Category: NHL

Vegas Golden Knights forward will have a hearing with the Department of Player Safety for his cross-check on Edmonton Oilers forward Trent Frederic.

The 28-year-old was assessed a five-minute major and ejected for the infraction. The penalty occurred in overtime when Roy attempted to cross-check the puck out of the air, missing and hitting Frederic in the face. Frederic was knocked to the ground and was left bleeding. 

The five-minute major was Roy's second penalty of the game. His first was a two-minute minor for high-sticking in the second period.

Roy has never been suspended during his career, but the NHL has attempted to crack down on their discipline for cross-checking infractions, which involve contact to the face, albeit they've been fairly inconsistent. 

Viktor Arvidsson was the culprit of a dangerous trip on veteran defenseman Brayden McNabb, but the Department of Player Safety has confirmed that he won't face any supplemental discipline. 

If the NHL feels Roy deserves a suspension, the Golden Knights could be without two contributing forwards, those being Roy and Pavel Dorofeyev. The team travels to Edmonton for Game 3, with puck drop set for 6:00 PM PST on Saturday.

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Anaheim Ducks signing former Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville could signal future signing of hall-of-fame player

The Anaheim Ducks are looking to do everything they can to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs next season and one of their biggest adds may be yet to come with a hall-of-fame player potentially joining the fold. 

It was reported midway through the NHL season, that longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews is expected to make a return to the NHL, according to an interview he had with GQ Sports. It was confirmed by The Athletic's Mark Lazerus that it won't be with the Blackhawks. This spawned many theories as to which team the three-time Stanley Cup champion may join with Sportsnet's Kyle Bukauskas and Elliotte Friedman giving their take on why the team could be the Ducks. 

More NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

Bukauskas made the connection that Anaheim recently signed former Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville as their bench boss of the future and noted that Toews may want to play for the coach he won his Stanley Cups with. 

"One thing I can tell you Kyle is a lot of players in the league who like Quenneville and Toews was obviously one of them," "I would say without making a call...that's a really good connection."

- Friedman said in response to the idea

The addition of Toews would be a perfect fit for a young Ducks team that has been vocal about wanting to make the playoffs next season.

We likely won't see odds come out for playoffs next season for some time but this would make the Ducks worth a serious look as they could continue to add pieces as they have draft capital and young talent like Trevor Zegras that teams will want. Anaheim could look to flip Zegras for more experienced that could help lift this team into the postseason. 

Toews missed the 2020–21 bubble season as he recovered from COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome but then returned for 124 games over the next two seasons, but in August 2023, he announced he was stepping away from hockey to give himself time to fully recover from his aliments.

More NHL: Utah Hockey Club Announces New Team Name

During his last NHL action in the 2022-23 season, Toews recorded 15 goals and 16 assists in 53 games. The Winnipeg native was among the Blackhawks' all-time greats, earning a Selke Trophy in 2013 and ranking sixth in franchise history with 883 points across 1,067 regular-season games. A standout in the playoffs as well, the now 36-year-old sits fifth in team history with 119 points in 139 postseason appearances.

Maple Leafs aim for commanding 3-0 lead while Panthers look to win first game of the series

The Maple Leafs stunned the Cats in the first two game of their second round series, giving Toronto their first sizeable second round lead in over three decades.

The game was a battle with both sides looking to inflict as much pain as possible with Toronto receiving the worst of things as they lost starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz but backup Joseph Woll shined in his absence. 

Game three will make for an exciting showcase as the Panthers will look to exact revenge and claw their way back into the series. Toronto on the other hand, will aim to put Florida firmly against the ropes and secure their second 3-0 series lead of the postseason after doing so to Ottawa in the forest round. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 33-23 record on our last 55 picks, including perfect records during Game 1 and 4 of the Maple Leafs-Senators series. 

More NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Best Bets:

• Panthers -1.5 (+116)
• Matthew Tkachuk Under 0.5 points (+172)
• Maple Leafs Under 2.5 goals (-130) 

Leafs fans are anxiously awaiting for one thing: a standout game from Matthew Tkachuk.

With just one point through the first two games and no goals in four straight games, the Scottsdale native is becoming more and more due for a big game. Tkachuk recorded 22 points in 24 games last postseason with few cold streaks but it is worth mentioning only six of those 22 points were goals. 

More NHL: Jonathan Toews NHL Return Could Be With Anaheim Ducks, According to NHL Insider

After recording back-to-back 40-goal seasons in 2022 and 2023, he has turned away from goal scoring and has scored 48 goals in the previous two years. This could be attributed to Tkachuk pivoting his style of play to more of a two-way play style similar to Auston Matthews and could cut into his scoring production. 

Matthew Tkachuk has been placed on IR with a groin injury.✔️ Subscribe to ESPN+ https://plus.espn.com/✔️ Get the ESPN App: http://www.espn.com/espn/apps/espn✔️ Subscribe to ESPN on YouTube: http://es.pn/SUBSCRIBEtoY...

It could also be a symptom of his undisclosed injury that he suffered at the Four Nations. He has rarely played big-time minutes this postseason with 13 minutes or fewer in three of his last seven games. We are going to go against the public and actually fade Tkachuk in this spot the limited oppurtunies should continue to hold him back. 

The Panthers should bounce back however as it would be a new world of danger for Florida if goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky had another start with four goals allowed. The 36-year-old has never in his career allowed three or more goals in three consecutive starts versus Toronto in the same season with the only time it happening being in matchups separated by two years apart in 2020 with Columbus and in 2022 with Florida. 

This should help lift Florida to a much needed win and keep themselves off the ropes for another game and give themselves a chance to tie in game four. Florida has also covered the puck line as a favourite in four straight four home matchups versus Toronto.

More NHL: Utah Hockey Club Announces New Team Name

The NHL has been celebrating the first quarter century of the league since the calendar flipped to 2025. That has included a first and second all-star team for all 32 franchises that played over the first 25 years of the 21st century. 

The Chicago Blackhawks' first team consisted of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Corey Crawford. The second team comprised Alex DeBrincat, Marian Hossa, Brandon Saad, Brian Campbell, Niklas Hjalmarsson, and Jocelyn Thibault. 

This week, the league started announcing the quarter-century team for the league as a whole. With all of the success and future Hall of Fame players that Chicago has had this century, it was clear that they would have at least one representative. 

The first six players named included guys who made their debut before the year 2000 began but did most of their damage once the century turned. That included Nicklas Lidstrom, Teemu Selanne, Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton, Jarome Iginla, and Joe Sakic. 

On Friday, the league announced the next six players, including Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane. The five others alongside Kane with this announcement are skaters who made their debuts from 2000-2010. 

That includes Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos, and Pavel Datsyuk. This is elite company for Kane to be associated with, and it’s well deserved. 

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xit's Showtime for the @NHL Quarter-Century Team!🎬 congrats, Kaner‼️👏

Since the end of the 2022-23 season, Kane has spent time with the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings, but most of his legendary career was spent with the Chicago Blackhawks. On an individual level, Kane won the Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Calder Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and the Conn Smythe Trophy.

In 1302 games played, Kane has 492 goals and 851 assists for 1343 points. Those gaudy statistics and all of the awards he has won will get him in the Hall of Fame on the first ballot. 

Of course, Kane has also won the Stanley Cup three times, which is his crowning achievement above all. With a career as decorated as Kane's, it’s hard to argue against him as the greatest American-born player of all time. He is also in the conversation for the greatest Blackhawk ever. 

NHL (@NHL) on X@SAP We're over halfway through unveiling the #NHLQCTeam... Who else was voted to the team? 🗳️ Check back tomorrow to learn about the next group of players! NHL Quarter-Century Team presented by @SAP

The league is now halfway done announcing its quarter-century team. Up to this point, if anyone was going to represent the Blackhawks on the list, it was always going to be Patrick Kane. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

Czech goaltender Jakub Škarek, 26, has signed a contract with IFK Helsinki, the Liiga club announced on Friday. The deal is for a year plus an option.

“I am really competitive. For me, the most important thing is to help the team win,” said Škarek. “II am very happy to have signed a contract with HIFK. The club has a long history and is a name known throughout the hockey world. I am really excited to join the team.”

After being a third-round draft pick of the New York Islanders in 2018, Škarek spent almost all of the past six seasons in the Isles organization, mostly in the AHL with the Bridgeport Islanders but he played two NHL games last season.

“Jakub is a very experienced goalie for his age,” said club sports director Janne Pesonen. “His sights are on the NHL and Jakub has already had a taste of that dream. We are happy that he feels that HIFK is the right place for him to take the next step in his career, and he will definitely bring competition to our goaltending department.”

Originally from Jihlava, Czechia and a product of the local Dukla club, this will already be Škarek’s third stop in Finland. After being drafted, he spent the 2018-19 season with the Lahti Pelicans, playing 22 Liiga games and seven in the second-tier Mestis. He returned to Lahti to play four games for Peliitat in 2020-21 while the start of the AHL season was delayed by pandemic-related restrictions.

This past season, IFK Helsinki finished fourth in the Liiga regular season and was eliminated in the quarterfinals – falling behind 3-0, winning three in a row, then losing Game 7 at home to the Lahti Pelicans.

In addition to Škorek, the team has under contract for 2025-26 ex-NHLers Jori Lehterä, Iiro Pakarinen and Petteri Lindbohm, as well as 19-year-old Minnesota Wild prospect Aron Kiviharju. The team will be coached by Olli Jokinen.

Olli Jokinen Explains Viral “F-Bomb” VideoFormer NHL defenseman Olli Jokinen is now in his fourth year of coaching professional hockey, but it’s only been since an expletive-laced video of him trying to motivate his Timrå team went viral in the last few days that many outside of Finland or Sweden have known it.

The Vegas Golden Knights were tied 4-4 in overtime of Game 2 against the Edmonton Oilers, but due to a missed call, instead of finding themselves on the power play, they exited T-Mobile Arena down 2-0 in the series. 

The Golden Knights had just killed a five-minute power play after Nicolas Roy bizarrely cross-checked Trent Frederic in the face while trying to knock the puck out of the air. With momentum on their side, the Golden Knights continued their pursuit of finding the game-winner. When the puck was dumped into Brayden McNabb's corner, he shielded off Victor Ardvinsson, but an errant stick tripped McNabb, sending him into the boards.

It took the 34-year-old a couple of seconds to gather himself and skate to the bench after the collision with the boards. He went directly to the locker room and did not return. Almost unbelievably, no call was made on the play and on the ensuing shift, Connor McDavid set up Leon Draisaitl for the game-winner. 

MCDAVID TO DRAISAITL 🚨

Connor McDavid makes a beautiful move to set up Leon Draisaitl for the @Energizer overtime winner in Game 2! #StanleyCuppic.twitter.com/DkMXp2kuhw

— NHL (@NHL) May 9, 2025

"He blew it, he missed the call, I don't know what else to say," said HC Bruce Cassidy. "It's a can-opener trip, it's a dangerous play, it's all those things, but it didn't get called, so you've got to keep playing."

Cassidy wasn't the only member of the Golden Knights to be outraged, as his emotions were reciprocated by the team's captain. 

"Pretty clear it's a penalty," said Mark Stone. "His stick is between McNabb's legs, he sends him head first into the boards, pretty clear cut penalty in my eyes and I think everybody's eyes."

Although the Golden Knights felt they got the short end of the stick in overtime, already down in the series, they needed to find a way to remain focused and pull out the win. The opposite was done. Just 17 seconds later, an ill-advised pinch by Nicolas Hague put Jack Eichel in a one-on-one situation with McDavid, where he was beaten easily. 

"Nabber is one of our guys, probably one of the most popular teammates in the room, so that is a tough part of playing through it," said Cassidy. "It's not as easy as it looks, we're human, but at the end of the day, that's the task in front of you when those things happen or don't happen."

Cassidy did not have any updates on the health of McNabb following the game. 

With the series shifting to Edmonton, some may feel the series has already slipped out of the grasp for the Golden Knights. The Oilers are on a six-game winning streak, which includes a perfect 3-0 record at home in the postseason. But just last season, the Golden Knights stole two games back-to-back on the road from the Dallas Stars.

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

The St. Louis Blues head into their off-season with management facing decisions regarding two key players.

Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic believes they must decide whether Jordan Kyrou fits into their long-term plans before his no-trade clause kicks in on July 1.

The 27-year-old right winger had one of his best all-around seasons, netting 36 goals and 70 points. However, Rutherford noted that he had only three goals in seven playoff games and was on the ice for five goals-for and five against.

Kyrou has six years left on his contract with an average annual value of $8.125 million. Rutherford wondered if he matches the club's vision of the future, specifically that of “GM-in-waiting Alex Steen.”

Rutherford also wondered if management might revisit trade discussions with team captain Brayden Schenn. At the trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators were reportedly interested in the 33-year-old center, but he insisted on staying in St. Louis. 

Schenn is signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $6.5 million. He has a full no-movement clause, but it reverts to a 15-team no-trade list on July 1. Teams that fail to land one of this summer's top free-agent centers could look into his availability.

NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest On Marco Rossi, Patrik Laine And Drake BathersonMost of the focus for Minnesota Wild followers will be on the club's efforts to re-sign left winger Kirill Kaprizov. 

Turning to the Colorado Avalanche, Corey Masisak of the Denver Postwondered who would fill their second-line center role. 

Trade deadline acquisition Brock Nelson is UFA-eligible on July 1. If he departs, free agent options could include Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers and John Tavares of the Maple Leafs. 

Masisak noted the Avalanche have sufficient cap space to re-sign Nelson or bring in a replacement. He speculated they could also move a contract to free up additional room, suggesting Martin Necas as a trade chip if they really want to shake things up.

Necas was acquired in January's blockbuster trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes. He has a year left on his contract with a $6.5-million cap hit and lacks no-trade protection. 

It's unlikely that the Avalanche would trade the key player they got from Carolina in the Rantanen deal. However, few folks expected the Hurricanes would trade Rantanen to Dallas mere weeks after acquiring him from Colorado.

Will The Colorado Avalanche Benefit Long-Term From Depth Over A $12-Million Rantanen? The Colorado Avalanche began and ended the 2024-25 NHL season on a low note. 

In Vancouver, the Province's Ben Kuzma thinks the Canucks should include their 2025 first-rounder (15th overall) in a trade package to acquire a second-line center.

There is concern about whether struggling Elias Pettersson is a true first-line center. Questions also linger over the health of frequently sidelined center Filip Chytil. 

Kuzma suggested targeting someone like Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings. The 28-year-old center recently expressed his unhappiness over the club's lack of significant movement at the trade deadline to improve their roster down the stretch. However, there is no indication that he wants out of Detroit.

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After a disappointing first-round loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs ended their Stanley Cup playoff hopes last week, a pair of Ottawa Senators are turning their attention to a new goal on Friday.

Centre Shane Pinto and defenceman Nik Matinpalo will begin their pursuit of gold medals on day one of the World Hockey Championships in Sweden and Denmark.

Pinto and Team USA will open Friday at 2:20 p.m. against the host Danes at Jyske Bank Boxen Arena.

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In 70 regular-season games with the Senators this season, Pinto had 21 goals and 37 points, which was probably a little shy of his expectations. But he also had less than half the power-play time he was given two years ago.

Pinto is about to enter the second half of his two-year contract at $3.75 million per season. From his perspective, rather than lock in long-term last summer, this was probably a bridge deal to potentially earn a larger contract in 2026.

But based on this season's stats, though Pinto’s value to the Senators is far more than just offence, his $3.75 million cap hit seems about right. Perhaps this tournament can be a confidence boost and a springboard to offensive improvements next season. 

But ice time won't come easily at this tournament because the Americans are loaded with talent. They have 12 first-round NHL Draft picks, and more than 5,500 games of NHL experience.

Former Senator Joey Daccord will suit up in goal for Team USA, along with Jeremy Swayman, Linus Ullmark’s old running mate in Boston. Ullmark says he wanted to play for Sweden, especially since they’re one of the tourney co-hosts, but the team decided to go in another direction, choosing Jacob Markström, Samuel Ersson, and Arvid Söderblom.

Summer Breakups: Senators GM Steve Staios Prepares For Another Rebalancing ActThe Ottawa Senators held their seasonal exit meetings last Saturday, the final assignment for a fine young NHL club that took a huge step forward this season, forcing their way into the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

Meanwhile, Matinpalo and Team Finland will open the tournament in Sweden with the first game against Austria at 10:20 a.m. Friday at Avicii Arena. Like the U.S.A. opener, this one is likely to be a mismatch.

It’s been a whirlwind calendar year for Matinpalo, who, as recently as December, didn't really seem to be in Ottawa's NHL plans. Since then, he's become an NHL regular, got to play in the 4 Nations Face-off in February, and signed his first one-way NHL contract this week.

What a difference five months can make.

For you early birds, Canada will open on Saturday morning against Slovenia at 6:20 a.m. ET. The Canadians are stacked this year with big names, including Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon.

Senators winger Drake Batherson trains with both of those superstars in Nova Scotia every summer. And after Batherson's uneven performance in round one of the playoffs, it would have been nice if he'd been able to have a chance to shake that off at this tournament and head into the summer on a positive note.

Here's how the tournament works (from IIHF.com):

The 16 teams are divided into two groups for the Preliminary Round, played in a single round-robin format.

The top four teams in each group advance to the quarter-finals, which will be played cross-over style: 1A vs. 4B, 2A vs. 3B, 1B vs. 4A, and 2B vs. 3A.

Since goal differential and goals scored play a key role in the tiebreaking process, this tournament frequently sees its fair share of blowouts, but it will also deliver some compelling matchups and rivalries, and some outstanding hockey over the next couple of weeks.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News-Ottawa

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EDMONTON – This playoff run is turning into a Cinderella story.

The Edmonton Oilers were down 0-2 when they hopped on the plane back to the City of Champions in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

Then came the wins.

Four consecutive wins to send their divisional rival to the fairways for (yet) another year. However, winning those games in a come-from-behind fashion is unprecedented. Or at least, it’s getting really close.

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They have the most comeback wins in NHL playoff history, and that record could soon include the regular season.

The Oilers are tied for the second-most comeback victories in NHL history, whether in the regular season or the playoffs. Seven is the magic number for comeback wins.

This Oilers team can’t shake the comeback victory. They know the importance of scoring the first goal and have gone on record detailing how they want to start games better.

On Thursday night, it was the same script but a different movie. The Oilers were down 1-0 after the opening period. But no quit was to be found in their game.

They stormed back with three unanswered goals from Jake Walman, Vasily Podkolzin, and Darnell Nurse to take a commanding 3-1 lead over the Vegas Golden Knights. 

A squandered lead would force the game to overtime, where Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid worked their magic. 

So on Saturday night, when the Oilers defend their home turf, don’t worry if they find themselves in a similar position to the previous six games.

They would love to flip the script, but like the Marvel Universe, they can’t help but create a sequel.

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Former Cleveland Monsters goalie Calvin Pickard is "The Hot Goalie" right now and has the Edmonton Oilers rolling. 

Pickard, drafted 49th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2010, has his Oilers up 2-0 in the second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights after winning 5-4 in overtime last night. Pickard made 28 saves as Edmonton stole home ice away from Vegas and will now look to go back to Rogers Place to finish off the power house Golden Knights. 

Pickard replaced Stuart Skinner in a first-round loss to the LA Kings on April 23rd and hasn't looked back. Since replacing Skinner, the Oilers have done a few things that have the hockey world buzzing. 

First off, they've now won six straight games, which include four straight to put out the Kings, and the first two games of the second-round series against the Knights. Secondly, all six games in a row they've won have come after giving up the first goal of the game. So, not only are they battling from behind, but they're getting stellar goaltending from Calvin Pickard. Pickard is keeping them close enough to be able to come back and win huge playoff games. 

Pickard hasn't been perfect, but he's doing just enough for the powerful offense to come around in each game. 

Pickard is well-known to long-time Monster fans, and up until last season, was widely considered the best goalie to have ever played for Cleveland. Jet Greaves has since replaced Pickard as the best goalie ever. 

Calvin Pickard is second among all Cleveland goalies in games played(142), wins(60), losses(54), TOI, saves, and goals against. He also has 10 career shutouts to his name. 

Pickard's last season for Cleveland came in 14-15, just one season before the AHL affiliation with the Columbus Blue Jackets started. He would remain with the Avalanche organization for one more season before his journey to Edmonton started. 

Let us know what you think below.

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2025 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: Dante FabbroThis summer, Spencer Lazary and I will continue our series with more potential free agent targets that could be on the market on July 1st.    Johnny Gaudreau’s Mom & Dustin Wolf Share Special Moment On Social MediaThe Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau tragedy never fails to bring tears to people’s eyes. Yesterday on Twitter/X, there was another emotional moment—this time between Jane Gaudreau, the mother of Johnny and Matthew, and Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf. 2025 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: Aaron EkbladThis summer, Jason Newland and I will continue our series looking at potential free agent targets who could be available on July 1.

The Carolina Hurricanes couldn't pull off yet another third-period comeback, falling 3-1 to the Washington Capitals in Game 2 at Capital One Arena on Thursday.

The game looked like it was going to be following the same blueprint as Game 1: the Canes have a strong first period, then the Caps strike first early in the second, but it didn't end the way that one did.

Instead, the Capitals scored twice before the Hurricanes found their first, and the Canes were then just unable to overcome that deficit with the way Washington was defending (the Caps were credited with 32 blocks once again).

"We certainly weren't great, that's for sure," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "I think you have to give Washington credit. I mean, they played a much better game. We have to be better, that's for sure. We knew it was going to be hard. Having said that, we were still right in the game

The biggest issue for Carolina though is that they just haven't been getting the bounces so far this series (the team hit the frame two more times to put their total up to seven for the series) and Washington's first goal was another prime example of that. 

Sean Walker went to flip a puck into the Capitals end from the neutral zone, but it wound up hitting his partner Shayne Gostisbehere in the throat and the puck fell right to Connor McMichael who got loose for a breakaway.

"Obviously it was unfortunate. Just trying to get the puck in their end and then it hits Shayne [Gostisbehere] in the neck, kinds of stuns him there for a sec and then they get a fast break and score," Walker said. "It's part of it. Just move on."

And you could immediately tell that that goal gave Washington some juice as they started to look much more like themselves through the second period.

"That [first] goal was a tough one just because of the way it happened," Brind'Amour said. "Nothing going on and then all of a sudden, it's a breakaway because we banged it off of our own guy. Then that got them going for sure.

The Canes struggled to muster a lot in that middle frame and when they did get their looks, they were either passing up looks, double clutching or shooting off the mark.

But despite the struggles, they were still only down by one heading to the final frame.

That was until Brent Burns turned the puck over in the neutral zone, and wound up taking a hooking penalty less than two minutes into the third.

On that man advantage, Washington's third crack on the power play in Game 2, the Capitals finally broke Carolina's perfect penalty kill as John Carlson snuck in from the blueline and slammed home a pretty pass by Tom Wilson.

"I thought our first was good and then the second period was just no good," said Jordan Staal. "Even the first half of our third was not great. We were playing in our end a little too much and just turning over one too many pucks and not really getting through the neutral zone and getting on them and all the stuff that we do. Took a penalty and obviously the PK would love to have the kill. Obviously our 5v5 game wasn't great and it kind of trended toward them getting an extra goal."

The Canes were in a 2-0 hole, but they were finally able to break through on the power play not too long after themselves as Gostisbehere answered back, putting home a rebound from the wing.

GOSTISBEHERE! Shayne Gostisbehere trims the Carolina deficit to 1 midway through the third!#RaiseUp | #StanleyCuppic.twitter.com/bUlldqhny8

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) May 9, 2025

The Hurricanes were back in it, and they definitely pushed hard that period, but the team just couldn't find that extra gear and second goal.

"When we're playing our game, I think we really controlled the momentum of the game and had a lot more time in their zone and created a lot more, for sure,." Walker said. "We'll look at it tomorrow, but I think we know we got away from our game there a little bit and they capitalized and took away from our momentum. We'll look at it and move on."

Wilson, who was far and away the best player on the ice in Game 2 with his physicality, offensive impact and defensive blocks, sealed the game with the empty netter.

Despite the loss, the Canes are in a good position as they now head back to Raleigh with a 1-1 series split and a chance to take a strong lead in the series if they can stay hot at home.

"Always nice to be in front of our fans and we're going to have to take that momentum back and use our fans to do it," Staal said. "We'd love to be up two, but it's a good team and we're going to have to start fresh at home here and take it to them again.

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Be sure to check out the Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub for all postseason stories!    

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Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story. 

Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Katie Gaus, Emma Lingan and Michael Augello react to the Washington Capitals beating the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 to tie the second-round series at 1-1.

Capitals vs Hurricanes Game 2 - Playoff Frenzy | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

They also discuss Game 2 between the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights.

Share your thoughts in the comments, and the hosts may discuss your message during the stream.

Check out the show right now.

This year’s Canadian team for the 2025 men’s World Championship is star-studded. 

There are many name-brand, Grade-A talents on Team Canada, which will play in Stockholm, Sweden.

Hockey Canada officially announced the addition of Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon and star Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. That said, the team also added St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, Blues captain Brayden Schenn and Los Angeles Kings center Philip Danault.

Compare that lineup to last year’s Canadian lineup, where Tampa Bay Lightning left winger Brandon Hagel and Washington Capitals center Pierre-Luc Dubois were among the top players. With due respect, those players aren’t on the same level as this year’s Canadian group. The common factor in the change in roster quality is the superstar we haven’t mentioned yet: Pittsburgh Penguins icon Sidney Crosby.

It wouldn’t be surprising if the Crosby effect attracted more star power to the tournament. It’s not like he went to the Worlds the last two years the Penguins missed the playoffs. And many of the same NHL teams that were out of the playoffs by last year’s Worlds are out again.

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NHL players are no different than we are when appreciating top talent. It’s one thing to encounter Crosby as an opponent in hockey’s top league or watch him from afar, but knowing he’s playing with you – well, that’s a very rare thing you should take advantage of.

We might also be seeing more talented players at the World Championship in part because there’s a higher overall quality of the NHL teams. Even some teams eliminated in the first round have some good and great players, such as MacKinnon, Schenn, Danault and Binnington.

We don’t blame any elite player for not choosing to play in the Worlds. They have a long and taxing season, and rest and recuperation must be used for their body’s benefit. 

But there’s no question Crosby makes the Worlds a must-see event. He’s now 37 years old, reuniting with his longtime teammate in Fleury, and preparing for what could be his final Olympics in 2026. Being part of that squad is a no-brainer for some star Canadian players.

The Hockey News' Remy Mastey is in Stockholm to cover the World Championship from May 9 to 25. Also check out Derek O'Brien's coverage on The Hockey News' international hockey site at THN.com/international.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Earlier today, the Ontario Hockey League announced Denver Barkey as the recipient of the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the OHL Humanitarian of the Year.

"It's such an honour to receive this reward," said Barkey. "It's really special for me, my family and the fan club to see so many kids and their families get a chance to play and watch the game we love." 

The Barkey's Buds program, named for the Philadelphia Flyers prospect, partnered with the London Knights Fan Club to bring more than 1,500 pieces of hockey equipment to children with learning, emotional and social disabilities through the George Bray Sports Association. The organization also provided more than 500 tickets to London-area families could come and watch Knights games.

In addition to his work with Barkey's Buds, the London Knights captain went on monthly visits to the Victoria Hospital & Children's Hospital in London. He also spoke at schools on several occasions and attended minor league hockey practices where he acted as a mentor for younger players.

"Ever since I came to London as a 16-year-old, the support and passion from the fans was something I noticed right away," said Barkey. "To be able to start Barkey's Buds and give back to the community that has treated me and my teammates so well was the least I could do."

On the ice, the fourth-year veteran had a fantastic year, scoring 25 goals and 82 points in 50 games. In the playoffs, he recorded 20 points in the Knights' opening two series before sustaining an injury that has kept him out of the lineup. 

These kinds of numbers are nothing new for London Knights fans who have seen Barkey routinely amongst the highest scorers on some stacked Knights' rosters. In the 228 games he's played in the OHL, the dynamic forward has averaged above a point-per-game, scoring a total of 258 points.

Barkey follows Mason Vaccari of the Kingston Frontenacs, who won the trophy last season, while Dalyn Wakely received the honour for his work during the 2022-23 season when he was a member of the North Battalion. 

"It's a proud moment for Denver and his family and the London Knights organization," said London GM Mark Hunter. "Denver is a high-character young man, and for him to take on this community service is something we take pride in."

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The Colorado Avalanche began and ended the 2024-25 NHL season on a low note. 

They came out of the gate 13-12-0 and ended their year losing to the Dallas Stars in a first-round Game 7 where they held a lead for much of the game. But in between those competitive valleys, the Avalanche remade their roster about as radically as any team this season.

Although the Avalanche got burned in Game 7 by the star they traded away, right winger Mikko Rantanen, Colorado’s president of hockey operations, Joe Sakic, spoke out about the trade on Tuesday and defended the move.

“You look at where we were the last few years, we weren’t good enough – we weren’t deep enough,” Sakic told media Tuesday. “This stings not because Mikko is on the other side, it stings because…we were close…We felt we had the team to move on and really compete.”

It’s difficult to argue with Sakic’s rationale for the Rantanen trade. The Avalanche could’ve been a top-heavy team, with three highly paid stars in Rantanen, center Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar. 

Instead, Colorado wound up with very good right winger Martin Necas, center Jack Drury and trade deadline acquisitions Brock Nelson, Ryan Lindgren and Charlie Coyle. Considering that the Avalanche went 21-10-2 after the Rantanen trade, you can see why Sakic and Avs GM Chris MacFarland chose to move Rantanen and make their roster deeper.

Heading into next season, the Avalanche have a projected $8.7 million in salary cap space. Now that Rantanen has signed an extension with Dallas at $12 million per season, that amount of Avs cap space would’ve been significantly less had he remained in Denver. That would’ve led to a top-heavy Colorado team that had to flesh out its roster with league-minimum players.

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The Avalanche aren’t the only team forced into this kind of financial crossroads, and other teams have chosen to build their team differently. Certainly, the Toronto Maple Leafs have famously built around their ‘Core Four’ of star forwards Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander. And consequently, they’ve had no choice but to pay much of the rest of the roster a relative pittance to stay under the cap ceiling. 

The moves have led to the Maple Leafs getting into the second round of this year’s playoffs, but if Toronto gets eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the rest of the second round, there will be calls for Leafs management to abandon their current team structure and go the way the Avalanche have gone with their financial pyramid.

The Avalanche’s cap space this summer will permit them to potentially bring back Nelson or Lindgren and pay another mid-tier player or two to fill out their lineup. That means Sakic and MacFarland made the right move, and with a full season of a more balanced roster and the return of captain Gabriel Landeskog, the Avalanche may have a better record next year. That may lead to a longer playoff run for them next spring.

If that’s the way it plays out for them in 2025-26, it will be because Avs management had the stones to swing big in the trade department this year. The Rantanen deal didn’t work out perfectly, but in the long-term picture, moving away from a top-heavy lineup was the best thing for the Avalanche to do.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.