Apr 23, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (22) celebrates with team his goal scored in the first period against the Ottawa Senators in game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn
Marc DesRosiers/Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
OTTAWA, Ontario — Jackson Blake broke a tie late in the second period, Frederik Andersen made 21 saves and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Ottawa Senators 2-1 to take a 3-0 lead in the first-round series.
The top team in the Eastern Conference in the regular season, the Hurricanes can wrap up the series in Ottawa.
“You just want to keep taking steps,” Andersen said. “That was a really good grind.”
Logan Stankoven also scored for Carolina, and Taylor Hall had two assists.
Hall and linemates Stankoven and Blake have combined for 13 points in the series.
“They’ve been really special,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “They’re contributing and putting goals up for us.”
Drake Batherson scored for Ottawa, and Linus Ullmark stopped 25 shots.
Only four teams in NHL history have overcome a 3-0 series deficit.
“Pretty frustrating, but we’ve got to find a way,” Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk said. “We’ve never quit all season … got to step up to the occasion.”
Ottawa defenseman Jake Sanderson left in the second period after taking an illegal check to the head from Hall.
Stankoven opened the scoring at 5:13 of the first period with his third goal of the series. He beat Ullmark with a one-timer from the left side.
Batherson tied it with 3:54 left in the second, taking a pass from Nick Cousins in the slot, moving left and flipping a backhander past Andersen.
Blake countered 1:23 later, putting the puck in the open right side off a feed from defenseman K’Andre Miller.
Ottawa was 0 for 5 on the power play and generated just four shots on target — including 1:38 of 5 on 3 when Andersen had to make a solitary save — on the way to falling to 0 for 12 in the series.
“Didn’t really create anything, no momentum, nothing,” Senators center Tim Stutzle said. ”(We’ve) got to make quicker plays.”
In Game 2 in Raleigh, Jordan Martinook scored in the second overtime in a 3-2 victory. The Hurricanes won the opener 2-0.
Apr 23, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) reacts after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the third period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Brian Fluharty/Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
BOSTON — Bowen Byram scored a minute after Boston missed a penalty shot, and Alex Tuch broke a third-period tie to help Buffalo come from behind and beat the Bruins 3-1 to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.
Alex Lyon stopped 24 shots in his first start of the postseason and the Sabres, who snapped an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought by winning the Atlantic Division, regained home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 in Boston, with the Bruins needing a win to assure themselves of another home game.
Jeremy Swayman made 25 saves, and Tanner Jeannot scored early in the second period for the Bruins as they opened the scoring for the third straight game. But they missed a chance to go up 2-0 when Viktor Arvidsson’s penalty shot went wide.
“Definitely a turning point,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said.
Boston had a chance to go up 2-0 when Mattias Samuelsson’s stick broke right in front of the Buffalo net, for a turnover that gave Arvidsson an open lane on the net. Rasmus Dahlin took him down, leading to a penalty shot.
Arvidsson circled wide and came in slowly but Lyon left him no opening.
“I try not to overthink the penalty shot too much,” Lyon said. “Kind of the same situation as the shootout and just try to kind of be in the moment. That’s when practice comes through. So you’ve just got to trust your instincts and lean on those.”
About a minute later, Byram one-timed a shot past Swayman to tie it.
“Yes, it was a big swing. Absolutely,” Bruins coach Marco Sturm said. “The bench was not the same, let’s put it that way.”
Tuch made it 2-1 when he grabbed a loose puck and fired it past a screened goalie, and Noah Ostlund added an empty-netter with 1:24 left.
The teams split the first two games in Buffalo, with Boston taking the lead both times before Buffalo rallied in the last half of the third period. In Game 1, the Sabres came back to win 4-3, but they were too far back after a 4-0 deficit in Game 2 and lost 4-2.
The early struggles doomed Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to backup. He won the playoff starting job by closing the regular season 12-2-1 but was pulled after allowing the fourth goal early in the third period on Tuesday night.
Lyon went 20-10-4 during the season.
“I think getting in for a few minutes of the last game was really helpful,” he said. “Before that, it was probably two weeks since I had played. So just to get the feel of the game, I think that set me up nicely for today.”
Buffalo continued to struggle on the power play. After failing to score on the last 22 chances in the regular season, the Sabres have misfired on their first 13 man advantages in the series, including four Thursday.
“Our power play let Swayman off the hook,” Ruff said. “But there was some good stuff there. And both goaltenders made some big saves at key times.”
Up next
Game 4 is Sunday before the series shifts back to Buffalo for Game 5 on Tuesday night.
With a 4-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 on Thursday, the Kings now face elimination and could get swept on Sunday in Game 4.
Los Angeles, which was a heavy underdog against Colorado going into this series, has put up a respectable fight so far. They've been able to shut down the Avs' star players for the most part, but haven't been able to execute on the other side of the ice.
One reason for that could be that the Kings have been one of the least threatening teams offensively all season long, finishing with the fourth fewest goals scored in the regular season. But another glaring problem stands in the Avalanche's crease, goaltender Scott Wedgewood.
Wedgewood has been incredibly sound in this post-season so far. Across those first three outings, he's statistically been the second-best goaltender in the NHL.
The 33-year-old netminder recorded three victories, as well as a .946 save percentage and a 1.28 goals-against average.
Scott Wedgewood stopping Quinton Byfield (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)
Among goaltenders who have made more than one start in these Stanley Cup playoffs so far, only Frederik Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes has been more impressive.
Wedgewood has had an answer to nearly every single question the Kings have thrown at him and the Avalanche, and that's why they're one win away from moving on to the second round. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is still looking for its first victory of the post-season.
It's a shame because the Kings have outdone themselves defensively. Game 3 was the first time they gave up more than two goals, and one of them was an empty-netter by Brock Nelson.
The Kings' goaltender, Anton Forsberg, also deserves his flowers for his performance in this series and the season overall. He's posted a .922 SP and a 2.28 GAA in three playoff games.
With that, Nelson, Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas and Nazem Kadri all have just one point after three games. Wedgewood has truly been the team's MVP to this point if one had to be named.
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Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen, right, celebrates with right wing Logan O'Connor after scoring a short-handed goal during Game 3 of their first-round series against the Kings Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Kings coach D.J. Smith gave his team the day off Friday, but he sent his players home with a message: if they don’t show up for work Sunday, they’ll have the rest of the spring and summer off, too.
Players don’t like to call any game a “must-win” because of the pressure it brings, but there’s no other way to look at Sunday’s game for the Kings. After losing the first three games of their best-of-seven playoff series with the Colorado Avalanche, the Kings are one loss away from being eliminating in the first round for a fifth consecutive season.
“Must-win game,” agreed defenseman Drew Doughty, who hasn’t played on a winning team in a playoff series since the Kings last won the Stanley Cup in 2014. “Everyone's going to give everything and we’ve got to win that one. And then hopefully go back to Denver.”
The most recent loss came Thursday when the Avalanche scored two fluky goals on pucks that bounced in off the skates of Kings players and put another one into an empty net in a 4-2 victory that pushed the Kings to the brink of elimination.
“You don’t like the result,” Smith said. “And it’s tough to swallow.”
For Colorado, the best team in the NHL during the regular season, it hasn’t been the most stylish of postseasons. But after a pair of hard-fought 2-1 wins at home, the Avalanche have a chance to sweep a playoff series for the first time since 2022, when they won their last Stanley Cup.
“All the games have been tight. We’re right there,” forward Quinton Byfield said. “Each guy, including myself, we just have to give a little bit more.
“We're doing the right things, we just have to dig in a little bit more."
It’s hard to say how. The Kings’ power play has been good, scoring a goal in each of the three games, and their penalty kill even better, shutting out the top-scoring team in the NHL on nine tries with a man advantage.
The Kings have been physical and fast and goaltender Anton Forsberg has been brilliant in his first career playoff series, making 90 saves in the three games. Yet none of that has paid off with a win.
“Sometimes you play real well for stretches and you don’t get the results. And then you’ll win a game you don’t deserve to win,” Smith said. “Maybe we didn’t stay with it long enough.”
“Those games are over with,” a frustrated Byfield added. “You can’t look back at those games. It’s just on to the next one, that’s our focus.”
Doughty said the Kings need to wear down the Avalanche, something they clearly couldn’t do in the two games played in Denver’s mile-high altitude. They might have a better chance Sunday at sea level.
“I don’t think we’re creating enough Grade-A chances,” he said. “They’re statistically one of the best teams in the neutral zone. So for us to beat them, we’ve got to wear them down in the D zone, make them tired and score goals that way. We haven't done that enough.”
Every team has its kryptonite and for the Kings that appears to be the first round of the playoffs. Over the past dozen seasons, the team has gone 9-27 in the postseason, taking a series to a seventh game just once in six tries. Along the way they’ve changed general mangers twice, changed head coaches five times and even changed their opponents, facing the Avalanche this year after losing four straight series to the Edmonton Oilers.
None of that has changed the results.
Smith, in fact, is an interim coach, having taken over for Jim Hiller with 23 games left in the regular season. He figures to be coaching for his future Sunday since a playoff sweep won’t look good on his resume.
“There’s no quit in there,” Smith said of the Kings’ locker room. “We’ll get reset with practice [Saturday] and I think you’re going to see our best effort.
“Now we’ve got to make a few changes and see if we can spark something.”
If that works, the Kings will be heading back to Denver. If it doesn’t, they’ll be heading home for another long summer.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 22: Owen Tippett #74 of the Philadelphia Flyers celebrates his empty net goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Flyers defeated the Penguins 5-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins face their first truly must win game of the season tomorrow night in Philadelphia. If they can do that, they would have another in Pittsburgh on Monday. If they won that, it’d be another must win situation setup for Game 6 in Philadelphia. If somehow they won that too, then there would be a Game 7 back in Pittsburgh.
As we all know the odds of that happening, realistically, are grim right now. Perhaps even non-existent. The Pens have been outplayed in any and every facet over the first three games, and the only time they were leading a game got thrown away due to a post-whistle scrum that quickly put them back behind. The goaltending has been spotty, and certainly much better for the other club. The adjustments made have made little difference. We could go on and on, but you probably get the picture and have already accepted that Pittsburgh’s impressive season is coming to a shockingly ugly end.
With that dose of reality out of the way, why not dream a little? It’s Friday, there’s no game today and 0-3 comebacks (completed or attempted) are on the rise in hockey. It’s still a fact that the series is almost a foregone conclusion – teams up 3 games to 0 have ended up winning 209 out of 213 times in NHL history in a stat from the Tribune Review, but that doesn’t necessarily mean all the drama has to be over just yet.
No one would know that better than Stuart Skinner. In 2024, the Edmonton Oilers fell down 3-0 to the Florida Panthers. Skinner, of course, was the goalie for the Oilers back then. Edmonton won the next three games to force a Game 7. They’d lose 2-1 to come so close to the ‘reverse sweep’ of winning four straight games after falling into a big hole.
“Playoffs are intense,” Skinner said. “There’s a lot of pressure, a lot of noise going on everywhere. I feel like when you go down 3-0, what really helped me in my experience was it kind of just frees you up. You don’t really have anything to lose. And we’re in a spot where we don’t have anything to lose, and they do. If we catch them a couple times — just talking about momentum — you can change momentum, and when that happens, things can go in your favor.”
By the way, Skinner’s performances in Games 4-7 of the ‘24 Stanley Cup Final were outstanding. He only allowed seven goals over the four games (1.76 GAA) and posted a .935 save%, he played some extremely great hockey with his back to the wall, so his words about getting freed from the pressure sound like they worked. It’s not like the first round against the Flyers carries the same burdens of playing for a Canadian team in the SCF where every question is built around if Connor McDavid can ever win ‘his’ Cup, so who knows how much that will change the performance this time around. At this point that sounds like one of the best straws to grasp at that at least the Penguins have a goalie who has been in this exact situation before and handled it extremely well.
The most recent time for a 0-3 series comeback in the NHL dates back to 2014, when the Los Angeles Kings pulled the trick against the San Jose Sharks in the first round. The Kings would go onto win the Stanley Cup that year. It’s crazy to think how close that was to going out the window in the very opening games of the playoffs, which goes to provide yet another instance of just how thins the margins are in the NHL this time of year between winning and losing.
Back in 2011, there were two close calls: the Sharks almost blew a 3-0 lead against Detroit, but SJ held on and earned a Game 7 victory. In that very same year and round, the then-defending Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks dropped an overtime Game 7 to fall just short of making an 0-3 comeback of their own against Vancouver at the very same time the SJ/DET series was going on.
The year prior, in 2010, Philadelphia was able to overcome a 0-3 deficit to the Boston Bruins in the conference semifinals and advance. There must have been something in the water during that 2010-14 time frame with a couple close calls (Detroit and Chicago in ‘11) and then a pair of successful comebacks (LA in ’14 and Philadelphia in ‘10) all happening in the same period.
For historical completion, the Penguins have been involved in a 0-3 series comeback, albeit on the wrong end. The NY Islanders made the massive comeback in 1975, serving as a sore spot for the franchise for many years, especially considering that ‘75 series made for a recurring trivia note since it was the only time from 1943-2009 that an NHL team blew a 3-0 series lead. The time before that, in 1942, was the Stanley Cup Final where Toronto pulled the comeback against Detroit.
It sounds daunting to even consider the Penguins joining those groups of teams to make a run. Based on the numbers (209 out of 213) it’s obvious a lot of these series are bound to conclude in four or five games when it gets to this situation. Just call it some Friday morning optimism that just because the vast majority of these instances are foregone conclusions doesn’t necessarily mean it’s unprecedented.
“We have to win a hockey game,” Dan Muse said. “So, we’ll have a practice [Friday], get ready for that game. Then, we’ll go into that game, we need to win a game. And so, that’s entirely where the focus is right now.”
Climbing out of an 0-3 hole is sort of like that old saying about eating an elephant. It has to be done one bite at a time. Game 4 is that first bite. Win that, extend the season and earn the chance to take that next bite in Game 5. It’s easier said than done but the Penguins still have an opportunity available to go down a path that exists for teams to at least make a run at pulling the reverse sweep.
Ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline, the Chicago Blackhawks acquired forward Andrew Mangiapane and a 2027 first-round pick from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach. Mangiapane was thrown into this deal for salary cap purposes.
It was a tough 2025-26 season for Mangiapane. In 52 games with Edmonton before being traded to Chicago, he had seven goals and 14 points. He then had one goal and one assist in 10 games for the Blackhawks. With this, he finished the season with eight goals and 16 points in 62 games, which is far below expectations from the 30-year-old forward.
While Mangiapane had a tough year, the possibility of him bouncing back next season, whether he remains with the Blackhawks or plays elsewhere, should not be ruled out. In 2024-25 with the Washington Capitals, he had 14 goals and 28 points in 81 games. He also recorded at least 40 points from 2021-22 to 2023-24.
With this, Mangiapane has shown many times during his career that he can provide solid secondary offensive production when playing at his best. It is going to be interesting to see what kind of season Mangiapane can have in 2026-27 from here.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a very challenging spot, as they are down 3-0 in their series against the Philadelphia Flyers. If they hope to have any chance of reverse-sweeping the Flyers, they are going to need all of their top players to be on their A-game from here.
This includes Penguins forward Anthony Mantha, who has had a slow start to the playoffs. In three games so far this postseason, Mantha has zero points to go along with a minus-4 rating. With this, the 6-foot-5 winger has gone cold offensively, and the Penguins absolutely need him to regain his scoring touch from here.
When looking at how well Mantha played during the regular season, he certainly has the potential to heat back up for Pittsburgh. In 81 games this regular season, he set new career highs with 33 goals, 31 assists, and 64 points. With numbers like these, he was a notable reason behind the Penguins getting into the playoffs. Now, Pittsburgh needs him to snap his cold streak and regain his top form.
It will be interesting to see how Mantha performs for the Penguins in Game 4 from here.
The countdown has started in less than eight hours, and the Bell Centre sound system will blast Fix You as the Montreal Canadiens players take to the ice for Game 3 of their first-round battle with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The young Habs came very close to coming back home with a 2-0 lead in the series, but when Lane Hutson hit the post late in Game 2, the team was deflated. So much so that in overtime, the Sainte-Flanelle couldn’t even muster a single shot while the Bolts peppered Jakub Dobes’ net.
Not shooting in overtime can only lead to one result: a loss. Even if Kirby Dach didn’t ice the puck and stopped playing for a fraction of a second in the ensuing defensive zone faceoff, the Canadiens would still have lost eventually. It couldn’t have been any other way without attacking. The two teams are now back to square one, tied 1-1, 70% of the time, the team that wins Game 3 of a best-of-seven duel wins the series. Will the young Canadiens be able to put the deflating end of Game 2 behind them and move on?
Historically, in the third game of a series, the Bolts have a strong record: 23-16 overall for a .590 winning percentage. On the road, they are even better with a 14-7 record for a .667 winning percentage. When a series is tied at one all, they have 13 series wins and only 7 series losses for a .650 winning percentage.
Meanwhile, the Habs have a 74-51 record in the third game of a series for a .592 winning percentage. At home, they are 24-21 in third games for a .533 winning percentage. When a series is tied at 1-1, they have 24 series wins and 19 series losses, for a .558 winning percentage, but they are 12-9 when the series started on the road for a .571 winning percentage.
Those numbers only reflect what has happened in the past, though. This new iteration of the Canadiens is keen to write its own story, and it starts by bouncing back from a heartbreaking defeat. Since that loss in Tampa, there have been no hints of what changes, if any, Martin St-Louis is likely to make to his lineup. He’s the kind of coach who doesn’t change a winning formula, but after that kind of loss? All bets are off.
Could it have made a difference to have Brendan Gallagher’s experience on the bench last time? There’s a reason why the battle-tested warrior wears a letter on his jersey. He’s a great leader, and he’s seen it all. The alternate captain has played 76 playoff games and has racked up 33 points with just 25 penalty minutes. He plays an intense game, but he knows not to cross the line when it matters the most. 15 of his 76 playoff games have been played against Tampa, and he gathered nine points against them, including five goals.
Granted, he doesn’t have the same speed and stamina he once had, but he still has the same dedication to the sweater. He still battles hard in front of the net and can create havoc or much-needed screens in front of goalies. On Tuesday, Dach spent a total of 10:53 on the ice, and only 9:16 in regulation, on a fourth line. After a lot of rest, Gallagher can give you that kind of ice time. Corey Perry, who’s older than Gallagher, had 10:49 of ice time, 8:40 in regulation. Gallagher has often been the spark the Canadiens needed in the past, and he could still play that role if he gets the opportunity.
Of course, Joe Veleno could also be an option; he’s younger, can play a physical game, is heavy on the forecheck, and brings combativeness, but he has never played a single playoff game. Chances are the Montreal-born center is chomping at the bit for an opportunity to play not only a playoff game, but one in Montreal, in front of friends and family.
Dach is not the only player who could find himself on the outside looking in. Alexandre Texier, who has been skating on the second line, has failed to impress. He has been kept off the scoresheet in the first two games. The Frenchman normally plays better in Montreal than he does on the road, however.
Whatever St-Louis decides to do with his lineup, don’t expect to hear about it before tonight’s warmup. He’s been keeping his cards close to his chest, and he has no intention of showing his hand before the puck drops.
The game is set for 7:00 PM, and if you are going, make sure to be in your seat well in advance. The Canadiens have a knack for spectacles when it comes to opening a playoff series at home, and yesterday they asked the media to leave the arena by 3:00 PM because they didn’t want any leaks about what they are preparing. It should be a perfect starter to what promises to be a sumptuous multicourse meal for Montrealers hungry for playoff hockey. Chris Rooney and Peter MacDougall will officiate, while Devin Berg and James Tobias will serve as linemen. You can catch the game on CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, and The Spot.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 22: Porter Martone #94 of the Philadelphia Flyers checks Connor Dewar #19 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…
Anthony Mantha’s poor playoff showing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, which includes zero postseason goals after leading the team in the regular season with 33, in addition to costly penalties across the first three games, may be making the team’s offseason choice easier by pushing them away from re-signing him this summer. While Mantha had a career-best regular season, his age, injury history, and lack of playoff impact make him a questionable fit for a team that needs to get younger and faster. [PensBurgh]
If you’re looking for a sliver of optimism in what has been a disaster-filled three-game series thus far, maybe it’s comforting to know that Stuart Skinner’s experience helping Edmonton nearly climb out of a 0-3 Stanley Cup Final deficit in 2024 gives the Penguins reason to believe he can handle adversity again. [Trib Live]
Three Penguins prospects selected in the 2025 draft, forwards Jordan Charron, Kale Dach, and Travis Hayes, have signed amateur tryout contracts with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the remainder of the season. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL…
St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou underwent a minor knee surgery earlier this week, but is expected to be ready for training camp, the team says. [Sportsnet]
The New York Islanders have trademarked three possible names—Hamilton Mustangs, Hamilton Havoc, and Hamilton Hammers—for their AHL team relocating from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Hamilton, Ontario, for the 2026-27 season. [Sportsnet]
Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger denied rumors that he interviewed for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ general manager job, saying in a recent radio interview, “I did not interview for that role.” [TSN]
Dallas Stars (50-20-12, in the Central Division) vs. Minnesota Wild (46-24-12, in the Central Division)
Saint Paul, Minnesota; Saturday, 5:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Wild -135, Stars +114; over/under is 6
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Stars lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Dallas Stars visit the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Wednesday for the eighth time this season. The Stars won 4-3 in overtime in the last matchup.
Minnesota has a 14-11-4 record in Central Division games and a 46-24-12 record overall. The Wild have a +33 scoring differential, with 268 total goals scored and 235 allowed.
Dallas has a 50-20-12 record overall and a 19-7-3 record in Central Division play. The Stars lead the Western Conference with 71 power-play goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Matthew Boldy has 42 goals and 43 assists for the Wild. Kirill Kaprizov has six goals and four assists over the past 10 games.
Jason Robertson has 45 goals and 51 assists for the Stars. Wyatt Johnston has scored seven goals and added four assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wild: 5-4-1, averaging 3.6 goals, 5.8 assists, five penalties and 11.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
Stars: 8-2-0, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.4 assists, 5.3 penalties and 12 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.
INJURIES: Wild: Yakov Trenin: day to day (upper-body), Mats Zuccarello: day to day (upper-body).
Stars: Nathan Bastian: out (hand), Roope Hintz: out (lower body), Tyler Seguin: out for season (acl).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Pittsburgh Penguins (41-25-16, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (43-27-12, in the Metropolitan Division)
Philadelphia; Saturday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Flyers -119, Penguins -101; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Flyers lead series 3-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia Flyers host the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 3-0 lead in the series. The teams meet Wednesday for the eighth time this season. The Flyers won the last matchup 5-2.
Philadelphia has a 43-27-12 record overall and a 15-9-5 record in Metropolitan Division play. The Flyers have committed 322 total penalties (3.9 per game) to rank seventh in NHL play.
Pittsburgh has gone 41-25-16 overall with a 13-7-9 record against the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins are 41-8-9 in games they score at least three goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Travis Konecny has 27 goals and 41 assists for the Flyers. Porter Martone has six goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
Sidney Crosby has 29 goals and 45 assists for the Penguins. Evgeni Malkin has scored six goals and added five assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Flyers: 9-1-0, averaging 3.8 goals, 5.9 assists, 4.8 penalties and 11.2 penalty minutes while giving up 1.8 goals per game.
Penguins: 3-7-0, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.6 assists, 4.7 penalties and 13.2 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game.
INJURIES: Flyers: Rodrigo Abols: out (ankle), Nikita Grebenkin: out (upper body), Emil Andrae: day to day (upper-body).
Penguins: Filip Hallander: out (leg), Caleb Jones: out for season (shoulder).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Carolina Hurricanes (53-22-7, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Ottawa Senators (44-27-11, in the Atlantic Division)
Ottawa, Ontario; Saturday, 3 p.m. EDT
LINE: Senators -111, Hurricanes -109; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Hurricanes lead series 3-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Carolina Hurricanes visit the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 3-0 lead in the series. The teams meet Thursday for the seventh time this season. The Hurricanes won 2-1 in the last matchup.
Ottawa has a 44-27-11 record overall and a 23-13-6 record on its home ice. The Senators have a 9-12-4 record in games they serve more penalty minutes than their opponents.
Carolina is 25-12-5 on the road and 53-22-7 overall. The Hurricanes are second in the league with 291 total goals (averaging 3.6 per game).
TOP PERFORMERS: Tim Stutzle has scored 34 goals with 48 assists for the Senators. Brady Tkachuk has two goals and five assists over the past 10 games.
Sebastian Aho has 27 goals and 53 assists for the Hurricanes. Logan Stankoven has scored seven goals and added five assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Senators: 5-3-2, averaging three goals, 4.6 assists, 3.6 penalties and 8.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
Hurricanes: 8-1-1, averaging 3.5 goals, 6.1 assists, 3.6 penalties and 7.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Senators: Jake Sanderson: day to day (undisclosed), Artem Zub: day to day (undisclosed), Nick Jensen: out for season (lower-body).
Hurricanes: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 23: Anton Forsberg #31 of the Los Angeles Kings watches a shot in front of Artturi Lehkonen #62 of the Colorado Avalanche and Brian Dumoulin #2 during the first period of Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After taking care of business and earning a 2-0 series lead as the games shifted into Los Angeles, the Colorado Avalanche continued to roll right along as they secured a 4-2 win over the Kings, and a 3-0 series lead with the possibility to complete the sweep on Sunday afternoon.
Let’s take a look at the action from tonight!
First Period
It didn’t take long for Gabriel Landeskog to get the scoring started for the Avs on a really flukey goal. Landeskog shot the puck from the top of the offensive zone, and the puck bounced off the boards, off of Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg’s skate, and into the back of the net. With that score Colorado enjoyed a 1-0 first period lead which would carry into the first intermission.
Second Period
The Kings would tie the game at 1-1 early in the second period with a flukey goal of their own, as a shot deflected off of Trevor Moore, who was tied up with Josh Manson, and went into the back of the Avalanche net.
Los Angeles had hope in this game for about six minutes but then Cale Makar would give Colorado the lead once again, as a seeing-eye shot found its way past Forsberg, beating him cleanly and giving the Avs a 2-1 lead, which is how the second period would end.
Third Period
Early in the third period the Kings had another opportunity to tie the game with a power play but Artturi Lehkonen erased that possibility as he would make it 3-1 Colorado on a shorthanded goal, as he was able to beat Forsberg through the five-hole with Logan O’Connor streaking towards the net.
Los Angeles would get another power play opportunity late in the third period, and they would convert on the opportunity for the third time in the series by pulling the goaltender to go 6-on-4. Adrian Kempe would tip the puck past Scott Wedgewood off a shot from Artemi Panarin.
Still, it wasn’t enough to rattle the Avalanche as Brock Nelson would simply score an empty net goal for Colorado after that, putting them back up by two goals, securing a 4-2 win, and a commanding 3-0 series lead for the Avalanche
Takeaways
That game looked and felt more like Avalanche hockey. Finally, they were able to break through more on offense than they were able to do in the first couple of games despite getting outshot 26-23. I’m sure it’s been said before, but it wasn’t exactly a secret that the Kings wanted to play the defensive, muck-it-up game that they’ve been playing this series. That’s what they’re good at, and how they’re successful, so the first two games ending up the way they did weren’t all that surprising.
Instead, what has pleasantly surprised me is Colorado’s willingness, seemingly, to play this way with the Kings instead of the other way around, and being patient and playing with them has paid off so far, clearly. They’ve been the better team this series (minus the power play, which is officially 0/7 this series), and were rewarded for it more tonight, as they were finally able to beat Forsberg a few more times tonight than they were in the first two games. Now, they have the opportunity to close this series out on Sunday in LA.
Upcoming
Colorado takes on the Kings for Game 4 of this first-round series looking for the sweep on Sunday, April 26. Puck drop will be at 2:30 p.m. MT.
It was another close game between the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche in Game 3, and it was shaping up to be another exciting finish. After that disappointing loss on Tuesday at Denver, where the Kings held a 1-0 lead for nearly a minute in the final frame before losing in overtime as a result of an Avs game-winner, this next game at Crypto.com Arena was their biggest of the season, as they looked to avoid going down 3-0.
But, just as the Kings tied up the game 1-1 midway through the second period, they failed to add on to their goal with several minutes of puck possession and a power play, giving the Avs multiple chances to retake the lead and never look back.
After a slow start for Colorado on offense, they eventually picked it up, scoring late in the second period and third period to hold onto a 4-2 victory to put the Kings in a 3-0 series hole.
Going down 3-0 is nearly impossible to overcome, especially against this Avs team, which is the best offensive team in the NHL, and only four teams have ever come back from it.
The Kings did have a solid start on offense to start this time, outshooting the Avalanche 12-7 in the opening period for the first time in this series after 20 minutes.
It was the most in-control Los Angeles has been to start this series, playing more aggressively on offense and getting more shots inside, yet they trailed 1-0 after the first period.
Colorado's only goal in the first period was a very lucky one: after a missed shot, the puck bounced off the end boards, slid back, and deflected off Anton Forsberg's right skate and in.
It wasn't enough just to be playing well if you're the Kings, given the opponent. With Los Angeles getting on the power play again, it was another missed opportunity for them, coming up short again.
Los Angeles is now 3/11 on the power play in the first three games of this series and has held Colorado to 0/9 in the three games, doing a great job at defending the best offense in the NHL, but can't capitalize on their troubles.
The Avs arguably played one of their worst periods of the game, but were still leading because of LA's inability to execute and capitalize on Colorado's missed shots.
To open the second period, off a Colorado turnover, Los Angeles converted on their first goal of the game to tie the scoreboard 1-1. Forward Trevor Moore continued his impressive play in the playoffs, scoring on the cross-ice feed from Quinton Byfield.
After the goal, Colorado received a penalty after committing a high stick on Moore just as he scored the goal, resulting in a double minor, giving Los Angeles its second power play of the night.
However, the Kings didn't score on the power play, leaving the door wide open for Colorado to score. Since scoring the goal, LA had control of the puck for nearly seven minutes, but couldn't score.
And the President Trophy winners did what they do when you leave the door open for them. At the 7:48 mark of the second period, Cale Makar, one of the best players at creating open lanes, fired the puck through traffic to give the Avs a one-goal lead again, scoring his first goal of the series.
This is what's troubled LA throughout this series so far: the games have been close, and the opportunities have been there for the Kings to score, but elite goaltending by Scott Wedgewood and the Avs defensive pressure make it tough.
For the rest of the period, the Kings generated good shots from Alex Laferriere and Joel Edmundson, with clean shots to potentially tie the game, but, as the story of this series has been so far, they couldn't find the puck in the net.
2-1 Colorado through 40 minutes.
No one closer than Alex Laferriere across these three games. Just can't buy one. Two good looks late, Wedgewood with a great right-pad save on the second.
At the 12:21 mark of the third period, after forward Artemi Panarin set up Adrian Kempe in the power play for a one-timer, Kempe turned the puck over, setting up for a 2-on-1 rush advantage for Colorado, and Artturi Lehkonen slid the puck past Forsberg to give the Avs a two-goal lead.
Kempe has been one of the Kings' most disappointing players to start the playoffs. After a hot stretch in the final stretch of the regular season, he has completely struggled and been frustrated in this series.
Colorado did a good job amping up its defensive intensity in the final period, forcing turnovers and suffocating the Kings in transition, making it tough for the home team to generate shots on goal.
Los Angeles converted on their first power play goal of the night, scoring their third straight power play goal in this series. Panarin hit Kempe with a shot-pass at the right crease, deflecting off Kempe to pull LA within one.
LAK Goal - PPanarin!
Three games in a row with a power-play goal for Panarin, or it might've been a Kempe deflection. Either way, 3-2 game with 4:03 on the clock.
However, the one-goal deficit didn't last long; Colorado forced a turnover, leading to an easy empty-net goal by center Brock Nelson to put the game away and take a commanding 3-0 series lead.
Key Stats
For most of the game, LA looked a lot better at home tonight than in its first two games in Denver, once again getting good looks but missing out on opportunities. The Kings also struggled on the power play again, finishing 1/4, and had a chance to build on their lead late in the second period with a power play, but failed to do so.
Forsberg had a solid game tonight, finishing with 19 saves on 22 shots, coming up with big saves again, but this time the Avs were much better on offense. Credit Wedgewood for making it so tough on the Kings' offense to get any easy goals or shots.
Kempe and Moore scored the lone goals for LA, keeping the game close with each of their goals coming late in the second and third period. But the others couldn't help on offense to make the game more interesting late in the game.
LA is now down 3-0 in this series, heading into Game 4, which could be their final game of the season, and also Anze Kopitar's final game in his career.
The Kings will play Game 4 on Sunday at 1:30 PM PT looking to avoid a sweep.
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Colorado's Artturi Lehkonen (not pictured) scores a shorthanded goal past Kings goalie Anton Forsberg in the third period of Game 3. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Colorado Avalanche rode swagger, poise and the league’s stingiest goaltender to the best record in the NHL this season. And nothing about that formula has changed in the postseason, with goals from Gabriel Landeskog, Cale Makar, Artturi Lehkonen and Brock Nelson giving Colorado a 4-2 win Thursday over the Kings and a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.
The Kings, who have lost their last six first-round playoff series, need a victory at home Sunday to extend their season. Their goals in Game 3 came from Trevor Moore in the second period and Adrian Kempe on a third-period power play.
“They’re best team in the league for a reason. But we're right there,” forward Quinton Byfield said. “We're a confident group.”
“One game at home. Must-win game,” defenseman Drew Doughty added. “Everyone's going to give everything they’ve got. We’ve got to win that one, and then hopefully get to go back to Denver.”
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews celebrates a goal by defenseman Cale Makar on Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg during the second period of Game 3 Thursday at Crypto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The difference in the series has been Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood, who was nearly perfect again, making 24 saves to place the Kings 60 minutes away from the offseason.
Anton Forsberg, playing in the postseason for the first time, has been almost as good in goal for the Kings, though he was victimized by two fluke goals and an empty-netter.
“Both goalies in the series have been unbelievable,” Kings coach D.J. Smith said. “Give Wedgewood credit. This guy looks like he's putting his name on the circuit as a big-time goalie.”
The Avalanche, who certainly haven’t needed many lucky breaks in this series, got one early in the first period when Landeskog spun and launched a wild wrister from the blue line that went well wide of the net, only to have the puck carom off the end boards and into the net off Forsberg’s right skate blade.
The goal was the second in as many games for the Colorado captain.
The Kings then got their own break six minutes into the second period when Alex Laferriere jumped Brett Kulak’s clearing pass in the neutral jump and fed Byfield, whose pass into the crease struck Moore’s leg and ricocheted past Wedgewood to tie the score.
Colorado defenseman Devon Toews reaches for the puck against Kings right wing Quinton Byfield in the first period. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Colorado needed less than seven minutes to get the lead back, with Makar getting the puck along the boards on the left wing, skating into space at the point, then zipping a wrist shot through heavy traffic and just under the crossbar.
The Avalanche then increased the advantage 7:39 in the final period after Kempe fanned a shot from the point. Lehkonen collected the loose puck and took it the length of the ice before deflecting a centering pass off Kempe’s skate and by Forsberg for a short-handed goal, his second score of the series.
That appeared to put the game away, but after the Kings pulled Forsberg for an extra attacker, Kempe halved the deficit on a tip-in with 4:02 to play. But then Nelson forced a turnover and scored into the empty net with 2:18 left.
The six goals combined matched the total number from the first two games in Colorado.
“We’ve got to keep doing a lot of the things that we are doing,” Doughty said. “Obviously, we got to clean up giving up some of these chances that we're giving up.”
Kings goalie Anton Forsberg covers the puck as Colorado left wing Gabriel Landeskog battles for it in the second period. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Kings’ penalty kill, which ranked 30th in the 32-team league during the regular season, has been brilliant against the Avalanche, turning back all nine Colorado power plays. That, plus stellar play for Forsberg in goal, has frustrated the NHL’s top-scoring team.
But against Wedgewood, the Kings have mustered little offense, scoring just four goals in the series — three times on the power play and once off Moore’s leg.
“We'd like to get more than two goals. Against this team, I don't think it's enough,” Doughty said. “I don't think we're creating enough grade-A chances on Wedgewood. He has played well, so for us to beat them, we’ve got to wear them down in the D-zone, make them tired and score goals that way. And we haven't done that enough.”
They’re guaranteed just one more chance to turn that around.
“There's no quit in there,” Smith said of the Kings’ locker room. “And I think you'll see our best game. To a man, we want to give them a real good outing and push this series back to Colorado.”
