what we can match up against. ... We're hoping for a great matchup and hopefully bring some home games back to Springfield."
A Springfield series win would put it into the Atlantic Division semifinal series against top-seeded Providence. Springfield enters the postseason as the sixth seed, Charlotte as the third seed.
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Apr 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Porter Martone (94) celebrates win against the Montral Canadiens at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Eric Hartline/Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Porter Martone was playing college hockey last month. Now he’s making a difference in the NHL playoffs.
Youth is being served early in the first round, along with some relative newcomers contributing. Anaheim’s Troy Terry scored in his postseason debut nearly a decade into his professional career, Montreal’s Juraj Slafkovsky had a hat trick in just his sixth playoff game and Utah’s Logan Cooley will go down in history as the first Mammoth player with a playoff goal.
At the forefront of the success is Martone, who has two goals to put the Flyers up 2-0 in their first-round series against archrival Pittsburgh. Game 3 of the Battle of Pennsylvania is set for Philadelphia.
“He’s figuring it all out,” coach Rick Tocchet said on a video call with reporters. ”Where it might take a young guy a week or a bunch of games, it only took him a period and a half to figure out playoff hockey: where he’d have to be and what he had to do. A lot of maturity for a 19-year-old.”
Martone has 12 points in 11 games since leaving Michigan State to turn pro. He credited his teammates and said he “hopped on a moving train, and it’s been good since.”
“There’s not a lot of guys that can come in and make the impact that he has,” said Flyers forward Travis Konecny, who also has two goals. “Especially in the games leading up to the playoffs, how important those were, for him being able to jump in, I think it speaks not to his hockey ability but how he wants to learn.”
Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers
When/Where to Watch: Game 3, Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT (TNT)
Series: Flyers lead 2-0.
The first chance for Flyers mascot Gritty to attend a home playoff game comes with the chance for his team to move to the verge of sweeping the Penguins. The last time they made it was the 2020 pandemic bubble, and the most recent game in Philly was in 2018, so the intensity in a sports-crazed city is expected to be through the roof.
“The fans, when they’re into it, this fanbase and this city embraces their team,” said Tocchet, who skated in 95 playoff games during two stints with the Flyers. “That’s what I felt as a player. It’s an extra boost when you walk around this city and have these people behind you.”
On the ice, it’s up to rookie Pittsburgh coach Dan Muse and his staff to figure out a way to crack the trap Tocchet has set for Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the rest of the playoff-tested Penguins. No one has lit up the Flyers more than Crosby, who has 36 points in 25 playoff games against them and isn’t likely to be held off the scoresheet like he was the first two this year.
“It’s playoff hockey,” said Crosby, who also has 139 points in 93 regular-season games against Philadelphia. “It’s tight checking. We’ve got to find a way or produce, whatever you want to call it.”
Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars
When/Where to Watch: Game 3, Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT (TNT)
Series: Tied 1-1.
The back-and-forth, edge-of-your-seat action of Game 2 was much more what everyone expected from these Central Division rivals than the series opener, when the Wild rolled 6-1. Dallas evened things up with a better performance in net from Jake Oettinger and two goals from Wyatt Johnston.
Play now shifts to Minnesota, where the State of Hockey is hoping to will its team to its first postseason series victory since 2015. The winner faces Colorado or Los Angeles, but envisioning who that will be at this stage is anyone’s guess.
“It’s going to be a battle of a series, and we knew that coming in,” said Wild defenseman Brock Faber, who scored in Game 2. “I think we’re the tougher team. I think we have to be tougher mentally. And that’ll only be good for us.”
A parade to the penalty box on either side Monday night led to more than 15 of 60 minutes being played at something other than 5 on 5. Adjustments are coming as a result.
“That’s what usually happens and keep tweaking a little bit,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “But at the end of the day, what’s going to happen is it’s going to become a players’ series. By the time you get to the end, they’re going to have to decide what it’s going to do. … That’s what makes these series great.”
Anaheim Ducks at Edmonton Oilers
When/Where to Watch: Game 2, Wednesday, 10 p.m. EDT (TBS)
Series: Oilers lead 1-0.
Edmonton lost all 14 regular-season games in which Connor McDavid did not register a point. The Oilers broke that streak by winning their playoff opener against Anaheim, blowing a lead and then rallying to beat the Ducks thanks to unlikely heroes Jason Dickinson and Kasperi Kapanen.
“The mood was calm — that’s one of the benefits of a veteran team that’s been through it,” said Dickinson, who was acquired at the trade deadline from Chicago. “Nobody is overreacting, nobody is getting frustrated. The message was simple: go out and attack. If it takes the entire period, then it takes the entire period, but we’re not going to let up.”
The Ducks are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, led by three-time Stanley Cup-winning coach Joel Quenneville and fueled by their young core. First-line center Leo Carlsson just is 21, and he and his teammates are not daunted by this deficit.
“We knew it was going to be a tight series,” Carlson said. “We knew it was going to be hard, but we’re a great team also.”
Apr 20, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) handles the puck as Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (80) and defenseman Nick Seeler (24) defend during the third period in game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
This has been a wildly disappointing return to the playoffs for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Not only are they down 2-0 to the Philadelphia Flyers after Monday night’s 3-0 loss, they have lost both games at home, now have to go on the road, and seem to be the team that is not ready for the playoff intensity or playoff style. That is a stunning development given the locker room they have, the experience they have, and given that they were simply the better team during the regular season.
None of that has showed itself here.
The Flyers, to their credit, are putting on a defensive clinic through the first two games. They are controlling the neutral zone, blocking shots and closing off lanes in the defensive zone, not letting anybody get near the net and rendering the Penguins power play completely useless. It almost seems as if the Flyers have zero interest in trying to generate anything offensively for themselves and content to just wait for the Penguins to make a mistake and hand them an opportunity.
The Penguins have been happy to oblige. The two goals Philadelphia scored with a goalie in the net on Monday, for example, were the result of just brutal — and avoidable — mistakes by the Penguins.
The lack of offense is not just a lack of goals, but also a lack of chances itself. It feels like they are never in danger of scoring, whether it be during 5-on-5 play or on the power play.
Sure, they have put together a lot of extended shifts in the offensive zone. The Penguins have almost certainly won the territorial battle in terms of puck possession and offensive zone time. But it is not getting them anywhere. They finished Game 2 on Monday with a 73 percent expected goal share during 5-on-5 play. But they only actually generated 2.01 expected goals for themselves, and most of that came in the third period when they were were not only already trailing, but trailing by two goals. Philadelphia took its foot off the gas even more from an offensive perspective.
It has simply been a total power outage in terms of offense. For a team that had 12 different 15-goal scorers during the regular season, and was the third-highest scoring team in the NHL, and the highest-scoring team of the Sidney Crosby era, it is staggering.
Philadelphia is an excellent defensive team, and it has lived up to the hype in that regard. But should it be THIS good?
It is the perfect storm of the Flyers completely buying in to what Rick Tocchet wants them to do, and the Penguins repeatedly banging their heads against the wall. Which is something we have seen from this group in years past in the playoffs. Something has to give.
But what I really wanted to do is just see how these two games stack up to previous Penguins playoff games in the Crosby-Evgeni Malkin era. Where do they stack up in terms of offensive struggles, and in terms of pace?
I pulled data from Natural Stat Trick on every Penguins playoff game going back to the start of the 2007-08 season (as far back as their data goes) and just compared it all.
Including Games 1 and 2 of this series, the Penguins have played 187 playoff games over that stretch.
Some findings:
Their 2.01 expected goals during 5-on-5 play in Game 2 rank 76th on the list, which is higher than I would have anticipated based on the eye test. Their 2.81 expected goals in all situations rank 96th. So … still not great. But also several games worse. About middle of the pack.
Their 1.96 expected goals in all situations in Game 1 rank 163rd, while their 0.96 during 5-on-5 play in Game 1 ranked 178th.
Game 1 was the truly dismal offensively showing, despite the closer score on the scoreboard. It was, by every objective measure, one of the worst offensive playoff games the Penguins have played in the Sidney Crosby era. Scoring chances, expected goals, high-danger scoring chances, shots on goal, attempted shots …. everything across the board was among the bottom-25 showings. A large portion of the games that were worse came during the 2008 and 2009 Stanley Cup Finals against the Detroit Red Wings, and that 2013 Eastern Conference Final against the Boston Bruins. It was that level of bad.
Game 2, in some ways, was better, even if the scoreboard did not reflect. That was especially true during 5-on-5 play. The power play is what largely ruined Game 2, not only by failing to score or generate much in the way of opportunities, but also by giving up one of the ugliest and sloppiest shorthanded goals you could ever imagine seeing in a playoff game.
The other side of this is the reality that the Flyers themselves are not generating anything offensively. And I suspect a lot of that is by design. Probably most of it. They do not have the scoring depth the Penguins do, and are doing everything in their power to keep this series from opening up.
In Game 2, for example, the Penguins allowed just 0.72 expected goals during 5-on-5 play, a staggeringly low number. So low that it is the third-lowest number they have allowed in any playoff game since the 2007-08 playoffs. Third. Lowest.
Even in Game 1, the 1.44 they allowed during 5-on-5 play were 122nd, which is still an extremely good performance in terms of suppressing chances. The Flyers certainly had their opportunities, but they were a handful of rush chances off turnovers and not the result of sustained territorial dominance.
I am not saying the Penguins are playing well defensively or dominating defensively. That is not what I think those numbers reflect. I think they are more a reflection on how the Flyers are playing, and how they have successfully sucked the offense out of this series. It is a big part of what they have done all season, especially after the Olympic break when they made a run to get into the playoffs. They are doing it as well as they have right now.
They have happily turned the series into a low-event rock fight.
In terms of total expected goals during 5-on-5 play, between both teams, these two games have ranked 158th and 174th out of every playoff game the Penguins have played since 2007 (187 games).
That is almost certainly exactly what Philadelphia wants.
The questions now become, 1) Can they keep doing it this well for a few more games, and 2) Will the Penguins pick up a few rocks of their own, or find a way to force the Flyers to play a style they do not want? Maybe getting on the road and having to play a road game will do them well. The Penguins have played well on the road all season. They need to find it again.
The 2025–26 NHL season has officially wrapped. Unsurprisingly, the Vancouver Canucks’ team, individual, and goaltending stats don’t particularly stand out in a positive manner compared to the rest of the NHL, though some of their numbers are actually pretty interesting. Here’s how the Canucks stack up to the rest of the NHL at the conclusion of the 2025–26 regular season.
Team Stats
Vancouver Canucks Team Stats From 2025-26.
A hot streak on the man-advantage resulted in the Canucks recording a surprisingly-high power play percentage (21.8%) to round out the season. They finished their 2025–26 campaign with the 14th-highest power play percentage in the NHL, with this being their highest-ranked team stat of the year. For reference, the Edmonton Oilers had the highest power play percentage (30.6%) while the Philadelphia Flyers finished the season with the lowest (15.7%).
One other standout team stat for the Canucks, though not in a positive way, was their overall goals-against. Through 82 games, Vancouver surrendered a grand total of 314 goals-against, being the only team in the NHL to hit the 300-mark this year. The next-highest goals-against by any other team was registered by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who had 295 on the season.
Individual Skaters
Vancouver Canucks Individual Skater Stats From 2025-26.
The final stretch of games for the Canucks helped Filip Hronek shoot up from seventh in the NHL to third in overall minutes played this season with a grand total of 2050:28. Only two players logged more than him — Detroit Red Wings defenceman Moritz Seider (2104:39) and former Canucks captain Quinn Hughes (2052:34). Further showcasing how many minutes Hronek played in regards to his teammates, Marcus Pettersson logged the second-highest of the Canucks with 1759:07 minutes.
Throughout the season, Jake DeBrusk consistently placed pretty high in shots produced throughout the NHL, placing around the mid-30s to mid-40s. His goal-scoring output compared to the amount of shots he was generating wasn’t overly synonymous, though things picked up towards the end of the season. He finished the season tied for the 35th-most shots taken by a player (219) and ended up tied with Kirill Kaprizov for the third-most power play goals in the NHL with 19. His overall goal count of 23 was tied for the 90th-most in the league.
Goaltender Stats
Vancouver Canucks Goaltending Stats From 2025-26.
The fact that Thatcher Demko retains a good chunk of the Canucks’ team-highs in the goaltending department at the end of this season isn’t great given the fact that he last played at the start of January. Were it not for his .895 SV% and 2.90 GAA, Nikita Tolopilo would lead the Canucks’ goaltenders in both SV% (.881%, 60th in NHL) and GAA (3.61, 67th in NHL). Tolopilo currently leads the team in high-danger SV% with .813%, tying him with Connor Hellebuyck for 34th in the league.
Apr 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; The Vancouver Canucks celebrate their victory against the Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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The Philadelphia Flyers picked up a big 3-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 2. With it, they now have a 2-0 series lead as they head back home for Games 3 and 4, which is massive.
Porter Martone was one of the significant reasons why the Flyers picked up this Game 2 victory against the Penguins. This is because the 19-year-old winger scored the Flyers' first goal of the game, which ended up being the game-winner.
Now, with this latest strong performance, Martone has made some NHL history.
According to the NHL's official X account, Martone became the first teenager in the entire history of the league to score the game-winning goal in each of his first two career playoff games.
This latest outstanding accomplishment from Martone shows just how impactful the young forward has been this postseason for the Flyers. He has undoubtedly given their roster a big boost since signing his entry-level deal and is showing no signs of slowing down.
Martone was also dominant during the final stretch of the regular season for Philadelphia, as he had four goals, six assists, and 10 points in nine games. With numbers like these, the young forward has been thriving, and it will be fascinating to see what he does next.
PORTER MARTONE 🤩🤩🤩
The first teenager in NHL HISTORY to score the game-winning goal in each of his first two career #StanleyCup Playoff games! pic.twitter.com/w1AEFUYVu8
ST. LOUIS -- It's been mentioned in this space that the St. Louis Blues would not be wise to move on from Robert Thomas, if that was a subject that had bearings to it anyway.
But a player with a similar contract, in fact the exact same one (eight years, $65 million that equates to $8.125 million in average annual value and a full no-trade clause) that didn't have the same type of season as Thomas, the question once again has risen to the forefront: do the Blues and Jordan Kyrou need to go their separate ways? Would the team and player benefit from a fresh start?
If you look at the numbers (46 points; 18 goals, 28 assists) in 72 games, the goals, assists and points were his lowest in any full season since his first in 2020-21 when he played in 55 games; the average ice time (15:44) also reflected it and was his lowest since that same season. A lot of the advanced stats also told a story that didn't resonate all that positively.
They're not the kinds of numbers the 27-year-old has put up, especially compared to the past three seasons when he averaged just under 35 goals and 70 points.
"Obviously offensively, I didn’t put up the numbers that I like," Kyrou said Saturday at the end of season exit meetings at Enterprise Center. "I’m just going to go and reflect, try and reset this summer and try to come back and have a great year next year."
Kyrou has played up and down the lineup, from top-line duties to third-line duties. He's played with multiple linemates and centers trying to get him going, and for a player that was grown accustomed to running hot and cold at points in the season, that hot streak never really materialized; he had an eight-game point streak early in the season from Oct. 13-28 but never had more than a point in any game, and his best stretch was 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 13 games from Jan. 10-Feb. 26.
"It’s tough. As a group, when you get off to a tough start, it’s kind of hard to just bring it back and kind of get it going kind of thing," Kyrou said. "It’s just tough, right? Like I said, I just need that reset, reflect and just try and focus on next year, coming in and having a great start and a competitive camp and get ready to get going."
It does beg the question of whether should that reset come here in St. Louis or somewhere else?
Kyrou does have a full no-trade clause, so if anything focused on seeking a trade could come down to whether he wants to move or not, but is this something the Blues would even entertain at this point or should seek to do? He has the same exact same contract parameters as Thomas.
"I
think you take the last three years, 30-goal scorer," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said, describing Kyrou's play. "I think he’s a
30-goal scorer that had a bad year, had an off year and quite
honestly, he never found a block of play during the whole season
where it was 10 or 12 or 15 or 20 games. It was just a sporadic year.
He’s in the prime of his career. He wants to be successful; how
he’s going to go about doing that is something that he’s going to
have to wrestle (coach) with Jim [Montgomery] and (GM incoming) Alex [Steen] on making sure this doesn’t
happen again. If you’re going to play in this league for probably
15-16 years like he could, not every year’s going to be a
Rembrandt, but if I’m him, I’m excited to get up tomorrow morning
to go to work to prove to everybody that the '25-26 season was an
aberration. 'That’s not who I am,' and I believe that’s what he’s
going to do."
Armstrong has been in Kyrou's corner since drafting him in the second round of the 2016 NHL Draft. But what about the coach?
"Jordan
Kyrou is a dynamic offensive player who can make things happen out of
nothing offensively," Montgomery said. "We didn’t see that as much this year as we did
the year before. Everybody has seasons in their career where they dip
and it’s going to be exciting to see how Jordan Kyrou rebounds with
a terrific summer and comes back and is the player and the dynamic
offensive player for the Blues that everybody expects."
It sure sounds like the Blues would be inclined to keeping and trying to build back around Kyrou and hoping this past season was an aberration. But if you keep him in the fold, it's imperative that they go out and find a true offensive-minded center that can blend in with the kind of play that makes him go, and that's utilizing his speed and quickness.
"You mean maybe not having [Dylan] Holloway on his line like he did the year before? Well, they started off together for the first month," Montgomery said. "I don’t think that it’s that. I think when you’re as talented a player as Jordan Kyrou, you make those players around you better and you’re able to have success. He’s had success playing with Tyler Bozak as his center, Ryan O’Reilly or Thomas. He’s had success, so I don’t attribute it to maybe who he was playing with at all."
Kyrou's name, like other veterans, was floated around the trade deadline in early March. Heck, his name's been linked to trade rumors dating back even further than that. It's just something he will have to handle, ask himself if that's his best course of action and take it to the team or dedicate himself to coming back better.
"It’s
part of the game, that (trade) stuff, right," Kyrou said. "All you can really do is kind of
focus on what you can control, and that’s just going and having a
good summer and focus on my training and focus on getting ready for
next year."
As for remaining in St. Louis, at least for now, there's no question in Kyrou's mind.
"Yeah
for sure," he said. "I’ve loved my time here in St. Louis. The team has been
amazing to me. I love the city, I love playing here. I think we’ve
got a lot of good, young players coming in right now and I think
there’s a really great future coming up for this team."
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Apr 20, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) and defenseman Esa Lindell (23) and defenseman Miro Heiskanen (4) and right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) celebrates after Johnston scores an empty net goal to seal the win over the Minnesota Wild during the third period in game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Jerome Miron/Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
DALLAS — Wyatt Johnston scored goals on a ricochet and a roller, Matt Duchene had a tiebreaking power-play goal and an assist, and the Dallas Stars beat the Minnesota Wild 4-2 in Game 2 to even their Western Conference first-round playoff series.
The Stars went ahead to stay with a power play winding down about four minutes into the penalty-filled second period when Duchene made a quick pass to Mikko Rantanen and then got the puck back just in front of the crease. That made it 2-1 in the kind of physical game expected between the Central Division rivals.
Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger stopped 28 shots, including a point-blank attempt by Kirill Kaprizov with 2 1/2 minutes to play when the Wild were on a power play after Dallas was penalized for too many men on the ice.
Brock Faber scored his first two playoff goals and Quinn Hughes had two assists for Minnesota, which won the opener 6-1 but missed a chance in its 15th playoff appearance to take a 2-0 series lead for the first time.
“From our end anyway, it was a playoff game. I thought they played two, we played one,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “So it’s more of what we look like, more of the way we are, but you can still see how tight it is.”
Jason Robertson, who like Johnston had 45 goals in the regular season, also scored for Dallas. Nils Lundkvist had two assists.
“It was good just to show each other what we can do, and not get kind of pushed out of the series,” said Robertson, who has scored in both games. “We’re going to try to ride the momentum into Game 3.”
The series now shifts to Minnesota.
Johnston, the 22-year-old center already in his fourth postseason and 58th playoff game, put Dallas up 1-0 midway through the first on his shot that ricocheted off the boards behind the net and then went off the left skate of goalie Jesper Wallstedt and just inside the post. Lundkvist got the primary assist for pushing the puck with his skate back to Johnston.
“Guess you try to hit the net,” Johnston said. “Good things happen when you do that.”
The Stars were on another power play in the final minute when Johnston — from a crowd in front of Oettinger — knocked the puck to the other end, with it rolling and swerving just inside the right post of an empty net.
Wallstedt, the rookie who has started both games ahead of playoff-experienced Filip Gustavsson, also had 28 saves.
“He was solid through the whole game,” Wild coach John Hynes said.
Right after Duchene and Rantanen combined on the power-play goal, another scuffle broke out in the corner and both of them ended up in the penalty box. That gave Minnesota a man advantage, though Oettinger kept Dallas ahead with a glove save on a shot by Boldy during the ensuring power play. Minnesota finished 0 for 4 on the power play.
“A hard-fought game by both teams,” Hynes said. “Obviously a tight-checking, hard-fought game by both teams, and you know, we won the first one, they won the second one.”
The second period ended right after Marcus Foligno got a double minor for roughing, when he basically put interfering Thomas Harley in a headlock and took him down to the ice near the boards.
Already without forward Mats Zuccarello because of an upper-body injury after he had three assists in the series opener, when he took an elbow, the Wild lost another forward. Yakov Trenin took a crushing blow at center ice from Colin Blackwell late in the first period. After staying face-down on the ice momentarily, he was helped off and never returned.
Hynes said only that Trenin had an upper-body injury.
Utah Mammoth forward Dylan Guenther is one of the best sharpshooters in the NHL, and he had plenty of chances to grip it and rip it in the series opener against the Vegas Golden Knights.
My Mammoth vs. Golden Knights predictions expect his strong shot-generation to lead to production in Game 2.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Tuesday, April 21.
Puck drop is set for 9:30 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the game airing on ESPN2.
Mammoth vs Golden Knights Game 2 prediction
Who will win Mammoth vs Golden Knights Game 2?
Mammoth: Utah won the SOG battle 28-26 at 5-on-5, and played Vegas evenly on the scoreboard in Game 1.
If that’s the kind of effort we can expect, Utah’s goaltending advantage should allow them to make this a series.
Mammoth vs Golden Knights best bet: Dylan Guenther Over 0.5 points (-145)
Dylan Guenther didn’t hit the scoresheet, but there was a lot to like in his playoff debut.
The Utah Mammoth controlled 79% of the expected goal share during his 5-on-5 minutes, generating 21 shot attempts and 1.31 xG.
Guenther did some heavy lifting, piling up 10 shot attempts, five scoring chances, and a pair of rebound opportunities. And that doesn’t even factor in the power play.
The Vegas Golden Knights didn’t seem to have an answer. If that continues, expect Guenther to break through against a goaltender who posted an .891 SV% this season.
Mammoth vs Golden Knights Game 2 same-game parlay
Logan Cooley also had a strong series opener, leading Mammoth players in shot attempts (22) at 5-on-5 while also scoring a goal.
He centers Guenther at even strength and feeds him a lot of shooting opportunities on the power play, making him a natural correlation play.
Rasmus Andersson ranked second among all skaters with nine shot attempts. Yes, nine.
The Golden Knights love to go low-to-high and funnel pucks to the net. Andersson chews up a lot of minutes and is a willing shooter, so he’s a prime benefactor of that style.
Mammoth vs Golden Knights SGP
Dylan Guenther Over 0.5 points
Logan Cooley Over 0.5 points
Rasmus Andersson Over 1.5 shots
Mammoth vs Golden Knights Game 2 goal scorer pick
Dylan Guenther (+145)
Utah had only one power play opportunity in the series opener, and Guenther still managed to record 14 shot attempts and seven scoring chances.
It’s tough to limit his volume, and he generally doesn’t need much to find the net.
Mammoth vs Golden Knights odds for Game 2
Moneyline: Utah +130 | Vegas -150
Puck line: Utah +1.5 (-190) | Vegas -1.5 (+160)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (+115)
Mammoth vs Golden Knights trend
Dylan Guenther has compiled 14 points over his last 10 games. Find more NHL betting trends for Mammoth vs. Golden Knights.
How to watch Mammoth vs Golden Knights Game 2
Location
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Date
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Puck drop
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN2
Mammoth vs Golden Knights latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Jiri Kulich (blood clot, Nov. 4; injured reserve - out for the season)
Sam Carrick (upper body, Mar. 31; injured reserve)
Noah Ostlund (upper body, Mar. 25; day-to-day)
Notes
On April 4, Buffalo clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2010-11. The Sabres have compiled 125 playoff wins all-time, 93 of which have come in regulation. Game 1 marked just the second time the Sabres overcame a third-period deficit of two or more goals in a playoff game in franchise history.
The Sabres’ four-goal third period marked the third-fastest four-goal
stretch (6:46) in Sabres playoff history. The team scored four goals in 6:38 vs. Boston on April 29, 1992 and in 5:28 vs. Philadelphia on April 27, 1998. The Sabres registered 53 hits in Game 1, the most by Buffalo in a single playoff game since the league began tracking hits in 2005-06.
Alex Tuch’s 10 hits were the most by a Sabres skater in a single playoff game. Entering Game 1. Tuch had never recorded more than six hits in any game of his career (regular season and playoffs).
Tage Thompson’s three points (2+1) in Game 1 were the most by a Sabres forward in a playoff game since Daniel Briere on May 6, 2007 at NY Rangers (0+3). A multi-point performance tonight would make Thompson the first Sabres forward to record back-to-back multipoint games in the playoffs since Mike Grier from May 2 to 5, 2006 (2+5).
Peyton Krebs and Thompson each posted a plus-3 rating in Game 1, the highest plus/minus all-time by a Sabres skater in their first career playoff contest.
Mattias Samuelsson’s Game 1 goal was the first playoff point of his career and it made him the first Sabres defenseman since Jason Woolley on April 30, 2001 at Pittsburgh to score a go-ahead goal in the third period of a playoff game.
Owen Power (0+1) and Jack Quinn (0+1) also registered their first career playoff point in their first career playoff game.
