Hurricanes 2, Islanders 1

Apr 14, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Carolina Hurricanes left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) attempts a shot against the New York Islanders during the third period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images | Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

The Carolina Hurricanes closed out their season with a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night at USB Arena.

After clinching the Eastern Conference title by earning a point in Philadelphia last night for the first time in franchise history, they finished with 113 points which is good enough for second place in the league, behind only Colorado. This means the Hurricanes will have home ice against any team in the playoffs except the Avs.

After Boston won their game, it was determined that Carolina will face the Ottawa Senators in round one of the playoffs. Canes Country will have more about that this week.

Felix Unger Sorum earned his first NHL point in his first game when he knocked a puck up to Nikolaj Ehlers, who was streaking up the ice. Ehlers made no mistake and he gave his team a 1-0 lead just three minutes into the game.

Bo Horvat tied the game in the second, but Mark Jankowski found an open spot and put in the game-winner with five minutes and change left.

Brandon Bussi had an excellent game and made 28 saves on 29 shots to earn his 31st win of the season. Bussi had to play in back-to-back games somewhat unexpectedly as Pyotr Kochetkov was not allowed to play for “technical” reasons after being listed as the starting goalie for the game. The team removed him from the injured reserved list at about this same time.

In the meantime, Fred Andersen was not “available” for whatever reasons. This was an odd occurrence.

It was a pretty mild game with little hitting on either side and it looked like the Canes escaped injury free. They will take Wednesday off and then return to practice on Thursday to prepare for the Sens.

Now that we have reached the playoffs it is time to examine some questions, first of which is what goalie should start this series?

Game Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/GS021293.HTM

Event Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/ES021293.HTM

Interviews –

Young Flyers Stars Dominate Season Finale vs. Canadiens

The Philadelphia Flyers have just about everything going their way as they head to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in six years, thanks in large part to their young talent.

To drag the Flyers back into Monday night's game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Matvei Michkov found the back of the net with a moment of brilliance. Then he single-handedly set up the first three Flyers goals against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.

Standout rookie Porter Martone deflected a Michkov shot on a delayed penalty to put the Flyers up 1-0, then a deft pass from the Russian phenom put Oliver Bonk, called up Tuesday morning to make his NHL debut, in position to score his first NHL goal.

Then, to put the Flyers ahead 3-0, Michkov rattled home a rebound from his favorite spot: the right side of the opposing net. Who knew?

Finally, Alex Bump, who has been in and out of the lineup since making his NHL debut for the Flyers last month, sealed the deal with a strong finish on a transition rush with Martone, who recorded his second point of the night in the process.

Why Matvei Michkov's Prove-It Game Was So ImportantWhy Matvei Michkov's Prove-It Game Was So ImportantMichkov's key assist in the spotlight was exactly what Tocchet wanted.

Michkov, whose sophomore season was long thought to be a lost cause, finished the year with 20 goals, 31 assists, and 51 points.

After being air-dropped into the lineup following one lone NCAA campaign, Martone tallied 10 points in his first 9 games as a Flyer.

Bonk, 21, became the 10th defenseman in NHL history to record multiple points in his debut, according to NHL PR.

Defenseman David Jiricek played 19:37 in his Flyers debut and looked right at home, while Hunter McDonald recorded his first NHL point with a +3 rating in just 15:11 of ice time.

Flyers Playoff Matchup vs. Penguins Officially SetFlyers Playoff Matchup vs. Penguins Officially SetThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> are heading back to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2020 and are set for a testy matchup with the bitter rival Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Canadiens, whose lineup was much stronger than the Flyers', had the game taken to them by a handful of inexperienced players.

As head coach Rick Tocchet said after the Hurricanes game Monday night, "they're growing under these circumstances."

The greatest news of all for the Flyers is that their two most talented players--Michkov and Martone--have largely looked like their best players over the last two weeks. They are 21 and 19 years old, respectively.

Whatever happens from here on out will only benefit them and the organization in the long run.

Ovechkin gets assist in what could be his final game as Capitals beat Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Alex Ovechkin had an assist on the go-ahead goal in what perhaps will be the final game of his record-breaking career and the Washington Capitals defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 on Tuesday night in the season finale for both teams.

Ovechkin had the second assist on Jakob Chychrun’s power-play goal with 4:07 remaining in the third period. He finished the season leading the Capitals with 32 goals and 64 points

Anthony Beauvillier also scored for Washington and Clay Stevenson stopped 27 shots.

Boone Jenner scored for Columbus and Jet Greaves made 19 saves.

HURRICANES 2, ISLANDERS 1

NEW YORK (AP) — Mark Jankowski scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, and Carolina defeated New York.

Nikolaj Ehlers also scored for Carolina, and Brandon Bussi made 28 saves. The Hurricanes closed the regular season with four wins in their final five games and finished atop the Eastern Conference.

Bo Horvat scored for New York, David Rittich stopped 19 shots and the Islanders lost for the seventh time in eight games.

BRUINS 4, DEVILS 0

BOSTON (AP) — Mark Kasetlic scored twice in the first period, Jeremy Swayman earned his second shutout of the season and Boston clinched the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a win over New Jersey.

Boston needed a win to lock up the top wild-card position. The Bruins will face the Atlantic Division champion Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

Ten Boston players recorded points in the game. Sean Kuraly had a pair of assists and David Pastrnak reached 100 points for the fourth straight season with an assist on one of the Bruins’ four goals in the first.

FLYERS 4, CANADIENS 2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Matvei Michkov had a goal and two assists and Porter Martone had one goal to lead the playoff-bound Philadelphia to a win over Montreal.

The Flyers rested most of their key veterans a night after they secured their first playoff berth since 2020 and first home playoff series since 2018.

Michkov and Martone helped spoil Montreal’s shot at hosting the East first-round series against Tampa Bay.

The 19-year-old Martone, who starred for Michigan State only weeks ago, scored his fourth goal of the season when he deflected in Michkov’s point shot early in the first period for the 1-0 lead.

Not With a Bang, But a Whimper

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 14: Teammates congratulate Viktor Arvidsson #71 of the Boston Bruins during a game between the Boston Bruins and the New Jersey Devils on April 14, 2026, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It was a fitting finish to a forgettable season.

The Devils, “playing” for the fourth and final time since being eliminated from playoff contention a week ago, had nothing on the line but pride. The Boston Bruins were still jockeying for playoff position, hoping to maintain their slim hold on the Eastern Conference’s first wild card spot.

So you can imaging how things went.

The Devils no-showed the first period and hung Nico Daws out to dry on multiple occasions, in a non-competitive 4-0 loss to the Bruins on Tuesday night at TD Garden.

The Devils finished with a 42-37-3 record, good for 13th in the conference. New Jersey will miss the playoffs for the second time in three seasons since setting a franchise record for points in 2022-23. The Devils have missed the playoffs in 11 of the last 14 seasons and haven’t made back-to-back postseason appearances since the 2009 and 2010 playoffs.

Tuesday’s finale turned on a nightmare of a first period for poor Nico Daws, starting consecutive NHL games for the first time since he won two-of-three from Feb. 23 to March 1, 2025.

With Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler failing to clear pucks, losing coverages, and just generally doing the things they’ve done all season, the Bruins beat Daws with their very first shot on goal before the game was even a minute old.

Bruins center Mark Kastelic would make it 3-0, scoring at 6:14 and 17:42 to give him his second multi-goal game of the year and first since Dec. 9.

To make matters worse, Viktor Arvidsson added a goal with just eight seconds to play in the period to push it to 4-0.

And that was it.

Even though there was 40 minutes left and the Devils were well rested, having barely broken a sweat in the first, it was pretty obvious the game was over. They were almost doubled up in shots in the second period when a response might have got them back in the game.

Up Next

Trying to figure out who runs the team. They need a new President of Hockey Operations — please not Shanahan, please not Shanahan, please not Shanahan. They need a new general manager — I’d be on board with Sunny Mehta. I think they’re going to need a new head coach as well. And then they have to decide if they want to extend or trade Nico Hischier or really turn the team over to Jack and make him Captain America.

The End

Is everyone else as ready as I am to not think about the Devils till October? This season was a real slog. … On a personal note, I just wanted to thank Chris for giving me the opportunity to do this. It’s been a blast. And for all the people that read the recaps and didn’t tear me to pieces — like Rachel and Don I will try to be only bad and not terrible next season. It’s been fun talking hockey here. Hope everyone has a happy summer.

Devils wrap up regular season with 4-0 loss to Bruins

BOSTON (AP) — Mark Kasetlic scored twice in the first period, Jeremy Swayman earned his second shutout of the season and the Boston Bruins clinched the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.

Boston needed a win to lock up the top wild-card position. The Bruins will face the Atlantic Division champion Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

Ten Boston players recorded points in the game. Sean Kuraly had a pair of assists and David Pastrnak reached 100 points for the fourth straight season with an assist on one of the Bruins’ four goals in the first.

Morgan Geekie and Viktor Arvidsson also scored for Boston, which finished the regular season under first-year coach Marco Sturm at 45-27-10 and returned to the playoffs one year after tying for the worst record in the Eastern Conference at 33-39-10.

After congratulating Swayman, the Bruins gathered at center ice and raised their sticks to salute their fans.

New Jersey goalie Nico Daws allowed four goals on 12 shots in the opening period before getting some stronger defensive support the rest of the way. Daws finished with 23 saves.

Swayman stopped 21 shots for his first shutout since a 3-0 win over Detroit on Jan. 13 and the 18th of his career.

Boston got goals in the opening and closing minutes of the first and took firm command with a 4-0 lead after one period.

Geekie scored 53 seconds in and Arvidsson scored his 25th of the season with just 6.4 seconds left in the period. In between, Kastelic scored twice and the Bruins cruised the rest of the way against the lottery-bound Devils, who finished 42-37-3.

Pastrnak needed one more goal to reach 30 for the ninth time, which would have been a first in franchise history.

Up next

Devils: Done for the season.

Bruins: Visit Buffalo in the first round of the playoffs.

Michkov has a goal and 2 assists as the Flyers beat the Canadiens 4-2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Matvei Michkov had a goal and two assists and Porter Martone had one goal to lead the playoff-bound Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.

The Flyers rested most of their key veterans a night after they secured their first playoff berth since 2020 and first home playoff series since 2018.

Flyers fans dressed in orange waved “Let's Go Flyers” rally towels and were in a joyous mood for most of the festive night.

There are more good times ahead. The Flyers are set to travel to Pittsburgh for the first two games of an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

Michkov and Martone helped spoil Montreal's shot at hosting the East first-round series against Tampa Bay.

The 19-year-old Martone, who starred for Michigan State only weeks ago, scored his fourth goal of the season when he deflected in Michkov's point shot early in the first period for the 1-0 lead.

Oliver Bonk scored his first career NHL goal later in the period for a 2-0 lead. Michkov assisted.

Brendan Gallagher scored for Montreal to make it 2-1 in the second.

Michkov scored unassisted (his 20th overall) for a 3-1 lead in the second period as one fan raised a “We Want More!” sign.

Jake Evans cut it to 3-2 in the final seconds of the second period.

Alex Bump sealed the win in the third with his fifth goal of the season that made it 4-2. Samuel Ersson made 27 saves foe the Flyers and Jakub Dobes had 21 for Montreal.

The Flyers ended the season on an 18-6-1 tear that propelled them into third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Up next

The Flyers and Montreal hit the road to open the NHL playoffs.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Islanders prospect Victor Eklund records first NHL point in 2-1 loss to Hurricanes to end regular season

NEW YORK (AP) — Mark Jankowski scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, and the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the New York Islanders 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Nikolaj Ehlers also scored for Carolina, and Brandon Bussi made 28 saves. The Hurricanes closed the regular season with four wins in their final five games and finished atop the Eastern Conference.

Bo Horvat scored for New York, David Rittich stopped 19 shots and the Islanders lost for the seventh time in eight games.

Ehlers opened the scoring at 3:05 of the first period and finished his first season in Carolina with a career-high 71 points (26 goals, 45 assists). Felix Unger Sorum assisted on the goal in his NHL debut.

Horvat tied it 1-all late in the second period, finishing a feed from Mathew Barzal with less than seven minutes remaining. Victor Eklund, also making his NHL debut, had an assist.

Pyotr Kochetkov was slated to start and took warmups but was unavailable due to a roster technicality. He has been activated from injured reserve and will be eligible for the playoffs, according to the team. Emergency backup goaltender Thomas Sullivan served as Carolina’s backup.

Up next

Hurricanes: Host Ottawa Senators in first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Islanders: Done for the season.

Carolina Hurricanes To Face Ottawa Senators In First Round Of 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Carolina Hurricanes finally know their opponent for the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the team is set to face the Ottawa Senators.

The Hurricanes locked up the top spot in the Eastern Conference on Monday and with the Boston Bruins' win on Tuesday, it locked the Senators into WC2.

Carolina has never faced Ottawa in the playoffs before, but the two clubs have met 122 times in the regular season.

Over that span, the Hurricanes have a 67-42-13 edge. This year, they went 2-1-0.

Carolina outscored the Senators 11-10 across those three games and had quite a bit of power play success too (37.5%).

In terms of league standings, the Canes have a 53-22-7 record, the fifth ranked power play (25%) and the 11th ranked penalty kill (80.3%)

Ottawa has a 43-27-11 record with the eighth best power play (23.5%) and the 29th best penalty kill (75.5%).

Both teams also rank in the top-10 for goals per game, shots per game and shots against per game.

The Hurricanes are led offensively by Sebastian Aho (80pts) and have three 70+ points scorers and seven different 20-goal scorers on their roster.

For their careers, Sebastian Aho (9g, 26pts in 25gp) and Nikolaj Ehlers (12g, 30pts in 26gp) are point-per-game players against the Senators.

Ottawa is led of offense by Tim Stutzle (83pts). They have two players who have eclipsed 70 points and five 20+ goal scorers. 

Claude Giroux is just below a point-per-game for his career against Carolina, notching 17 goals and 54 points in 60 games.

While both teams are great at 5v5 play, where both struggle is in net.

The Hurricanes have the 26th ranked team save percentage (0.879), while the Senators have the 30th (0877).

In goal, Frederik Andersen has a career record of 11-9-4 against Ottawa with a 0.886 save percentage, Brandon Bussi is 2-0-0 (0.937) and Pyotr Kochetkov is 1-1-0 (0.943).

On the flipside, Linus Ullmark is 3-4-1 against Carolina with a 0.892 save percentage. 

Ullmark has faced Carolina in the postseason before, starting two games for the Bruins in 2022. He went 0-2-0 in those games, giving up eight goals on 57 shots (0.860).

If not for league worst goaltending in the middle of the year, the Senators wouldn't be anywhere close to WC2, so it's a bit unfortunate that this is who the Canes wound up matched with now that they've started to stabilize a bit more.

Carolina has the edge in experience though, as this is their eighth straight postseason appearance, while this will be just Ottawa's second consecutive year in the playoffs.

Overall, it looks to be a pretty even matchup between two solid teams and should be a fun series.

Stay tuned for a more detailed breakdown of the first round matchup.


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Patrick Kane Leaves Door Wide Open For Playing Next Season

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What does the future hold for Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane? 

He hit multiple career milestones this season, including scoring his 500th career goal, becoming the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history, and, on Monday evening, picking up the 1,400th point of his Hall of Fame career. 

He's also a pending unrestricted free agent. 

Following Monday's game, Kane made it sound as though he absolutely plans on playing next season.

"I haven’t really thought about it too much. I’ll definitely be playing," Kane said. "I think there’s more in the tank, and excited to see what level that can be at."

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Detroit would be hard-pressed to replace the offense that Kane has provided to them this season. While he missed chunks of the season with injury, Kane has still scored 16 goals while adding 41 assists. He's also currently sporting a plus-two rating. 

The chances of the Red Wings re-signing Kane are likely good, considering his friendship with forward Alex DeBrincat and the friendship of their young sons with one another. 

Kane has spoken glowingly of playing for the organization and living in the Metro-Detroit area, and it would be difficult to see him opting to move his family elsewhere for what could potentially be his final NHL season. 

While the Red Wings ultimately finished on the outside looking in at the postseason race, Kane's efforts down the stretch were especially noticeable, having scored at over a point-per-game pace during the last 24 games. 

Red Wings’ Late-Season Collapse Matches Rare Mark Not Seen Since 1970Red Wings’ Late-Season Collapse Matches Rare Mark Not Seen Since 1970The Detroit Red Wings became just the second team in NHL history and the first since 1970 to achieve a dismal mark.

"Happy with the way I finished, especially after the Olympic break," Kane said. "Felt really good. Definitely feel like there’s more gas still in the tank."

In each of the last two offseasons, Kane has signed a one-year extension to remain with Detroit. Don't be surprised to see history repeat itself for a third time this summer. 

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Gamethread: Penguins @ Blues

ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 3: Alexey Toropchenko #13 of the St. Louis Blues and Kris Letang #58 of the Pittsburgh Penguins battle for the puck on April 3, 2025 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Rovak/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Talk about the game with Pens fans here!

Longtime Canucks Rival Anže Kopitar Scheduled To Play Final Game At Rogers Arena On Tuesday Night

Few players in NHL history have had as long a career as Anže Kopitar. The Los Angeles Kings captain made his debut during the 2006-07 season and has since skated in over 1,500 regular-season games. During that time, he has won multiple Stanley Cups and a few NHL Awards, while also being a significant pain for the Vancouver Canucks. 

Of Kopitar's 1,519 regular-season games, 73 have come against the Canucks. In those games, he has recorded 62 points and picked up five game-winners. Kopitar was also part of the Kings team that upset Vancouver in the 2012 playoffs, which is the same year he would go on to capture his first Stanley Cup. 

"He's gifted," said Adam Foote ahead of Kopitar's final game against the Canucks on Tuesday. "He's a true pro. A big, heavy player, consistent. That's what I've talked about, the process. He just comes to work every day, and you do it and grind, and things fall into place for you. That's what a pro does. He was able to win a cup leading that way, and he's been consistent, and that's why he's played the 1500. He takes care of his body. It's no fluke. He put the work in."

One player who has faced off against Kopitar plenty in his career is defenceman Marcus Pettersson. The two have battled 17 times in the regular season, with Kopitar holding a 10-2-5 record against Pettersson. At morning skate on Tuesday, Pettersson took some time to talk about what made Kopitar such a difficult player to match up against. 

"Yeah, it's been a huge honour, said Pettersson. "He's one of those guys, where anybody you talk to throughout the league respects him and loves what he brings to the game. And he's got a reputation around him for being one of the best people in the league, too. I know some of the guys in their team, like (Adrian) Kempe, played a couple of worlds with him and stuff like that. And just to be able to talk to him, and every time you bring his name up, it's been spoken about in such a high regard. Whether it's as a person or as a player. I was actually fortunate enough to see him during, I think it was a 2013 lockout when he was in Sweden playing. Saw him one time there. And yeah, just the poise that he has. The heart that he brings on the ice, and the leadership that he exemplifies, is something I think everybody in this league can try and follow. Huge congrats to him, and would be happy to see him go for another long run."

Vancouver's final home game of the season is scheduled for Tuesday night. While the Canucks are locked into their standings position, Los Angeles is fighting for playoff positioning. Game time at Rogers Arena is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT. 

Mar 26, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (24) and defenseman Tom Willander (5) watch as Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar (11) redirects a puck on goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Mar 26, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (24) and defenseman Tom Willander (5) watch as Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar (11) redirects a puck on goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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How Do The Los Angeles Kings Match Up Against The Colorado Avalanche?

The good news for the Los Angeles Kings is that they clinched a playoff spot following their win against the Seattle Kraken on Monday. That secured their ticket to the post-season for the fifth straight year, despite a far-below-average start to the campaign.

The bad news is that they are in line to play against the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs if L.A.'s position in the standings doesn't change.

Colorado has already claimed the Presidents' Trophy as the top team in the regular season, and is two wins away from this being the most successful regular season in the Avalanche franchise history.

So, with how impressive and dominant the Avs have been all season long, how do the Kings match up against the league leaders?

This also doesn't help their case, but the Kings lost all three meetings against the Avalanche during the season. The last game on March 2 ended 4-2 in favor of Colorado.

Alex Laferriere (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
Alex Laferriere (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

In terms of the playoffs, the last time the Kings played against the Avalanche was in the 2001 post-season. The two teams met in the Western Conference semifinals, and Colorado got the best of Los Angeles, taking the series 4-3.

The Avalanche went on to win the Stanley Cup for the second time in franchise history.

Looking at the Avs of this year, they could very well go on to win another Cup. The power and skill of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Martin Necas, Devon Toews, Brock Nelson, Nazem Kadri, and others is more than the Kings can handle on paper.

King's Playoff Berth Means Maple Leafs Get Second-Rounder From Laughton DealKing's Playoff Berth Means Maple Leafs Get Second-Rounder From Laughton DealThe Los Angeles Kings have clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and with that, the Toronto Maple Leafs will receive a second round pick from the Scott Laughton trade.

Los Angeles isn't going to beat Colorado player-for-player in terms of talent, and interim head coach D.J. Smith knows that.

However, in the playoffs, there's more to each contest than beating your opponent in a skills competition. And that's where the light can shine on the Kings.

Since coach Jim Hiller was replaced by Smith,  the Kings have been one of the most physical teams in the league. From March 1, Los Angeles has the fifth-most hits at 525 in 22 games.

Has D.J. Smith Shown Enough To Become The Kings' Permanent Bench Boss?Has D.J. Smith Shown Enough To Become The Kings' Permanent Bench Boss?From now until the end of this season, what does Los Angeles Kings interim head coach D.J. Smith need to do in order to earn the full-time position?

Hitting isn't everything, but when a team is physically imposing on the opposition and heavy on the forecheck, like the Kings have been since Smith stepped in, that can wear on the Avalanche's stars.

Another aspect in which the Kings can hang around with the Avalanche is their ability to shut down their opposition.

In addition to the Kings being fourth in the NHL in fewest goals against, they have the fifth-most shutouts this season with six on the year. Though the Avalanche are slightly above them in those categories, too, it's key that the Kings print out the details on how to stop Colorado's stars.

After all, MacKinnon alone is about to claim the Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal scorer, in the hunt for the Art Ross, and very well could take home the Hart Trophy as the league's MVP.

NHL Playoffs And Awards Watch: What's Still Up For GrabsNHL Playoffs And Awards Watch: What's Still Up For GrabsThe NHL's goal-scoring title, home-ice advantage and a chance to avoid the Colorado Avalanche in the first round are part of what's still up for grabs. Here are the breakdowns.

Even Necas is tied for seventh in scoring and is just one point away from notching his first career 100-point campaign. 

And for Makar, not much needs to be said about how dynamic and how much of a revelation he's been among defensemen in the NHL.

Of course, the Avalanche are heavy favorites in this series if there is no change in the NHL's seeding from now to the end of the week. 

But as they say about the Stanley Cup playoffs, you just need to get in. After all, the Kings did win the Stanley Cup in 2012 as the eighth seed in the Western Conference, a comparison to this year's team.


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Pair Of Rookies To Make NHL Debuts For Hurricanes

It might be meaningless Game 82 for the Carolina Hurricanes in terms of standings, but it'll be a memorable day for a pair of rookies.

Felix Unger Sorum and Ronan Seeley will both make their NHL debuts tonight at UBS Arena, earning callups for the final game of the year.

Unger Sorum, 20, has made quite the jump in his second year in North America, more than tripling his point production from his rookie year in the AHL.

The Swedish winger led the Chicago Wolves in scoring with 16 goals and 63 points in 69 games.

The 2023 second-round pick is a cerebral playmaker who excels with the puck on his stick. He has tremendous vision and is able to create time and space with ease.

While not the biggest player, he's unafraid of going into the corners either and has proven that he's capable of elevating his game in North America.

Felix Unger Sorum: The NHL's Youngest ProspectFelix Unger Sorum: The NHL's Youngest ProspectIn just three months, Carolina Hurricanes prospect Felix Unger Sorum has gone from a relatively unknown teenager from a small, Swedish village to everybody's new favorite prospect in Raleigh.

Seeley, 23, has been a steady presence in the organization, where he's managed to carve out a steady role despite the odds.

The 2020 seventh-round pick has spent four years in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves and has been a stable presence on both sides of the puck.

Congrats to both players on their debuts!


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Wild Will Sit Out Nine Regulars In Season Finale Against Ducks

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild (45-24-12) is back in action tonight for its final game of the regular season against the Anaheim Ducks (42-32-6).

Minnesota dropped its last game 6-3 in St. Louis on Monday. In that game, the Wild rested eight regulars.

The Ducks have two more games left in the season and are just one point up on the Los Angeles Kings for the third spot in the Pacific. They are also only three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for first in the Pacific and one point back of the Edmonton Oilers for second.

Although the Ducks have clinched a playoff spot, they still have a lot to play for, like home ice in the playoffs.

The Wild, on the other hand, don't. It is already official that they will face the Dallas Stars in round one, with the first two games being in Dallas.

On that note, the Wild will again use this game to rest the same guys.

Kirill Kaprizov, Ryan Hartman, Mats Zuccarello, Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy, Quinn Hughes, Brock Faber, Marcus Foligno and Jared Spurgeon.

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Penguins' Newly Signed Defenseman To Make NHL Debut Against St. Louis Blues

One week ago, defenseman Jake Livanavage was suiting up for the University of North Dakota at the Frozen Four in Las Vegas.

And now, he will be suiting up to take NHL ice for the very first time. 

On Tuesday, Livanavage will make his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the final game of their regular season. Pittsburgh will take on the St. Louis Blues, which will be the team's last opponent before facing the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Livanavage, 21, signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Penguins on Apr. 10 that kicks in this season.

Penguins Sign Intriguing NCAA Free Agent Defenseman, Report Him To PittsburghPenguins Sign Intriguing NCAA Free Agent Defenseman, Report Him To PittsburghThe Pittsburgh Penguins dipped into the NCAA free agent pool on Friday when they signed Jake Livanavage, an in-demand defenseman out of the University of North Dakota.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound left blueliner may not be eligible for the postseason - he was a UFA who signed after the trade deadline and was not on the Penguins' reserve list - but he put together a nice enough season at North Dakota for the Penguins to outbid some other suitors for his services. He registered five goals and 25 points in 39 games to go along with a plus-15, and his mobility and offensive instincts are hallmarks of his game. 

But, all that aside, Livanavage grew up a Penguins' fan, so debuting with the team he rooted for as a kid is a full-circle, dream come true.

"Being part of this organization is a dream come true and something that I'll never take for granted," Livanavage told Penguins' reporters after Tuesday's morning skate. "So, it's been awesome so far."

And he looks forward to getting that first NHL game under his belt, even if it will be his only game this season. 

"I'm sure they'll be nerves and a lot of emotions going on," Livanavage said. "But just trying to enjoy it and be a part of this group for tonight and try and help the team win."

Pittsburgh Penguins At St. Louis Blues Preview: Lineup Changes, Where To WatchPittsburgh Penguins At St. Louis Blues Preview: Lineup Changes, Where To WatchThe Pittsburgh Penguins will play their final regular-season game on Tuesday night.

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