For the second straight playoff series, the Golden Knights are headed out of town for Games 3 and 4 tied 1-1, and home ice squandered after losing Game 2.

The Anaheim Ducks scored three unanswered goals and cruised to a 3-1 win Wednesday night to knot the second-round series at one game apiece.

Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson and Jansen Harkins scored for the Ducks, while Lukas Dostal made 21 saves.

Vegas captain Mark Stone saved the Knights from enduring their third-ever home shutout loss in the playoffs when he scored with six seconds left in the game. Goalie Carter Hart made 25 saves.

KEY MOMENT

At the midway point of the first period, Anaheim's Tim Washe was called for goaltender interference, giving the Golden Knights their first power-play opportunity. Vegas had already staved off Anaheim's first two power-play chances and had the chance to seize momentum with the third-best home power play of the playoffs. Instead, the Knights didn't even get a shot on goal.

KEY STAT

4 ... Wednesday marked the fourth-straight Game 2 playoff loss at home for the Knights. Last year they fell to the Minnesota Wild in the opening round, as the two split the first two games. The Knights went on to win the series, 4-2. In the second round, the Edmonton Oilers won both Games 1 and 2, but then won Game 3 in Canada to cut the series lead in half. In this year's opening round, the Knights lost Games 2 and 3 to the Utah Mammoth, before winning Games 4-6 to advance. The Golden Knights have now lost Game 2 seven times, and are 3-3 after doing so the first six times.

WHAT A KNIGHT

Though he didn't score or have anything to do with Stone's goal, give Ivan Barbashev the nod for this space. Barbashev, who scored the game-winning goal in Game 1 and failed to register a point for the first time this postseason, still led the team with five shots on goal. He had three other shots blocked and led the team with eight hits.

UP NEXT

The teams continue their series in Anaheim for Game 3 on Friday night.

PHOTO CAPTION

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov (98) blocks a shot by Vegas Golden Knights left wing Ivan Barbashev (49) during the third period of game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson and Jansen Harkins scored, Lukas Dostal came 5.6 seconds from his first career playoff shutout and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1 on Wednesday night to even their series at a game apiece.

The Ducks head home with the chance to grab hold of the best-of-seven second-round NHL playoff series, with Game 3 on Friday night. Vegas hopes to pull off a repeat of its first-round series when the Golden Knights went to Utah at 1-1 before winning in six games.

Sennecke, a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy that goes to the league’s top rookie, became the fourth Ducks player 20 or younger to score multiple goals in a postseason.

Dostal saved 23 shots and nearly had his third career shutout, including regular-season play, before Mark Stone scored a power-play goal in the closing seconds.

Carter Hart made 25 saves for the Golden Knights. Brett Howden’s four-game goal streak ended, as did Ivan Barbarshev’s seven-game point streak.

SABRES 4, CANADIENS 2

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Bowen Byram and Ryan McLeod scored on consecutive power-play opportunities in reviving Buffalo’s anemic special-teams unit, and the Sabres defeated Montreal in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.

Josh Doan and Jordan Greenway also scored for Buffalo making its first second-round appearance since 2007, and first overall in 15 years. Alex Lyon stopped 26 shots and improved to 4-1 since taking over the starting duties in Game 3 of Buffalo’s opening-round opponent Boston.

Nick Suzuki and Kirby Dach scored for Montreal, which appeared slow to find its legs three days after defeating Tampa Bay in Game 7 of its first-round series. Jakub Dobes finished with 12 saves, and allowed four goals after allowing a combined two in splitting Games 6 and 7 against the Lightning.

Montreal has yet to win consecutive playoff games this postseason, and was coming off a series in which all seven games were decided by one goal, including four in overtime.

Buffalo hosts Game 2 on Friday night, before the series shifts to Montreal on Sunday.

Before the Ducks had even checked out of their hotel Wednesday for the short bus ride to T-Mobile Arena for Game 2 of their Stanley Cup playoff series, the Las Vegas sports books had made the hometown Golden Knights heavy favorites.

That proved to be a poor bet a couple of hours later when the Ducks rolled to a 3-1 victory, evening the best-of-seven playoff series at 1-1. The second-round series resumes Friday at Honda Center.

The Ducks' goals came from Beckett Sennecke in the second period and Leo Carlsson and Jansen Harkins in the third. Harkins’ goal, into an empty net, was the exclamation point on the win. Jack Eichel scored Vegas’ only goal on a power play in the final seconds, denying goaltender Lukas Dostal and the Ducks their first shutout of the season.

It wasn't the first time the Ducks defied the odds this postseason. After losing the opener of their first-round series to favored Edmonton, the Ducks won four of the next five.

This one shouldn’t have been that close. The younger, faster Ducks dominated the plodding Golden Knights for most of the game, but Vegas stifled the Ducks' power play, which kept it in the game.

“The way to beat them is just outpacing them,” Ducks center Ryan Poehling said. “And it's not just with speed. It's how we play. Guys are supporting one another, and you saw that tonight.

“Tonight was kind of a game plan of what we want to do to win, for sure.”

The Golden Knights, who killed four penalties in Game 1, saw three players go to the box in the first 5½ minutes, giving the Ducks a man advantage for eight consecutive minutes. For one minute and 41 seconds, Vegas was down two players.

Yet the Ducks couldn’t score.

The Ducks were shut out on another power play in the second period, extending to 19 the number of consecutive penalties the Golden Knights have killed in the playoffs. They’ve allowed just one power-play goal in 25 tries in the postseason.

Which isn’t to say the Ducks weren’t dangerous through the first period and a half, they were. But goaltender Carter Hart was stellar, turning away 17 shots before Sennecke got one past at 11:23 of the second. Jeffrey Viel set up the goal, with his pass from behind the goal line finding Sennecke for a quick wrist shot from the top of the crease.

Carlsson, left all alone on the right side, doubled the advantage with his fourth goal of the playoffs at 13:24 of the third period, redirecting in a backhand pass from Troy Terry.

Defensive games haven’t been the Ducks’ strength this season — they gave up more than 3.5 goals a game during the regular season, more than any other playoff team — but they have smothered the Golden Knights. They gave up just 23 shots in Game 2.

Vegas was also plagued by poor passing and puck handling while the Ducks defenders did a good job of keeping the crease clear.

“We're picking a good time here to play our best hockey,” defenseman Jacob Trouba said.

Now the Ducks go home having split of the first two games, but feeling like they’re leading the series.

“We didn't like Game 1 ended, but we liked our game,” Poehling said about a game that turned on a missed icing call. “That's hockey sometimes. You can play the right way, do all the right things, we end up losing.

“We kept the momentum going into Game 2 and now we're headed home, which is fantastic.”

For the once-favored Golden Knights, they need to hold serve in Anaheim to keep home-ice advantage when the series returns to Las Vegas.

“We got a split here,” coach John Tortorella said. “We need to get a game there.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

On year ago, the notion of the Pittsburgh Penguins trading their 2026 first-round pick would have been met with understandable and unabashed criticism.

Of course, it's not hard to see why: One year ago, the Penguins were waiting for word on the New York Rangers' decision on the first they surrendered to Pittsburgh, and the Rangers chose to keep their 2026 first instead of their 2025 first. One year ago - and this still holds true - folks were talking about how many impact, franchise players would headline the 2026 class. And, one year ago, most of the hockey world thought the Penguins would be one of the teams vying for a precious spot in the top-five, potentially even possessing the most lottery balls.

Well, one year later, a playoff berth and a much later draft selection have certainly changed a few things.

With the NHL Draft Lottery concluded - and the Toronto Maple Leafs winning it to get the first overall pick - the Penguins will select 22nd overall in this year's draft, which will take place Jun. 26-27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. It's a far cry from the top-five, where almost everyone thought they would be drafting going into the 2025-26 season. 

Then, they were a top-10 team in the NHL for most of the season, and they made the playoffs. Yes, they were finished off in the first round by the Philadelphia Flyers - even if they made the series interesting by forcing a Game 6 after going down 3-0 - but with some up-and-coming talent on the way and some veterans still playing at a very high level, it stands to reason that the Penguins can build on what they accomplished this season. 

So, there's the million dollar question: Will the Penguins mobilize this summer? And, if so, will they deal their 22nd overall pick for a young player?

Maybe The 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins Were A Surprise. But This Is Only The Beginning.The Pittsburgh Penguins may have had a disappointing first-round exit this season, but the future looks bright.

Typically, a team in the midst of a rebuild, even if the Penguins did make the playoffs this season, isn't exactly in a position to leverage those higher-value assets. But, the Penguins are in a bit of a unique situation.

For starters, their veterans are still playing at a very high level. Sidney Crosby just clinched his 21st consecutive season above point-per-game. Evgeni Malkin - whose future for next season, as a UFA, has not yet been decided - was above point-per-game for the first time in three years. Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell matched their paces from last season. Anthony Mantha, another UFA, led the team in goals. And Erik Karlsson played some of the best hockey of his career since his days as an Ottawa Senator nearly a decade ago.

On the surface, some may say that the Penguins are too reliant on their veterans. But they have some key young pieces who should be breaking through on the NHL roster - or, in some cases, have already broken through - sometime next season. 

2026 NHL Lottery Mock Draft: Who The Maple Leafs Should Pair With Auston MatthewsWho should the Toronto Maple Leafs draft first overall? Could the Vancouver Canucks get a first-overall-caliber winger at third overall? Ryan Kennedy shares his instant post-lottery mock draft.

Ben Kindel made the team as an 18-year-old, was the third-line center all season long, has mature details in his game already, and will only continue to grow in terms of production. Egor Chinakhov, 25, only scratched the surface of his potential as an impact top-six winger after being traded to the Penguins by the Columbus Blue Jackets in late-December, as he registered 18 goals and 36 points in 43 games.

Then, there is 22-year-old goaltender Sergei Murashov, who had another really solid professional campaign in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) and figures to graduate to the NHL from the AHL next season. There is also defenseman Harrison Brunicke, 20, who broke the NHL roster out of training camp at 19, eventually found himself back on his junior team, is playing top-pair minutes for WBS during the playoffs, and is the highest-upside defenseman in their system. He should also push for a full-time NHL roster spot next season.

And that's not even counting other peripheral players like Avery Hayes, Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Tristan Broz, Owen Pickering, and Tanner Howe, all of whom will be in the mix over the next two years. 

Calder Cup Playoffs: Hershey Strikes Back, Evens Up Series Against Wilkes-Barre/ScrantonWilkes-Barre/Scranton dropped Game 2 of its playoff series against Hershey.

Finally, there's the potential of the trade market this summer.

Even with the cap rising by $8.5 million next season, there are still some teams who are either in cap trouble or are heading in the wrong direction organizationally. The Dallas Stars will try to figure out a way to sign pending-RFA superstar forward Jason Robertson, but that may expose other high-upside young pieces such as defenseman Thomas Harley and forward Mavrik Bourque.

The Leafs - despite winning the lottery - have one of the league's worst farm systems and a captain in Auston Matthews that isn't sure about his future in Toronto with two years remaining on his contract. Even if not Matthews, players like Matthew Knies and Nick Robertson could become available. St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas could also be on the market, even though he'd probably cost a king's ransom.

The Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens have a surplus of young blueliners and, in an effort to take the next step in contention, may covet a good veteran player like Rakell or Rust. There is even some potential turmoil in Edmonton, although the Oilers are unlikely to put their two best players on the market this summer.

Jason Robertson Contract Situation Could Push Stars Toward Maple Leafs-Like Cap StrugglesWith 69 percent of the cap tied to elite stars, Dallas faces a financial squeeze that threatens the roster depth needed to avoid Toronto’s postseason pitfalls.

Even if the free agent market is rather thin this summer, the trade market could have a lot of opportunity, and that's not something that happens very often in the NHL. If an opportunity arises to acquire a young impact talent that could help the Penguins in both the short-term and the long-term, they have to take advantage of that.

They also have a high second-round pick thanks to the Winnipeg Jets, so there won't be an overwhelmingly large talent gap between where they're picking at 22 in the first round versus picking at 39 in the second. And they have another second-round pick at 54. 

Obviously, there are bound to be many other teams in on these players, should they become available, so the acquisition cost isn't going to come cheap. A high-end player like Robertson would cost the Penguins at least Rust or Rakell, the first-rounder, and a high-value prospect like Brunicke at a starting point. And that's only a starting point, as it would certainly take at least another prospect and/or an NHL rostered player, plus a few other picks. 

Monday Mailbox: Will The Penguins Contend Next Season? What Will The Goaltending Situation Look Like? Fans submitted their questions regarding the Pittsburgh Penguins, their offseason plans, some predictions, and more, and I did my best to answer them.

And, even if not a Robertson-level talent, someone like Harley would still cost quite a lot. But it's something they should still be able to execute.

The beauty of the Penguins' situation - and what actually makes it pretty advantageous - is the fact that they have a high volume of draft capital, a high volume of viable prospects, and more cap space than anyone else in the NHL. So, even if the Penguins lack some of the higher-end blue-chip prospects other organizations possess, they have so much more flexibility in terms of building out a high-volume package that could push deals over the finish line.

They can tack on picks. They can tack on a prospect or two. And they can take on some salary or a bad contract to help cap-strapped teams like Dallas clear out more space. All of these things do add up, and they could spell the difference in terms of setting themselves apart.

The Penguins and GM/POHO Kyle Dubas have positioned themselves nicely to make a big splash because they have those "extra assets." They have that peripheral prospect talent, mid-round draft capital, and cap space that other teams don't. And they have enough of those things that giving up a few of them for a star player or a rising young player wouldn't be a detriment to their future. 

If there is a summer to leverage their first-round pick in a trade for a legitimate young talent, it's this summer. Since they're not going to land a lottery pick, they may be better off landing a sure talent using that first-rounder as leverage rather than hoping that the pick turns into one of the guys they could have traded for. 

Who Stays, Who Goes For Penguins In 2026-27?With an abundance of uncertainty heading into the 2026-27 season - and a ton of UFAs and RFAs - the Pittsburgh Penguins will have some big decisions to make regarding their roster next season.

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Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

It’s hard to believe it’s now been 20 years since Claude Giroux was drafted into the NHL. Selected 22nd overall in 2006, Giroux’s name famously slipped the mind of Philadelphia Flyers GM Bobby Clarke when he walked up to the podium microphone that day.

Two decades later, Giroux has carved out a career that's been completely unforgettable.

A spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame probably awaits the man they call 'G,' because at 1,165 points in 1,345 NHL games, his numbers are just getting too good to ignore. But that's a question for another day.

The immediate question is this: How much longer does Giroux, one of the most respected men in hockey, actually want to play?

At 38, and coming off a one-year, bonus-laden deal signed last summer, Giroux is probably feeling a strong case of deja vu. He's a veteran UFA coming off another disappointing first-round defeat and ready to open offseason talks with the Sens again.

From a performance standpoint, GM Steve Staios might as well just print off a duplicate of Giroux's contract from last summer, because he was almost exactly the same player.

Staios signed Giroux to a one-year, $2 million extension for the 2025–26 season, which included an additional $2.75 million in performance bonuses.

As a sidebar, Giroux scooped up all the individual bonuses, but none of the $1.75 million attached to winning playoff rounds.

He did that while doing what he always does: staying healthy, leading, and producing. Giroux, who's missed only one game in four years with Ottawa, put up 49 points this season, just one less than the season before.

He also delivered a serious plus/minus turnaround, for those of you who are still serious about that stat, going from a -8 in 2025 to a +20 this season, second-best on the team.

But before contract talks begin, Giroux has to decide for sure if he wants to keep rolling. Although, based on his recent, season-ending media availability, it's pretty clear he does.

"Yeah, I think everybody does, but it's too early to even answer that question for me," Giroux said. "I need to calm down a little bit. I'm still a little fired up about (losing) the series, and sometimes you need to take a step back and give yourself a chance just to kinda chill and then see what's next."

It wasn't a firm commitment by any stretch, but he left the door wide open.

If there's a knock on Giroux, as we watch the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs where the pace of play is off the charts, the 38-year-old isn't the fastest guy out there. But that's been true for all of his years in Ottawa, and he's managed to overcome that with his offensive production, hockey IQ, faceoff ability, defence, and leadership.

He's also built a reputation for being a beast in the gym, which has helped slow the physical punishment that time doles out to all of us. But the mental grind of the NHL is another animal altogether, and it might be some time before Giroux recharges enough on both fronts to be completely sure about his future.

"Yeah, you wake up in the morning and it's hard to wrap your head around that the season's over, and it's frustrating for sure. Definitely, it takes a long time."

In the short term, Giroux will do what he always does this time of year: spend time with his young family here in Ottawa, decompress, and book a few tee times.

But when the dust eventually settles, he's still a man who wants a Cup before he goes, and there’s still a strong sense of unfinished business in Ottawa.

"The guys in that locker room, I love spending time with those guys. They make it fun coming to the rink, and they definitely keep me young, and being around them is... I feel very lucky."

That connection can’t be overlooked. If Brady Tkachuk signs an extension here next summer, that connection with the room will be the biggest reason why. Giroux is still a key part of the leadership here, helping to guide a core that took some big steps forward as one of the best teams in the NHL from January to April.

"Yeah, I think this year we dug ourselves in a little hole early in the season. And in the last two months, we were playing playoff hockey and played some really good hockey to get into the playoffs, and it's something that we should be proud of. But sitting here right now, it's not what we had planned."

With four years now under his belt in Ottawa, Giroux was part of some Senators teams that, to put it mildly, didn't stick to their identity. So he was pleased to see this one find its swagger, sticking to the process even when results didn't go their way for a long time.

"(I liked) the way we stuck to how we wanna play, our identity. Guys didn't start doing their own things, and we just believed that the way we play, we're gonna be successful. And usually that doesn't happen."

So where does that leave things for the wily veteran?

All signs point to another one-year deal that keeps Giroux wearing the centurion crest for at least one more run. In what appears to be an Ottawa-or-nothing situation. The fit is there, his role is clear, and the motivation is certainly still there as well. As any teammate will tell you, Giroux hates losing... at anything.

The final decision will come after Giroux gets the time he needs to step back and decompress. But based on his words, his play, and his connection to the boys in that locker room, it’s hard to imagine this NHL story ending just yet.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:  

Another NHL Chance For Former Senators GM Pierre Dorion?
The Year The Senators Entered The Playoffs As The Stanley Cup Favourite
Tkachuk's Future In Ottawa Hinges On Senators Taking A Big Step Next Season
Travis Green Misses Out On Jack Adams Award Consideration
Jake Sanderson One Of Three Finalists For Lady Byng

Thanks to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers are positioned nicely to add another extremely talented young player to their cupboard in the near future.

On Tuesday night, the Maple Leafs, perhaps unsurprisingly, won the NHL draft lottery outright, securing themselves the No. 1 overall pick and the rights to draft Gavin McKenna after a disastrous 2025-26 season.

Toronto, we can expect, will keep the first overall pick and select McKenna or another top prospect, which also means the Maple Leafs will be giving away their first-round picks in 2027 and 2028.

The Maple Leafs originally traded a conditional 2026 first-round pick to the Boston Bruins for Brandon Carlo, with the conditions being top-five protection. Because the Maple Leafs won the first pick, that 2026 first-round pick slides to 2027.

But the Flyers received a conditional 2027 first-round pick from the Maple Leafs in the Scott Laughton trade, which is top-10 protected. So, if the 2027 first-round pick is another top-10 pick, the Maple Leafs will have to choose whether it goes to the Flyers or Bruins.

Maple Leafs Coach Heaps Big Praise Upon Rising Flyers ProspectToronto Maple Leafs head coach and former Philadelphia Flyers bench boss Craig Berube likes what he's seen from Nikita Grebenkin, one of his old players. And he knows there's room for plenty more as Grebenkin embarks on the next chapter of his NHL career with the Flyers.

The Maple Leafs and the Bruins are obviously rivals and play in the same division, and the Flyers will get the pick anyway if it is outside of the top 10.

To make a long story short, the only way the Flyers don't get the Maple Leafs' 2027 first-round pick is if they decide to give a top-10 pick to their division rival. We can assume that probably isn't going to happen.

As things stand, with all that said, the Flyers have their first-round pick this year, their own first and Toronto's first next year, as well as both second-round picks and three total third-round picks.

That's a lot of ammo to go out and trade for a good player.

We all know the Flyers need a No. 1 center and another really good defenseman, and the odds suggest they will find neither of those things in the 2026 draft since they are still alive in the playoffs.

Flyers Can Thank Maple Leafs for Exciting New Fan-Favorite ProspectThanks to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers have an exciting new prospect everyone is hoping makes the NHL roster out of training camp this fall.

But, with Toronto's pick, they could very well do that in 2027, should the Flyers decide not to trade that pick outright.

Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews may or may not be out there on the NHL trade market, and players like Adam Fantilli, Shane Wright, Jason Robertson, Ivan Demidov, Kent Johnson, Alex Nikishin, Simon Edvinsson, Olen Zellweger, and Pavel Mintyukov are all RFAs this offseason or the next.

The Flyers will have a host of intriguing options available to them at multiple positions over the next two summers if they choose not to draft a player and accelerate the Stanley Cup timeline a bit.

And that all comes from trading a bottom-six forward like Scott Laughton at the NHL trade deadline.

Michael Augello and Ryan O’Hara are live on the thread to bring you every detail from tonight’s opening game of the Second Round Stanley Cup Playoff series between the Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres.

The Fans Are Pumped

Until this season, the Sabres had not reached the playoffs since 2010–11, when Ryan Miller was still their starting goaltender—the year after Team USA fell to Sidney Crosby and Team Canada in overtime of the Olympic gold medal game at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

With that said, there’s every reason for Sabres fans to be excited — and, in this case, to have the celebratory balloons ready. But by no means will this be an easy series. The Canadiens proved in their opening-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning that they can win even while generating limited offense, though they will likely need to produce more shots on goal if they hope to reach the Eastern Conference Final.

Opening Period

That may have been one of the quickest penalties to start a playoff game in recent memory. Lane Hutson was called for tripping Zach Benson just 10 seconds into the game. It marked the ninth minor penalty Benson has drawn this postseason.

We’ve returned to 5-on-5 action after Buffalo failed to convert on the power play, though the Sabres generated several quality opportunities. There was also a brief stoppage after Josh Doan fired a wrister from the doorstep that knocked Montreal goaltender Jakob Dobes’ mask clean off.

Goal

Hutson endured an unfortunate start for the Canadiens. First came the penalty, then he rang a shot off the crossbar after his wrister deflected off Alex Lyon’s pad. Things got worse when he tripped and fell at center ice, leading to an odd-man rush for the Sabres. Josh Doan capitalized on the chance to give Buffalo an early lead.

LANE HUTSON LOSES THE PUCK AND THE SABRES MAKE HIM PAY IT'S 1-0 BUFFALO 😵‍💫🚨 pic.twitter.com/MSzGQUtYo6

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 6, 2026

Buffalo is doing a fantastic job, especially Logan Stanley, at clogging up lanes in front of the net. Montreal will have to get creative if they want to get some quality shots on net. 

Injury?

The aforementioned Stanley went down the tunnel after blocking a shot earlier in the period and the Canadiens are struggling to remain disciplined as their captain, Nick Suzuki, has gone to the box for tripping Bowen Byram. 

Power Play Goal Sabres 2 Canadiens 0

Ryan McLeod scored his first goal of the playoffs at 13:26, with Doan once again showing his playmaking ability by finding him in the slot to make it a 2–0 game. Montreal is getting overwhelmed by the relentless pressure.

Penalty Kill

Buffalo will have to kill off a penalty in the final 2:02 of the frame as Rasmus Dahlin was called for interference after sending Alex Newhook into the crossbar. Montreal will get an opportunity on the power play, but their star forward, Cole Caufield took a big hit from Jordan Greenway and was slow to get up.

But Montreal responded with a power play goal and it was Suzuki, their captain making up for his earlier penalty to put the Canadiens on the board.

NICK SUZUKI BURIES IT BACK DOOR AND THE HABS CUT THE DEFICIT IN HALF 👀🚨 pic.twitter.com/M86DQdjc0X

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 6, 2026

The Sabres took a 2–1 lead into the dressing room at the end of the first period.

Takeaways

Montreal outshot Buffalo 10–6 in the opening frame, but the Sabres did a better job controlling the puck and generated the more dangerous scoring chances. The Canadiens struggled to stay out of the penalty box, and Hutson’s costly mistake at center ice led directly to Buffalo’s 2-on-1 opportunity.

The team that makes the fewest mistakes will likely win this game.

Second Period

We’re underway in Period 2.

Jordan Greenway made it a 3–1 game with his first goal of the postseason, restoring Buffalo’s two-goal advantage. The tally came moments after the Canadiens likely should have been penalized for too many men on the ice, but no call was made. It didn’t matter, as Greenway snapped a wrister through traffic that caught the edge of Dobes’ glove.

Following the goal, Dobes had now allowed three goals on nine shots. Greenway added the insurance marker despite managing just one goal in 40 regular-season games.

Buffalo earned its third power play of the game just past the seven-minute mark after Kaiden Guhle was called for cross-checking Tyson Kozak.

Another Power-Play Strike

This Buffalo team is dangerous.

A second power-play goal pushed the Sabres’ lead to three. Josh Doan provided a beautiful screen in front, and Bo Byram — who scored three goals in Buffalo’s first-round series win over the Boston Bruins — ripped a scintillating shot through traffic to make it 4–1.

At this point, Buffalo was making Montreal pay for every mistake.

Montreal Fights Back

The Canadiens weren’t done yet. With 3:29 remaining in the second period, Kirby Dach batted in his own rebound while falling to the ice, capping off a beautiful individual effort to pull Montreal within two.

The Sabres took a 4–2 lead into the third and likely final period.

Third Period

The Sabres grabbed the lead four-and-a-half minutes into the game and never gave it back. The final period was far more subdued compared to the opening two, but Buffalo wasn’t complaining. Four goals on 16 shots had them comfortably ahead with 2:50 remaining in regulation — but there was still some late drama.

Rasmus Dahlin headed down the tunnel and appeared to be limping, raising concern on the Buffalo bench after blocking a shot, but later returned. Montreal then pulled Dobes with 2:50 to play, and about 1:20 later, Lyon took a shot off the mask just before Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis called a timeout.

But time ultimately ran out, and the Sabres skated away with a 4–2 victory.

A major piece of the Buffalo Sabres’ depth could be nearing a return just in time for the second round.

According to NHL.com, veteran center Buffalo Sabres welcomed back Sam Carrick to practice Tuesday at KeyBank Center ahead of Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night. It marked Carrick’s first full session with the club since suffering a left arm injury during a fight with Anders Lee of the New York Islanders on March 31.

The injury, which Carrick later described as a “freak accident,” originally came with a projected recovery window of four to eight weeks. Tuesday landed exactly five weeks from the date of the injury, and while he skated in a reserve role alongside extra forwards Tanner Pearson and Josh Dunne during line rushes, his return appears to be getting closer by the day.

“He’s out there right now getting some contact, and his fitness levels are good, everything. His return to play (plan), he’s worked really hard to be ready,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “So, it will be just a day-to-day decision on him now.”

For the time being, Buffalo appears set to roll with the same lineup that closed out its first-round series against the Boston Bruins in Game 6. Alex Lyon is expected to remain between the pipes, while Logan Stanley stays on the third defensive pairing.

Carrick, now 34 and skating for the fifth organization of his NHL career, credited Buffalo’s training and development staff for helping accelerate his recovery. He specifically pointed to assistant athletic trainer Michael Adesso and skating coach Mike Ansell for keeping him sharp while sidelined. Watching the postseason from afar, however, wasn’t exactly relaxing.

“Really figured [Boston] out after a few games, so credit to the guys,” said Carrick, who appeared in 10 playoff games with the 2024 Edmonton Oilers. “It was stressful for me to watch, but they did a great job.”

Why Carrick Matters To Buffalo’s Bottom-Six

Even in a small sample size after arriving from the New York Rangers at the trade deadline, Carrick quickly carved out a meaningful role in Buffalo’s bottom six. In his Sabres debut against the Nashville Predators on March 7, he delivered two critical late defensive-zone faceoff wins to preserve a 3-2 victory. One night later, he chipped in a key goal during Buffalo’s wild 8-7 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

His impact extended well beyond scoring. Carrick posted a team-best 57.3 percent faceoff rate over 13 games with Buffalo, including an impressive 60.3 percent mark in the defensive zone. His right-handed presence down the middle gives the Sabres another option after relying heavily on left-shot centers like Dunne and Tyson Kozak during Round 1. That detail could become even more important against a Montreal squad that controlled 55.6 percent of faceoffs in its opening-round series against Tampa Bay.

Offensively, Carrick found another level after the trade, scoring five times in 13 games with Buffalo after managing just four goals in 60 contests with New York. His hot stretch included a two-goal performance against the San Jose Sharks and a third-period game-winner days later versus the Los Angeles Kings.

“I think all the goals were probably a bonus,” Ruff said, “but a real good bonus.”

Carrick also seemed to click almost immediately alongside winger Beck Malenstyn. No matter who rotated onto the opposite wing, the pair consistently tilted the ice in Buffalo’s favor. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Sabres outshot opponents 62-33 and outscored them 8-2 during their 104 minutes together at five-on-five.

“Sometimes things just gel good, and we were able to connect for a few goals, which helps the confidence, for sure,” Carrick said of that instant chemistry. “I think we just play similar games. He can fly around, get in on the forecheck early, and I can play my game as a centerman where I’m trying to be in good spots for him.”

Buffalo believes Carrick’s return could provide a meaningful boost in a series where depth play and possession battles may prove decisive.

“It’s always tough, especially getting traded to a new team and then getting hurt,” Jason Zucker said. “But he was a huge impact for us when he got here, and we’re looking forward to having him back whenever he’s ready.”

The Sabres also had another young face back on the ice Tuesday, as 2024 first-round pick Konsta Helenius joined the club for practice duties. Helenius recorded four points in a nine-game NHL stint earlier this season before producing a strong sophomore campaign in Rochester, where he totaled 63 points. He has since joined Buffalo’s playoff group as a Black Ace and, notably, has been the only extra forward skating regularly with the team.

When asked about Helenius’ presence, Ruff cited the need for another center at practice with Noah Ostlund sidelined by a lower-body injury. Still, the situation could become more relevant if another injury opens the door for the highly regarded prospect later in the series.

The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night by a 5-2 final score. With this, the Avalanche now have a 2-0 series lead over Minnesota. 

Former Canadiens Brett Kulak played a role in the Avalanche's Game 2 win over the Wild, as he put together a strong performance.

Kulak recorded two assists in the Avalanche's victory over the Wild. His first assist came on Martin Necas' game-opening goal at the 2:51 mark of the first period that gave Colorado a 1-0 lead. Kulak then recorded the primary assist on Valeri Nichushkin's third-period empty-net goal that helped secure the Avalanche's victory.

With this two-assist performance, Kulak now has three points and a plus-3 rating in six games so far this post-season with the Avalanche. Overall, the former Canadiens' blueline is having a solid start to the playoffs and will be looking to keep this kind of play up from here. 

Kulak spent four seasons with the Canadiens from 2018-19 to 2021-22. In 215 games with the Habs over that span, he had 11 goals, 34 assists, 45 points, 258 hits, and a plus-45 rating. 

On Wednesday, the Vegas Golden Knights host the Anaheim Ducks for Game 2 of their Second Round series. They’ve won four in a row and will look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead over their postseason opponent.

Puck drop is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. PST.

The teams last clashed on Monday for Game 1. The Golden Knights led for most of the game, but allowed the tying goal late. However, they quickly recovered, regained the lead on a controversial no-call, and won 3-1.

Carter Hart starts in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a record of 5-2 and an average save percentage of .910 in seven games this postseason.

Lukáš Dostál starts in goal for the Ducks. Dostál has a record of 4-3 and an average save percentage of .878 in seven games this postseason. 

Golden Knights Lines

Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev

Brett Howden — Mitch Marner — Mark Stone

Tomáš Hertl — William Karlsson — Keegan Kolesar

Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Colton Sissons

Defense

Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore

Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson

Ben Hutton — Kaedan Korczak

Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill

Ducks Lines

Chris Kreider — Leo Carlsson — Troy Terry

Alex Killorn — Mikael Granlund — Beckett Sennecke

Mason McTavish — Ryan Poehling — Cutter Gauthier

Jeffrey Viel — Tim Washe — Ian Moore

Defense

Jackson LaCombe — Jacob Trouba

Pavel Mintyukov — John Carlson

Tyson Hinds — Drew Helleson

Goaltenders: Lukáš Dostál / Ville Husso 

Special Teams

VGK power play: 18.2%, T7th

VGK penalty kill: 95.0, 2nd

Ducks power play: 40.0%, T1st

Ducks penalty kill: 75.0%, 14th

Game Notes

The Golden Knights are 10-9 in Game 2s in their franchise history.

Historically, teams 5 that take a 2-0 series lead go on to win 87.6% of the time.

Mitch Marner is on a four-game point streak and has three goals and seven points over that stretch.

Brett Howden has a goal in four straight games and has recorded six points (5-1-6) in that stretch.

How to Watch

TV: TNT, truTV

Streaming: HBO MAX

Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340

The San Jose Sharks have been a team on the rise and although they played themselves out of wild-card contention toward the end of the season, there's a lot of hope in Silicon Valley following the NHL draft lottery.

San Jose was awarded the second pick of the 2026 NHL draft, following the draft lottery.

The Sharks finished the 2025-26 season with a 39-35 record, eight overtime losses and 86 total points, just on the outside of the postseason race. But San Jose's youth gave a glimpse at its future potential.

The Sharks have been building their team through the draft, earning a top-10 selection in four of the past five drafts. The cycle continues with this surprising luck of the draw for Sharks general manager Mike Grier.

"Shocked really," Grier told reporters about landing the No. 2 pick. "You never know what's going to happen and how the how the balls are going to bounce. So, yeah, happy and excited. It's a good day for the organization. A little bit surprised and happy and fortunate."

WINNERS/LOSERS: NHL draft lottery winners, losers include Maple Leafs, Canucks

Grier added: "We thought we were going to get a good young player to add to our core. With the second pick, you got a chance to add some more high end talent to the group. So that's exciting. When I look at our group, we took some steps forward and hopefully this player can just come in and add to it. I think were hopefully trending in the right direction, but there's a lot of work to be done as a whole."

Now the question is what to do with the pick. Grier said he will be open to listening to offers on whether to trade the No. 2 pick or make the selection themselves.

Grier said, "I'm always open to listening to what's out there, and if people have ideas or thoughts, and then I'll listen, and we'll kind of go from there.

"It's obviously a different price tag, trading the ninth pick or what you might be asking for, and if you're going to move the second pick, what your ask would be. So that's probably what the part of the equation that changes, and we'll see. We'll see if anything comes our way."

The Sharks picked No. 2 in 2025, selecting Michael Misa. They took Macklin Celebrini with the first overall pick in 2024, and grabbed Igor Chernyshov in the second round. In 2023, they picked Will Smith with the fourth overall pick, and William Eklund joined the Sharks as a No. 7 overall pick in 2021.

Two of the top prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft include Gavin McKenna, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound left wing from Penn State, and Keaton Verhoeff, a 6-foot-4 defenseman from North Dakota.

"They're very talented, gifted players," Grier told reporters. "I've had a chance to watch them both quite a bit over the last two years. Dynamic with the puck. They're both, I think, shoot-pass threats, which is not always the case with young players, but, you know, there's play-making and vision on both of them. So very talented players."

But there's time to decipher. The NHL draft is nearly six weeks away. Grier is methodically taking his time to observe talent with his scout team before making a decision. However, he said the team will likely be selecting the best player available.

"We'll dig into it," Grier said. "When you're picking at the top of the draft, we always try and go with the best player available. Really, I don't think we're gonna pass if there's a big gap between two players or two positions. We're not going to take a player just for need in that situation. So we got to do our homework. We got to dig into it. And most likely, we'll take who we feel is the best fit and the best player available."

2026 NHL draft order

1. Toronto Maple Leafs
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. New York Rangers
6. Calgary Flames
7. Seattle Kraken
8. Winnipeg Jets
9. Florida Panthers
10. Nashville Predators
11. St. Louis Blues
12. New Jersey Devils
13. New York Islanders
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
15. St. Louis Blues
16. Washington Capitals

When is 2026 NHL draft?

The 2026 NHL Draft will be held on June 26-27, 2026 at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.

• Round 1: Friday, June 26 (7 p.m. ET on ESPN)
• Rounds 2-7: Saturday, June 27 (10 a.m. ET on NHL Network)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL draft lottery 2026: How the Sharks ended up with the No. 2 pick

With the results of the 2026 NHL draft lottery, the St. Louis Blues now know they will make the 11th and 15th picks in the draft. 

Unfortunately, the Blues won’t be moving up in the draft order, but they also thankfully didn’t fall. 

The Blues have done an excellent job making selections in this range, so Blues fans can still feel assured that the scouting department can find someone who will be a viable NHL player. Still, the chances are they won’t reach the levels of players like Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg.

But what if the Blues use the 11th and 15th overall picks to move up in the draft? Is this a possible outcome, and how high can the Blues move up?

To answer the first question, the Blues haven’t said outright whether they will or won’t do it, but it remains an option. The Blues’ prospect pool is deep across multiple positions, but it doesn’t feature a franchise-altering player.

By looking at TheHockeyNews.com’s mock draft, the Blues would be in position to select Viggo Bjorck, a skilled Swedish center with the 11th overall pick, and Ryan Lin, a silky Canadian defender with the 15th overall pick. 

Bjorck’s talent should result in him being selected higher in the draft, so there is possible superstar value in selecting Bjorck, but even then, chances are he doesn’t hit the levels of a top-five player.

Blues Lose Out On Draft Lottery, Will Pick No. 11, 15 In First Round Along With Avalanche Pick At End of First RoundBlues had just three percent chance of winning top overall pick, 0.5 percent chance of moving up 10 spots with Red Wings' pick

So realistically, what pick could the Blues acquire in a package with the 11th and 15th pick? It likely won’t get them into the top three, although the San Jose Sharks are a trade-back candidate. 

The Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers need high-end skill, so they may not be willing to move. But the Calgary Flames, Seattle Kraken, Winnipeg Jets, and Florida Panthers could all be intrigued by moving down. 

In all, the Blues may not have a coveted top-five pick, but they do have options, and they could be one of the more interesting teams to watch at the draft. 

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The Buffalo Sabres kick off their second-round series against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night. This has the potential to be an excellent series between two very talented Atlantic Division rivals. 

However, it is clear that the Sabres have a big challenge in front of them heading into the series: solving Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes. 

Dobes helped carry the Canadiens past the Tampa Bay Lightning in their first-round series due to his excellent play. In seven games so far this post-season, the Canadiens netminder has a 4-3 record, a 2.03 goals-against average, and a .923 save percentage. With this, Dobes undoubtedly is entering this series on a hot streak. 

Dobes also ended his series against the Lightning on a strong note. This is because he had a .950 save percentage or better in each of his last three starts against the Bolts. This included him stopping 28 out of 29 Lightning shots in the Canadiens' Game 7 win. 

The Sabres will now be looking to end Dobes' hot streak this series. If the Sabres can get the 24-year-old goalie off his game, it would be huge for them as they look to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.