The Buffalo Sabres appear to be making some significant lineup changes for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Final against the Montreal Canadiens after two straight losses in which they have been outscored 11-3. 

At the morning skate at the Bell Centre, goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was in the starter’s goal, 20-year-old rookie Konsta Helenius skated on the third line in between Jason Zucker and Jack Quinn, and veteran Luke Schenn took the place on the bottom pairing with Conor Timmins. Ryan McLeod shifted to the fourth line with Jordan Greenway and Beck Malenstyn, and Sam Carrick skated as an extra forward after getting slugged by Montreal defenseman Arber Xhekaj.  

Luukkonen has not played since Game 2 of the series against Boston, after allowing four goals in the first two periods, one from center ice on a Morgan Geekie dump-in and another from Viktor Arvidsson 16 seconds into the third period. The 27-year-old Finn went 22-9-3, with a 2.52 GAA, and .910 save percentage in 35 games during the regular season, but is 1-1, with a 4.19 GAA, and .825 save % in the playoffs.

Other Sabres Stories

Canadiens Sluggish In Game 1 Loss 

Head coach Lindy Ruff was cagey at the media availability on Tuesday, not confirming any potential lineup juggling, but said that the addition of Helenius was to inject some offense into his forward group. The 20-year-old scored nearly a point-per-game in his second season with the AHL Rochester Americans, and three points in the Amerks first round loss to the Toronto Marlies. Schenn has played 58 playoff games with six different clubs and won two Stanley Cups, and may be inserted into the lineup as a physical presence after the shenanigans that occurred during and after the loss. 

Ruff may be looking for something to snap the Sabres out of their current funk, similar to what Minnesota did by switching back to Jesper Wallstedt in Game 3 against Colorado, and what the Avalanche did by shifting to MacKenzie Blackwood after Scott Wedgewood had started the first seven playoff games. 

In league discipline news, Sabres forward Beck Malenstyn was fined $3,515.63, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for running into Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes in the second period on Sunday. Xhekaj was also fined $3385.42 for his right cross to the jaw of Carrick. The NHL finally came down with their ruling on Boston’s Charlie McAvoy, for his high sticking incident with Zach Benson. The Department of Player Safety has suspended McAvoy six games. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

NEW YORK (AP) — Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been suspended for the first six games of next season for slashing Buffalo’s Zach Benson.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the ruling Tuesday after holding an in-person hearing at league headquarters in New York on Monday. That gave senior VP of player safety George Parros and Co. the option to suspend McAvoy for six or more games.

McAvoy was ejected for his retaliatory two-handed slash to the right arm of Benson, who seconds earlier tripped him and sent him crashing into the boards. The league called it a “dangerous trip” that was penalized.

The incident came with under two minutes left in the Sabres’ series-clinching victory in the first round of the playoffs on May 1, with the Bruins on the verge of being eliminated.

This is McAvoy's third career suspension.

___

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

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will sit out xxxx games at the beginning of next season after he was suspended on May 11 for slashing the Buffalo Sabres' Zach Benson.

The incident happened during the final minutes of the Sabres' series-clinching win against the Bruins on May 1.

Benson tripped McAvoy with a slew foot, receiving a two-minute penalty. McAvoy got up and went after Benson with a baseball-swing slash. He received five minutes and a game misconduct.

The defenseman was offered an in-person hearing, giving the NHL Player Safety Department the leeway to suspend him for six games or more.

BENSON SLEW-FOOTS MCAVOY… AND HE RETALIATES WITH A BASEBALL SWING 😳 pic.twitter.com/oZpf9tm4U9

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 2, 2026

"All parties agree that this is an intentional and forceful strike delivered to an opponent's body specifically for the purpose of retribution and message sending," Player Safety said in a video explaining the decision.

Player Safety noted that it "is important to note that players are not excused from illegal acts just because of a prior foul by an opponent."

McAvoy has two previous suspensions in his career. He was suspended one playoff game in 2019 for an illegal check to the head and four games in 2023 for the same infraction.

McAvoy won Olympic gold with the USA in Milan this season.

Before making the tournament, he had to come back from a serious shoulder injury suffered at last year's 4 Nations Face-Off. He also lost teeth and suffered a broken jaw when hit by a puck in the face in November.

NHL fines two players

NHL Player Safety announced two fines stemming from Game 3 of the Montreal-Buffalo series:

• Buffalo’s Beck Malenstyn was fined $3,515.63 for goalie interference against Montreal’s Jakub Dobes.
• Montreal’s Arber Xhekaj was fined $3,385.42 for roughing Buffalo’s Sam Carrick.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charlie McAvoy suspended 6 games to start next NHL season

The Pittsburgh Penguins should be looking to add to their roster this off-season after taking a nice step in the right direction during the 2025-26 season. One of their top needs is more defensive depth.

When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents, one player who the Penguins should consider making a push for is Buffalo Sabres defenseman Logan Stanley. 

If the Penguins signed Stanley, they would be bringing in a hard-nosed, 6-foot-7 defenseman who showed this season that he is capable of providing some offense from the point. In 76 games this regular-season split between the Winnipeg Jets and Sabres, he had nine goals, 17 assists, 26 points, 110 hits, and 128 penalty minutes. With numbers like these, he would have the potential to be a solid pickup for the Penguins. 

Stanley's age also adds to his appeal. This is because the 2016 first-round pick is turning only 28 later this month. With this, Stanley is right in his prime and would be a strong fit on a team that is focused on the future, like the Penguins. 

If the Penguins signed Stanley, he would be a strong fit on their bottom pairing and on their penalty kill. However, he could move up Pittsburgh's lineup if needed due to his versatility. 

It will be interesting to see if the Penguins sign Stanley, but the fit looks strong on paper. 

The Montreal Canadiens are facing off against the Buffalo Sabres in Game 4 on Tuesday. The Habs will be looking to stay hot after winning each of their last two games against Buffalo in a dominating fashion. 

With the Canadiens having the Sabres' number right now, Buffalo is understandably making some notable changes to their roster in Game 4. Konsta Helenius and Luke Schenn will be in the lineup for the Sabres, while Sam Carrick and Logan Stanley are being scratched. 

The Sabres will also be going with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as their starting goalie over Alex Lyon. 

Helenius is the Sabres' best prospect, so it is notable that he will be playing in Game 4. In his first nine NHL games this season with Buffalo, the 2024 first-round pick recorded one goal and four points. 

Seeing Schenn entering the lineup for the Sabres is definitely notable as well. The 36-year-old blueliner has yet to play a game this post-season for the Sabres, but will now be getting his first chance to in Game 4. 

Seeing the Sabres make a change between the pipes is not necessarily surprising. Lyon allowed five goals on 36 shots against the Canadiens in Game 3, so Luukkonen will now be looking to help the Sabres get things back on track. 

On Tuesday, the Vegas Golden Knights take on the Anaheim Ducks for Game 5. The series shifts back to Las Vegas tied 2-2. 

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

The teams last clashed on Sunday for Game 4. The Ducks scored first, and the Golden Knights spent the rest of the night chasing the game. They scored a 6-on-5 goal to cut Anaheim’s lead to one, but ultimately fell 4-3. 

Carter Hart starts in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a record of 6-4 and an average save percentage of .908 in ten games this postseason. 

Lukáš Dostál starts in goal for the Ducks. Dostál has a record of 6-4 and an average save percentage of .874 in ten games this postseason. 

Mark Stone, who exited Game 3 with a lower-body injury after playing just 4:24, has been officially ruled OUT for Tuesday’s game against the Ducks. 

Golden Knights Lines

Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev

Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner

Brandon Saad — Tomáš Hertl — Colton Sissons

Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar

Defense

Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore

Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson

Ben Hutton — Dylan Coghlan

Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill

Ducks Lines

Chris Kreider — Leo Carlsson — Troy Terry

Alex Killorn — Mikael Granlund — Beckett Sennecke

Mason McTavish — Ryan Poehling — Cutter Gauthier

Ross Johnston — Tim Washe — Jeffrey Viel

Defense

Jackson LaCombe — Jacob Trouba

Pavel Mintyukov — John Carlson

Tyson Hinds — Radko Gudas

Goaltenders: Lukáš Dostál / Ville Husso 

Special Teams

VGK power play: 21.9%, 5th

VGK penalty kill: 90.3%, 4th

Ducks power play: 32.3%, 2nd

Ducks penalty kill: 73.1%, 14th

Game Notes

The Golden Knights are 9-8 in Game 5s in their franchise history. 

Tonight’s game could decide the fate of the Golden Knights’ season. Historically, teams that take a 3-2 series lead go on to win 79.8% of the time. 

Mitch Marner is on an absolute tear right now. He has six goals and 12 points in his last five games, and is the postseason leader in scoring with 16 points. 

Brett Howden’s second-period goal in Game 4 pushed him into sole possession of the lead in that category with seven. 

Jack Eichel leads the league in assists this postseason with 12.

The Golden Knights’ penalty kill gave up two goals in Game 4 after allowing just one goal on their last 27 kills.

How to Watch 

TV: ESPN

Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340

After a season filled with injuries and no playoff appearance, the Florida Panthers enter the 2026 off-season looking to recharge and come back healthier.

Their front office has taken a hit, and could continue to lose key figures. Assistant GM Sunny Mehta is now with the New Jersey Devils, and he’s brought along director of hockey operations Braden Birch. Furthermore, AGM Brett Peterson has garnered interest around the NHL, and reports indicate that director of player personnel Bryan McCabe could be on the move to the Devils or the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Despite that, GM Bill Zito will have his hands full with the Panthers’ goaltending situation and with decisions on several pending restricted free agents. Outside of Sergei Bobrovsky and A.J. Greer, the Panthers’ UFA class is rather small, but their RFA class features players they’ll likely hope to keep around.

The first step is tendering qualifying offers to these RFAs. Typically, the deadline to do so is 5 p.m. EST on June 30.

With all that covered, we’ll take a look at which four RFAs the Panthers should extend this off-season. 

Mackie Samoskevich, RW

Besides Anton Lundell, no other Panthers player under the age of 25 has more experience than Mackie Samoskevich. His rookie season in 2024-25 was impressive, posting 15 goals and 31 points in 72 games in limited ice time.

In 2025-26, expectations for the 23-year-old grew, and he failed to live up to them. With injuries to Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk to start the season, Samoskevich has the opportunity to move up the line and produce alongside skilled Panthers forwards.

He struggled greatly, and his shooting percentage was a disaster. He finished the season with 12 goals and 32 points in 77 games.

Heading into the 2026-27 season, the Panthers appear to still have plenty of faith in the speedy winger, but time is running out. While Samoskevich can still turn into a strong NHL winger with the Panthers organization, he could be used as a major trade piece for a goaltender if needed. 

If The Panthers Want To Go All In, Trading For Jets' Connor Hellebuyck Is The Move To MakeWinnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck could become a subject of trade talks in the off-season, and if he does, the Florida Panthers could make their bold move by trading for the Team USA star.

Mike Benning, D

Outside of Sandis Vilmanis, no AHL call-up was as impressive as Mike Benning was late in the season. 

The 24-year-old finished the AHL campaign with eight goals and 31 points in 57 games, while also adding two goals and six points in 18 games. While in the NHL, Benning showed he could handle big minutes, as he recorded three games of ice time over 20 minutes. 

Although the Panthers’ blueline for next season appears full, Benning, alongside the next names on this list, will likely compete to be the seventh defenseman. Benning might be on the smaller side, but his skating and puckhandling make up for those deficiencies. 

Panthers' Mike Benning Shines Against Oilers; Adds Appreciated Offense From BluelineWith two assists against the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers rookie defenseman Mike Benning continues to shine and prove his worth to the organization at the NHL level.

Donovan Sebrango, D

Donovan Sebrango was a waiver wire pickup for the Panthers during the 2025-26 season, and he proved to be effective. Sebrango skated in 40 games with the Panthers this past season and showed he can be relied on as a third-pairing defender when needed.

Sebrango doesn’t bring the possible offense Benning brings, but he stands 6-foot-2 and isn’t afraid to throw his weight around. 

The 24-year-old is a safe option the Panthers would like to keep around. 

Donovan Sebrango Is Looking Like Another Panthers Waiver Claim GemDonovan Sebrango picked up his first two points of his NHL career last night as the Florida Panthers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2.

Tobias Bjornfot, D

Tobias Bjornfot remains an interesting case. Drafted 22nd overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2019, Bjornfot has recorded 153 games of NHL experience and has done an adequate job in the NHL, especially with the Panthers, but has never been able to lock down a full-time role. 

This past season, Bjornfot skated in 19 NHL games with the Panthers, and that number would have likely been higher if he hadn’t suffered an injury later in the season. 

Like Sebrango, Bjornfot is a steady option on the third pairing, and at 25 years old, he’s experienced enough to understand his role. 

In addition to Samoskevich, Benning, Sebrango, and Bjornfot, the Panthers have Wilmer Skoog, Ben Steeves, Mikulas Horvoka, Evan Nause, and Cooper Black listed as RFAs.

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 5/12/26 - 7:00 pm at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec

TV - US - ESPN, Canada - CBC Hockey Night In Canada

Buffalo – 50-23-9 | - 109  points – 1st place in the Atlantic Division

Montreal  – 48-24-10 | - 106 points – 3rd place in the Atlantic Division

 

Special Teams

Buffalo

Power Play(Reg) – 19.5% (21st)

Power Play(Playoffs) - 4 for 36 - 11.1% (13th) 

Penalty Kill(Reg) – 81.9% (4th)

Penalty Kill(Playoffs) - 24 for 29 - 82.8% (9th) 

Montreal

Power Play(Reg) – 23.1% (10th)

Power Play(Playoffs) - 8 for 39 - 20.6% (6th)

Penalty Kill(Reg) - 78.2% (18th)

Penalty Kill(Playoffs) - 33 for 41 - 80.5% (11th)

Top Scorers

Buffalo

Tage Thompson: 9 GP, 3 G, 6 A, 9 PTS

Josh Doan: 9 GP, 2 G, 5 A, 7 PTS

Alex Tuch: 9 GP, 4 G, 3 A, 7 PTS

Montreal

Lane Hutson: 10 GP, 2 G, 7 A, 9 PTS

Nick Suzuki: 10 GP, 3 G, 6 A, 9 PTS

Zachary Bolduc: 10 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 6 PTS

 

Starting Goalies

Buffalo – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1-1, 4.19 GAA, .825 Sv %)

Montreal  – Jakub Dobes (6-4, 2.13 GAA, .918 Sv %)  

Other Sabres Stories

Canadiens Sluggish In Game 1 Loss 

Sabres Line Combinations and Pairings 

Forwards

Peyton Krebs   - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch

Zach Benson - Josh Norris - Josh Doan 

Jason Zucker - Konsta Helenius - Jack Quinn  

Jordan Greenway - Ryan McLeod - Beck Malenstyn

Ex., Tanner Pearson,, Josh Dunne, Tyson Kozak

Defense

Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin

Owen Power - Bowen Byram 

Luke Schenn - Conor Timmins 

Ex. Logan Stanley, Michael Kesselring, Zach Metsa

Goaltenders

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Alex Lyon

Colten Ellis

Injuries

Justin Danforth (lower body, Oct. 18; injured reserve)

Jiri Kulich (blood clot, Nov. 4; injured reserve - out for the season) 

Noah Ostlund (lower body, Apr 28; week-to-week)

 

Sabres Playoff Stats Leaders 

Shots: Dahlin (33), Tuch (31), Thompson (30) 

Hits: Samuelsson (36), Tuch (29), Malenstyn (28) 

Blocked Shots: Timmins (20), Samuelsson (13), Tuch (12)

 

Notes

This season marks the first time the Sabres have advanced past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs since they advanced to the 2007 Eastern Conference Final. The Sabres have earned three playoff series victories over the Canadiens in franchise history. 

Buffalo last faced Montreal in the playoffs in the 1998 Eastern Conference Semifinals, a series in which the Sabres won four games to none. The Sabres also defeated the Canadiens three games to none in the 1983 Adams Division Semifinals and four games to two in the 1975 Semifinals. 

In his last four games, Zach Benson has registered five points (2+3). 

 Peyton Krebs’ plus-5 rating is tied with Derek Roy and Paul Gaustad from April 22 to May 10, 2006 for the second-best mark by a Sabres forward in the first nine games of their playoff career. Matthew Barnaby (plus-6; May 8, 1993 to May 5, 1997) is the only Buffalo forward who has recorded a better plus/minus in their first nine playoff games. 

In his last six games, Josh Doan has registered seven points (2+5), including at least one assist in each of his last four contests. An assist tonight would make Doan the first Sabres skater since Tim Connolly from April 30 to May 10, 2006 (five games; 0+6) to register an assist streak of five or more games in the playoffs. He would become one of six Buffalo skaters (Briere, Dale Hawerchuk, Pat LaFontaine, Gilbert Perreault, Alexei Zhitnik) to record an assist streak of five or more games in the playoffs at least one time. 

Tage Thompson has tallied nine points (3+6) in nine playoff games thus far, including five points (1+4) in his last five games. Thompson’s three multi-point games in the playoffs are the most among all Sabres skaters. He is the first Sabres skater to record at least one point per game through the first nine playoff games of their career since Tim Connolly from (April 22, 2006 to April 12, 2007; 5+7). Thompson and Derek Roy (April 22 to May 10, 2006; 3+6) are the only Buffalo skaters to do so in a single playoff year. 

In his last five games, Rasmus Dahlin has posted five points (2+3).

Bowen Byram has recorded four goals in the playoffs and is one goal away from recording the most goals by a Sabres defenseman in a single playoff year all-time.

 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

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In a season where the Ducks' expectations were to make the playoffs, they've done that, and then some. At one point, the Ducks were top of the Pacific Division, gearing up for their first division title since 2016-17. But several bad spells in the latter stages of the season relegated them to finishing third in the Pacific, setting up a first round matchup with the defending Western Conference champions, the Edmonton Oilers.

The general media didn't give Anaheim much of a fighting chance. Who could blame them? Anaheim had not been able to demonstrate that they could defense well on a consistent basis, ending the season with the 29th-worst goals against ranking. None of their goaltenders finished the season with a save percentage over .900.

But for as much as the Ducks had defensive woes, so too did the Oilers. The Ducks had shown during the regular season that they had no issues putting the puck in the net. During their six-game series with the Oilers, they scored 26 goals, with eight of those coming on the power play (in 16 power play opportunities).

The drivers of the Ducks' first playoff run in eight years have been acquisitions made by general manager Pat Verbeek, who was hired in February 2022 after the previous general manager Bob Murray has resigned.

On Tuesday, Verbeek was named as one of the three finalists for the 2025-26 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. The other two finalists were the Minnesota Wild's Bill Guerin and the Colorado Avalanche's Chris MacFarland. Voting for this award was conducted among the NHL general managers and a panel of League executives and media at the conclusion of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It's easy to see why Verbeek was named one of the finalists, especially after watching their first round series against the Oilers. Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mikael Granlund and Alex Killorn performed well against the Oilers. All of these players were acquired by Verbeek, whether through the draft, trade or free agency. Summer trade acquisition Ryan Poehling scored four goals against the Oilers, including the Game 4 overtime winner.

Trade deadline acquisition John Carlson has been a dependable force on the backend, paired with Pavel Mintyukov and creating a reliable second defensive pair that head coach Joel Quenneville can deploy behind Jackson LaCombe and Jacob Trouba. Speaking of Trouba, he was acquired in December 2024 by Verbeek from the New York Rangers. So too was Chris Kreider, who arrived in Anaheim this past June via trade. Kreider was one of six Ducks this season with 50+ points while Trouba has taken the mantle of shutdown defender alongside LaCombe.

Let's not forget midseason trade acquisition Jeff Viel, whose introduction to the team kicked off with a bang. Two goals and three points in his first four games raised several eyebrows and while the scoring eventually regressed, Viel's impact has been felt in the playoffs. His goal in Game 3 against the Oilers gave the Ducks some much-needed insurance after Connor McDavid drew the Oilers within one and his goal in the third period of Game 4 brought the Ducks even, setting the scene for Poehling's overtime winner. His two assists in the series against Vegas have come at crucial times, setting up Beckett Sennecke for the opener in Game 3 and providing Granlund with the (at the time) go-ahead goal in Game 4.

"We have a lot of scouts who do their job, and they do it well," Verbeek said. "I watched him play against us early in the season and I thought he had a pretty good game against us when we played in Boston. He was on a what I call a fourth line-grind line and I thought he did a good job. We saw him in the minors with his skill level and his doggedness to get in on the forecheck, to finish checks. We saw all of that stuff. He's a quiet, tough customer. He's always been there for his teammates, which I love. He's starting to feel really comfortable with our group, with our system. He's been kind of a pleasant surprise for us, but we've seen some of the things that he's showing now in the minors. He looks like he's just gained confidence to be able to do it at the NHL level now."

20-year-old Sennecke is currently on a three-game goal streak, providing plenty of offense against Vegas after being held to just a single point in the Ducks' series against Edmonton. Two of Sennecke's goals have come right in front of the net, a testament to his willingness to get to the dirty areas. His selection by Verbeek at third overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft may have been surprising for many (including Sennecke himself), but the dividends of that pick are already beginning to pay off. The decision to keep Sennecke in the NHL full-time this season has been a boon for the Ducks, who likely would not have made the playoffs without his contributions.

"I think this award really is an organizational award," Verbeek said of his nomination. "You can look at our coaching staff, you look at our coaching staff in San Diego, you look at our development people. You talk to all our scouts, whether professional or amateur. Everybody has had a hand in this scenario. I think that's kind of how I view it, just as a complete organization."

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Related articles:

2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 2, Game 5 - Ducks vs. Golden Knights Gameday Preview (05/12/26)

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Win over the Golden Knights, Series Tied 2-2

Ducks Prospect Tarin Smith Commits to University of Minnesota for 2026-27

Anaheim Ducks Rival Sharks to Draft Second Overall

Beckett Sennecke Calder Trophy Finalist

This year, for the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Montreal Canadiens have outdone themselves for the opening montage before every game. The video, the music, the lighting effect, and both mascots playing the drums are all great, but the real stroke of genius is to have one alumnus carry the torch in the arena to set the ice alight figuratively. So far, we’ve seen Yvan Cournoyer, Serge Savard, Chris Nilan, and Kirk Muller do the honors. The identity of the torchbearer for the next game has now become a hot topic in town, and everyone is venturing their guess.

Incomparable #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/aG9Wj2847K

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) April 24, 2026

It’s being talked about, written about and of course, debated by fans online. Everyone has their opinion about who should be next. The Canadiens have a very rich history, and there are plenty of big names to choose from, but I think there should be one mandatory requirement: having won the Stanley Cup.

Canadiens’ Dach Has Flipped The Script
Canadiens Must Brace For Pushback In Game 4
Xhekaj And Malenstyn Fined, Expect More Bad Blood

The passing of the torch is all about the continuity of the organization’s winning ways; it’s about players from the past passing it on to today’s players so that they can hold it high as they continue their quest towards the ultimate objective: the Stanley Cup. An extract of the poem In Flanders Field by John McCrae has been displayed in the Canadiens’ dressing room since 1952:

                                                  To you from failing hands we throw

                                                  The torch; be yours to hold it high.

The Canadiens have won 24 Stanley Cups, but since the expansion era, it’s been harder to win the Holy Grail. Montreal hasn’t lifted the ultimate symbol of hockey supremacy since 1993. Winning the Cup is a big deal; not everyone does it. As the young Canadiens attempt to earn their way into the exclusive Stanley Cup winners' club, they should draw inspiration from the players who made it.

It’s nothing against Carey Price, Saku Koivu, Shea Weber or P.K. Subban; they played a role in the storied franchise’s history, but they fell short of the ultimate goal. It’s not like the organization is short of past winners to choose from: Patrick Roy, Guy Carbonneau, Vincent Damphousse, Stephane Richer, Chris Chelios, Bob Gainey, Larry Robinson, Shayne Corson, Claude Lemieux, Rick Green, Sergio Momesso, Patrice Brisebois, Mike Keane, Eric Desjardins, Brian Skrudland, the list could go on and on.

The one exception I think would be acceptable is Elise Beliveau representing her late great husband, Jean Beliveau, who captured 10 Cups as a player and seven more as an executive with the Habs. They didn’t go that way for Mother’s Day, so I highly doubt they will.

We’ll know in just a few more hours who will be the torchbearer for Game 4, but whoever it is, you can be sure that the debates will start shortly after the end of that match as to who should do it next, whether it is for Game 6 or for a third-round series.

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Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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Well, Pittsburgh Penguins' fans who were worried about the status of longtime star forward Evgeni Malkin's contract negotiations with the organization can breathe a little sigh of relief. 

During his season-ending press conference on Tuesday, Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas provided an update on where he and the organization stand as far as bringing Malkin, who turns 40 this summer, back next season. The 20-year NHL veteran, who has spent every season with the Penguins, is a pending unrestricted free agent. 

Many fans were concerned about the Penguins wanting to go younger and allow Malkin to walk. But, it seems as though Dubas would love to keep him around. 

"We’ve had [discussions]. Obviously, we had a great exit interview with Evgeni directly," Dubas said. "Then, subsequently, we’ve had continued discussions with he and his representative, J.P. Barry. The season that he’s had, where we’re at, where we’re going, I don’t look at our younger players and think that they’ve done enough to have a view that he’s blocking anybody out in that regard.

"We would love to have him back. We'll just continue to work with J.P. on it. That’s as clear as I can be.”

Dubas also went on to talk about Malkin's season and how great he has been for so long, emphasizing how his breaks in play may have actually served to benefit him this season. And he also mentioned the chemistry that Malkin built with Egor Chinakhov and center Tommy Novak after he returned from injury in December.

Why The Evgeni Malkin Decision Should Be EasyEvgeni Malkin is set to be a UFA this summer, but it should be an easy decision to bring him back.

"Every time he came back from being out, he played his best hockey, we felt," Dubas said. "I think that’s one thing to it. The other part is he shifted away from center after the injury in December onto the wing. I thought he and Tommy and Egor Chinakhov there - especially during that stretch - right away had great chemistry. I think it helped reduce some of the load on him, as well.

"I think all of those factors play into it but in the end, he’s one of the great players of all time and as everyone here knows, is very proud. All of those things played into him having the season that he did.”

If unsigned prior to Jul. 1, Malkin will hit free agency, but Dubas continues to communicate with Malkin's camp. He had 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games for the Penguins this season as well as two goals and three points in six playoff games. 

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The Philadelphia Flyers had Owen Tippett available, albeit at less than 100%, for the entire first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Then, he dubiously sat out all of the second round, despite skating with the team.

On Tuesday, Tippett and the Flyers came forward with a statement explaining the circumstances of the injuries, and full marks to Tippett for dealing with this like a true pro.

On top of Tippett playing through a sports hernia, as revealed officially in the statement, the 27-year-old also revealed that he attempted to come back and play through some internal bleeding, though he was unable to do so safely.

Here's the full statement from Tippett and the Flyers:

"I was unable to return for the second round series vs. Carolina Hurricanes due to an internal bleeding issue that I sustained during the first round series vs. Pittsburgh.

"Following a series of medical evaluations, treatments, and rehabilitation under the care of the Flyers medical team, I am making progress and feeling better each day. Despite being cleared to travel and skate with the team at certain practices, things did not progress at a pace that I hoped for or would allow me to safely continue playing.

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"I am beyond proud of what our team has accomplished this season and truly moved by the tremendous support of the fans.

"I want to sincerely thank everyone for that support -- both personally for me and my family, as well as our entire medical and performance staff.

"I am confident for a full recovery and look forward to returning for training camp in September and an exciting year ahead for this organization."

The Flyers winger shared at his exit interview later Tuesday that he is not yet certain if he'll need surgery, which is always a good sign he'll be good to go for training camp.

If Tippett's injuries were more severe, that determination would be easier to come to and would likely take place sooner, all things considered.

As exit interviews progress, the Flyers will have more to share on other injured players, like Rodrigo Abols, Tyson Foerster, Christian Dvorak, and Nikita Grebenkin, now that Tippett has pulled back the curtain on his own situation.

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It's now a best of three as the Ducks and Golden Knights enter Game 5 of the series tied at two wins apiece. The Ducks responded well to a slow start in Game 3, scoring first in Game 4 and never relinquishing the lead.

“Better start,” Chris Kreider said of their Game 4 approach. “I think we got through the neutral zone, got pucks behind them, and then turned.”

“We want to make sure that we're ready from the start,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said. “They're a good starting team. They're good with the lead. I thought we did a good job of scoring early last game and not giving (the lead) up. When I say giving it up, not letting them get it. So we'll try to emphasize the importance of tonight's start and expect rising to the next challenge of another battle."

Mason McTavish was re-inserted into the lineup for Game 4 after being a healthy scratch in Games 2 and 3. Though he didn't record a point, his line of Ryan Poehling and Cutter Gauthier was among the best, analytically, in Game 4. Gauthier recorded three assists, with two of them coming on the power play.

"He's been awesome," Gauthier said of McTavish after Game 4. "Throughout these playoffs, he's just been a player who keeps his head down and just works really hard. Definitely a heartbeat of our line with me and Poehls. Tonight, I thought he played a great game, getting on the inside, getting in front of the goalie's eyes, making life difficult for the defensemen. He didn't get on the scoresheet, but it definitely doesn't go unnoticed."

"Played great," Kreider said. "Tenacious, hard on pucks. (He) wanted to have an impact on the game and he did, so it was great."

"I thought he had a heck of a game," Quenneville said. "I really liked his attitude coming into the game. Not easy for him not to be in the lineup and then play the way he did, (it) shows character. He wanted to be a big part of it and he was in a lot of ways. Not just power play, but I thought he played a real solid game."

Defenseman Radko Gudas was a game-time decision for Game 4, but did not play. Quenneville said that Gudas is out for Game 5 as well. Troy Terry will play in Game 5 despite missing the morning skate, though that's been the norm during this playoff run.

With Gudas out, Olen Zellweger and Ian Moore will once again slot in as the third defensive pair. Both Zellweger and Moore were inserted into the lineup for Game 4, with Tyson Hinds being a healthy scratch. Moore scored Anaheim's fourth goal, which ended up being the game-winner. Zellweger had the primary assist on the goal.

"We read off each other well," Zellweger said of his partnership with Moore. "I thought we worked together well. Just playing those situations right and giving the team stability defensively. And then when we get the opportunities, being confident, jumping in the play."

Mark Stone, who left Game 3 early in the first period with a lower-body injury, will not be in the lineup for the Golden Knights once again. Brandon Saad will play in his second consecutive game after entering the lineup for Stone in Game 4.

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Ducks Projected Lines

Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Troy Terry
Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke
Mason McTavish - Ryan Poehling - Cutter Gauthier
Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Jeff Viel

Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba
Pavel Mintyukov - John Carlson
Olen Zellweger - Ian Moore

Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)

Golden Knights Projected Lines

Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Pavel Dorofeyev
Brett Howden - William Karlsson - Mitch Marner
Brandon Saad - Tomáš Hertl - Colton Sissons
Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Keegan Kolesar

Brayden McNabb - Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin - Rasmus Andersson
Ben Hutton - Dylan Coghlan

Carter Hart (confirmed)

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The Minnesota Wild bled shots to centers all season long and that has continued in the playoffs.

My Wild vs. Avalanche predictions see Nathan MacKinnon taking full advantage of the strong positional matchup in Game 5.

Let's take a closer look at my NHL picks for Wednesday, May 13.

Wild vs Avalanche Game 5 prediction

Wild vs Avalanche best bet: Nathan MacKinnon Over 3.5 shots (-170)

Nathan MacKinnon is averaging 8.3 shot attempts per game in this series and has cleared 3.5 shots in three of four. That's par for the course against the Minnesota Wild, whom he has enjoyed an unfathomable amount of success against.

MacKinnon has generated four or more shots in eight of the last nine vs. Minnesota. That includes eight and nine shot on goal performances in the two regular-season meetings down the stretch.

This sort of success should be expected. The Wild allowed the fourth most shots to centers this season, and have given up more than anybody during the playoffs.

Wild vs Avalanche Game 5 same-game parlay

Cale Makar was on the ice for more shots and chances than anybody over the last three games. He picked up zero points despite the Colorado Avalanche scoring six times. Almost everything runs through him, and he plays a ton of minutes, so the lack of scoring involvement is not going to continue.

Matt Boldy is averaging 4.3 shots on 8.4 attempts during the playoffs. He is Minnesota's go-to shooter and will be firing from anywhere and everywhere with Minnesota's season on the line.

Wild vs Avalanche SGP

• Nathan MacKinnon Over 3.5 shots
• Cale Makar Over 0.5 points 
• Matt Boldy Over 3.5 shots

Wild vs Avalanche odds for Game 5

• Moneyline: Wild +160 | Avalanche -190
• Puck Line: Wild +1.5 (-145) | Avalanche -1.5 (+125)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-105) | Under 6.5 (115)

Wild vs Avalanche trend

The Colorado Avalanche have hit the moneyline in 12 of their last 14 games (+9.35 units, 35% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Wild vs. Avalanche.

How to watch Wild vs Avalanche Game 5

Wild vs Avalanche latest injuries

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Top Philadelphia Flyers rookie Porter Martone has had a rollercoaster of a season, making the leap from the OHL to the NCAA, then the NCAA to the NHL, and then partaking in the Stanley Cup playoffs

He isn't giving himself a rest just yet.

On Tuesday, during exit interviews, Martone, 19, revealed that he will playing in the upcoming IIHF Men's World Championships for Canada, which was confirmed by Hockey Canada shortly thereafter.

New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer, who notably has never missed a regular season game in his NHL career, will be joining Martone as the new additions to the roster.

You may recall that Martone played two games for Canada at the World Championships last year, lining up alongside now-Flyers teammates Travis Konecny and Tyson Foerster.

Their glowing reviews of the youngster helped convince the Flyers to make him their No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Martone finished his first abbreviated season in the NHL with four goals, six assists, and 10 points in nine regular season games, as well as two goals, three assists, and five points in 10 playoff games.

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Altogether, 15 points in 19 games for a rookie with no prior professional experience.

At the time of this writing, Martone is the only Flyers representative for the upcoming World Championships, which begin on Friday, May 15, and run to May 31.

Other notable players heading to Worlds include Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Macklin Celebrini, Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, Mat Barzal, Robert Thomas, John Tavares, Roman Josi, and J.J. Moser.

It's just another tournament for Martone to set his sights on winning, and with a good chunk of big names attending, more opportunity for development and competition for the Flyers' youngster.