Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The puck drops on Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night in Denver.

My Golden Knights vs. Avalanche predictions expect superstar Nathan MacKinnon to set the tone with his shooting in the series opener.

Let's break it all down with my NHL picks for Wednesday, May 20.

Golden Knights vs Avalanche Game 1 prediction

Golden Knights vs Avalanche best bet: Nathan MacKinnon Over 4.5 shots (+115)

Nathan MacKinnonaveraged 5.66 shots on 11 shot attempts over three meetings with the Vegas Golden Knights. 

The Colorado Avalanche had just six power plays in total, so his output wasn't inflated by special teams. The tight whistle aligned with what we should see in a Conference Finals series, and MacKinnon still produced elite volume.

Expect more of the same in Game 1 at home. MacKinnon has generated five shots per game on 10.4 attempts through five contests in Colorado, and he has attempted 10+ shots in three of the last four. 

Golden Knights vs Avalanche Game 1 same-game parlay

Quality defensive teams haven't been able to slow Cale Makar down. He has averaged exactly one assist over 21 meetings with Top-10 shot suppression teams, picking up a helper in 16 of them. 

Carter Hart is not a goaltender the Avalanche should worry about. Home ice, coupled with an abundance of rest, should allow them to test him early and often in Game 1.

It's all about Jack Eichel on the Vegas side. He cleared 2.5 shots on goal in both appearances against Colorado this season, and has gone Over in eight of the last nine against the Avalanche.

Golden Knights vs Avalanche SGP

• Nathan MacKinnon Over 4.5 shots
• Cale Makar Over 0.5 assists
• Jack Eichel Over 2.5 shots

Golden Knights vs Avalanche odds for Game 1

• Moneyline: Golden Knights +155 | Avalanche -180
• Puck Line: Golden Knights +1.5 (-155) | Avalanche -1.5 (+135)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-130)

Golden Knights vs Avalanche trend

Colorado has hit the moneyline in 13 of the last 15 games (+10.35 units, 36% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Avalanche.

How to watch Golden Knights vs Avalanche Game 1

Golden Knights vs Avalanche latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

With the Colorado Avalanche facing off against the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals, it's going to be the first time these two teams have faced off against each other since the 2021 NHL Playoffs. Both teams can be seen as having taken different routes to reach the point where they now face off.

The Avalanche continued their regular-season dominance. The Los Angeles Kings, to no one's surprise, was a quick series, tight at times; though the Avalanche's talent overpowered the Kings. Though the Wild was a surprise to many others, as it was to me, for how quickly the series was.

 Many, including myself, thought the Avalanche would come out of the series as the winners, but five games were pretty quick for what the Wild just went through with the Stars. Though the Avalanche capitalized on the Wild's weak spots and used some unfortunate injuries to their depth to once again move past to the next round in five games.

Then there's the Knights, a team that struggled at times against two young Western Conference teams, the Utah Mammoth and the Anaheim Ducks, but regrouped as the series went on and capitalized on their weaknesses to close out the series.

There will be some key factors in this series if both teams want to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Goaltending Will Be Key.

Both teams' goaltending has had some ups and downs, but the Avalanche does have a tandem. The Knights have been reliant on Carter Hart for all 12 games they have played. Win or lose, no matter what, he is their guy, and as the playoffs have continued, he has shown he is getting better.

He enters the series with an 8-4 record with a .915% save percentage and a 2.37 goals against average, which are no numbers to scoff at for the Avalanche. Similar to the Kings, the Knights want to play a very slow, controlled-paced game, limiting the number of shots on goal attempts by the enemy team.

That is one big reason why, during their series against the Ducks and Mammoth, they couldn't keep up with the speed and youth of those teams; they were forced into a shootout, and giving credit where it's due, they won some of those games, but it can be a recipe for success for the Avalanche. 

The Avalanche needs to have all four lines rolling this series, constantly peppering Hart with shots. It's been a key reason the Avalanche are where they are today, thanks to their depth scoring, and it needs to be even more important in this one.

The Avalanche Just Sent A Terrifying Message To The Rest Of The NHLNathan MacKinnon delivered again, but it was Colorado’s relentless depth—shift after shift, wave after wave—that truly overwhelmed Minnesota and turned a tight playoff series into a statement of how dangerous this Avalanche team has become.

It goes the same for the Avalanche, goaltending-wise. They most likely run it back with Scott Wedgewood, given how well he played after his Game 4 loss to the Wild, but, again, to their advantage, if he can't find his rhythm, they have Mackenzie Blackwood to fall back on.

It will be interesting to see how this goaltending matchup plays out. I do believe now that the final four is set, that no matter who the Avalanche play, they have already faced the best goaltender in the playoffs, Jesper Wallstedt. It will be key to see if the Avalanche can force John Tortorella’s hand and pull Hart a game, forcing him to decide whether to start Adin Hill.

Capitalizing On Another Injury Affecting the Enemy’s Depth

The Wild took a major blow when they werent able to have Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Bordin in their lineup, hurting not only their defensive depth, which got exposed by the production from Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber, but also their center depth. In Vegas’s case, Mark Stone left Game 3 against the Ducks and didn’t play the rest of the series, and with his injury history, it could be a major flag for the Knights.

Here's the injury to Mark Stone that sent him to the locker room just before the 1st period ended. pic.twitter.com/PCx3WKe1n3

— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) May 9, 2026

Now the Knights did end up winning said series, but losing Stone, who had three goals and four assists for seven points leading up to the injury, hurts the team going forward. He is a major piece of their offense, a key playmaking winger in their top-six, and just a great captain on and off the ice. Now there are no reports as of writing on whether he's going to be ready or miss Game 1 or more of the series, but like Eriksson Ek, you can’t miss the opportunity to win the games where he is not in the lineup.

We have already seen players like Jack Eichel and especially Mitch Marner help carry the offensive load in his absence, but the defensive burden is also missing with Stone out of the lineup.

Why Vegas Might Be Colorado’s Most Dangerous Test YetThe Colorado Avalanche may have the NHL’s most dangerous roster, but the battle-tested Vegas Golden Knights possess the structure, physicality, and experience to turn the Western Conference Final into a brutal war of attrition.

Again, Marner has been outstanding for the Knights, putting up Conn Smyth-type numbers, but he can’t do it alone. Stone's absence from the lineup puts a lot of pressure on the top six to perform, and if the Avalanche can win the depth matchup, as they have so far in these playoffs, they need to capitalize on games without Stone. 

Can The Avalanche Get More Support From Those Struggling

Despite the amount of scoring the Avalanche have gotten from pretty much everyone up and down the lineup, there is still more room for production, and that comes from the top-six. While Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas have led the way with support from Gabriel Landeskog and Artturi Lehkonen, there could be more to expect from Valeri Nichushkin and especially Brock Nelson.

Chris MacFarland Makes His Case For GM Of The YearChris MacFarland’s series of calculated roster moves—headlined by the Mikko Rantanen trade, a goaltending overhaul, and deadline depth additions—have positioned the Avalanche as a legitimate Stanley Cup favorite and strengthened his case for GM of the Year.

Nichushkin only has one goal and two assists for three points, both of which came from the first two games of the Wild series. Nelson, on the other hand, has two goals and one assist for three points, one goal and one assist coming from the series against the Wild, and the other goal against the Kings.

The issue, once again, comes down to their cap hit relative to their production. We have seen both of these players come up big for the Avalanche, either during the regular season or, in Nichushkin's case, be a major factor in the playoffs. There are never any points to be made about back/fore-checking or making bad defensive plays.

It's just frustrating that they're not producing like we know they can, but once they start hitting the scoresheet consistently, it just adds another level to this Avalanche team.

Nicolas Roy’s Journey Has Come Full Circle Against VegasAfter two trades in less than a year, Nicolas Roy is back in the Western Conference Final — this time trying to stop the franchise where he won a Stanley Cup and built a career.

For the fifth time in nine years, the Vegas Golden Knights are in the Western Conference Final. If they want to advance to their third Stanley Cup Final, they’ll have to overcome a powerful and intimidating foe: the Colorado Avalanche.

Game 1 is on Wednesday. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. MT at Ball Arena.

The Avalanche won the President’s Trophy as the team with the best regular season record, and they’ve gone 8-1 this postseason. After matching up against the Utah Mammoth and the Anaheim Ducks in the first two rounds, the Avalanche are easily the biggest challenge Vegas has faced to date. However, there are three areas in which the Golden Knights hold an advantage.

1. Special Teams

The Avalanche are considerably better on the power play than they were in the regular season, which, admittedly, isn’t a high bar. During the regular season, the Avalanche scored 45 power play goals and allowed 13 shorthanded goals. In the postseason, the Avs have outscored their opponents 6-1 when on the power play.

The Golden Knights are no longer outsourcing their opponents while on the penalty kill. However, they’ve allowed just five goals and countered with four shorthanded strikes. Brett Howden became just the eighth player to record three shorthanded goals in a single postseason, and he and Mitch Marner don’t figure to slow down any time soon.

“When you hit the playoffs, special teams are important,” said head coach John Tortorella. “It’s one of the areas in a series where you concentrate on the other team– how they kill, how their power play plays. Because a lot of the 5-on-5, it’s just instinctive play… But the special teams, you really zero in on.”

2. Depth

It’s important to preface this statistic with a reminder that the Avalanche have played three fewer games than the Golden Knights. However, they’re also getting less production from lower in their lineup.

The Golden Knights have ten players with 5+ points; the Avalanche have nine. The Golden Knights have nine players with 6+ points; the Avalanche have seven. And the Golden Knights have six players with 9+ points; the Avalanche have two.

3. Goaltending

After struggling to keep the puck out of their net during the regular season, the Golden Knights are finally getting the stops they need from their goaltender. In 12 games played, Carter Hart is among the postseason leaders in nearly every statistic. He’s second in save percentage with a .912, and his 2.37 GAA is fourth among goaltenders who have played at least eight games.

The Avalanche face an interesting decision regarding who gets the starting nod. They’ve primarily turned to Scott Wedgewood this postseason, and he responded with a record of 7-1 and a .914 average save percentage. Mackenzie Blackwood has started their last three contests and recorded a .872 average save percentage.

The NHL isn't budging on the sanctions it dealt the Las Vegas Golden Knights for shirking its responsibilities with the media during the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The punishment handed out by the league to the Knights for "flagrant violations" of the NHL's postgame media policy during the postseason will remain as assessed after an appeal by the team, according to multiplereports on May 19.

The NHL announced earlier this week the Knights had to forfeit a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and coach John Tortorella was fined $100,000 after the franchise didn't open its locker room to reporters and Tortorella did not speak to the media at a postgame news conference after a Game 6 win over the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference semifinals.

EASTERN CONFERENCE: Canadiens outlast Sabres in Game 7 OT thriller, move on to conference finals

The league said its sanctions came after previous warnings were issued to the Knights regarding their compliance with the league's media policies. The team's appeal hearing occurred May 19 in New York, according to the reports. Some players did speak from the podium after Game 6, according to ESPN.

The Knights said in a statement after the penalties were announced that the team would have no further comment on the matter. Tortorella also had no comment when asked about the controversy by reporters for the first time since the end of the conference semifinals on May 16.

Tortorella took over as the the coach in Las Vegas after the franchise fired Bruce Cassidy in late March. The Knights open the Western Conference finals against the Colorado Avalanche on May 20.

The Knights were already without their first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft after acquiring defenseman Noah Hanifin in 2024.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Las Vegas Golden Knights lose draft pick over NHL rules violation

Only three former Vancouver Canucks players remain in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with Jalen Chatfield of the Carolina Hurricanes and Nic Dowd and Ben Hutton of the Vegas Golden Knights making it past the second round. Four ex-Canucks were eliminated during the second round of the post-season. 

Eastern Conference: 

Jalen Chatfield, Carolina Hurricanes

Chatfield and the Hurricanes knocked out both a former Canucks player and head coach on their way to the 2026 Eastern Conference Final, eliminating Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Noah Juulsen and head coach Rick Tocchet via series sweep. Chatfield, who played for Vancouver during the 2020–21 season, scored his first goal of this year’s post-season in a 4–1 Game 3 win against the Flyers. Carolina will face the Montréal Canadiens, who knocked out former Canucks and current Buffalo Sabres Tanner Pearson and Luke Schenn, in the Eastern Conference Final. 

Eastern Conference Final Schedule: 

Game 1: May 21, 5:00 pm PT 

Game 2: May 23, 4:00 pm PT 

Game 3: May 25, 5:00 pm PT 

Game 4: May 27, 5:00 pm PT

*Game 5: May 29, 5:00 pm PT 

*Game 6: May 31, TBD 

*Game 7: June 2, 5:00 pm PT 

Western Conference: 

Nic Dowd, Ben Hutton, & John Tortorella, Vegas Golden Knights 

Dowd, Hutton, and Vegas head coach Tortorella defeated the Anaheim Ducks in six games to advance to the third-round, making them the only former Canucks to be taking part in this year’s Western Conference Final. While Dowd has been in the lineup for Vegas’ entire playoff run, Hutton made his post-season debut in Game 1 of the Golden Knights’ second-round series. Vegas will take on a Colorado Avalanche team that eliminated former Canucks captain Quinn Hughes and the Minnesota Wild. 

Western Conference Final Schedule: 

Game 1: May 20, 5:00 pm PT

Game 2: May 22, 5:00 pm PT

Game 3: May 24, 5:00 pm PT

Game 4: May 26, TBD 

*Game 5: May 28, 5:00 pm PT

*Game 6: May 30, 5:00 pm PT

*Game 7: June 1, 5:00 pm PT 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Vancouver Canucks 2026 NHL Draft Target: William Håkansson

Former Canucks In The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Pearson, Schenn & Buffalo Eliminated By Montréal

Canucks Co-President Henrik Sedin Wants To 'Build A Team That The Fans Can Be Proud Of'

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 or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Montreal Canadiens are off to the Eastern Conference Final after defeating the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7 of the second round.

Alex Newhook was the hero for the Canadiens in this one, as he scored the series-clinching goal in overtime with a nice wrist shot on the rush. 

With this overtime winner, Newhook also made some NHL history.

According to NHL Public Relations, Newhook is now just the second player in the history of the NHL to score multiple Game 7 series-clinching goals in the same post-season. The only other player to achieve this was Nathan Horton, who did so with the Boston Bruins back in 2011 during their Stanley Cup championship run. 

This achievement shows just how clutch of a player Newhook has become this post-season. The 25-year-old forward is continuing to show the Canadiens that they made the right call acquiring him from the Colorado Avalanche during the 2023 NHL off-season.

With his Game 7 overtime winner against the Sabres, Newhook now has seven goals and nine points in 14 games this post-season for the Canadiens. This included him scoring six goals and recording seven points in the Canadiens' series against Buffalo alone. 

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

With the NHL conference finals set to begin on Wednesday, oddsmakers believe that the Colorado Avalanche are in line to become the next Stanley Cup champions.

The Avalanche lead BetMGM’s Stanley Cup odds board at +135, yet their hoisting the trophy would be a positive outcome for the sportsbook.

Key Takeaways

• Only one remaining team, the Canadiens, began the year with odds longer than +1200.
  
  
• The Canadiens beat the Hurricanes in all three regular-season matchups. 
  
  
• Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is the odds leader and most popular pick to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Stanley Cup Odds

The Avalanche most recently won the Stanley Cup in the 2021-22 season. They’re down to +135 at BetMGM after opening the season at +800, the third-shortest of all teams and only behind the Edmonton Oilers (+650) and the Florida Panthers (+750).

Colorado continues to appeal to bettors; 17.7% of tickets and 23.7% percent of the money wagered in the Stanley Cup futures market were on the Avalanche, both the leading amounts in their respective categories.

While the Avalanche have been the most popular pick to win the league championship, the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t far behind in odds. Sitting at +175 after opening at +900, they have 8.3% of bets (second) and 10.5% of the pot (third) backing them.

While the Avalanche have been the most popular pick to win the league championship, the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t far behind in odds. Sitting at +175 after opening at +900, they have 8.3% of bets (second) and 10.5% of the pot (third) backing them.

The two remaining teams — the Vegas Golden Knights and the Montreal Canadiens — are much further down the board.

One of those teams, the Knights, has still remained quite popular with bettors. The 2022-23 champions are +575 in odds to win the Stanley Cup after opening the season at +1200. They have 7.3% of wagers (third) and 11% of the money (second) supporting them. 

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy also has a $100,000 ticket placed at +650 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook riding on the Golden Knights. A win would pay a $750,000 total prize.

Davey Pucks Activated. #dkpartnerpic.twitter.com/0FEgl3LV3p

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) May 3, 2026

The final remaining team is the Canadiens, who are +600 after opening the year at a whopping +8000. Only 10 of the league’s 30 teams had longer odds when players took the ice for the first time last October.

The Canadiens aren’t just fighting the oddsmakers, they’re also fighting the public consensus. Their 4.5% of tickets and 3.6% of the handle are both the lowest of the remaining teams and rank ninth among all teams in both categories.  

Odds to win the Stanley Cup at @BetMGM

▪️ Avalanche +135
▪️ Hurricanes +175
▪️ Golden Knights +575
▪️ Canadiens +600@GoldenKnights are the only remaining liability on the future market@Canes are the best outcome

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

— John Ewing (@johnewing) May 19, 2026

Does the past predict the future?

The Golden Knights and the Canadiens are both +200 series underdogs, while the Avalanche and the Hurricanes are both -250 series favorites in the conference finals, per BetMGM sportsbook.

No team has been better in the playoffs than the Hurricanes, who swept the Ottawa Senators and the Philadelphia Flyers in consecutive series. On the flip side, the Canadiens went seven games with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres, and needed overtime to grab a win against the Sabres in Game 7 on Monday.

Despite the series odds heavily tilting one way, the Hurricanes lost all three of their regular-season matchups with the Canadiens by an aggregate score of 15-8.

Out west, the Avalanche have only dropped one game in the playoffs, a Game 3 second-round defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Wild. The Knights went six games with both the Utah Mammoth and the Anaheim Ducks, although they won seven of their last nine games on the ice.

The Knights did not have the same luck against their favored opponent as the Canadiens, losing two of three regular-season matchups with the Avalanche. The lone win was the most recent matchup on April 11, which ended in overtime, 3-2.

Conn Smythe odds

With the Avalanche in pole position to win the Stanley Cup, center Nathan MacKinnon is the Conn Smythe Trophy odds leader (+170) and most popular pick for BetMGM users, with 22% of tickets and 27.5% of the handle. Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen is second in odds (+400) but far behind in support from bettors, receiving 5.7% of wagers (second) and 8.1% of the pot (third). 

The most popular underdog pick is Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner, who is third in odds at +900. He only has 5% of bets, but he also generated 17.6% of the money wagered in this market (second).

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

If the Edmonton Oilers are holding out hope that the Vegas Golden Knights will eventually decide to let former head coach Bruce Cassidy interview, or that the NHL might step in should Vegas not do so, there is some potentially bad news. 

Vegas has not allowed teams like Edmonton or the Los Angeles Kings to interview Cassidy. It's also not known if Toronto has asked. The Golden Knights have withheld and exercised their right to say no while Cassidy remains under contract. 

On Frankly Hockey on Monday, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported the following:

“The league is not going to overrule the Golden Knights here. Contract law and contract language are just that. They, I believe, have a clear stance in the League office that if Vegas wants to go to the mat here and not grant permission for Bruce Cassidy to speak to a division rival, then that is their right to do so, so long as they continue to pay the four and a half million dollars that are owed to Bruce Cassidy for next year.”

Trending Stories:

Oilers Fire Head Coach Kris Knoblauch, Mark Stuart Also Gone

Oilers' Stan Bowman Talks Coaching Change: Key Takeaways From His Media Availability

He adds, “If that’s the cheque they want to write to not have Bruce Cassidy, they believe, make the Oilers better next year, the league, there’s not much they can do, even if it defies custom and norms.”

Whether related or unrelated, the Oilers have also begun making requests to interview other candidates. Among them is Craig Berube, the former Maple Leafs head coach. It is being reported he would have interest, but there is a lot of pushback in Edmonton amongst the fan base and local media. 

All the while, Seravalli is also reporting that the Golden Knights have appealed sanctions for violation of media access policy. Their appeal was heard on Tuesday morning in-person in New York. Servalli notes, "The penalties currently stand as originally assessed. We'll see if Commissioner Bettman decides to reduce upon consideration." 

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.

The Montreal Canadiens live to see another day.

On Monday, May 18, center Alex Newhook scored in overtime to secure a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in a decisive Game 7. That fateful tally sends the Habs to the Eastern Conference Finals where they’ll face off against Sebastian Aho’s Carolina Hurricanes.

Carolina, who wrapped their sweep of the Flyers way back on May 9, have home ice advantage and will host Games 1 and 2 as well as 5 and 7 — if the series goes that far — at their home Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC.

Showdowns at Montreal’s historic Centre Bell are scheduled to go down on:

Game 3Monday, May 25
8 p.m.

Game 4Wednesday, May 27
8 p.m.

Game 6Sunday, May 31
TBD

If you’d like to be there, tickets are available for all three potential games at the Bell Centre.

At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on tickets for any one Canadiens home contest was $651 including fees on SeatGeek.

Prices start at $218 including fees for games at Raleigh’s Lenovo Center.

This will be the Canadiens’ first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2021 when they took down the Vegas Golden Knights in six. As fans likely recall, they lost in five games to the Lightning after that.

Last year, they fell prey to the Capitals in the first round.

“What we’re going through right now, you can’t buy that,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “It’s amazing. I’m so happy for the players to live that.”

On Carolina’s end, this is their fourth trip to the ECF in the past eight seasons. Only thing is, they’ve yet to get over that hump and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. Adding insult to injury, the Canadiens won all three regular season games against Rod Brind’Amour’s club.

Is this the ‘Canes year? Or will the Habs make a push for their first Stanley Cup victory since 1993?

While we can’t say for certain, we do know the best way to find out is live and in person.

For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes 2026 NHL Eastern Conference Finals below.

Montreal Canadiens playoff home game tickets

All Canadiens playoff home game dates at the Bell Centre and the cheapest tickets available can be found here:

Montreal Canadiens home game dates	Ticket prices start at
Game 3 Monday, May 25	$697(including fees)
Game 4 Wednesday, May 27	$651(including fees)
Game 6 Sunday, May 31	$683(including fees)

Carolina Hurricanes playoff home game tickets

A complete calendar including all announced Hurricanes Eastern Conference Finals home game dates at the Lenovo Center and the best prices on tickets are listed below.

Buffalo Sabres home game dates	Ticket prices start at
Game 1 Thursday, May 21	$218(including fees)
Game 2 Saturday, May 23	$278(including fees)
Game 5 Friday, May 29	$277(including fees)
Game 7 Tuesday, June 2	$309(including fees)

How to watch the Canadiens and Hurricanes on TV

Fans hoping to catch St. Louis’ stacked squad on the tube can watch all playoff games on TNT and TruTV in the US or Sportsnet and CBC in Canada.

Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.

If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.

2026 NHL playoff schedule

Want to keep tabs on how the postseason is shaking out?

Check out the NHL’s 2026 Playoff Bracket here.

Huge concerts at the Bell Centre in 2026

Not sure what to do once the final buzzer sounds on the 2025-26 NHL season?

The Bell Centre has you covered.

The vintage arena has booked a number of exciting acts to entertain audiences all summer (and fall) long.

Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.

• Evanescence with Spiritbox (June 30)

• Tame Impala with Djo (July 22)

• Five Finger Death Punch (Aug. 1)

• Avenged Sevenfold with Good Charlotte (Aug. 8)

• RUSH (Sept. 2, 4)

Want to see who else is visiting Montreal? Check out this list of all the upcoming events at the Bell Centre to find the show for you.

---

Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post

This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

---

The Buffalo Sabres were the better club for most of their Game 7 match with the Montreal Canadiens, but in spite of outshooting the Habs 39-25, the Sabres sluggish and tentative first period had them playing catch-up for the rest of the game. Buffalo came back to tie the game in the third period, but midway through the first overtime, Habs playoff hero Alex Newhook scored his seventh goal of the postseason to send Montreal to the Eastern Conference Final with a 3-2 win at KeyBank Center on Monday. 

The loss was as devastating for the Sabres as it was filled with jubilation for the Canadiens, as Buffalo was not on the favorable end of a pair of controversial calls. Phillip Danault’s opening goal went off the Habs center’s right skate, but after being reviewed by league, it was not deemed to be directed into the net with a distinct kicking motion. After Rasmus Dahlin tied the game in the third, the Sabres appeared to take the lead, as Jordan Greenway jabbed at the puck under Dobes pads, but the referee blew the play dead just as Greenway knocked the puck loose for linemate Beck Malenstyn to push it over the goal line. 

The Sabres THOUGHT they scored the go-ahead goal but Wes McCauley's whistle was blown a SPLIT second before it went in 😵‍💫 pic.twitter.com/DoORVtzlqu

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 19, 2026

"I thought it was a little bit of a quick whistle, and because you can always go back and look at those,” Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said after the game. But, (I) didn't really get an explanation on it.”

The Sabres had opportunities in overtime, including a Tage Thompson odd-man break where he attempted a toe-drag past the Montreal defenders and Dobes, but a turnover by Dahlin and Thompson at the blueline led to a Montreal counterattack, where Newhook knuckled the puck past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to end Buffalo’s season. 

"I think we said at the start of this series it was going to be two really good teams playing. We had some momentum swings. You get to overtime, we had a couple of really good chances when we had the chances in our hands. Those are the opportunities that you hope you get. We just didn't finish." Ruff said. "We had a couple great opportunities, even in the third, the Helenius toe(drag) glove save that almost went. I think the the ice was fairly tilted, we had a lot of opportunities to make a difference in the game."

Other comments after the game:

 Rasmus Dahlin on the game-winning goal:

“That was on me. I can’t do that.”

Dahlin on the overall game:

“We could have scored a few more. (Dobes) made some good saves. It comes down to small things. Today, they got the bounces.”

Dahlin on the emotions of the season ending the way it did:

“It sucks.”

On the tying goal and the set-up by Owen Power:

"Great play by him, it wasn't enough though."

How hard is it to see the season end the way it did:

 "It's one shot that decides the whole season, it sucks."

Can you appreciate the success this club had during the season and the fan reaction after the game?

“Not right now. Tomorrow, I will appreciate more things” 

Tage Thompson:

"It's tough. I thought we played hard all year to get to this point. I don't think anyone in this room felt like we were done yet. Just disappointed." 

“I thought we played a really good game, which makes it even tougher of a taste. Had a lot of chances. (Luukkonen) played great, kept it tight for us, and claw our way back into it, and felt like we had all the momentum, just couldn't score. (I) really thought that was gonna end different.”

 "We were feeling good in here, tons of confidence in this room. I think everyone in here felt like this was going to end different, and probably felt like we deserved a little better outcome, but it's the way it goes sometimes, and we just got to unfortunately take that taste with us into the summer and do something about it." 

The Sabres players will hold locker cleanout media availabilities on Tuesday and Wednesday, with Ruff and GM Jarmo Kekalainen's availabilities later in the week. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

The puzzle pieces of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2026 draft capital are finally locking into place.

Following the Buffalo Sabres’ heartbreaking Game 7 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the draft order for the non-finalist postseason teams has officially crystallized. For the Maple Leafs, Buffalo’s elimination confirms exactly when they will be making their second selection of the summer: locking them into the 59th overall pick.

If the path to acquiring that selection sounds complicated, that’s because it is.

The Maple Leafs originally acquired the asset from the Los Angeles Kings as part of the return package for forward Scott Laughton back in March. Originally structured as a 2026 third-round pick, the asset included a conditional trigger: if the Kings qualified for the 2026 postseason, the pick would automatically upgrade to the Sabres’ second-rounder. Los Angeles held the Sabres’ natural second-round pick via a previous transaction, that specific selection has now been diverted to Toronto.

When determining the NHL Draft order, the league operates backwards from the postseason results. The Stanley Cup champion picks 32nd, the runner-up picks 31st, and the conference finalists fill out spots 29 and 30 based on regular-season records. From there, the remaining 12 playoff teams are ordered by their regular-season point totals. With Buffalo bowed out in the second round, their regular-season finish officially locks their slot at No. 59.

For a Maple Leafs front office trying to restock an incredibly bare prospect cupboard, securing a concrete second-round asset can help.

Going into this season, Toronto’s draft pick outlook was bleak, to say the least. Trade deadline deals in 2025 saw management ship away their own consecutive first-round picks to the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers in desperate pushes for a deep playoff run. 

But fortunes change quickly in the National Hockey League. Thanks to a monumental stroke of luck at the NHL Draft Lottery earlier this month, where the Leafs defied the odds and jumped from the No. 5 spot to the No. 1 overall position, Toronto is suddenly anchored by a potential franchise-altering first-round prize.

Now, with Buffalo’s finalized 58th pick safely in their back pocket, the Leafs possess two swings in the top 60. It may not completely fix a depleted prospect pipeline overnight, but it gives management some much-needed flexibility when the draft floor opens in June.

Montreal Canadiens’ coach Martin St-Louis is normally pretty even-keeled, but on Monday night, after his young Habs eliminated the Buffalo Sabres in overtime, the former NHLer was visibly emotive. When Alex Newhook scored the game-winning goal, the coach, after shaking hands with his assistants and the rest of the Canadiens’ staff behind the bench, headed on the ice and walked over towards the opponent’s net slowly. Looking to the heavens, the coach looked like he was soaking in the moment.

After shaking hands with the Sabres at center ice and celebrating the win with his players in the room, the man in charge headed to the podium to speak to the media. After a few routine questions, RDS Francois Gagnon asked St-Louis what that moment was about, and the coach said with watery eyes and a voice that was cracking:

I spoke to my mother a lot during overtime…That’s really what it was.

Newhook’s Big Goal Sends Canadiens Through To Third Round
Canadiens: The Pressure Is On St-Louis
Canadiens: A Fairytale Worthy Experience Despite The Nightmarish Ending

The coach lost his mother during the 2013-14 playoffs, to a heart attack, a sudden death that nobody saw coming at the age of 63. Back then, he was still a player and his team, the New York Rangers, was playing against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the playoffs.

The Blueshirts moved on to the third round, where they faced the Habs. That allowed him and his team to attend the funeral, just like the Canadiens also did back then. The Rangers then eliminated the Sainte-Flanelle to move on to the Stanley Cup Final, but in Game 4 of that series against the Habs, the man who would later coach them scored an overtime game-winner. If his late mother had a hand in the Habs’ elimination back in 2014, she made up for it on Monday night when she helped her son through a stressful overtime win.

---

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

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here.