The Pittsburgh Penguins' Big Three of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang has been a huge part of the team's success with three Stanley Cup championships and nearly 4,000 games together.

But Malkin's contract is up and he can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Could this be the end of the Big Three?

Malkin has indicated a desire to return and general manager Kyle Dubas put off the decision until the offseason, which has arrived for the Penguins after their 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 6.

He certainly can still play. He had 61 points in 56 games during the regular season, but he did miss 26 games with injury and a five-game suspension. A one-year deal would be a good compromise for the soon-to-be 40-year-old.

Crosby has one year left on his contract at $8.7 million, meaning he can sign an extension as early as July 1. Letang has two more years at $6.1 million. Though Letang's play appears to have slipped a bit, he did score the winning goals in Games 4 and 5.

The Penguins have more decisions to make than just on Malkin.

Anthony Mantha is also an unrestricted free agent. He scored 33 goals in the regular season on a one-year, $2.5 million contract but had only one point in six games in the playoffs.

Connor Dewar, Noel Acciari, Kevin Hayes, Connor Clifton and Ryan Shea are also pending UFAs.

So is goalie Stuart Skinner, who arrived this season in a trade. But the Penguins have to re-sign Arturs Silovs, who replaced Skinner (three losses) and won two playoff games and pushed Game 6 to overtime.

The Penguins also have goalie prospect Sergei Murashov, 22, in the American Hockey League. Could they let Skinner walk to give Murashov a chance for promotion?

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Evgeni Malkin future among Penguins' offseason decisions

The playoffs are steadily widdling down the number of combatants, with the Penguins the latest to fall. Tonight the Wild-Stars and Ducks-Oilers resume their series, with the home team in each aiming to stave off elimination again.

Yesterday’s late-breaking news was expected yet tempered by the Islanders’ late-season swoon: Ilya Sorokin is indeed one of the Vezina finalists for best goalie, along with Jeremy Swayman and Andrei Vasilevskiy. The other two are the common favorites, so don’t hold your breath for Ilya.

Islanders News

• Ilya the Vezina finalist, at last. [Isles]
• Prospect Report: Kashawn Aitcheson is named OHL defenseman of the year, plus news on other prospects still alive in the playoffs. [Isles]
• Offseason analysis: the defensemen. [Newsday]
• The Hog goes home: Marcus Hogberg goes back to Sweden on a three-year deal. [THN]
• Join an LHH playoff pool! [LHH]

Elsewhere

• The Flyers eliminated the Penguins in OT, 1-0. Join me in shedding a tear for Pittsburgh. The Flyers now get to face the Hurricanes. [NHL]
• Brady Tkachuk answers rumors that were manufactured by a blowhard who works for TNT and has an obnoxious dude-bro podcast, best I can tell. [NHL]
• Drew Doughty knows he’s been bad post-injury return, but he hopes to finish his career with the Kings and maybe take over as captain. [NHL]

Up until the very end, the Pittsburgh Penguins battled and fought to force a Game 7 against the Philadelphia Flyers in their first round series, but Dan Vladar was a brick wall in net and Cam York found a just enough daylight behind Arturs Silovs to score an overtime winner that gave the Flyers a 1-0 victory in Game 6 to eliminate the Penguins and send the Flyers into the second round where they will face the Carolina Hurricanes.

After no scoring through 60 minutes thanks to some stellar goaltending from both Silovs and Vladar, Game 6 went into overtime for the first time this series and the Penguins were in control for much of the overtime period but Vladar never blinked. Although they had few opportunities in the extra frame, all the Flyers needed was to make one count and Cam York did exactly that to initiate handshakes between the two rivals. [Pensburgh]

Pens Points…

Mario Lemieux was in attendance for the Penguins Game 5 win on Monday night and his presence around the team may become more frequent in the near future. According to sources close to Mario, he is planning on having a bigger role with the franchise once the team sale is approved to the Hoffman family. [The Athletic $$]

In case of emergency, the Penguins recalled Joel Blomqvist from the AHL on Wednesday to serve as the third goalie for Game 6 in Philadelphia. Sergei Murashov held that role earlier in the series, but with him being the top netminder in Wilkes-Barre, it was Blomqvist getting the nod last night. [Trib Live]

It has been a roller coaster 2025-26 for Kris Letang, with seemingly more downs than ups this season. While there will certainly be questions about Letang’s future this offseason, right now he is playing his best hockey of the season right as the team needs him most. [The Hockey News]

Aside from a single assist in Game 5, this has been a series to forget for Penguins leading goal scorer Anthony Mantha. Through 19 career playoff games, Mantha has never recorded a postseason goal, but he’s hoping if he start putting more puck on net his luck will start to change. [Trib Live]

NHL News and Notes…

It’s all Eastern Conference goalies among the finalists for the Vezina Trophy this season. Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders and Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins will each be looking to take home their first Vezina while now six-time finalist Andrei Vasilevskiy will hope to add to his 2019 win. [NHL]

After being held pointless in a four game sweep against the Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk spoke to the media on Tuesday and denied any rumors he was unhappy in Canada’s capital and could be looking for a way out this offseason. [NHL]

Brett Howden stole the spotlight in Game 5 for the Vegas Golden Knights. With a shorthanded goal in double overtime to give his team a 3-2 lead in the series against the Utah Mammoth, it’s hard not to.

But without Pavel Dorofeyev, the Golden Knights wouldn’t have made it to overtime. The winger recorded his first career playoff hat trick in a 5-4 win, including the game-tying goal with 52 seconds remaining in regulation.

With 37 goals in the regular season, Dorofeyev led the Golden Knights in scoring for the second consecutive year. However, after a costly mistake in Game 4 on Monday, he rode the pine for most of the third period.

On Wednesday, he bounced back, and he did so in a big way.

“Players make big plays at key times,” said Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella. “Perfect timing. It's good timing. He was fighting it a little bit, but he’s found his game. Hopefully, it’ll continue.”

Dorofeyev scored his first of the night on the power play with 41 seconds remaining in the first period. Tomáš Hertl made a play to find him all alone in the right circle, and Dorofeyev picked his spot.

French fries for my drive to Utah! Pavel is all alone in the right circle and beats Vejmelka clean.

1-1

pic.twitter.com/oZTZxXtyIT

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 30, 2026

His next two goals came because of his willingness to go to the net.​​

“Everything around that net, so many things are happening. It’s a big part of playoff hockey, protecting your blue and getting to the other blue,” said Tortorella. “The puck seems to find him when he’s on his game. I thought he’s done a really good job of the battles, too, as far as battling for pucks. You do stuff on the other part of the game, I think you get rewarded in the strength of the game.”

Dorofeyev’s second of the night came off an excellent drop-pass by Shea Theodore after Jack Eichel won an offensive zone draw. As Theodore pressed lower in the zone, Dorofeyev went to the net. When Theodore fed him a drop-pass from below the goal line, the winger roofed it.

Ew. Shea Theodore jukes Kevin Stenlund, dances below the goal line and hits Pavel Dorofeyev with a drop pass. Pavel is once again all alone and roofs it.

2-2

pic.twitter.com/1yJ6re6I2D

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 30, 2026

The Golden Knights pulled Carter Hart for the extra attacker down 4-3 late in the third period. Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka made the save on Jack Eichel’s one-timer and another on Reilly Smith’s second attempt. But once again, Pavel Dorofeyev was in the right place and ready to collect the change.

Throw the hats! Pavel Dorofeyev scores with the net empty.

4-4

pic.twitter.com/A7qG04coIF

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 30, 2026

“I was so fired up,” said Dorofeyev postgame. “It’s not [my first goal] in a tight game, but in playoff time, it feels so, so good.”

Dorofeyev played 23:34 in Game 5 and led the Golden Knights with five shots on goal. He also blocked two shots, finished the night as a +2, and wasn’t on the ice for any of Utah’s four goals.

“I think Dory’s game has been coming,” said Tortorella following the 5-4 overtime win. “Big credit to Dory. I’ve pushed him along here a little bit as far as his play. He’s handled himself really well, and found a way to be a star tonight in a big game.”

Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division) vs. Utah Mammoth (43-33-6, in the Central Division)

Salt Lake City; Friday, 10 p.m. EDT

LINE: Golden Knights -119, Mammoth -101; over/under is 5.5

NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Golden Knights lead series 3-2

BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights look to clinch the first round of the NHL Playoffs over the Utah Mammoth in game six. The teams meet Wednesday for the ninth time this season. The Golden Knights won the last meeting 5-4 in overtime. Pavel Dorofeyev scored three goals in the victory.

Utah has gone 23-16-4 at home and 43-33-6 overall. The Mammoth have gone 43-11-2 when scoring three or more goals.

Vegas has a 39-26-17 record overall and a 20-15-8 record in road games. The Golden Knights have a 40-6-11 record in games they score at least three goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Dylan Guenther has 39 goals and 34 assists for the Mammoth. Lawson Crouse has six goals and two assists over the past 10 games.

Dorofeyev has 37 goals and 27 assists for the Golden Knights. Mark Stone has scored six goals with four assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Mammoth: 4-4-2, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.1 assists, 4.1 penalties and 8.5 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.

Golden Knights: 7-2-1, averaging 3.6 goals, 6.1 assists, 3.4 penalties and seven penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.

INJURIES: Mammoth: Barrett Hayton: day to day (upper-body).

Golden Knights: William Karlsson: out (lower body).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Tampa Bay Lightning (50-26-6, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division)

Montreal, Quebec; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Lightning -115, Canadiens -105; over/under is 5.5

NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Canadiens lead series 3-2

BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens host the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 3-2 lead in the series. The teams meet Wednesday for the 10th time this season. The Canadiens won the previous matchup 3-2.

Montreal has gone 48-24-10 overall with a 19-10-2 record in Atlantic Division play. The Canadiens have a +28 scoring differential, with 279 total goals scored and 251 given up.

Tampa Bay has a 50-26-6 record overall and an 18-10-3 record in Atlantic Division games. The Lightning rank fourth in NHL play with 286 total goals (averaging 3.5 per game).

TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Suzuki has 29 goals and 72 assists for the Canadiens. Juraj Slafkovsky has four goals and five assists over the last 10 games.

Brandon Hagel has 36 goals and 38 assists for the Lightning. Dominic James has three goals and one assist over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 6-3-1, averaging 2.7 goals, 5.1 assists, 6.5 penalties and 16.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.

Lightning: 4-4-2, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.1 assists, 6.7 penalties and 17.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.

INJURIES: Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen), Noah Dobson: out (thumb).

Lightning: Nick Paul: day to day (illness), Charle-Edouard D'Astous: day to day (undisclosed), Victor Hedman: out (personal), Pontus Holmberg: out (upper-body).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Boston Bruins (45-27-10, in the Atlantic Division)

Boston; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Sabres -115, Bruins -105; over/under is 5.5

NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Sabres lead series 3-2

BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres look to clinch the first round of the NHL Playoffs over the Boston Bruins in game six. The teams meet Tuesday for the 10th time this season. The Bruins won the previous meeting 2-1 in overtime.

Boston is 45-27-10 overall with a 13-15-3 record in Atlantic Division play. The Bruins have committed 372 total penalties (4.5 per game) to rank second in league play.

Buffalo is 50-23-9 overall and 19-7-5 against the Atlantic Division. The Sabres have given up 240 goals while scoring 283 for a +43 scoring differential.

TOP PERFORMERS: Morgan Geekie has 39 goals and 29 assists for the Bruins. Viktor Arvidsson has three goals and two assists over the past 10 games.

Tage Thompson has 40 goals and 41 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has seven goals and four assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 4-4-2, averaging 2.5 goals, 4.4 assists, 5.2 penalties and 13.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.

Sabres: 7-1-2, averaging 3.8 goals, 6.3 assists, 5.3 penalties and 12.5 penalty minutes while giving up two goals per game.

INJURIES: Bruins: Viktor Arvidsson: day to day (upper-body).

Sabres: Noah Ostlund: out (lower body), Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: out (arm), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

In Game 4, Pavel Dorofeyev rode the pine for most of the third period in a tie game. In Game 5, he capped off a hat trick by scoring the game-tying goal with just 52 seconds remaining in regulation. That’s hockey.

And yet, somehow, Dorofeyev’s heroics aren’t the story as the Vegas Golden Knights topped the Utah Mammoth 5-4 in double overtime. Instead, that honor lies with Brett Howden and his second shorthanded goal in two games.

Both teams played a tight first period, and shots were tied at seven apiece. The Golden Knights had more scoring chances, but the Mammoth generated the edge in high-danger chances with four.

The Mammoth opened the scoring at 17:11 in the first. Nick Schmaltz won an offensive zone draw back for John Marino, who switched places with Clayton Keller and drifted down towards the goal line. Keller fired a shot wide, and Marino snapped the rebound into the net.

John Marino. Keller banks it off the end boards, and Marino gets the rebound.

1-0, Mammoth

pic.twitter.com/uZHlHjOGZa

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 30, 2026

Two minutes later, the Golden Knights found the equalizer on the power play. Kevin Stenlund got a stick on Jack Eichel’s pass attempt, and the puck flipped up into the air. It landed on the stick of Tomáš Hertl, who found Pavel Dorofeyev all alone in the right circle for his second of the postseason.

French fries for my drive to Utah! Pavel is all alone in the right circle and beats Vejmelka clean.

1-1

pic.twitter.com/oZTZxXtyIT

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 30, 2026

The Mammoth were the better team in the second period, generating 12 scoring chances against the Golden Knights’ nine. However, they went into the second intermission with a 3-2 lead after scoring two quick goals to end the period.

The Mammoth regained the lead at 10:40 in the second. Mikhail Sergachev fired a shot around the boards, and Clayton Keller got to the loose puck first. Keller found Lawson Crouse all alone in the slot, and the winger beat Carter Hart over the blocker.

Lawson Crouse snipe from the slot.

2-1, Mammoth

pic.twitter.com/x8IEANha65

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 30, 2026

The Golden Knights tied the game at 15:37 in the second. Jack Eichel won an offensive zone face-off, and Ivan Barbashev chipped the puck back for Shea Theodore. Theodore avoided the pressure of Kevin Stenlund, danced below the goal line, and dropped a pass to Pavel Dorofeyev; Dorofeyev roofed it for his second of the game.

Ew. Shea Theodore jukes Kevin Stenlund, dances below the goal line and hits Pavel Dorofeyev with a drop pass. Pavel is once again all alone and roofs it.

2-2

pic.twitter.com/1yJ6re6I2D

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 30, 2026

Just 1:40 later, the Golden Knights took their first lead of the night. Mark Stone intercepted Karel Vejmelka’s clearing attempt and sent the puck to Shea Theodore at the point. The defenseman stepped into the slot and wired a shot home for his second goal in two games.

Shea Theodore with a blast from the point. It changed directions on the way to the net, but he lead the handshake line.

3-2, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/0pvte9UEQ2

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 30, 2026

Down by a goal, the Mammoth pressed hard in the third period. They outshot the Golden Knights 10-7 and generated eight scoring chances while holding Vegas to four.

The Mammoth scored the equalizer just 5:54 into the third. Kevin Stenlund won a defensive zone draw, and MacKenzie Weegar chipped the puck forward to Dylan Guenther. Guenther crossed over and left the puck for Kailer Yamamoto, who blew past Noah Hanifin and entered the zone on a 2-on-1 with Guenther. Yamamoto got the pass across, and Guenther wired it home short-side.

Mammoth 2-on-1. Yamamoto to Guenther and it’s a tie game.

3-3

pic.twitter.com/Ut0FxrPYk2

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 30, 2026

The Mammoth took the lead at 12:42 in the third. The Golden Knights gave up yet another 2-on-1, this time with Alexander Kerfoot and Michael Carcone against Jeremy Lauzon, and Carcone finished it off.

Redemption, thy name is Carcone. Scores off ANOTHER 2-on-1 from Kerfoot.

4-3, Mammoth

pic.twitter.com/5AqBo6u6P3

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 30, 2026

Despite trailing in the third period, there was no panic on the Golden Knights’ bench. 

“I think the resiliency of our group has been something that we’ve prided ourselves on throughout the entire season. We never feel like we’re out of a game,” said Jack Eichel postgame. “I think we did a great job of fighting back and finding a way to score one late.”

The Golden Knights pulled Carter Hart for the extra attacker and tied the game with 53 seconds remaining in regulation. Karel Vejmelka made the save on Jack Eichel’s one-timer from the half wall, but Pavel Dorofeyev got to the loose puck in front of the net and completed the hat trick.

Throw the hats! Pavel Dorofeyev scores with the net empty.

4-4

pic.twitter.com/A7qG04coIF

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 30, 2026

Both teams had their fair share of scoring chances in overtime. Carter Hart made a ten-bell save on Clayton Keller; Karel Vejmelka denied Tomáš Hertl’s one-timer on the power play. But for the first time in the entire series, neither team scored a goal in a period.

Just 3:42 into double overtime, Reilly Smith took an offensive zone penalty. But as they have all series, the Golden Knights’ penalty kill stood strong. Karel Vejmelka denied Jack Eichel on a shorthanded breakaway, but the Golden Knights scored moments later.

Deep in the attacking zone, Mitch Marner and Brett Howden forced a turnover. The puck ended up on Howden’s stick, and he stepped into the slot and wired a wrister that beat Vejmelka far-side and gave his team a 3-2 lead in the series. 

Brett Howden with his second shorty in as many games!

5-4 final

pic.twitter.com/3Dl3CQ4Nt6

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 30, 2026

“Mitch did a really good job,” said Howden following the 5-4 win. “It’s kind of like the other night on the PK. He did a good job of getting a stick in there, interrupting the play. [The puck] kind of popped out, and I just tried to get a shot. After that, I just kind of blacked out.“

The Utah Mammoth were 52 seconds from seizing control of the series, but in one brutal swing of momentum, everything changed.

Utah now returns to Salt Lake City facing elimination after a crushing 5-4 double-overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series on Wednesday night. What looked like a signature road win slipped away late, leaving the Mammoth trailing 3-2 in the series with no margin for error the rest of the way.

Vegas completed the comeback behind a dramatic night from Pavel Dorofeyev, who delivered a hat trick and buried the game-tying goal with just 52 seconds left in regulation. Brett Howden then struck short-handed in the second overtime, finishing off a gut-punch defeat that swung the series back in the Golden Knights’ favor.

The game was a wild, emotional tug-of-war from the opening puck drop. Utah grabbed the lead twice in the first two periods on goals from John Marino and Lawson Crouse, but each time Vegas answered quickly and refused to let the Mammoth build any breathing room.

After Shea Theodore gave the Golden Knights a 3-2 advantage heading into the third, Utah responded with the kind of push that seemed destined to change the night. Dylan Guenther buried the equalizer, then Michael Carcone scored his second goal of the series to put the Mammoth ahead 4-3 late in regulation.

With the clock winding down and Utah on the verge of a massive win, Dorofeyev ripped home his third of the night to silence the celebration and force overtime.

Neither side could end it in the first extra frame, but in the second overtime Howden capitalized on a short-handed chance to complete Vegas’ stunning escape.

Now the path is simple for Utah: win Friday night at Delta Center or the season is over. A victory would force a winner-take-all Game 7 back in Las Vegas.

Puck drop for Game 6 is set for 8 p.m. Friday in Salt Lake City.

Things were looking concerning for the Philadelphia Flyers and Matvei Michkov when head coach Rick Tocchet yanked the Russian phenom from the lineup after a 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4.

A 3-2 Game 5 loss to the Penguins was even less inspiring, and Pittburgh played it like they knew they would win if they could stop the Flyers from scoring. It worked.

After one game, Tocchet decided to reinstate Michkov to the Flyers' lineup, making wholesale lineup changes and removing veteran Garnet Hathaway. His faith in the 21-year-old winger was rewarded on Thursday night.

The benching seemed to light a fire under Michkov, who looked his typical self for much of Game 6. Hunting for open space to make an impact offensively, being creative with his passes, and shooting when given an opportunity.

The 2023 No. 7 overall pick probably could have scored two or three times in the contest, notably missing a power-play one timer, being denied by Arturs Silovs on a partial break, and then forcing Silovs into the splits on a rush shot against the grain.

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.

Still, in a contest that was deadlocked at 0-0 for 77 minutes, Michkov delievered.

After Noah Cates won an offensive zone faceoff to defenseman Cam York, Michkov took a pass from York, evading pressure from Ben Kindel before dealing back to York.

York let a long-range wrister fly, beating Silovs cleanly through loads of traffic in front of the net. It was Michkov's first point of the series and first playoff point of his nascent NHL career, helping York earn his first playoff goal in the tense 1-0 win.

"It was good for him to come back and have an impact, obviously he had some chances. It's playoff hockey, it's hard. For a young kid, it's always tough," Cates said of his linemate.

"Hopefully, he kind of learned. He got his chances and was flying tonight. So, good on him to take it for what it was and come back ready and hungry to help the team."

ESPN Predicts Flyers Will Get Swept By PenguinsAs they head into their first appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2020, it is becoming clear that the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> still don't have many believers out there.

With the lineup changes, Michkov was paired with Cates and Alex Bump, with Denver Barkey moving up to play with Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny.

"Mich is a young kid. Bumper . . . now we got a group of guys, by them being a pack, it might help," Tocchet added. "It's not just we have a couple of young guys. We have a bunch of them. So, maybe that'll help the mental part of the game, too."

The Flyers are now overall 14-3-1 this season when Michkov and Bump are both in the lineup, and it's clear that they thrive off each other and play well.

Of course, the pack Tocchet refers to includes Michkov, Bump, Barkey, and Porter Martone, who all figure to be important parts of the Flyers both now and in the future.

After a rollercoaster six games against the Penguins, they'll get to experience at least four more games of NHL playoff hockey against a daunting Carolina Hurricanes team next week.

It has been a magical run for the 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins, who most didn't expect to be in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. 

And, unfortunately, their Cup hopes this season have come to an end.

After a hard-fought series in which the Penguins won two straight after a 3-0 series deficit, Pittsburgh was eliminated in Game 6 on an overtime goal by Philadelphia Flyers' defenseman Cam York. The Penguins controlled the majority of play throughout the game - including in overtime - but a lost faceoff and a shot through traffic ended their season in heartbreak.

Pittsburgh outshot Philadelphia, 42-32, and Flyers' goaltender Dan Vladar earned the 42-save shutout for the Flyers. Arturs Silovs was outstanding in goal for the Penguins, stopping 31 of 32 shots in this game and he allowed just five goals on 82 shots in three games this series for a .939 save percentage.

Stay tuned to THN - Pittsburgh Penguins for more coverage later on.

LIVE GAME BLOG: Pittsburgh Penguins V. Philadelphia Flyers, Game 6Follow along with the THN - Pittsburgh Penguins' LIVE game blog for Round 1, Game 6 against the Philadelphia Flyers

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Alexandre Texier broke a tie 1:06 into the third period and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the first-round series.

Rookie Jakub Dobes stopped 38 shots to help Montreal move within a victory of advancing for the first time since losing to the Lightning in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2021.

Brendan Gallagher got his first goal in his first game this series and Kirby Dach also scored for the Canadiens.

Dominic James scored his first career playoff goal and Jake Guentzel also connected one for the Lightning. They are one loss from being eliminated in the first round for the fourth straight season.

FLYERS 1, PENGUINS 0, OT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cam York scored 17:32 into overtime and chucked his stick into the crowd in a wild celebration to send Philadelphia into the second round for the first time in six years with a Game 6 win over the Pittsburgh.

The Flyers are set for second round showdown against Carolina.

Dan Vladar was again sensational in the net and stopped all 42 shots and prevented the Penguins from playing for a shot at playoff history.

Sidney Crosby and the Penguins tried to become just the fifth team in NHL history to win a series after trailing 3-0. They’ve won two straight games to force Game 6.

The Carolina Hurricanes have finally learned their second round opponent.

In took a bit longer than first expected, but the Philadelphia Flyers finally found that fourth win in a Game 6, 1-0, OT win to advance past the Pittsburgh Penguins after initially holding a 3-0 series lead.

The Hurricanes have already been waiting for four days after sweeping the Ottawa Senators in their first round series and odds are they're going to have a full week of rest before the second round series actually kicks off.

The two clubs have never met in the postseason before.

This year, Carolina went 3-0-1 against Philadelphia, with every game being decided beyond regulation.

However, the Hurricanes are a much deeper team, having more 20+ goal scorers (7-4) and four players who eclipsed 70 points this season (Flyers had zero).

The Canes are also a much more experienced team, having made the playoffs in eight straight seasons, while this is the first time the Flyers have been in the postseason since 2020.

Special teams might be another area where the Hurricanes can pull away as Philly had the league's worst power play this season (15.7%) and a bottom-10 penalty kill (77.6%).

However, what might give the Hurricanes a bit of trouble is the fact that Flyers have gotten a lot better defensively at 5v5, especially following the Olympic break.

They've gotten a Herculean effort from Dan Vladar in net and a hot goalie is always a difficult nut to crack.

It could be another tight series because of that, but I'd expect the Hurricanes to be heavy favorites given their depth, talent and overwhelming wealth of experience.

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The Minnesota Wild (3-2) took a 3-2 series lead with a 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars (2-2) in Dallas on Tuesday.

Game 6 is set for Thursday back in Minnesota at 6:30.

In Game 5, Stars' captain Jamie Benn was at it again with his behind-the-play antics.

Benn, 36, has zero points in five games and is a minus-5. He has just one goal in his last 23 playoff games. 

The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Wednesday that they have fined Benn $2,604.17, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for cross-checking Wild forward Ryan Hartman during Game 5 of the teams’ First Round series in Dallas

The incident occurred at 14:45 of the third period. Benn was assessed a minor penalty for cross-checking.

Here is the NHL DOPS explaining the Auston Matthews suspension decision on the Benn clip... weird how it fits perfectly pic.twitter.com/VUhP2Hjke9

— Drew Livingstone (@ProducerDrew_) April 29, 2026

Hartman was assessed a minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. This is the sixth cross-check Benn has delivered with full force. It was the first one that resulted in a penalty and the first one that resulted in the NHL taking notice.

But that slap on the wrist of $2,604.17 won't stop Benn's antics. He has been fined or suspended in four out of the last five playoffs. He was suspended in 2023 for cross-checking.

Fining him $2,604.17 isn't an acceptable justification for this decision and will only allow him to continue this.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Recent Wild Stories

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pittsburgh Penguins v. Philadelphia Flyers - Game 6 (Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pa.)  |  Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2026

Puck Drop: 7:40 p.m. ET

Penguins' projected lines and pairings:

Forwards

Rickard Rakell- Sidney Crosby- Bryan Rust

Egor Chinakhov- Tommy Novak- Evgeni Malkin

Elmer Soderblom- Ben Kindel- Anthony Mantha 

Connor Dewar- Blake Lizotte- Noel Acciari

Defensemen

Parker Wotherspoon - Erik Karlsson

Samuel Girard - Kris Letang

Ryan Shea - Ilya Solovyov 

Goaltenders

Arturs Silovs (starter) 

Stuart Skinner (backup)

Flyers' projected lines and pairings:

Forwards

Owen Tippett - Trevor Zegras - Porter Martone

Denver Barkey - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny

Alex Bump - Noah Cates - Matvei Michkov

Sean Couturier - Luke Glendening - Tyson Foerster

Defensemen

Travis Sanheim-Rasmus Ristolainen

Cam York-Jamie Drysdale

Nick Seeler-Noah Juulsen

Goaltenders

Dan Vladar (starter) 

Sam Ersson (backup)

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First period

- The Penguins are putting EVERYTHING on net in the first five minutes. They're stringing some really good shifts together. 

Arturs Silovs also just made one heck of a save on Owen Tippett. 

- Silovs again comes up huge with a poke check save and then another save a few seconds later. We're still scoreless at the first TV timeout.

- The Penguins got the first power play of the game and...didn't do anything with it. There's still too much perimeter play and not enough of a shoot-first mentality. There's also not enough traffic in front of the net. Now, it's the Flyers' turn on the power play.

- Flyers get nothing on the power play. Penguins' penalty kill continues to be very stingy in this series. 

END OF FIRST PERIOD: Penguins 0, Flyers 0. Both teams had great chances to score, but both goaltenders have been up to the task.

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Second period

- The Penguins just had two great shifts in a row early in the period. The fourth line won numerous battles along the boards and started cycling really well. They also got some quality chances before the top line came on, and also got some great chances. They had a few Flyers pinned in their own zone for over two minutes.

- The Penguins got another power play in the period and once again, no dice. Egor Chinakhov had the best chance on it, but he hit the post. That unit is giving them nothing right now. 

- I'm loving the top line right now. Crosby, Rakell, and Rust are grinding the Flyers down and hemming them in their own zone each time that they're out there. 

- Take a bow, Arturs Silovs. Just made a HUGE save on Matvei Michkov before making another huge save from in-tight. He has been fantastic in this game.

END OF SECOND PERIOD: Still scoreless, but the Flyers will get a power play to open the third period after Kris Letang punched Travis Konecny as the buzzer sounded. 

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Third period

- The Penguins bailed Letang out and killed the penalty to open the third period. Excellent stuff by the PK. 

- Tommy Novak had a golden opportunity from right in front of the net and,,,tried to pass it. He NEEDS to rip the puck there. 

- You can tell how tense it is. Each team is being so careful with the puck.

- What a save by Silovs on Michkov. Flashed his glove...again!

- Still no score with 5:36 to go in the third period. Silovs had to come up with another huge save after a turnover in the defensive zone. 

Bryan Rust had a glorious chance late in the third period...but couldn't beat Dan Vladar. This has been an insane game.

END OF THIRD PERIOD: We're heading to overtime. Who's going to be the hero?

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Overtime

- The Penguins have been the better team in this overtime and are firing everything at Vladar, but no luck. Anthony Mantha just had the best chance, and he still can't find the back of the net.

- The Penguins' fourth line has been fantastic in this one. They're getting chances every time they hop over the bench.

- GOAL: Right after Arturs Silovs made the save of the game, Cam York buried one past him from the point, eliminating the Penguins. Flyers 1, Penguins 0. 

The Penguins' season is now over.