The Philadelphia Flyers proved in a 3-2 Game 1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins that experience in the Stanley Cup playoffs can sometimes be overrated.
On Monday, the Flyers added two black aces to the fold, bringing up defensemen Oliver Bonk and David Jiricek from the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, whose season ended without a playoff berth.
They join No. 3 goalie Aleksei Kolosov as the other black aces on the Flyers' roster, though, unlike Kolosov, they have a much clearer path to making an impact.
In Saturday's win against the Penguins, defenseman Emil Andrae played just 9:39, notably not playing even a second on the power play nor the penalty kill.
Andrae's defense partner, Nick Seeler, was limited to just 14:04, including 2:07 on the penalty kill.
Analytically, Andrae, 24, has been excellent this season, but it's clear that head coach Rick Tocchet doesn't yet trust him in an expanded role, which is only exacerbated in the higher-stakes playoffs.
That may open the door to an opportunity for Bonk or Jiricek--the latter in particular--to come into the lineup and contribute on the power play.
By inserting Jiricek, who played 19:37 alongside Seeler in a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens in the regular season finale, the Flyers can still have their desired right-shot point man on the power play while preserving someone like Rasmus Ristolainen or Jamie Drysdale for more important minutes at 5-on-5 or on the penalty kill.
The 6-foot-4 Czech defender shouldn't have any issues handling the physicality of the series, either; the Flyers and Penguins combined for 80 hits on Saturday night.
Jiricek has 85 games of NHL experience and produced 13 points in 15 games with the Phantoms, so he isn't walking into a potential opportunity cold or blind.
It would be a surprise if the Flyers changed their winning lineup from Game 1, but it should be acknowledged that there is a very real chance we see Jiricek or Bonk play for the Flyers at some point in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Ottawa Senators will look to even their opening-round series with the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 at Lenovo Center tonight.
My top Senators vs. Hurricanes predictions and NHL picks are calling for Ottawa goalie Linus Ullmark to turn in another solid showing in the crease.
Senators vs Hurricanes Game 2 prediction
Who will win Senators vs Hurricanes Game 2?
Hurricanes: Carolina controlled the play through two periods of Game 1, and while there was a late push from Ottawa, the Sens finished with just 1.31 expected goals and five high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5. The Hurricanes also finished with an overall 63.5 expected goals percentage during the 2-0 win, so the score was actually closer than the play on the ice.
Senators vs Hurricanes best bet: Linus Ullmark Over 25.5 saves (-115)
Ottawa Senators No. 1 Linus Ullmark was the real deal in Game 1 with a .931 SV% and 2.94 goals saved above expected, and I’m expecting him to face plenty of shots again tonight.
The Carolina Hurricanes paced the NHL Corsi For percentage at 5-on-5 while averaging a second-ranked 32.2 shots per game during the regular season, and those numbers both climbed on home ice.
Of course, Ullmark also finished the regular season strong with a .912 SV% and 7.29 GSAx across his final nine starts.
Senators vs Hurricanes Game 2 same-game parlay
The Ottawa top line wasn’t completely overwhelmed in the series opener with a 50.0% CF% at 5-on-5, and center Tim Stutzle was on the ice for a team-high 1.97 expected goals, with wingers Drake Batherson (1.85) and Claude Giroux (1.17) checking in just below.
So, with the trio clicking for 4.12 goals and 3.91 expected goals per 60 minutes during the regular season, Stutzle, Batherson and Giroux are positioned to cash in in Game 2.
Senators vs Hurricanes SGP
Tim Stutzle Over 0.5 points
Drake Batherson Over 0.5 points
Claude Giroux Over 0.5 points
Senators vs Hurricanes Game 2 goal scorer pick
Andrei Svechnikov (+165)
Andrei Svechnikov was a force in the opener and finished with a game-high 1.54 individual expected goals.
With the Carolina top line piling up chances at 5-on-5, and Svechnikov a primary shooter on the No. 1 power-play unit, the underrated Russian should have plenty of quality chances again tonight with Ottawa taking the eighth-most minor penalties at 5-on-5 during the regular season, and five more during Game 1.
The Hurricanes have won 17 of their last 20 home games for +9.70 units and a 25% ROI. Find more NHL betting trends for Senators vs. Hurricanes.
How to watch Senators vs Hurricanes Game 2
Location
Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC
Date
Monday, April 20, 2026
Puck drop
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN-South, CBC
Senators vs Hurricanes latest injuries
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Apr 19, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) celebrates his goal with teammates during the third period against the Boston Bruins in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Timothy T. Ludwig/Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Tage Thompson and the Buffalo Sabres entered their first-round series against Boston being questioned over their lack of playoff experience.
Turns out, they needed just over 52 minutes of game time to get the hang of it.
Drawing upon the never-quit identity the team forged in vaulting from last place in the Eastern Conference standings in early December to winning its first Atlantic Division title, the Sabres marked their return to the playoffs after a NHL-record 14-season drought with a big bang.
Thompson scored twice as part of Buffalo’s four-goal surge over the final 7:58 of regulation in rallying the Sabres to a 4-3 victory in Game 1.
“I think eight years of adversity is enough experience to get you ready for something like this,” said Thompson, referring to the frustrations of spending his first seven seasons in Buffalo without a playoff berth.
“There’s just a heightened feeling of hunger. You don’t want to let this opportunity slip,” added Thompson, who led the team with 40 goals. “I thought tonight was really important to make a statement and set our standard.”
Game 2 is in Buffalo.
Sabres finally wear down Bruins
It took two-plus periods for the Sabres to finally wear down the Bruins in an outing Buffalo dominated the offensive attack but had nothing tangible to show for it in trailing 2-0 after Elias Lindholm converted a rebound 68 seconds into the third period.
The script finally flipped with Buffalo’s forecheck causing two turnovers in Boston’s zone to set up Thompson’s two goals, scored 3:42 apart to tie the game at 2 with 4:16 left in regulation.
Mattias Samuelsson scored 52 seconds later, and Alex Tuch sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, before Boston’s David Pastrnak scored with seven seconds left.
“I told them right after the game, ‘You want experience? You got it now,’” said Lindy Ruff in the second year of his second stint coaching the Sabres. “I mean, what an experience. If you’re going to say this was my first playoff game, you’ve got a great story to tell.”
The Sabres went 5,473 days between playoff games since losing Game 7 of a 2011 first-round series to Philadelphia.
In their first game back, the Sabres became the NHL’s eighth team to rally from a two-or-more goal deficit in the final 10 minutes and win in regulation. And it marked just the second time Buffalo won a playoff game when trailing by two in the third period.
The other time was also against Boston, on Brad May’s first-round series-clinching overtime goal in a 6-5 win in 1993. The outing is celebrated in Buffalo as the “May Day!” game in clinching the Sabres’ first playoff series win in a decade, and coined by late Hall of Fame broadcaster Rick Jeanneret.
Sabres honor late broadcaster
Chillingly, the Sabres honored Jeanneret, who died in 2023, by having his wife Sandra bang the drum and lead the pregame “Let’s go, Buffalo!” chants. And his family was in the press box, where Jeanneret was honored by having a large frame, featuring his familiar sweater, hung next to the broadcast booth.
Some of the loudest pregame cheers came when fans were shown on the Jumbotron holding up signs honoring the broadcaster nicknamed “RJ.”
The festively charged atmosphere, however, turned to grumbles midway through the third period before Thompson scored. The crowd didn’t let up until well after the game ended.
“It was probably the loudest I’ve ever heard in my life,” goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen said. “The fans are the ones who have waited so long. And so I’m really happy that we grinded out a win tonight.”
Bruins coach Marco Sturm wasn’t sure what happened.
“I thought we were in the perfect spot,” Sturm said. “Obviously, with the crowd behind them, they got some life and the game is done. Very unfortunate because my guys played really well. Really well. But that’s playoffs.”
Sturm caused a stir by suggesting the Bruins were bigger and stronger than Buffalo.
What he didn’t count on was the Sabres having the energy to out-last his team.
“I think as a group, we thought we could crack them and roll from there,” Samuelsson said, before noting how it took 31 shots to finally getting one past goalie Jeremy Swayman.
“It’s just death by 1,000 cuts,” Samuelsson said. “You just keep wearing on him, wearing on him until you finally crack him. And we did.”
The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs are officially underway. While the Vancouver Canucks will not be taking part in the post-season — unsurprisingly — there are quite a few former Canucks who will look to make their mark as they pursue the Stanley Cup with their current teams. Here are the former Canucks taking part in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
Lindholm is one of four former Canucks who now play for the Boston Bruins. Having signed with the Bruins in free-agency after his 26 regular-season games with the Canucks in 2023–24, Lindholm appears to have found his footing with Boston. The centre put up 17 goals and 31 assists in 69 games with the Bruins this season, eclipsing his total from the year prior in 13 less games.
A Canuck for less than 30 regular season games, Lindholm put up six goals and six assists with Vancouver but was sidelined for parts of his stint due to injury. Where he really turned things up was in the post-season, during which he scored five goals and five assists in 13 games. This was Lindholm’s most recent playoff experience, predated by three separate runs with the Calgary Flames in 2018–19, 2019–20, and 2021–22.
Lukas Reichel, Boston Bruins
Reichel’s tenure with the Canucks was an interesting one. The forward was acquired back in October, sent down to Abbotsford full-time by mid-December, and moved to the Bruins at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline for a sixth-round pick. While he has yet to play for them in the post-season, he did end up skating with Boston in 10 regular-season games, scoring a goal and two assists in this span of time.
Though whether he plays during playoffs or not is currently unknown, Reichel is currently on Boston’s roster. In his time with their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, he scored a goal and five assists in four games.
Nikita Zadorov, Boston Bruins
Zadorov, a fan favourite in his 54 regular-season games with the Canucks, tied a career-high in points this season with 22 in 81 games. The defenceman has hit this plateau two other times in his career — last season with the Bruins and in 2021–22 with the Flames. He did, however, register a different career-high this season by logging 152 penalty minutes.
Like his current Bruins teammate and former Canucks and Flames teammate Lindholm, Zadorov’s last playoff appearance came with Vancouver in 2023–24. Not only did the defenceman step up physically with his trademark big hits, he also stepped-up offensively, scoring four goals and four assists in 13 games.
Joining Pearson in Buffalo’s quest for a Stanley Cup is none-other than Schenn. Schenn and Pearson were teammates for nearly three seasons in Vancouver, though they did not compete in the post-season together as members of the Canucks. They did, however, both take part in playoffs as members of the Kings back in 2015–16. Both Schenn and Pearson were also traded from the Winnipeg Jets to the Sabres this season.
An 18-year veteran of the NHL, Schenn has participated in seven post-seasons throughout his career. His most notable are the two he spent with the Tampa Bay Lightning, during which he won the Stanley Cup back-to-back. Along with the Jets, Kings, and the Lightning, he has also represented the Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Nashville Predators in the playoffs.
Tanner Pearson, Buffalo Sabres
This year’s playoffs will mark the seventh post-season run Pearson has been on throughout his NHL career, though it will be his first with the Buffalo Sabres as he was traded to the team during the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. The former Canuck won the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2013–14 and will look to help the Sabres accomplish this feat for the first time in their franchise’s history.
During his time with Vancouver, Pearson and the Canucks made the post-season once — in 2019–20. The forward put up four goals and four assists in 17 games while facing the Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues, and Vegas Golden Knights.
Mar 27, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; aBuffalo Sabres left wing Tanner Pearson (70) during a stoppage in play against the Detroit Red Wings at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Chatfield has found ample success with the Carolina Hurricanes since leaving Vancouver back in 2021. The defenceman has carved himself out a full-time NHL spot on Carolina’s blueline, even playing in over 70 games each season since 2022–23. Though he was a part of the Canucks organization from 2017 to 2021, Chatfield only ended up playing in 18 NHL games for Vancouver during the 2020–21 season.
Chatfield has joined the Hurricanes for three of their post-season runs since becoming part of the organization, with their most recent being last season’s trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. The defenceman suffered an injury during this run, however, resulting in him only playing in nine games and scoring one goal.
Former Canuck Noah Juulsen joins former Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet and the Philadelphia Flyers in the playoffs in their first season with the team. Though he didn’t play in every game with the Flyers this season, Juulsen did post a goal and nine assists in 52 games for Philadelphia, marking a new career-high in points and assists for the defenceman.
Juulsen’s lone post-season experience comes from Vancouver’s 2023–24 playoff run, during which he skated in two games. He has yet to suit-up for the Flyers through the current post-season, though Philadelphia has only played in one game thus far.
One year after backstopping Abbotsford to their first Calder Cup in franchise history, Šilovs will look to help his new NHL club, the Pittsburgh Penguins, make some noise during the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Šilovs’ history of clutch performances runs deep, with the goaltender having been named Playoff MVP in last year’s Calder Cup run with five shutouts as well as going 7–3–0 to help Latvia win their first-ever medal at the 2023 IIHF World Championship.
This is, of course, not Šilovs’ first time taking part in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The goaltender played hero for the Canucks in 2024 when both Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith were unavailable, bringing Vancouver to Game 7 of the Pacific Division Finals. When Vancouver eyed a first-round series-clinching win, Šilovs delivered by stopping all 28 shots he faced.
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Apr 19, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Nic Dowd (26) celebrates with center Colton Sissons (10) after scoring a goal against the Utah Mammoth during the third period of game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Stephen R. Sylvanie/Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
LAS VEGAS — Nic Dowd redirected Noah Hanifin’s shot from the point to put Vegas ahead at 7:20 of the third period and the Golden Knights beat the Utah Mammoth 4-2 in Game 1 of their first-round series.
“I didn’t do a lot, to be honest,” Dowd said. “It’s probably better if it gets on and off my stick that quick. ... I just found a little bit of space. Everywhere across the league, there’s limited space out there. Guys are playing their best hockey defensively because everything matters that much more. It was a bang-bang play.”
Game 2 is in Las Vegas.
The Golden Knights, who twice trailed before scoring three third-period goals, have not lost in regulation since John Tortorella (8-0-1) took over as coach.
The Mammoth lost in the franchise’s first playoff game since 2020. They are in their second season in Utah after leaving Arizona.
“It was a hard-fought game,” Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny said. “It was physical. It was intense. Every inch was contested.”
Colton Sissons had a goal and assist for the Golden Knights and Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev also scored. Carter Hart stopped 32 shots. Hanifin had two assists.
Logan Cooley and Kevin Stenlund scored for the Mammoth. Karel Vejmelka, playing in his first playoff game after five years in the Utah/Arizona organization, made 27 saves. Captain Clayton Keller, who closed the regular season with 16 assists over a 10-game streak, failed to record one in this game.
The Golden Knights took the fight to the Mammoth from the beginning and finished with 52 hits to 29 for Utah. Vegas’ high in the regular season was 36 against Los Angeles in the Oct. 8 opener.
Both teams breaking into several fights including one after the final buzzer.
“We played physical,” Tortorella said. “We have some things to work on, but it was good to see us bang around a little bit. It’s a long series. You just keep on trying to do the things you think you need to grind away.”
Former Golden Knight Nate Schmidt delivered a tremendous cross-ice pass to Cooley, whose one-timer from the right circle put the Mammoth on the scoreboard first with just 11 seconds left in the first period.
Sissons scored the equalizer at 3:44 of the second period, jamming in the puck after a backhand pass from Cole Smith. Utah retook the lead not even two minutes later when Hart found himself out of position and Vegas defenseman Kaeden Korczak knocked the puck into his own net, though it was officially credited to Stenlund.
“We didn’t really pay attention to it,” Barbashev said. “Our guys did a really good job to get one back on the power play.”
That happened when the Golden Knights again tied the game when Stone put a rebound into the open net for a power-play goal 5:33 of the third period. They then soon had the lead when Utah defenseman MacKenzie Weegar turned over the puck in his zone, and Dowd knocked in Hanifin’s shot.
Barbashev closed the scoring with an empty-netter.
Apr 19, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky (20) and teammates celebrate scoring the game-winning goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during extra time in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images
Morgan Tencza/Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images
TAMPA, Fla. — Juraj Slafkovsky scored his third power-play goal 1:22 into overtime and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 in Game 1 of their first-round series.
Slafkovsky fired a snap shot from the left circle that beat Andrei Vasilevskiy to the far side for his first career postseason hat trick.
“It’s pretty nice. I like that feeling,” he said. “Obviously, we don’t want to go to overtime. Hopefully we close out games before that. But now we have to focus on the next game.”
Game 2 is at Benchmark International Arena, where Tampa Bay has lost nine of its last 10 home games in the postseason. The Lightning are 1-11 in their last 12 overtime games in the playoffs.
“We took four offensive zone penalties,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “That wasn’t over-aggression. That was stupidity. This is the Stanley Cup playoffs. This isn’t game 62. That’s extremely disappointing.”
Josh Anderson also had a goal for Montreal, and rookie goalie Jakub Dobes made 20 saves.
“His style of play and energy and speed and physicality is perfect for playoff hockey,” Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said of Anderson. “He had a big night for us.”
Brandon Hagel scored two goals and Darren Raddysh also scored for Tampa Bay.
The Lightning have been knocked out of the playoffs in the first round three straight seasons after falling two wins shy of a three-peat in 2022.
The Canadiens, coached by Lightning icon and Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis, are seeking their first Stanley Cup since winning their NHL record 24th in 1993. They haven’t won a playoff series since the Lightning beat them in the Cup Final in 2021.
Hagel’s power-play goal — a tip-in off a precise pass by Jake Guentzel 8:58 into the third — tied it at 3-3 a few minutes after Slafkovsky put Montreal ahead.
Slafkovsky’s shot from the high slot slid under Vasilevskiy’s left pad for a short-lived lead. He one-timed a perfect seam pass from Ivan Demidov into the net from the right circle to make it 2-2 in the final minute of the second.
Raddysh tied it at 1 with a powerful slap shot in the second. The Lightning went ahead 2-1 just 29 seconds later when Hagel picked up a loose puck from the side of the net and backhanded a shot past Dobes.
Montreal’s fourth line gave the Canadiens a 1-0 lead in the first when Anderson flipped a top-shelf shot into an open net.
Anderson also had a goal overturned by video review midway through the second period. He deflected Mike Matheson’s slap shot past Vasilevskiy but it was waved off because his stick was above the crossbar.
The Philadelphia Flyers have made some roster moves ahead of their Game 2 matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Flyers have announced that they have recalled top prospects Oliver Bonk and David Jiricek from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
With the Phantoms' season over, it makes sense that Bonk and Jiricek have been called up to Philadelphia's roster. They will now provide the Flyers with more defensive depth during their playoff run.
Bonk made his NHL debut for the Flyers in their regular-season finale against the Montreal Canadiens and had a big game. The right-shot defenseman scored a goal and had an assist in the contest. He also had six goals, 13 assists, and 19 points in 46 games this season with the Phantoms.
As for Jiricek, he had two goals and 13 points in 15 games this season with the Phantoms after being acquired by the Flyers from the Minnesota Wild at the trade deadline. He made his Flyers debut in the club's regular-season finale against the Canadiens as well. In 26 NHL games this season split between the Wild and Flyers, he had zero points and 19 blocks.
Apr 19, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen (62) celebrates his goal scored with teammates during the second period against the Los Angeles Kings in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Ron Chenoy/Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
DENVER — Logan O’Connor scored for the first time in a year, Scott Wedgewood stopped 24 shots in his first Stanley Cup playoffs start and the top-seeded Colorado Avalanche beat the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 in Game 1.
O’Connor’s third-period tally was his first since Game 4 of a playoff series against Dallas on April 26. He missed most of this season with a hip injury. Artturi Lehkonen had a second-period goal for the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche.
“Super happy to get it out of the way,” said O’Connor, who underwent hip surgery in early June. “For us, our game translates well to the playoffs. It’s a lot of simplicity and muck it up and just wear teams down. It was nice to get that one out of the way and finish the job off.”
Wedgewood got the nod in net over Mackenzie Blackwood after leading the league in goals-against average and save percentage. Wedgewood made four career playoff appearances in relief before the start.
At 33 years, 248 days old, Wedgewood became the third-oldest goaltender in league history to pick up a win in his first career playoff start, according to NHL stats.
“Obviously, a long career to get to this point,” Wedgwood cracked.
Game 2 is in Denver.
Artemi Panarin scored a power-play goal with 2:22 left to make it 2-1. Shortly after, forward Joel Armia was called for high-sticking and the Kings were unable to tie it up.
“We were kind of coming there late and couldn’t get enough,” forward Scott Laughton said.
Anton Forsberg stopped 28 shots in his NHL postseason debut.
“We’re comfortable in low-scoring games,” Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson said. “We’ve got to try and keep it tight.”
Nathan MacKinnon had an assist on Lehkonen’s goal to give him 32 career points in Game 1s. He trails only Joe Sakic (42) for the most Game-1 points in franchise history.
The game got chippy in the third period, with Cale Makar taking a shove to the back by Adrian Kempe. Captain Gabriel Landeskog later stood up for Makar and got into it with Kempe. Both drew roughing calls.
There were a combined 84 hits.
“We know teams are going to want to push us out of games,” said O’Connor, whose team was 0 for 4 on the power play. “We feel as though we can push back just as hard. That’s one great thing about our group: the versatility within our locker room. You want to go a 1-0 game? We like to think we can beat you at that. Track meet, if it happens? We’ve got that. Physicality, we have guys who are willing to step up.”
Colorado nearly scored earlier in the second when O’Connor sent a shot past Forsberg. But as the goal horn sounded, the officials signaled no goal. It was ruled Jack Drury made contact with Forsberg following a collision with Drew Doughty. The Avalanche challenged but the call stood.
“I’d like to see it count,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “They saw it different — not losing any sleep over it.”
Apr 18, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) talks to defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) during a stoppage of play against the Dallas Stars in the first period in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Thomas Shea/Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
DALLAS — The Minnesota Wild have an opportunity to do something they never have done in the NHL playoffs after putting the Dallas Stars in a very familiar postseason position.
Minnesota’s 6-1 thumping of its Central Division rival in Game 1 sets up the possibility to go up 2-0 in a playoff series for the first time in 15 postseason appearances over its 25-season history.
“We won a game, we didn’t win a series. So it’s just moving on to Game 2. ... We’re not satisfied with winning one game,” Wild coach John Hynes said.
“We’re living in the now, the past is the past. Different teams, different identities, different experience levels,” forward Matt Boldy said. “We go into this game with the same mindset we went in going into Game 1. ... Doesn’t matter if you’re up 2-0, up 3-0. It doesn’t matter until you get the fourth (win). So that’s our mindset and we’re not looking too far.”
The Wild haven’t gotten the clinching fourth win of a series since beating St. Louis in the first round of the 2015 playoffs. They have lost their last nine postseason series in the Western Conference playoffs, including losses to Dallas in 2016 and 2023.
For the Stars, it was the ninth time in 11 playoff series since 2022 that they lost Game 1 — 1-7 at home in that span, including a 5-1 loss to Colorado to open last year’s playoffs. They came back from those early deficits to win seven of those nine series, and made it to the West final each of the past three seasons.
“I’m not too worried,” Stars forward Mikko Rantanen said. “This team is really good at resetting and coming back the next night.”
Boldy scored two goals and had an assist in the series opener, including the last of three goals Minnesota had in the first 6 1/2 minutes of the second period for a 4-0 lead.
The five-goal victory matched the biggest ever for the Wild in the playoffs, and they had five players with multiple points. Joel Eriksson Ek scored two power-play goals and had an assist, while Kirill Kaprizov added a goal and two assists and Mats Zuccarello had three helpers. Rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt stopped 27 of 28 shots in his postseason debut.
“I liked the performance of everyone that was in the lineup, for sure,” Hynes said.
When asked if Wallstedt would start again over playoff-experienced Filip Gustavsson in Game 2, the coach responded, “I’m just going to go day by day with that.”
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said he would be sticking with goalie Jake Oettinger, who gave up five goals on 28 shots, two on power plays and another on a deflection.
“I saw more of a team-play thing that we can all be a little bit better from every guy,” Gulutzan said. “Some nights you can, any team in the league can, look at their goalie and go, oh man, that was (on the) goalie. But last night wasn’t one of them.”
This is the 11th playoff series for Minnesota native Oettinger, but the second postseason game in a row when things didn’t go as planned. He was pulled from the deciding Game 6 of the West final last year by then-coach Pete DeBoer after giving up two goals on the only shots he faced in the first 7:09 of what turned into a 6-3 win for Edmonton.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will look to even their Round 1 series against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 2 at PPG Paints Arena on Monday, April 20.
My top Flyers vs. Penguins predictions and NHL picks expect another low-scoring bout in the Battle of Pennsylvania tonight.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Flyers vs Penguins Game 2 prediction
Who will win Flyers vs Penguins Game 2?
Flyers: The Philadelphia Flyers have won 18 of their last 25 games and have received a notable scoring boost from emerging star Porter Martone to provide a more balanced attack. While the Pittsburgh Penguins battled in Game 1, they were both limited and outplayed at 5-on-5, and Philly can replicate the defensive success to take a 2-0 series lead.
Flyers vs Penguins best bet: Under 6 (-120)
The Flyers played elite defense down the stretch with just 2.41 goals against during a 15-5-1 heater, and the attention to detail carried over in Game 1 against the Penguins. Pittsburgh generated just 1.96 expected goals on eight high-danger scoring chances.
A trade off for the strong defensive play is Philadelphia doesn’t generate many quality chances, either, and the Flyers finished with just 2.77 expected goals on nine high-danger scoring chances in Game 1.
The Pens were a surprising high-scoring team during the regular season, and especially at 5-on-5 with the second-most goals per 60 minutes and second-highest team shooting percentage, so the Philly defense is kick-starting a splash of statistical correction to the unsustainable Pittsburgh attack.
Flyers vs Penguins Game 2 same-game parlay
Flyers winger Owen Tippett collected three shots on a game-high seven attempts in the series opener, and he and linemates Trevor Zegras and Tyson Foerster dominated 5-on-5 possession with a 78.6 Corsi For percentage.
Continuing with the final leg of this same-game parlay, Zegras finished the regular season with a career-high 67 points, and he’s marked the scoresheet in 12 of his past 14 games while centering the top line and No. 1 power-play unit.
Flyers vs Penguins SGP
Flyers moneyline
Owen Tippett Over 2.5 shots
Trevor Zegras Over 0.5 points
Flyers vs Penguins Game 2 goal scorer pick
Tyson Foerster (+305)
Sticking with the Philly top line, Foerster was dangerous and recorded three individual high-danger scoring chances in Game 1. As noted, the trio dominated 5-on-5 possession, and Foerster hasn't found the back of the net in five games dating back to the regular season despite recording 10 shots and 1.31 individual expected goals.
The Philadelphia Flyers have won 18 of their last 25 games (+15.20 Units / 56% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Flyers vs. Penguins.
How to watch Flyers vs Penguins Game 2
Location
PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
Date
Monday, April 20, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Flyers vs Penguins latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Buffalo Sabres picked up a big 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of the first round. It was certainly a hard-fought win for the Sabres, as they came back from being down 2-0 by scoring four goals during the second half of the third period.
It was a perfect way for the Sabres to start off their first playoff round since 2011, and they managed to make some NHL history in the process.
According to OptaSTATS, the Sabres became the first team in the history of the NHL playoffs to win a game during regulation after being down by at least two goals to zero with eight minutes or less left in a contest.
This is a great stat, and it shows just how electric the Sabres' comeback win was. It seemed that the Sabres were going to get goalied by Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman, but thankfully for them, they solved him.
Tage Thompson kicked off the Sabres' comeback by scoring two goals in the third to tie it. Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson then scored to give the Sabres the lead before Alex Tuch scored an empty-netter to secure Buffalo's win.
Now, the Sabres will be looking to build on their momentum by winning Game 2 from here.
The Chicago Blackhawks will be a team to keep an eye on this summer. After another season near the bottom of the NHL standings, they should be looking to make some upgrades to their group.
While the Blackhawks have plenty of exciting prospects in their system, they should also be looking to upgrade their roster with talent that will help them immediately. However, the biggest roster need that the Blackhawks must address this offseason is adding at least one top-six winger.
It is no secret that Blackhawks star center Connor Bedard could use more help around him on his wings. Due to this, if the opportunity presents itself for the Blackhawks to land a star winger in their top six, they must jump on it.
The ideal top-six winger target for the Blackhawks would be a proven player who is on the right side of 30. This is because they would have the potential to be a nice long-term part of the Blackhawks' core as they continue their rebuild.
Ultimately, the Blackhawks simply need to upgrade their top six this summer. It will be interesting to see what kind of moves the Blackhawks make this summer from here.
Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) handles the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers during the second period in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
It would be an understatement to say that things did not go well for the Pittsburgh Penguins in their Game 1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night. Despite the close 3-2 final score, as well as the fact they had a prime scoring chance to potentially tie the game in the closing seconds, this game never really felt like it was there for the Penguins to take. They were shut down, struggled to generate chances and just looked like a sloppy team playing a random mid-December game instead of its first playoff game in three years.
The popular argument I have seeen in the aftermath is that it was rust, and an argument for why the Penguins should not have rested people in the final three games of the regular season. I am not going in that direction, nor do I have any interest in it. This is a largely veteran team with multiple players that have either played in the Stanley Cup Final or won Stanley Cups. They know what the playoffs are about. They should not need a dress rehearsal for that, and they should not have been the timid ones in that game. It is also not like everybody sat out those games. Every player on the roster played in at least one of those three games, and some of them played in multiple games.
It’s also not like they sat around for 10 days doing nothing.
Aside from most of the players still playing in games, they were also still practicing and on the ice. They came back from a month-long Olympic break and played one of their best games of the season. They have had full bye weeks in the past. They also had just played a month-and-a-half of wildly intense games against a lot of the best teams in the league, with a very compressed schedule, and probably needed the rest anyway.
The rust angle works for the 5-10 minutes of the game. After that, it’s time to get into the game.
They were simply outplayed, and maybe outcoached.
If you want to take an optimistic view on all of this, the Flyers played a nearly flawless game and the Penguins played a severely flawed game, and it still came down to one shot at the end of the game. Can the Flyers repeat that for potentially six more games? Will the Penguins be that sloppy for any number of games?
There is also the fact Stuart Skinner, for the most part, played well and kept them in the game while they were bleeding chances against throughout the first two periods. If he can get on a roll and play relatively close to that, the Penguins have a really good chance, both in this series and potentially beyond.
But the Penguins still have to play better — much better — in front of him. And that brings us to the question of whether or not the Penguins should shake some things up.
I liked Elmer Soderblom getting a spot on Saturday over Justin Brazeau. Brazeau has been great this season, but Soderblom has been playing better down the stretch. Do you go back to Brazeau in Game 2 and put him back with Ben Kindel and Anthony Mantha?
Egor Chinakhov remained on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust.
Rickard Rakell remained on the second line with Tommy Novak and Evgeni Malkin.
Kris Letang and Sam Girard remained together on the second defense pairing after really rounding out their games over the final month of the regular season.
These combinations have worked, and they have worked extremely well.
That all went sideways in Game 1. None of the forward lines generated much. The Letang-Girard pairing reverted back to the form we saw when they first started playing together.
It was all ugly.
While it might seem like an overreaction to start screaming about changing things one game into a best-of-seven series, you have to keep in mind this is the playoffs and there is very little margin for error. Especially when you are already down in the series and have, for the time being, lost home-ice advantage.
Based on the line combinations and defense pairings in practice on Sunday, the Penguins are sticking with the exact same combinations that produced the dud in Game 1. Assuming they go into Monday night and stick with them, they would seem to be banking on the idea that Game 1 was a fluke and that they could — and perhaps should — play better. Or that a strategic shift, or simply better execution, is the key.
Given how well everybody has played for so long, I can get behind that.
But if they go through the first period and look the exact same way they did on Saturday, or simply keep struggling to generate offense, you might have to throw some combinations into the blender. Put Rakell back with Crosby and Rust. Put Chinakhov and Malkin back together given the chemistry they have had this season.
Maybe it works.
Maybe it doesn’t.
But based on the way Philadelphia played on Saturday their defensive game came as advertised, and it took away a lot of what the Penguins have been able to do offensively. You do not have much margin for error here, and when you are already down in the series you do not have time to be patient to struggle through a second game.
Four games are on the Stanley Cup Playoffs schedule tonight, and there’s no shortage of stars in action. My NHL player props include Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, and Trevor Zegras.
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Our best NHL player props for Monday, April 20
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Prop #1: Connor McDavid Over 1.5 points
-130 at BET99
Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers begin their playoff journey tonight against the Anaheim Ducks, as they look to hopefully conquer their Stanley Cup demons in the next couple of months.
The three-time Hart Trophy winner comes into Game 1 hot, cashing the Over in points in three of his last five appearances.
McDavid led the NHL in points this season at 138. He always turns it up a notch come playoff time, and the superstar has dominated the Ducks this season. He’s grabbed seven points in this three games.
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Sportsnet, CBC
Prop #2: Kirill Kaprizov anytime goalscorer
+135 at BET99
Kirill Kaprizov is one of the league's best goal scorers, and he showed it once again this season. The Russian netted 45 goals, ranking fourth in the NHL. Kaprizov was everywhere in the Game 1 win over the Dallas Stars, scoring and tallying a pair of assists.
He’s now scored six times across his previous five outings, and Kaprizov has definitely turned it up against Dallas. In three regular-season meetings, he’s also found the back of the net three times.
He also has 16 SOG across his last five. He’ll help exploit Dallas’s defensive struggles from Game 1 again.
Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FDSN-North, Victory+
Prop #3: Trevor Zegras Over 0.5 assists
+105 at BET99
Trevor Zegras had a wonderful first season for the Philadelphia Flyers, scoring 26 goals and notching 41 assists. His playoff debut on Saturday was an impressive one as well, setting up one of Philly’s three goals in a Game 1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The 25-year-old has now cashed the Over in helpers in four of his last six appearances, and three of those contests were on the road. The Flyers visit the Pens again tonight for Game 2. During the regular season, all three of his points against Pittsburgh were assists.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCS-Philadelphia, SportsNet-Pittsburgh
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
PITTSBURGH — The Flyers on Monday night will try to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series against the Penguins.
Rick Tocchet’s club has had a businesslike approach in Pittsburgh. The Flyers took Game 1 with a 3-2 decision Saturday night. They know they have plenty of more work to do against a Penguins team with all kinds of pedigree.
“Hall of Famers over there, right?” Trevor Zegras said Sunday. “We didn’t do much so far. We played a good game and won. Obviously we love winning and that’s what we’re trying to do, but far from over and far from what the main goal is here, for sure.”
Puck drop at PPG Paints Arena is scheduled for around 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET with Flyers Pregame Live.
Here are some updates and visuals from the last few days.
Rick Tocchet said Flyers got back to their hotel, ate, got therapy and had a mindset of get ready for Game 2. Seems like he really likes the all business kind of approach. pic.twitter.com/Yp1sxgjRDv
Rick Tocchet really liked Porter Martone’s maturity. Once again the 19-year-old got better as the game went on, stuck with it. pic.twitter.com/HLJPKCBDhB
Porter Martone Has Already Delivered His Signature Moment for the FlyersIt has become clear that the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> would not be where they are right now without Porter Martone, and they certainly would not have won their first Stanley Cup playoff appearance since 2020 without him, either.
Flyers Boss Rick Tocchet Talks Matvei Michkov, Improved Recent PlayThings were never quite right between <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> head coach Rick Tocchet and phenom forward Matvei Michkov for much of the season, but Michkov's strong finish to the season has all but erased that now.
McDavid Over 1.5 points
Kaprizov anytime goalscorer
Zegras Over 0.5 assists