The Vegas Golden Knights are looking to bounce back after falling behind 2-1 in their series against the Utah Mammoth. They’ll get their chance in Game 4 on Monday at the Delta Center.

Game 3 was last on Friday at the Delta Center. The Golden Knights started strong, outshooting the Mammoth 12-2 through the first 12 minutes. However, the Mammoth made the most of their limited scoring chances and jumped out to a crushing 4-0 lead in the second period. The Golden Knights pushed, but couldn’t mount a comeback and lost 4-2.

Puck drop for Game 4 is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. PST.

Carter Hart will start in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a 1-2 record and a .892 average save percentage in three games this postseason.

Karel Vejmelka will start in goal for the Mammoth. Vejmelka has a 2-1 record and a .916 average save percentage in three games this postseason.

Golden Knights Lines

Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev

Reilly Smith — Mitch Marner — Mark Stone

Brett Howden — Tomáš Hertl — Keegan Kolesar

Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Colton Sissons

Defense

Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore

Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson

Jeremy Lauzon — Kaedan Korczak

Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill

Mammoth Lines

Clayton Keller — Nick Schmaltz — Lawson Crouse

Kailer Yamamoto — Logan Cooley — Dylan Guenther

JJ Peterka — Alex Kerfoot — Michael Carcone

Liam O’Brien — Kevin Stenlund — Brandon Tanev

Defense

Mikhail Sergachev — MacKenzie Weegar

Nate Schmidt — John Marino

Ian Cole — Sean Durzi

Goaltenders: Karel Vejmelka / Vitek Vaněček

Special Teams

VGK power play: 22.2%, 5th

VGK penalty kill: 83.3%, 8th

Mammoth power play: 16.7%, 9th

Mammoth penalty kill: 77.8%, 12th

Game Notes

Tonight’s game could very well decide the fate of the Golden Knights’ season. Historically, teams that go up 3-1 go on to win the series 91.0% of the time.

The Golden Knights are 10-8in Game 4s in franchise history.

With an assist in Game 3, Mark Stone recorded his 75th playoff point (38-37-75) with the Golden Knights. He’s tied with Jonathan Marchessault for the most in franchise history.

After going 0-fer their last five power play opportunities, the Golden Knights are changing up their units.

Despite a shaky performance from Carter Hart in Game 3, Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella remains fully confident in his starting goaltender.

How to Watch

TV: Vegas 34, ESPN

Streaming: KnightTime+

Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340, Deportes Vegas 1460

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

While the Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing, the Detroit Red Wings are once again watching from home after they extended their absence to a 10th straight season.

Not only are the Red Wings in the midst of the longest playoff drought in franchise history, now spanning 100 years, but they also hold the NHL’s longest active postseason drought.

That distinction comes after the Buffalo Sabres ended their 14-year drought earlier this spring and are now one win away from advancing to the second round.

Last week, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman held his season-ending media availability session and made it clear that not only is he disappointed with how things played out, but that he recognized warning signs even amidst what was an advantageous position in the standings for Detroit in January and February. 

He also made it clear that the club simply needs more talent on the roster. 

“We need better players,” Yzerman said. “We need to improve specifically in certain areas. We can talk about goal scoring; we need to improve in that area, particularly five-on-five.

“Collectively, if you’re watching the playoffs, and I’m assuming and I’m hoping our players are, to play with the intensity and determination needed to be successful to make the playoffs and get there," he continued. "But ultimately it’s incumbent upon me and my staff to improve the team.”

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Yzerman's press conference was addressed by noted NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman during a recent airing of his "32 Thoughts" podcast. In Friedman's mind, the door is open for a "big" move for the Red Wings during the offseason, especially given Yzerman's blunt assessment of needing better players. 

Moritz Seider Joined Elite Company With 1st Red Wings Defensive Scoring Benchmark Since Nicklas LidstromDetroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider set new career-highs in goals and assists, and equaled a pair of scoring benchmarks not seen by a Red Wings defenseman since Nicklas Lidstrom.

“I think when you take a look at how hard Todd McLellan was on the Red Wings players after that last game, the 8-1 loss to Florida, and I think everyone understood why he felt that way, Yzerman and McLellan up there together and Yzerman giving him a 100 percent vote of confidence, that was a message,” Friedman said.

“And the message was, the team I put together, it's not good enough. And we already knew that from the fact that they didn't get in. But you know how sometimes managers will defend it, saying they weren't ready or had injuries, nope. He didn't sugarcoat anything."

Friedman concluded: 

“Big summer for him," he said. "He's put everyone on notice. It's tough to predict. I think it's one of those things that if they don't make a big trade this summer of some kind, or a big move this summer of some kind, people are going to be shocked. And he's walked himself into a position where he almost has to do it.”

It appears as though the door is open this offseason for a major upgrade to the Red Wings roster. 

They were linked to multiple names in the weeks and days leading up to the March NHL Trade Deadline, including Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks and Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues, though both players ultimately remained with their current clubs.

The Red Wings were also reported heavy frontrunners to land defenseman Quinn Hughes before he was ultimately traded from the Canucks to the Minnesota Wild in December. 

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The season is on the line for the Boston Bruins when they face the Buffalo Sabres in Game 5 at the KeyBank Center on Tuesday, April 28.

My top Bruins vs. Sabres predictions and NHL picks are calling for Buffalo to come through on home ice and send Boston packing.

Bruins vs Sabres Game 5 prediction

Bruins vs Sabres best bet: Sabres moneyline (-155)

The gap in five-on-five play between the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins at TD Garden the past two games has been astronomical, so I love the Sabres finishing the series off in Game 5.

Buffalo drove possession with a 61.9 Corsi For percentage and generated an eye-poping 68.4% of the expected goals when adjusted for score and venue at 5-on-5, and most importantly, the Sabres solved Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman with six goals in Game 4.

Hats off to Boston for rallying to their Game 2 win after gifting away the series opener, but this has turned ugly for the Bruins with the Sabres outscoring them 9-2 over the past two games to take a commanding 3-1 lead back home to the KeyBank Center.

Bruins vs Sabres Game 5 same-game parlay

While the Buffalo moneyline is my preference as a standalone best bet, the puck line provides a nice odds boost for this same-game parlay.

Boston hasn’t had an answer for the Tage Thompson-Alex Tuch duo, and they’ve clicked with winger Peyton Krebs for a 55.8 CF% and 63.3 xGF% at 5-on-5 while combining for 10 points during the series.

Tuch has been particularly dangerous with 2.52 expected goals and five high-danger scoring chances, with Thompson just as effective with 1.94 ixG and five HDSC, and the Bruins have also allowed the second-most goals and expected goals per 60 minutes this postseason.

Bruins vs Sabres SGP

• Sabres -1.5
• Tage Thompson Over 0.5 points
• Alex Tuch Over 0.5 points

Bruins vs Sabres odds for Game 5

• Moneyline: Bruins +140 | Sabres -170
• Puck Line: Bruins +1.5 (-180) | Sabres -1.5 (+145)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-125) | Under 5.5 (+105)

Bruins vs Sabres trend

The Buffalo Sabres have covered the puck line in seven of their last nine games (+7.00 Units / 48% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Sabres.

How to watch Bruins vs Sabres Game 5

Bruins vs Sabres latest injuries

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Sunday night’s Game 4 between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning sparked outrage from fans and the ire of both coaches at times because of the inconsistency in the referees’ calls. The same can be said about the Canadiens’ players, who were rather frustrated just after the game, which is hardly surprising given what’s at stake.

As always, the matter was discussed at length on social media with plenty of slow-motion versions of the Oliver Kapanen high-stick call. But the truth of the matter is, Game 4 is over, and there’s no going back. The Canadiens have to turn over a new leaf and focus on what’s ahead rather than what’s behind. After all, the series is still tied 2-2, and there’s plenty left to play for.

Canadiens’ Guhle Had Big Game
St-Louis Believes The Canadiens Fell Into The Lightning’s Trap
Canadiens Make Significant Roster Move With Top Prospect

On Monday morning, former NHLer and Stanley Cup Champion in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks, Chris Pronger took to X with an important piece of advice:

There are always going to be calls you don’t like, especially this time of the year. You can’t control the whistle. You can control your response. Stay disciplined. Stay locked in. Play your game. That’s how you win when it matters the most.

There are always going to be calls you don’t like especially this time of year.

You can’t control the whistle.
You can control your response.

Stay disciplined. Stay locked in. Play your game.

That’s how you win when it matters most. pic.twitter.com/N68MefqaHh

— Chris Pronger (@chrispronger) April 27, 2026

In a nutshell, that’s exactly what the Canadiens must do on Wednesday night: they have to move on and focus on not giving the referees an opportunity to make calls. Martin St-Louis said it; he believes the Bolts are very good at making the Habs take penalties, that’s a trap he has to make his men avoid.

At the same time, they would do well to keep a close eye on Nikita Kucherov, the star forward, who has shown quite a temper in the past and was getting frustrated at times on Sunday. Montreal’s physical players should do everything in their power to mess with his concentration, because when he gets worked up, he can lash out and put Montreal on the power play.

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The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs mean a major change in the overtime format.

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

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

This postseason, there have been eight overtime games, including two double-overtime games.

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

How does OT work in NHL playoffs?

If the score is tied after three periods, the teams go to the dressing rooms for 15 minutes while the ice is resurfaced. Overtime periods last 20 minutes or until someone scores. It's 5-on-5 play (barring penalties). If no one scores in the first overtime, the process repeats and continues until someone scores. The teams change sides for each overtime period. The first overtime is the long change to get back to the bench.

The NHL Situation Room reviews all goals to make sure they are legally scored, such as the goal that ended Game 4 of the Anaheim-Edmonton series.

2026 NHL playoff overtime games

April 26:Ducks 4, Oilers 3. Ryan Poehling 2:29 into the first overtime to give Anaheim a 3-1 series lead.

RYAN POEHLING IS YOUR @ENERGIZER OVERTIME HERO! 🦸‍♂️

ANAHEIM LEADS 3-1 IN THIS #STANLEYCUP PLAYOFFS SERIES! pic.twitter.com/zYYO1Xt4Cl

— NHL (@NHL) April 27, 2026

April 25:Wild 3, Stars 2. Matt Boldy scored at 19:31 of the first overtime as the Wild tie the series 2-2.

April 24:Canadiens 3, Lightning 2. Lane Hutson scored at 2:09 of the first overtime, giving Montreal a 2-1 series lead.

April 22:Stars 4, Wild 3. Wyatt Johnston scored at 12:10 of the second overtime, giving Dallas a 2-1 series lead.

April 21:Avalanche 2, Kings 1: Nicolas Roy scored the winning goal at the 12:16 mark of the first overtime, giving Colorado a 2-0 series lead.

April 21:Lightning 3, Canadiens 2: J.J. Moser scored at 7:12 in the first overtime to tie up the series at a game apiece. It was Moser's first career NHL playoff goal.

April 20:Hurricanes 3, Senators 2: Jordan Martinook scored at 13:53 of the second overtime. He was stopped on a penalty shot in the first overtime.

April 19:Canadiens 4, Lightning 3: Juraj Slafkovsky scored at 1:22 of the first overtime, completing a hat trick.

What are the longest NHL playoff overtime games?

• 1 - Six overtimes (116 minutes, 30 seconds of overtime) in the 1936 semifinals. March 24, 1935. Detroit 1, Montreal Maroons 0. Mud Bruneteau scored the winner.
• 2 - Six overtimes (104 minutes, 46 seconds of overtime) in the 1933 semifinals. April 3, 1933. Toronto 1, Boston 0. Ken Doraty scored the winner.
• 3 - Five overtimes (92 minutes, 1 second of overtime) in the 2000 conference semifinals. May 4, 2000. Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1. Keith Primeau scored the winner.
• 4 - Five overtimes (90 minutes, 27 seconds of overtime) in the 2020 first round. Aug. 11, 2020. Tampa Bay 3, Columbus 2. Brayden Point scored the winner.
• 5 - Five overtimes (80 minutes, 48 seconds of overtime) in the 2003 conference semifinals. April 24, 2003. Anaheim 4, Dallas 3. Petr Sykora scored the winner.
• 6 - Four overtimes (79 minutes, 47 seconds of overtime) in the 2023 conference finals. May 18, 2023. Florida 3, Carolina 2. Matthew Tkachuk scored the winner.

Longest Stanley Cup Final games

Eight Stanley Cup Final games have gone to the third overtime. The Edmonton Oilers were part of the longest game when Petr Klima scored at 15:13 of the third overtime for a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins in the 1990 Final.

Which players in 2026 postseason have the most playoff overtime goals?

• 5 - Corey Perry, Lightning
• 4 - Leon Draisaitl, Oilers (all in 2025 playoffs, an NHL record for one postseason)
• 3 - Brayden Point, Lightning; Jordan Staal, Hurricanes; Anze Kopitar, Kings; Artemi Panarin, Kings; Matt Duchene, Stars

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff bracket overtime rules, 2026 results and longest games

The Colorado Avalanche have swept the Los Angeles Kings, and it was a complete team effort. It wasn’t the prettiest series, with a bunch of goals and high-flying offense on display. It was gritty, scrappy, goals banking off defenders and teammates. While it was a team effort that showed just how promising this team can be, one factor really stood out: the trade-deadline additions.

While Scott Wedgewood was near-perfect, the top players like Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Martin Necas accounted for a large share of the goals. The players brought in at this past trade deadline really stood out and made a significant impact in this series, and show that they will need to be as important as they head towards the Stanley Cup finals.

Nicolas Roy Coming Up Clutch

When acquiring Roy, he is a player who can fill out the bottom-six but can also contribute effectively, as shown by his three goals and eight assists for 11 points in the 22 games of the 2022-23 Vegas Golden Knights post-season. The start of this postseason could be another sign of how important he will be to the Avalanche and the third line with Nazem Kadri and Gabriel Landeskog. 

In four games, he finished with two goals and an assist for three points, all coming from even-strength play. His first point in the postseason was the game-winning goal in overtime in Game 2, rebounding a shot from Josh Manson on the blueline and backhanding it in to give the Avalanche a 2-0 lead heading into Los Angeles.

ROY IS THE HERO IN OVERTIME 🚨 pic.twitter.com/24pNrpy2dd

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) April 22, 2026

He continued his production in Game 3, helping with the scoring by setting up Landeskog, whose shot bounced off the end boards and off Anton Forsberg and in to make it 1-0. His point streak continued into Game 4 as he once again crashed the net for a loose puck rebound goal to make it 3-1 for the Avalanche in the third period.

The Landeskog-Kadri-Roy line through 26 minutes of ice time together has one of the best xGoals Against stats in the playoffs so far, to be exact, the fourth best at 0.7, while having a 53.3% xGoals%, which is higher than the Lehkonen-MacKinnon-Necas line, which sits at 52.8%

Nazem Kadri Could Heat Up In Round 2

Kadri wasn’t really “cold” in his first playoff round back with the Avalanche, but his chances just couldn’t be capitalized on. Though the stats still backed up his offensive and defensive production with Roy and Landeskog, and how important they were to the Avalanche in the first round. In the four games he played, he finished with only two assists, none on the power play (but that's another story for another day).

His first assist came in Game 3 when he set up Manson, whose shot was rebounded by Roy in overtime to secure the win. His second point came in Game 4, where he set up MacKinnon for a one-time blast to open the scoring and secure the team's first power play goal in the series.

Breaking News: Nazem Kadri Coming Home to Avalanche in Trade from FlamesThe trade heard round the world.

Though just like in their run in 2022, Kadri had a decent Round 1, finishing with three points in four games isnt nothing to scoff at but compared to his impact in Round 2, which saw him finish with seven points in six games, including a hat-trick to give the Avalanche a 3-1 lead after Game 4, we could see a similar display which will be needed if they go up against either the Dallas Stars or Minnesota Wild.

Brett Kulak Continues To Be As Reliable As Ever

Kulak's time with the Avalanche so far has been nothing but impressive. He fits a role this team can utilize so well, and he's been doing that ever since he joined the team. He continued it in the playoffs. Despite just one point in the four games, his reliability in making smart defensive plays and doing the right things offensively is what he does best, and it helps the team win.

REPORT: Avalanche Acquire Brett Kulak From Penguins in Exchange for Samuel Girard and Draft PickThe Colorado Avalanche have acquired Brett Kulak from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick

He notched his first point of the playoffs in Game 4, assisting MacKinnon when he scored on the empty net to make it 5-1 late in the third period. He leads the team in blocks with 14, and his advanced numbers really help back up his defensive play. His pairing with Sam Malinski ranks second in xGoals Against at 1.2 and third in xGoals Against Per 60 Minutes at 1.45.

Brett Kulak Delivers The Different Look Bednar WantedLess than 24 hours after arriving, Brett Kulak delivered 19 steady minutes that quietly reshaped the Avalanche blue line and stabilized their structure from the back end out.

The Avalanche will have some time to rest and recover before facing their next opponent in Round 2. Still, if there is anything to take away from Round 1, it is that the acquisitions made by General Manager Chris McFarland and Joe Sakic have already made a strong impact and are likely to continue doing so in later rounds.

Breaking: Avalanche Forced Into First Lineup Change Of Playoffs After Manson InjuryJosh Manson will miss Game 4 with an upper-body injury, forcing the Avalanche into their first lineup change of the postseason as Nick Blankenburg is set to make his playoff debut.

The Pittsburgh Penguins staved off elimination in Game 4 on Saturday and will have to do it again in Game 5 on Monday.

The Penguins played their best game of the series against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, winning 4-2. They had the lead for the entire game and were able to lock things down in the final 10 minutes of the third period to extend their season. 

Sidney Crosby opened the scoring in the first period and also assisted on Kris Letang's game-winning goal in the third period. It was by far Crosby's best game of the series, and the Penguins will need him to play at that level again in Game 5 if they want to send the series back to Philadelphia. 

Outside of Crosby and Letang, Rickard Rakell and Connor Dewar scored for the Penguins in Game 4, and goaltender Arturs Silovs made 28 saves. Silovs got the start in place of Stuart Skinner and will start again on Monday. 

The Penguins are set to go with the same forward lines and defensive pairs for Game 5. 

Here's a look at the projected lineup:

Forwards

Rakell-Crosby-Rust

Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin

Soderblom-Kindel-Mantha

Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari

Defensive pairs

Wotherspoon-Karlsson

Girard-Letang

Shea-Solovyov

The Flyers will make one lineup change for this game as Matvei Michkov will come out for Alex Bump. 

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh and ESPN. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Forward Vitali Pinchuk, who was third in the KHL in goals, has signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators for the 2026-27 season.

Predators general manager Barry Trotz announced the signing Monday. Pinchuk, 24, had 31 goals and 66 points for Dinamo Minsk in the KHL.

Pinchuk is from Zhlobin, Belarus, and ranked among the top 10 KHL skaters in points per game in his fourth full season in the league. He was a three-time KHL All-Star.

Pinchuk established career highs with his 31 goals and 35 assists in the 2025-26 season. He helped Minsk reach the second round of the playoffs.

___

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

It's the end of the road for Anze Kopitar. After announcing that this season would be his last in September, being eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs made it official.

Two decades with the Los Angeles Kings and in the NHL, a pair of Stanley Cups, and he's grateful for every moment.

That includes the final moments of his NHL career when the clock was winding down in Game 4, and the fans at Crypto.com Arena were chanting his name. And around that time, he slowly started to realize that it was the end.

"It hit me about five, six minutes to go that this could be it," Kopitar said in his final media availability on Sunday. "For the last 20 years, I've never experienced that emotion. 'There's always a next year, there's always a next year,' and now it's done. So, it's hard to comprehend."

In the closing minutes of the contest, Kings fans began chanting, "Kopi, Kopi," and "Thank you, Kopi." 

The love that the Los Angeles faithful have shown to the Kings' captain has not been lost on Kopitar. In fact, their support is something that he'll cherish and remember forever.

'Kopi Never Cheats': Kempe Tears Up As Kopitar's Teammates Reflect On His Kings CareerAnze Kopitar's teammates got emotional after the game when reflecting on his time with the Los Angeles Kings' organization. Here's what Adrian Kempe, Drew Doughty and Trevor Moore said of their longtime and well-respected captain.

"It was hard to keep it together, really," Kopitar told reporters about what it was like to hear the fans chanting his name.

"Being here for 20 years, more than half of my lifetime, it's extremely special. I really appreciate the fans; they've been behind me personally, they've been behind the team for all those years.

Family, Golf And F1 Races: Kings' Kopitar Reveals His Retirement PlansWith just a sliver of the 2025-26 season and Anze Kopitar's NHL career remaining, the Los Angeles Kings captain was asked about his plans for retirement in a recent interview with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

"I can truly say that they're probably one of the best fan bases in the entire league," Kopitar added.

The 38-year-old signs off with 1,628 regular-season and playoff games, scoring a total of 1,405 points in all those years of being one of the best pros in the sport.

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ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild (2-2) hit the ice for a practice before traveling for Game 5 against the Dallas Stars (2-2) in Dallas.

Minnesota evened the series with an overtime winner on Saturday after losing in double overtime in Game 3. It was a thriller to say the least.

The Wild did not practice on Sunday so this was the first practice since last game.

Mats Zuccarello, who has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury, was on the ice to practice power play work.

“I think it’s a good sign," Wild head coach John Hynes said on Zuccarello practicing. "We’ll see how he felt and what his response is from that. But it is definitely a step in the right direction.”

Yakov Trenin was also on the ice for practice. He has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury.

“Trenny is the same," Hynes said. "It’s good that they both skated but they now have to see how they’re feeling. We’ll probably know more in the morning.”

It would be a nice addition for the Wild if they both come back, or if just one of them come back.

Minnnesota's power play has been struggling. Adding Zuccarello back to it would only help.

"He helps, for sure. You know, like I said he’s got a good mind for the game," Hynes said. "He’s a highly skilled player within the structure and you talk about different options, what are some of the things he sees or, you know a lot of times it’s little things. If he’s coming down in a certain situation, he moves his stick one way to look for this option. I think it’s more of the subtleties of it that I think he does, he talks about and sees as a player."

Hynes said that the two will be questionable to play in Game 5. He also said they were in Game 3 and both missed. He also said Zuccarello would be in Game 4 and he did not play either.

“I’d put them at questionable right now.”

But it is a positive that they both skated.

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Recent Wild Stories

NHL Must Address Jamie Benn After String of Dangerous, Uncalled PlaysJamie Benn's dangerous, uncalled playoff antics continue. The NHL faces pressure to address a pattern of reckless plays impacting star players.

- Wild's Mats Zuccarello, Yakov Trenin Out With Upper-Body Injuries.

- Stars' Top Center Remains Out Vs Wild For Next Two Games.

- Jesper Wallstedt Rewards Wild's Confidence In Game 1 Win.

- Wild's Vladimir Tarasenko Has Rediscovered His Scoring Prowess.

- Yakov Trenin Breaks Minnesota Wild Single-Season Hits Record.

Nikita Zadorov's wallet has become lighter this week. The former Vancouver Canucks and current Boston Bruins defenceman was fined $5,000 for cross-checking Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin over the weekend. On the play, Zadorov was assessed a major penalty and received a game misconduct.

The Bruins are facing elimination heading into Game 5 of their first-round series against the Sabres. Despite splitting the first two games, Boston was outscored 9-2 in front of their home fans in Games 3 and 4. Over the first four games of the series, Zadorov has recorded one assist, 37 penalty minutes and is averaging 18:07 of ice time per game. 

Zadorov has been fined once before in the playoffs. That came in 2024, when he cross-checked Connor McDavid in Game 3 while with the Canucks. The fine in 2024 was also for $5,000. 

The Bruins will look to keep their season alive on Tuesday as they travel to Buffalo for Game 5. Boston already has a victory away from home, as they won 4-2 in Game 2. Game time for Game 5 is scheduled for 4:30 pm PT. 

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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The Buffalo Sabres were able to leave not much to doubt in Game 4 of their first round match in Boston on Sunday, taking advantage of a flat Bruins squad in a critical game for them to get back into the series. The Sabres took the legs out from under the Beantowners with four first-period tallies in a 6-1 thrashing at TD Garden to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series and potentially close out the series with a win on home ice on Tuesday night. 

Peyton Krebs, Josh Doan, Zach Benson, and Bowen Byram scored in an opening stanza that saw the Sabres outshoot the home squad 19-5. Boston only managed 24 shots on Alex Lyon, who posted his second straight victory. The quick start was a departure for the young Buffalo squad, who in the first three games seemed to play their best hockey in the third period when trailing or tied, which may be a sign of them gaining confidence and getting past some initial playoff nerves.

"I know sometimes (just playing the game) that's hard to do, and you only get experience by playing, whether it's one shift, one period, one game, one home game, one road game." Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said.  "There's all kinds of different experience you can get, but the only way you can get it is to live it. If you feel a little anxiety about it, just go to the guys that have been there."

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Conversely, the Bruins appear to be losing their composure after losing a pair on home ice. Goalie Jeremy Swayman said something to his teammates after being pulled in the third period in favor of backup Joonas Korpisalo after allowing six goals on 29 shots, while defenseman Nikita Zadorov was assessed a five-minor major and game misconduct for cross-checking Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin late in the game, and was fined $5,000 by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. After the game, Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy called out his club after the game for their subpar effort. 

“You can’t sit with (this game), because if you carry it into next game, it’s not going to do you any good,” McAvoy said.  "Man to man in here, if we're not (bleep)ing embarrassed with what just happened, then I don't know what to say." 

Ruff provided an update on forwards Jason Zucker and Tyson Kozak, who missed a significant chunk of the third period, indicating that both probable for Game 5 on Tuesday, but that they are still being evaluated. Center Josh Norris, who missed Games 3 and 4 in Boston, will participate in the morning skate on Tuesday and could be available.

The Rochester Americans forced a deciding Game 3 of their first round series againstt the Toronto Marlies with a shutout win on Friday, but were eliminated by the Marlies 4-2 at Coca-Cola Coliseum on Sunday. Konsta Helenius and Olivier Nadeau cut into an early Toronto lead to narrow the gap to 3-2, but the Amerks could not tie the game in the third period.  With Rochester eliminated, several Amerks will likely be recalled to serve as “black aces”/reserves for the Sabres for the length of their participation in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

 

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The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Edmonton Oilers in overtime by a 4-3 final score in Game 4. With this, the Ducks now have a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Oilers and three chances to knock out the back-to-back Western Conference champions. 

The Ducks can thank a former Montreal Canadiens forward for them being in this position, as Ryan Poehling stepped up big time for Anaheim in Game 4. 

At the 2:29 mark in overtime, Poehling scored the game-winning goal for Anaheim. While skating with the puck in the offensive zone, Poehling took a shot from the edge of the circle, and it just got by Oilers goalie Tristan Jarry for the goal.

With this clutch moment, Poehling now has three goals and a plus-2 rating in four playoff games so far this spring with the Ducks. The former Canadiens forward has certainly been having a strong postseason for Anaheim thus far, and he will now be looking to keep it going from here. 

Poehling was selected by the Canadiens with the 25th overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. From there, he played his first three NHL seasons with the Habs, where he had 13 goals and 22 points in 85 games. 

Another former member of the San Jose Sharks has seen their season come to a close in unceremonious fashion. Cody Ceci and the Los Angeles Kings were eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday, as the Colorado Avalanche swept their first round matchup. 

Ceci, who signed a four-year contract with the Kings over the summer, failed to record a point in the playoffs and was a -2. 

Ceci was a member of the Sharks for just over half of a season, as he was traded to the Bay Area during the summer of 2024. The Sharks acquired him and a third-round pick for defenseman Ty Emberson. In 54 games for the Sharks, Ceci scored four goals and 15 points while being a -9. 

The Sharks then flipped Ceci to the Dallas Stars, alongside Mikael Granlund, ahead of the 2025 Trade Deadline, with San Jose getting draft picks in return. 

Ceci will be a part of the Kings' blueline for the foreseeable future, as a result, the Sharks will see him quite a bit over the next few years as both teams will battle for a spot in the playoffs, much like this season.

Colorado Avalanche News

• L.A. Kings fans chant “Thank you, Kopi” after the Avs sweep the Kings in LA in game four. [ESPN]
• How the Avalanche have taken advantage of college free agency to make up for lost picks. [The Athletic]
• ICYMI: Kings coach Smith showered with glass after Avs fan breaks pane behind bench in Game 2. [TSN]
• Avalanche Defeats Kings 5-1 in Game Four to Complete Sweep, Advance to Round Two. [NHL]
• Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood is on an NHL Playoffs run Colorado hasn’t seen since Patrick Roy. [Denver Post]

News Around the League

• Sunday Overreactions: Should the NHL re-examine offside review? [Sportsnet]
• Dallas Stars player narrowly avoids catastrophic injury in Game 4 loss at Minnesota. [Star-Telegram]

• Senators stung by being swept in ‘really tight’ 1st-round series. [NHL]
• Oilers give Tristan Jarry playoff start in Game 4 of series against Ducks. [Western Wheels]
• Cole Caufield pens a look at the early years of his career with the Montreal Canadiens. [Players’ Tribune]