How The Vancouver Canucks Stack Up To The Rest Of The NHL At The Season End
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
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
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
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.
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Flyers' Porter Martone Makes NHL History After Latest Big Playoff Game
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 🤩🤩🤩
— NHL (@NHL) April 21, 2026
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
Jordan Kyrou's Down Season Raises Trade Questions Again; Should Two Sides Seek Fresh Start Or Refocus On Coming Back Better, Stronger?
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."
Jordan Binnington Keeping Open Mind Regarding FutureSt. Louis Blues Stanley Cup-winning goalie wants to discuss future team plans with GM-in-waiting Alexander Steen, management team with one year remaining on current contract
What Does Dylan Holloway's Next Contract Look Like For St. Louis Blues?Forward who overcame torn abductor muscle, high ankle sprain within past year, set to become restricted free agent July 1, but unlike Philip Broberg, Doug Armstrong more open-ended regarding 24-year-old's contract
St. Louis Blues Weekly Prospect Report (April 19)Kaskimaki fuels Springfield's run to Calder Cup playoffs; Carbonneau, Blainville-Boisebriand advance to QMJHL semis, as does Jiricek, Brantford, which looks like a buzzsaw in OHL; Fischer, Dorion exit playoffs; Buchelnikov, CSKA done in KHL
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Wyatt Johnston and Stars beat Wild 4-2 in Game 2 to even their first-round playoff series
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.
Mammoth vs Golden Knights Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight's NHL Playoffs Game 2
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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.
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
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, Paradise, 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.
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Stanley Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference Quarter-Final – Game 2
4/21/26 - 7:30 pm at KeyBank Center, in Buffalo, NY
Buffalo – 50-23-9 | - 109 points – 1st place in the Atlantic Division
Boston – 45-27-10 | - 100 points – 4th place in the Atlantic Division
Special Teams
Buffalo
Power Play(Reg) – 19.5% (21st)
Power Play(Playoffs) - 0 for 4 - 0% (8th)
Penalty Kill(Reg) – 81.9% (4th)
Penalty Kill(Playoffs) - 2 for 3 - 66.7% (10th)
Boston
Power Play(Reg) – 23.4% (9th)
Power Play(Playoffs) - 1 for 3 - 33.3% (5th)
Penalty Kill(Reg) - 77.0% (24th)
Penalty Kill(Playoffs) - 100% - 4 for 4 (1st)
Top Scorers
Buffalo
Tage Thompson: 1 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 3 PTS
Alex Tuch: 1 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 PTS
Mattias Samuelsson: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 PTS
Boston
David Pastrnak: 1 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS
Morgan Geekie: 1 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS
Elias Lindholm: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 PTS
Starting Goalies
Buffalo – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1-0, 3.01 GAA, .850 Sv %)
Boston – Jeremy Swayman (0-1, 3.06 GAA, .919 Sv %)
Other Sabres Stories
Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere
Sabres Line Combinations and Pairings (projected)
Forwards
Peyton Krebs - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
Zach Benson - Josh Norris - Josh Doan
Jason Zucker - Ryan McLeod - Jack Quinn
Jordan Greenway - Josh Dunne - Beck Malenstyn
Ex., Tanner Pearson, Tyson Kozak
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power - Bowen Byram
Logan Stanley - Conor Timmins
Ex. Luke Schenn, Michael Kesselring, Zach Metsa
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Alex Lyon
Colten Ellis
Injuries
Justin Danforth (lower body, Oct. 18; injured reserve)
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.
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Big Game 2 Ahead For The Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens will hope to pick up right where they left off when the puck drops on Game 2 of their best-of-seven series with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but chances are the Bolts will have adjusted. Coach Jon Cooper was far from pleased with his team’s performance after their 4-3 overtime loss. Speaking to the media after the game, he said:
I mean, come on, we took four offensive-zone penalties. Just look at them. That’s not over-aggression. That’s just stupidity, you know, a lot of them. That was on us. That was a game that we just allowed them to win. This is the Stanley Cup playoffs. This isn’t Game 62. So that is extremely disappointing in the way we conducted ourselves and the amount of penalties we took.- Jon Cooper after Game 1
Canadiens Back To Work After Game 1 Win
Canadiens’ Blueline Had A Big Game
Slafkovsky Steals The Show and The Canadiens Steal Home-Ice Advantage With Win
It shouldn’t have surprised anyone then that on Monday, while the Canadiens held a practice lasting around 15 minutes, Cooper put his men through a much longer one. Tampa has no interest in going down 2-0 in this series, but the fact is that their home record in the playoffs since the spring of 2023 stands at one win and eight losses. In overtime, they are 0-5 in the same time span. Needless to say, the heat is on.
Historically, the Bolts have a 24-15 record in Game 2 overall; at home, they are 13-8. However, when they trail 1-0 in a series, they have a 12-11 record overall and an 8-5 record at home for a .615 winning percentage. As for the Canadiens, they have a record of 82-43 in Game 2 overall but are 24-22 on the road. When they lead 1-0 in a series, they are 64-11 overall and 10-3 on the road for an enviable .769 winning percentage.
Martin St-Louis didn’t discuss his lineup yesterday, which is no surprise, but given Sunday’s result, it would be surprising if he made any changes to his lineup. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be any in the series. The coach has some good options waiting in the wings, such as Brendan Gallagher and Joe Veleno up front, and David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom on the back end.
With the Laval Rocket having won their division, they have a bye in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs, meaning the young defensemen might as well stay with the Canadiens and get a feel for the Stanley Cup playoffs, even if it’s just in practice. The Rocket will either face the Toronto Marlies or the Rochester Americans in the Division Semifinal. Should it be the Marlies, the series will start on April 29; if it’s the Americans, the date is to be determined. Once Laval starts playing, one of the two youngsters will more than likely be sent down to help.
All eyes will be on the Canadiens’ first line tonight. They’ve been the team’s offensive dynamo all season, but in Game 1, they were unable to make an impact. If the Canadiens are to win the series, they will need that line to elevate its play. In the 10 minutes that Nick Suzuki’s line spent on the ice at even strength against the Anthony Cirelli line, the Lightning led 9-2 in attempted shots.
On Tampa’s side, Charles-Edouard D’Astous, who left game one after being simultaneously hit by Josh Anderson and Jake Evans, is doubtful to play on Tuesday night. As for Dominic James, who momentarily exited the game after colliding with Arber Xhekaj in his first shift, it doesn’t seem like there was lasting damage since he did practice yesterday.
One thing to watch on Tuesday night is whether the referees are as strict on penalties as they were in Game 1; if so, players will need to adjust in a hurry. Both teams have proven they have efficient power-play units, and, as evidenced by the Canadiens’ overtime win in Game 1, an ill-timed penalty can be very costly.
Frederick L'Ecuyer and Graham Skilliter will officiate, while Jesse Marquis and Andrew Smith will be the linemen; none of them were on duty in Game 1. The game is set for 7:00 PM at the Benchmark International Arena, and you can catch it on The Spot, ESPN2, SN, TVAS, and CBC.
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The Penguins have relied on their resilience all year. They’ll need to once again down 2-0 to the Flyers
Apr 20, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) before a face-off against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period n game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Charles LeClaire/Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins’ resilience carried them to a surprise playoff berth.
Sidney Crosby and company will need to rely on it, maybe a lot of it, if they want their postseason appearance to be more than a token cameo.
It took the Philadelphia Flyers roughly 48 hours to take all the good vibes Pittsburgh generated during a resurgent season and make them a distant memory. Winning a pair of games on the road and shutting down one of the top offenses in the NHL will do that.
The Penguins visibly were frustrated on the ice and notably chastened off it following a 3-0 loss in Game 2 that dropped them in a significant hole when the series shifts east to Philadelphia.
“I think we’ve been in some tough spots all year,” said Crosby, who was held without a point for the second straight game. “We’ve always responded really well to adversity. It seems like it’s brought out the best in all of us.”
Pittsburgh’s best likely will be required against the young Flyers, who have had no trouble carrying their searing finishing kick to the regular season into the playoffs. While Philadelphia didn’t put on a defensive clinic as it did for most of Game 1, when the Penguins were limited to just 17 shots, the Flyers largely limited Pittsburgh to firing away from the outside.
The Penguins generated 27 shots on goal and generated another 48 that either missed the net or were blocked. The ones that found their way to Dan Vladar were turned away. The ones that didn’t mostly were long blasts from the outside that missed the mark.
“Everything’s harder, it’s supposed to be harder, it’s the NHL playoffs,” Penguins coach Dan Muse said. “You’re going to have to do those little things that can give you an extra inch, finding a shot lane a little bit quicker, working to get to the net front a little bit faster.”
Pittsburgh’s power play, which was ranked a respectable seventh during the regular season, is now 0 for 7 through two games. The Penguins actually were outscored when they were up a man. Philadelphia’s Garnet Hathaway produced a short-handed goal late in the second to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead, though teammate Owen Tippett did the hard work, fending off two yellow-clad opponents to set Hathaway up.
“We don’t really get in sync yet,” Pittsburgh defenseman Erik Karlsson said. “You would think that we would dictate what we want to do out there, but they’re doing a good job and we’re not. That’s the bottom line.”
And time is running out. The Penguins have fallen behind 2-0 in a series 15 times and only rallied to win a third of them, the last in the 2009 Stanley Cup finals against Detroit.
Those Pittsburgh teams had featured a young Crosby and longtime running mate Evgeni Malkin still in the nascent stages of their careers. They’re both nearing 40 — Malkin will get there in July — and while they remain a threat every time they hop over the boards, the franchise icons and their teammates have been outskated and outplayed over the course of 120 minutes against a team that has 10 players making their playoff debut in this series.
“We’ve played 82 games,” Karlsson said. “We know how to play hockey in here. I think maybe we’re overthinking things a little too much. We’re not playing on our instincts.”
And as a result, the Penguins are playing from behind.
This isn’t the first time in the last seven months that Pittsburgh seems to have been on the verge of letting a promising season get away. The Penguins have navigated extended absences by both Crosby and Malkin and occasionally shaky play in net, among other things, on their way to a playoff spot that seemed like a longshot when training camp began.
The league’s third-highest-scoring team found a way to respond each time. On Tuesday, they’ll hop on a plane and make the short flight across the state hoping it’s not the final road trip of the year.
“I think that getting on the road and having a situation like this,” Crosby said, “hopefully brings out the best in us again.”
Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Game 1 Loss to the Oilers, Oilers Lead Series 1-0
At long last, the Anaheim Ducks participated in an NHL Stanley Cup Playoff game. They traveled to the northern-most destination possible to take on the Edmonton Oilers for game 1 of their first-round matchup on Monday.
This was the Ducks’ first playoff game in 2924 days, since game 4 of their first round matchup against the San Jose Sharks in 2018, where they were unceremoniously swept by San Jose.
This was the second time these two franchises met in the playoffs; the first was in the 2006 Western Conference Final, where the Chris Pronger’s Oilers won in a 4-1 “gentleman’s sweep,” and the second was in 2017, a seven-game second-round series that the Ducks pulled out in the very first playoff series loss for this same Oilers core, consisting of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 1, Game 1 - Ducks vs. Oilers Gameday Preview (04/20/26)
Three Key Matchups for the Ducks Heading into First Round Against the Oilers
This iteration of the Oilers has won back-to-back Western Conference titles, hungry to get over the hump and hoist the Stanley Cup. The Ducks roster featured a litany of players making their postseason debuts in this game, including the entirety of THEIR young core: Leo Carlsson, Jackson LaCombe, Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, etc.
The Oilers would see the returns of Leon Draisaitl, who missed Edmonton’s last 14 games of the regular season with a lower-body injury, and Jason Dickinson, who missed the last three with a lower-body injury as well.
The Ducks were as healthy as they’d been all season, with every roster player participating in morning skate except for Troy Terry, who took a maintenance morning, but was confirmed to play after skate.
Here’s how the Ducks lined up in this game:
Kreider-Carlsson-Terry
Killorn-Granlund-Sennecke
McTavish-Poehling-Gauthier
Viel-Washe-Moore
LaCombe-Trouba
Mintyukov-Carlson
Hinds-Gudas
Lukas Dostal got the start for the Ducks, his first career playoff game, and saved 30 of 34 shots. Edmonton went with Connor Ingram as their starter in game 1, and he stopped 25 of 28.
Game Notes
Through most of the first period, the Ducks were intent on playing as mistake-free as possible. They made simple plays with the puck, kept a third forward back in every zone, and tried to keep Edmonton to the outside as much as possible.
Despite playing more responsibly, the Ducks still allowed the first two goals to Edmonton, putting themselves in a hole at first intermission. The Ducks answered, dictating game flow and possessing more pucks, which led to three straight goals in the second period.
The third period was tighter on both sides, as the middle of the ice was protected at both ends. Edmonton potted one halfway through the period and took a late lead to complete the comeback and seal the game.
“I think we lost a little bit of our momentum there when we gave up the third one,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said. “I thought we were playing a perfect third period, and just the way we wanted to play. We had a good start to the game, (but) we gave up a couple in the first. Not happy at all about those plays. They were preventable, and they’re dangerous.
“They can make some plays off the rush, with their speed, alone. You think you’re in a good spot, but they still got to make sure you exaggerate a little bit to help.
“That was a tough loss. We did a lot of good things right, and we’re happy about certain things. Disappointed, but it creates a more desperate appetite going forward.”
Jackson LaCombe-Edmonton seemed to make it a point to finish every check on LaCombe, and finish hard, after every puck advancement he made. In the first, that may have led him to be a step slower than usual up ice, potentially preventing him from involving himself on rush attacks.
He quickly adjusted and used a crashing F1 to his advantage in the second and third, as he realized he could draw forecheckers out of position and beat them up ice, as displayed on the Ducks’ first goal.
Sennecke/Poehling/Viel-Troy Terry and Leo Carlsson were driving the Ducks’ offensive production in this game and were dangerous whenever they touched the puck. Moving forward, the Ducks will need to rely on their forward depth a touch more if they want to pull out some wins.
That starts with maintaining possession, but only after gaining it. Beckett Sennecke, Ryan Poehling, and Jeffrey Viel gave impressive efforts to disrupt attacks in the neutral and defensive zones, negating a significant aspect of how Edmonton generates their looks. Poehling was a puck hound on backchecks, angling rushes off at the defensive blueline. Sennecke utilized outstanding anticipation skills to knock down outlets and get sticks on passing attempts. Viel was impactful on the forecheck and forced point men into bad decisions at the Ducks’ blueline.
Penalty Kill-Anaheim allowed just two shots and six shot attempts on two attempts to the best power play in the NHL. Though Edmonton appeared dangerous when they got set up, the Ducks did as well as they could have to disrupt entries and deny at their blueline with clever poke checks and angles on the walls.
When entries were denied and dump-ins were forced, Dostal did well to knock them down, acting like a fifth penalty killer, and moved them to safety. Puck-retrieving defensemen were smart with their routes to loose pucks and efficient with their clears.
The Ducks will look to even the series on Wednesday, again in Edmonton at 7 PM PST for game 2.
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Game 2 Aftermath: How the game was lost for the Penguins
After generating just 18 shots on goal (and only one goal before resorting from pulling their goalie in desperation time to find a second goal) in Game 1, the Pittsburgh Penguins were unable to get much of anything going as a counter to that slow start in Game 2. In fact, the opposite happened for the Pens, they only registered two shots on goal in the first period. It was a telling sign that they didn’t not figure out how to break through the Flyers’ defense in the short time between Games 1 and 2 and went on to get shutout in a game where they were looking for a big response.
As a result, the Penguins leave Pittsburgh having lost the first two games of the series. They’re in a big hole now.
How was the game lost? Surely the Pens are wondering the same thing, desperately searching for an answer before it becomes too late. Philadelphia made Rick Tocchet one of the league’s highest paid coaches and he’s proving to be worth every penny by instilling a physical mindset and restrictive defensive strategy that has confounded the star power of the Penguins, making them look old and ineffective.
Tocchet’s finger prints are all over the series, and a big reason Philadelphia took Game 2. The Penguins can run from starting Sidney Crosby against Sean Couturier at the beginnings of periods, but they can’t stop the Flyers from putting Couturier and Travis Sanheim on the ice for defensive zone faceoffs. Couturier won 13 of his 18 overall faceoffs last night, many against Crosby who won just 39% of his 31 faceoffs. That alone isn’t a big reason that Pittsburgh lost, but it starts to explain the story of how the matchups are going all over the ice, in ways big and small.
Couturier besting Crosby knocks areas like the power play out of whack before it can even get on track. Then the Flyers’ defensive posturing, physicality and the Pens’ lack of urgency take over. It did last night when Tommy Novak took an indirect, slow route to a puck up for grabs (not even starting to skate towards the wall for a full beat after Stuart Skinner played the puck), threw a halfhearted bump and then slid all the way out of the picture in what started the sequence for Philadelphia’s second goal, which then really turned into something when Tippett went by Kris Letang like he wasn’t even there. It served as a backbreaker before the end of the second period to extend the lead to 2-0. It might as well have been 20-0 at that point.
The difference in the Pens and Flyers is the difference between Novak and Letang and Owen Tippett on that play, how much effort and energy is on display. One side is busting their ass to make something happen, the other is just kinda there. It should be needless to say but it can’t be like that in the NHL playoffs.
The above play was the only goal scored during a full 8:00 of game play where the Penguins had a power play. That, in a nutshell, is the simplest answer and explanation for how Pittsburgh lost Game 2. They have almost nothing going right so far and their opponent looks more hungry, smarter, faster, better-coached, better in net (not that Stuart Skinner could do too much about winning with zero goal support), you name it and it’s been an uphill climb.
Erik Karlsson summed it up, in what could have been the entirety of this article and been correct. (A 34-word quote isn’t good for the search engines, though). But Karlsson pretty much nails it here.
“We don’t really get in sync, and you would think that we would dictate what we want to do out there,” Karlsson said. “But they’re doing a good job, and we’re not. That’s the bottom line.”
Wrap it up, that’s all there is to say. Despite what elements of coaching or goaltending or any other variable that factors into the overall big picture, playoff hockey often comes down to which side is simply playing better or worse than the competition on the ice. So far the results have been very clear in that regard, with Game 2 serving as a terrible indictment of the Pens’ ability to find any answers on how to solve what their opponent has been throwing at them.
Kings vs Avalanche Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight's NHL Playoffs Game 2
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The Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche will hit Ball Arena for Game 2 of their Round 1 series on Tuesday, April 21.
My top Kings vs. Avalanche predictions and NHL picks call for Colorado to pull away with a convincing win to take a 2-0 lead tonight.
Kings vs Avalanche Game 2 prediction
Kings vs Avalanche best bet: Avalanche -1.5 (-105)
The Los Angeles Kings have received unsustainable goaltending from Anton Forsberg over the past month, with the veteran posting a godly .940 save percentage and 9.1 goals saved above expected across his past nine games.
Forsberg’s body of work to this point in his career doesn’t line up with those numbers. He posted a .900 SV% with 13.52 GSAx across his first 28 games of this season.
The Colorado Avalanche went26-9-6 at home while averaging 3.8 goals per game, allowing just 2.54 and ranking second in both Corsi For percentage and expected goals percentage at 5-on-5.
Kings vs Avalanche Game 2 same-game parlay
Colorado's top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, and Artturi Lehkonen was on the ice for a high-end 5.39 goals per 60 minutes during the regular season, and Necas has gone four games without a goal despite recording a solid 2.33 expected goals.
With Forsberg expected to regress, I’m anticipating the MacKinnon-Necas-Lehkonen line to leave their mark tonight.
Kings vs Avalanche SGP
- Avalanche -1.5
- Martin Necas anytime goal
- Artturi Lehkonen Over 0.5 points
Kings vs Avalanche Game 2 goal scorer pick
Martin Necas (+155)
Another big draw for Necas to find the back of the net is Los Angeles' 30th-ranked penalty kill. Colorado went 0-for-4 on the power play in the series opener, and this dam will break in Game 2.
Necas has scored 65 goals over the past two seasons, and playing so much ice time with MacKinnon at both even strength and on the PP increases his chances of finding the back of the net.
Kings vs Avalanche odds for Game 2
- Moneyline: Kings +230 | Avalanche -285
- Puck Line: Kings +1.5 (-115) | Avalanche -1.5 (-105)
- Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-125) | Under 5.5 (+105)
Kings vs Avalanche trend
The Colorado Avalanche have won six of their last seven games (+4.70 Units / 34% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs. Avalanche.
How to watch Kings vs Avalanche Game 2
| Location | Ball Arena, Denver, CO |
| Date | Tuesday, April 21, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Kings vs Avalanche latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Former Penguins Winger Has Huge Playoff Game For Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Anaheim Ducks by a 4-3 final score in their Game 1 matchup. Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen was a significant reason behind the Oilers' win.
Kapanen had an excellent game for the Oilers against the Ducks, as he scored two goals. His first goal was at the 18:21 mark of the first period and gave the Oilers a 2-0 lead. However, his second goal was the bigger of the two, as the former Penguins forward scored the game-winner at the 18:06 mark of the third period for Edmonton. With this, there is no question that Kapanen had a huge game for the Oilers in this one.
Kapanen was the unlikely hero for the Oilers in this contest and helped them pick up a much-needed Game 1 victory because of it. The Oilers will now be hoping that the former Penguins forward can continue to stay hot this postseason from here.
Kapanen was selected by the Penguins with the 22nd overall pick of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. While the Penguins traded him before he started his NHL career to the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2015 offseason to land Phil Kessel, Kapanen was traded back to Pittsburgh during the 2020 NHL offseason.
In three seasons with the Penguins from 2020-21 to 2022-23, Kapanen had 29 goals, 53 assists, and 82 points.
KASPERI KAPANEN SCORES HIS SECOND OF THE NIGHT AND THE GAME WINNER! 🔵🟠 #StanleyCup
— NHL (@NHL) April 21, 2026
🇺🇸: @espn 2
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet & @TVASportspic.twitter.com/4e8KKkQd3H
Former Blackhawks Forward Has Big Playoff Game For Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Anaheim Ducks by a 4-3 final score in Game 1 of the first round on Monday. Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson played a significant role in the Oilers' win, as he had a big game for the Pacific Division club.
Dickinson made a serious impact offensively for the Oilers in this one, as he scored two goals. His first goal was at the 17:21 mark of the first period, which gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead. However, his second goal was the more significant one, as it tied the game up at 3-3 at the 11:30 mark of the third period. From there, Kasperi Kapanen would score the game-winner for the Oilers at the 18:06 mark of the third.
With a multi-goal performance like this, it is clear that Dickinson came up clutch for the Oilers in Game 1. It was a great way for the former Blackhawks forward to kick off his postseason this year, and he will now be looking to stay hot for Edmonton from here.
The Blackhawks traded Dickinson and forward Colton Dach to the Oilers ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline in exchange for Andrew Mangiapane and a 2027 first-round pick. In 266 games over four seasons with the Blackhawks, Dickinson had 44 goals, 50 assists, 94 points, and 408 hits. This included him setting career-highs with 22 goals and 35 points in 82 games during the 2023-24 season with Chicago.
JASON DICKINSON!!!! THE DEADLINE ACQUISITION!!!! TIE GAME IN EDMONTON!!! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/puVs7R96nY
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 21, 2026
Five changes the Penguins could try for Game 3
The Penguins are in trouble.
They’re heading to Philadelphia this week down two games in their first-round series and, barring some immediate changes, could be staring down a 3-0 hole by Wednesday night.
Dan Muse and the Penguins have a few changes available to them before Wednesday, including some potential personnel changes. Here’s some possibilities:
1.Shake up the power play units.
The Penguins got five power play opportunities on Monday night. On those five tries they recorded a total of two shots and allowed a shorthanded goal.
“There were just a few adjustments,” coach Rick Tocchet said about his team’s penalty kill after the game (h/t OnPattison.com’s Anthony SanFilippo). “We’re a little more aggressive. A little more pressure.”
That pressure showed. The Penguins couldn’t connect on passes, keep the puck in at the blue line or prevent breakaways. Shuffling personnel, maybe including bumping someone like Anthony Mantha up to the first unit, could help the Pens find a more shot-happy combination.
2. Swap the Chinakhov and Rakelllines.
The Penguins went into both of these first two games of the series with Egor Chinakhov on Sidney Crosby’s line, while Rickard Rakell centered Evgeni Malkin.
They haven’t had a lot of success at even strength with that top six, and Muse ended up swapping Chinakhov and Rakell back to Malkin and Crosby’s lines, respectively, during Monday’s second period.
Muse declined to make any conclusions about that mid-game swap after the loss, saying the Penguins didn’t get enough sustained looks at even strength for him to make an evaluation.
“I’m not in a position right now to really make any decisions in terms of lineup for next game,” Muse said after the loss. “That’s something— we’ll look at film, we’ll speak as a staff. We’ll make those decisions later.”
The Chinakhov-Malkin and Rakell-Crosby combos worked well down the stretch of the regular season. Given how much the Penguins have struggled to put together any offense through two playoff games, those combos could be worth trying again.
3. Dress Justin Brazeau.
Few of the forwards have been standouts through two games. The Penguins could try scratching a bottom-six forward and shuffling Brazeau into the lineup to see if he is able to find any more success.
4. Dress Jack St. Ivany.
The Ryan Shea-Connor Clifton pairing was on the ice for nine Penguins shot attempts and 10 shot attempts against on Monday night, by far the worst ratio among the defense pairings, per MoneyPuck. St. Ivany has experience skating alongside Shea from earlier this season and could be an option if the Penguins decide to swap out Clifton.
5. Figure out zone entries.
The Flyers have the Penguins’ number in terms of how Muse’s team usually likes to bring the puck into the zone. Even on the power play the Penguins regularly relied on wrapping the puck along the boards on Monday night, often at the cost of an immediate Flyers clear.
The Pens will need to figure out how to make their usual controlled breakouts work against Tocchet’s aggressive defensive system in order to get some more offensive momentum in Game 3.
The Penguins aren’t practicing tomorrow. Maybe they’ll have the opportunity to watch some tape, and hopefully make some adjustments, before Wednesday’s 7 p.m. ET puck drop.