The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they have signed goaltender Aleksei Kolosov to a one-year, $850,000 contract extension.

Kolosov appeared in four games this season with the Flyers, where he had a 0-2-0 record, an .830 save percentage, and a 4.00 goals-against average.

The 24-year-old goaltender also played in 38 games this season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he posted a 15-21-2 record, a 2.98 goals-against average, and an .895 save percentage.

Kolosov was selected by the Flyers with the 78th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In 21 career NHL games over two seasons with the Flyers, he has recorded a 5-11-1 record, an .863 save percentage, and a 3.64 goals-against average. 

Kolosov will now be looking to compete for a spot on the Flyers' NHL roster next season after earning this new contract. 

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The superlatives used to describe Jaromir Jagr's unfathomable pro hockey career will run out one day – but not soon.

How do you put into context Jagr's incredible body of work? The man has appeared in at least four professional games every season since 1988; he was a Stanley Cup teammate of a guy (Gordie Roberts) who was once teammates with Gordie Howe.  

And atop the list of incredible facts and stats, there's this: Per SB Nation, this year's Western Conference Final between the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights guarantees that a former Jagr teammate will appear in a Stanley Cup final for a 46th consecutive season.

Don't believe us? Here's the proof:

Jaromir Jagr Stanley Cup finals teammate streak (1980-2026)

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Need a few other crazy Jagr facts? We have your fix:

• Jagr is the second-highest scorer in NHL history – and that doesn't include the 463 professional points he has amassed outside the NHL.
• Jagr's 1990 draft class is one of the most impressive in history, with 15 of the 21 first-round picks spending at least 12 seasons in the NHL.
• Jagr's first NHL goal came October 7, 1990 – four days before the start of Season 2 of "The Simpsons"
• Martin Brodeur was the last active player from Jagr's 1990 draft class aside from Jagr; Brodeur retired in 2015.

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.

After the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs began with an infusion of new teams that hadn't experienced postseason hockey in a long time, with some even winning a series, the third round is here with some of the usual suspects left standing.

Carolina is back in the Eastern Conference final for a third time in four years and fifth time during the Hurricanes' streak of eight consecutive playoff appearances under coach Rod Brind'Amour. Next up is Buffalo or Montreal.

Vegas is back in the West final for a fourth time in the franchise’s not-even-decade-long existence. Starting Wednesday, the Golden Knights face Colorado, with the Avalanche getting this far for the first time since their Cup run in 2022.

There will be a new champion and no three-peat after the Florida Panthers were derailed by injuries following three consecutive trips to the final. Both finalists will be new after Edmonton got knocked out by the Ducks.

What’s happened so far

WESTERN CONFERENCE: The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche swept Los Angeles and beat Minnesota in five games, while Vegas got through by beating Utah and Anaheim in six.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:Carolina swept Ottawa and Philadelphia and is the only undefeated team left. Buffalo beat Boston and Montreal defeated Tampa Bay, with the Sabres and Canadiens then putting on a fun second-round series.

The matchups

The top three teams in each of the four divisions make the playoffs. The other four spots go to the next two highest-placed teams in each conference, regardless of division.

The teams with the best record in each conference open against the wild-card team with the worst record; the other wild card plays the other division winner. Teams that finish second and third in their division play each other in the bracket headed by their respective division winner, so the first-round matchups had some rivalry-style games. The second round thus carries an even higher prospect of division opponents matching up ahead of the conference finals.

All four rounds of the playoffs are best-of-seven; the first team to 16 victories wins the Stanley Cup.

East

— Carolina vs. Buffalo or Montreal, Game 1 Tuesday or Thursday night

West

— Colorado vs. Vegas, Game 1 Wednesday night

The favorites

Colorado is the favorite at a little over even money, followed by Carolina.

How to watch

Every playoff game will be nationally televised in the U.S on an ESPN or Turner network. The NHL schedule is here and a streaming guide is here. Much of TNT’s coverage, which includes the Stanley Cup Final, will be simulcast on truTV and available on Max’s B/R Sports Add-On. In Canada, games will be showcased on Sportsnet and CBC.

After three rounds of best-of-seven series, the final starts in early June. If the final goes the distance, Game 7 could go as late as June 21.

What to know

WEST: The Colorado Avalanche look like a wagon, after being the league's best team since October. Nathan MacKinnon has been a man on a mission, especially after missing a wide-open net in the Olympic gold-medal game when he and Canada lost to the U.S. in overtime. He's surrounded by talent, including all-world defenseman Cale Makar, and in net, career backup Scott Wedgewood has been a revelation.

Grizzled, old-school, no-nonsense John Tortorella took over coaching the Vegas Golden Knights in late March, and they've been rolling since. Mitch Marner, who was maligned for a lack of playoff success during his lengthy time in Toronto, has been arguably the best player around.

EAST: The Carolina Hurricanes are 8-0, getting dominant goaltending from 36-year-old Frederik Andersen and do-it-all play from 2018 league MVP Taylor Hall. They now hope to break through after so many disappointing playoff exits.

After snapping the NHL’s longest postseason drought at 14 years in style, the Sabres handled the Bruins in a back-and-forth series to set up a matchup with Montreal. The Canadiens are Canada's last hope to end the nation's 33-year Cup drought dating to them winning it in 1993.

___

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

In the Montreal Canadiens’ 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night, there were many heroes. Jakub Dobes bounced back after a shaky start, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky put up three points each, Cole Caufield found the back of the net at even-strength, and Ivan Demidov finally scored. Another performance was largely undetected: Phillipe Danault’s.

Some might have noticed that he missed a golden opportunity to score a big goal when the puck got to him in the slot, but he largely made up for it. Not only did he provide two assists on two of the first three goals, but he had a fantastic night at the faceoff dot.

Nobody took more faceoffs for the Habs in that game than Danault. The Quebecer took a total of 18 draws and won 14 of them for a 77.8% success rate. When Kent Hughes decided to acquire the struggling center from the Los Angeles Kings before the Christmas roster freeze, he didn’t do it to increase offensive production; he did it because he was fully aware of how important winning draws can be.

In the Canadiens two other wins over the Sabres, the centerman had a 66.7% success rate in the faceoff department. He took 15 draws in Montreal’s 5-1 win in Game 2 and nine in the Habs 6-2 win in Game 3.

To add: Danault Faceoffs: 13-2 (87%) so far.

ALSO - coming into tonight no line has been matched against Thompson/Tuch/Krebs more than Danault’s at 5on5

Shots 10-3 MTL
Goals 1-0 MTL
xGF 83.8% for Habs

He’s lookin like the star shutdown machine he was in 2021.

Been… https://t.co/OLTzrPw1UJ

— Jackie Redmond (@Jackie_Redmond) May 15, 2026

The Victoriaville native has played a key role for the Canadiens all through the first two rounds, not only because of how good he is in the faceoff department, but also because of his responsible two-way play. After 12 games, he averages 16:13, has won 61.9% of his faceoffs, has five points (all assists), and a plus-six rating, on top of playing big minutes on the penalty kill.

Phillip Danault saves a sure goal! Wow.

#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/zV6ExgEoJq

— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) May 2, 2026

When the Canadiens are protecting a lead, Martin St-Louis often sends the 33-year-old veteran center onto the ice with Nick Suzuki, giving him two centers to take draws. If the linemen kick one out, the other one can take charge. Whichever way you look at it, Danault’s acquisition by Kent Hughes was a masterstroke; he has been more than worth the second-round pick he cost.

Phil Danault pushing pucks back on Faceoffs while making key plays, going to the net creating chaos. Two assists on Montreal goals tonight. #MultiPointGame#Unsung#HeartAndSoulpic.twitter.com/W9OcHG8Jpk

— Allan Walsh🏒 (@walsha) May 15, 2026

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After an unlikely reunion on the Vegas Golden Knights, former Philadelphia Flyers Carter Hart and John Tortorella find themselves just four more wins from the Stanley Cup Final.

On Thursday night, Hart, Tortorella, and the Golden Knights eliminated fellow former Flyers Ryan Poehling, Cutter Gauthier, and the Anaheim Ducks with a dominant 5-1 win, claiming the series 4-2.

They await the vaunted Colorado Avalanche, who have run into goaltending issues of late but have more or less breezed their way to the Western Conference Final with little difficulty.

Quinn Hughes, Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and the Minnesota Wild were brushed aside by the Stanley Cup favorites in just five games.

Interestingly enough, Hart's last game for the Flyers, which he played under Tortorella, was against the Avalanche over two years ago on Jan. 20, 2024.

Flyers Hope Playoff Environment Will Benefit Prospects That Didn't PlayThe Philadelphia Flyers made sure all of their top prospects got to experience the NHL playoffs for what they are.

The 27-year-old was stunned for five goals on just 15 shots in the 7-4 loss and was replaced by Sam Ersson.

Three days later, Hart took a personal leave from the Flyers, and was then charged with sexual assault stemming from the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault case on Feb. 5.

Having sat out the entire 2024-25 season, Hart was found not guilty of the sexual assault charge levied against him on July 24. The Golden Knights officially signed the goalie on Oct. 24.

Hart showed plenty of signs of rust after the long layoff this season, stumbling to a career-worst .891 save percentage despite a 11-3-3 regular season record with the Golden Knights.

In the playoffs, though, the former Flyers goalie is 8-4-0 with a 2.47 GAA and .917 save percentage, coming back to life with a .935 save percentage across these past six games against the Ducks.

Flyers Playoff Rooting Guide: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend?Which former member of the Philadelphia Flyers will go on to win the Stanley Cup this year?

As for Tortorella, who was fired by the Flyers on March 27, 2025, he took over for an elite coach in Bruce Cassidy in a shock switch from Vegas back on March 29, bookending almost exactly a full year away from the bench.

The Golden Knights quickly ripped off a sizzling 7-0-1 finish under their new coach, which has, obviously, carried over into the playoffs.

Notably, Mitch Marner, of all players, leads the entire NHL playoffs in scoring with his seven goals, 11 assists, and 18 points in 12 games under Tortorella, which speaks volumes about the job the ex-Flyers bench boss is doing.

Where things go from here is dubious at best with Colorado looming, but the Flyers have certainly been well represented this postseason, especially with a respectable run of their own.

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

“Šimon Nemec is something of an enigma and could be one player affected by the changes. Sometimes, he shows flashes of being a second overall pick. Other times, he looks like a fish out of water. Nemec will become a restricted free agent on July 1. You don’t want to give up on a 22-year-old defenseman second overall pick, but it might be time for the Devils to move on.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

“Tom Fitzgerald leaned too heavy on size and defense when building the blueline, and that has held the team back over the last couple of years. Sunny Mehta will surely look to add more mobility and offense to balance things out. There are a couple of intriguing ‘buy low’ candidates who could help him do just that.” [Infernal Access ($)]

So about that Quinn Hughes trade. Is it a move Sunny Mehta could pull off? [New Jersey Hockey Now]

Hockey Links

A jaw-dropping goal:

MITCHELL MARNER ARE YOU KIDDING?!

Undisputed GOAL OF THE PLAYOFFS 😵😮‍💨 https://t.co/aS9VEBjXZjpic.twitter.com/PmYo8ikEat

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 15, 2026

The Golden Knights are through to the Western Conference Final:

THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS ARE HEADED TO THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL!! ⚔️ #StanleyCup

Presented by @NavyFederalpic.twitter.com/TQGpUiWBN7

— NHL (@NHL) May 15, 2026

Brayden McNabb gets a one-game suspension:

Vegas’ Brayden McNabb has been suspended for one playoff game for interference against Anaheim’s Ryan Poehling. https://t.co/gSW0ADnpak

— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) May 13, 2026

Matthew Schaefer is this season’s top rookie:

MAT-THEW SCHAE-FER 👏👏👏👏👏 #NHLAwards

The @NYIslanders’ 2025 No. 1 #NHLDraft pick, Matthew Schaefer, is this year’s Calder Memorial Trophy winner — an award presented to the player who was the most proficient in his first year in the League. pic.twitter.com/X79uom6mAn

— NHL (@NHL) May 13, 2026

Full voting table for the Calder Trophy for best rookie, won UNANIMOUSLY by #Isles defender Matthew Schaefer. pic.twitter.com/mlxsfErw9v

— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) May 13, 2026

The Oilers send Kris Knoblauch packing:

The #Oilers have relieved head coach Kris Knoblauch & assistant coach Mark Stuart of their duties. https://t.co/K3GQq5GshP

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) May 14, 2026

And the Leafs part ways with Craig Berube:

General Manager John Chayka announced today that the club has parted ways with head coach Craig Berube pic.twitter.com/PJo8e9ATLW

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) May 13, 2026

“The Vancouver Canucks are turning to two franchise icons to hopefully lead them back to glory. Daniel and Henrik Sedin were named co-presidents of hockey operations on Thursday, and the identical twins’ first act was to hire former teammate Ryan Johnson as general manager.” [NHL.com]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

The Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres were battling it out on Thursday night in the fifth game of their series, with both teams having won two games. The Habs had slow starts in the two previous games, and coach Martin St-Louis had been asked about them during his morning media availability. He explained what having a good start entailed:

It’s not just one thing. It’s to play with the right intentions, in the right place, early on. It might mean you have to defend, it might mean you have to forecheck, it might mean you go on the power play. It’s about having the right intentions and being dialed in early on.

One had to wonder if he had mentioned that to his player as they had yet another sloppy start, and this time, so did goaltender Jakub Dobes. As a result, he gave up three goals on the first four shots he faced. Thankfully, the Canadiens didn’t let the Sabres distance themselves, coming back from behind twice, but by the end of the first frame, it was 3-2 Buffalo.

Two Canadiens Rookies Top 4 In Calder Trophy Voting
Former Canadiens Player Sends Avalanche Through To Third Round
Canadiens’ Power Play Could Have Made The Difference

A Momentum Shift

Montreal didn’t look much better to start the second frame. The top line got caught in the defensive zone for extended shifts twice, and as they were changing, Tage Thompson got a breakaway. Dobes stood his ground, followed him and made a spectacular pad save to keep Montreal within one.

Dobes save on Thompson breakaway #LetsGoBuffalo#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/vBQ9mJ5X2K

— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) May 15, 2026

That save seemed to steady the Canadiens, who finally shook off their rough start and proceeded to score four unanswered goals. Josh Anderson scored the big equalizer, and Ivan Demidov almost scored the go-ahead goal. He got the puck through Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and Jake Evans, who’s not known for his finish, had to give it a light tap to push it in.

St-Louis can pat himself on the back for not pulling Dobes after he let in three goals on four shots, not that he was to blame for all of them, but he could have wanted to wake his team up with a goalie change. Instead, he stuck with his goalie and let him wake up the players with a big save. In the end, Dobes stopped 32 of the 35 shots he faced on the night for a .917 save percentage. In the post-game media availability, the coach explained that he consulted his goalie coach to decide whether to pull Dobes, and Marco Marciano told him to leave him in, a good call. 

Bad Decisions

On top of being the victim of the momentum shift save, Thompson took a very bad penalty when he cross-checked Jake Evans high up while the Canadiens’ center was nowhere near the puck. Even if the refs had been pretty quiet to that point, they couldn’t let that one go, and the big forward was sent to the penalty box for two minutes.

He ended up getting out of there in just 10 seconds, after Nick Suzuki scored a quick power play goal to give the Habs a 5-3 lead. This is the second game in a row that Thompson takes an awful penalty, but this time around, the Canadiens made him pay.

Thompson wasn’t the only one with a questionable decision on the night; Rasmus Dahlin cross-checked Demidov as he was going to beat him to the net and got himself a trip to the box. On the penalty he drew himself, the Russian rookie finally scored his first playoff goal to make the score 6-3.

A DEMIDOV DAGGER ☄️

The rookie's first career Stanley Cup playoffs goal couldn't have come at a better time 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Y6u9SjPDwP

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 15, 2026

St-Louis has often spoken about his team shooting itself in the foot this season, and how good teams made them pay when they did. Tonight, the Canadiens were the good team, and they made the Sabres pay when they stabbed themselves in the foot.

The Top Players Turned Up

For the first time this postseason, Caufield and Slafkovsky registered points at even strength while Suzuki registered three points, and the Canadiens’ best players were their best players. There’s a lot to be said for and to like about depth scoring, but the chances of making a deep run in the playoffs are far greater when your top guns are firing on all cylinders. After a tough Game 4, Slafkovsky ended his night with three points. 

Granted, this is only one game, but it may just be the start of something not only for the first line but for Demidov as well, who looked hell-bent on finally finding the back of the net. Lane Hutson also had two assists on the night, which gives him 12 points in 12 games in the postseason. He leads the team in points, but he has some way to go for the league leader, as Mitch Marner had 18 points at the time of writing.

The Canadiens will now have a chance to put an end to the series on Saturday night at the Bell Centre. Puck drop is set for 8:00 PM for what will be the first Saturday night playoff hockey game in a packed Bell Centre in 11 years.

Marty 🫂 Demi#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/vnKr8YXAvl

— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 15, 2026

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

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The United States is bringing back two players this month as it defends its rare gold medal at the IIHF men's hockey world championship.

The International Ice Hockey Federation's marquee tournament is often a tough sell because it falls in May during the NHL playoffs. Golden goal scorer Tage Thompson is still playing for the Buffalo Sabres and captain Clayton Keller and goalie Jeremy Swayman played in the NHL first round. Swayman also has a child on the way.

Some players need to recover from injuries after grueling seasons and there's no Olympics on the horizon as a carrot to attend.

But that doesn't mean there are no intriguing players at this year's hockey worlds. The Florida Panthers missing the playoffs after back-to-back titles opened some unexpected options for their players' countries.

Here are eight players to watch at the IIHF world championships:

USA's Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers

He's usually unavailable because of deep NHL playoff runs. But he'll be the USA's marquee player and the lone Olympic gold medal winner on the team. If he helps the USA repeat, he'll be the first American on the triple gold club with Olympic, world championships and NHL titles. He's scheduled to arrive on May 19. Boston's Mason Lohrei and Edmonton prospect Isaac Howard are the returnees. Washington's Ryan Leonard and Boston's James Hagens have chemistry from Boston College and the world junior championships.

Canada's Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks

He had a spectacular sophomore season. He set a Sharks team record with 115 points, was a standout for Team Canada at the Olympics and is a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award for most outstanding player. He'll be Canada's captain.

Canada's Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

He joined after the Penguins were eliminated by the Flyers. He's a triple gold club member already and played in last year's tournament. That super team featuring Nathan MacKinnon, Crosby, Celebrini and others was stunned by Denmark in the quarterfinals. Crosby will be an alternate captain.

Finland's Aleksander Barkov, Panthers

He missed the 2025-26 NHL season after injuring his ACL during his first day in training camp. This will give him an opportunity to suit up for his country after he missed the Olympics. His NHL teammate, Anton Lundell, will also play for Finland.

Sweden's Lucas Raymond, Detroit Red Wings

He finished third in Olympic scoring with nine points and is coming off his third consecutive 70-point season with the Red Wings.

Switzerland's Roman Josi, Nashville Predators

Switzerland lost to the USA in the 2025 championship game and is the host country this season. It has its share of NHL players, including Predators captain Josi, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Nino Niederreiter, Pius Suter and J.J. Moser.

Sweden's Ivar Stenberg

He's projected to be one of the top picks in the 2026 NHL Draft. He helped Sweden win the world junior championships. Gavin McKenna, the projected top pick, isn't playing in this tournament

Latvia's Alberts Smits

He's another top prospect for the NHL draft. He already has represented his country at the world juniors and Olympics this season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World championships hockey stars to watch as tournament gets underway

With two series Thursday night and one of them concluding, there is sadly no playoff hockey Friday nor Sunday either. It really is that time of year.

Islanders News

• Matthew Schaefer: “I’m just happy I’m able to be a part of it to help these kids.” [NHL]
• Some teammates raving about the Calder winner. [Isles]
• Here’s a brief Q&A with him before he knew he won the Calder. [Isles on Twitter]
• About draft prospect Ryan Lin, a defenseman some of you have targeted at 13th overall. [THN]
• R.I.P. Paul Boutilier, an Isles (among other teams) defenseman in the ‘80s. [Post]

Elsewhere

• Mitch Marner scored a pretty incredible breakaway goal as Vegas clinched their series over the Ducks. [NHL]
• The Canadiens are also one win away from the conference final after winning Game 5 in Buffalo. [NHL]
• The Sabres switched their goalies yet again. [Sportsnet]
• Awaiting them are the Hurricanes, whose GM Eric Tulsky is enjoying their 8-0 ride. [NHL]
• Officially now (after word leaked they asked Vegas for permission to speak to Bruce Cassidy), the Oilers have fired Kris Knoblauch, who never could recover from the yips that kept him from accurately throwing to first base. [NHL]
• They’ll hope the new coach can somehow convince Connor McDavid to stay. [NHL | Sportsnet]
• The Sedins are back to run the Canucks, with Ryan Johnson as GM. [Sportsnet | NHL]
• Seven potential candidates for the Leafs coaching job. [Sportsnet]

Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division)

Montreal, Quebec; Saturday, 8 p.m. EDT

LINE: Canadiens -159, Sabres +134; over/under is 6.5

NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Canadiens lead series 3-2

BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens host the Buffalo Sabres in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a 3-2 lead in the series. The teams meet Thursday for the 10th time this season. The Canadiens won the previous meeting 6-3.

Montreal has a 23-12-3 record in Atlantic Division games and a 48-24-10 record overall. The Canadiens have committed 350 total penalties (4.3 per game) to rank fourth in the league.

Buffalo is 50-23-9 overall with a 22-10-5 record in Atlantic Division games. The Sabres have committed 316 total penalties (3.9 per game) to rank ninth in league play.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Suzuki has scored 29 goals with 72 assists for the Canadiens. Lane Hutson has one goal and nine assists over the last 10 games.

Rasmus Dahlin has 19 goals and 55 assists for the Sabres. Zachary Benson has scored four goals and added three assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 6-3-1, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.4 assists, 5.7 penalties and 14.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.

Sabres: 5-4-1, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.8 assists, 5.9 penalties and 16.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.

INJURIES: Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).

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

___

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

ANAHEIM, May 14th, 2026– In California, Duck Season typically runs from October through January. But tonight, for one night and one night only, it was reopened at the Honda Center. 

According to California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Vegas Golden Knights could have scored two more goals tonight. But, as it turned out, they didn’t need to hit the daily bag limit to defeat the Anaheim Ducks. 

The puck dropped at 6:50 p.m. PST. They made their way through the handshake line at 9:36, and because media availability was so short, I imagine that the team was wheels up for a flight back to Las Vegas by 10:15. Head coach John Tortorella also declined to speak to the media following the series win.

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals is scheduled for 5 p.m. PST on Wednesday at Ball Arena in Denver. 

1. Birds of Prey? No– Birds *Are* Prey

The Ducks were moving targets for the Golden Knights tonight– and it had nothing to do with wearing orange. They made costly mistake after costly mistake, and the Golden Knights capitalized on nearly every single one. There is no better example than their shorthanded goal, which came after the Ducks cheated for offense. Mitch Marner took advantage of this.

“As soon as I saw that he had the puck with some time and space, I just tried to build up speed,” said forward Brett Howden following the 5-1 win. “I thought he was going to kick it out to me, and then he didn’t– he just stayed patient, stayed patient. When he has the puck on his stick, I just try to get to the net… Luckily enough, I found some space, and he made the play.”

Howden became just the eighth player in NHL history to score three short-handed goals in the same postseason.

“It’s funny,” said Howden postgame. “I was just telling Mitch that I don’t know if I’ve ever had a shorthanded goal before. He’s made some unbelievable plays to set me up for some of those.”

2. Next Man Up

It’s important to note that the most impressive part of the Golden Knights’ blowout win is that they did it without Brayden McNabb. The defenseman received a one-game suspension from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety following a hit on Ryan Poehling in Game 5 that knocked the Ducks forward out of the game, and out of Game 6 as well.

“Losing Nabber [is tough],” said defenseman Rasmus Andersson following Game 5. “He’s one of the leaders, if not the leader, on the back end. It’s time for other players to step up.”

And step up they did.

Andersson, Shea Theodore, and Noah Hanifin all played over 24 minutes tonight. Kaedan Korczak returned to the lineup and performed admirably in a limited role. Ben Hutton, too, has given the Golden Knights solid minutes ever since returning to the lineup six games ago. Dylan Coghlan, who played just three games with the NHL club during the regular season, has played in each of the last three games. He logged nearly 20 minutes tonight, recorded four hits, and was a +3.

3. That’s Me in the Spotlight, Losing My Religion

Brayden McNabb has served as alternate captain this season, and Mitch Marner wore the ‘A’ in his absence. And, boy, did he ever fill that role. He scored just 62 seconds into the first period, and made Brett Howden’s shorthanded game-winning goal happen. Marner continues to lead the postseason in scoring with seven goals and 18 points in 11 games.

“He’s a game-breaker, right? You saw it in that series– he was the best player in the series,” said Jack Eichel following the 5-1 win. “He comes out here at the beginning of the first period, makes two incredible plays, and all of a sudden we’re playing with the lead.

“Mitch has been incredible,” continued Eichel. “From day one in training camp, his personality has gelled really well with the team. Obviously, his play is incredible. He’s on a pretty special run right now, and it’s been a lot of fun to watch.

“I feel like he’s had a lot of critics,” Eichel finished. “He’s shutting a lot of people up right now. I’m super happy for him.”

The Anaheim Ducks returned home, facing elimination for the first time this postseason after falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime in Game 5.

Pavel Dorofeyev was the star of the show, scoring two goals––including the overtime winner––to give the Golden Knights a pivotal 3-2 series lead heading back to Honda Center. The Ducks lost forward Ryan Poehling to injury in the first period after a late hit from Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb. McNabb had a hearing with NHL Player Safety on Wednesday and was suspended for Game 6. Kaeden Korczak drew back into the lineup in his absence.

Takeaways from the Ducks' 3-2 Overtime Loss to the Golden Knights, Vegas Leads Series 3-2

2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 2, Game 6 - Ducks vs. Golden Knights Gameday Preview (05/14/26)

With Poehling out, Jansen Harkins drew back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch in Games 3 and 4. Mason McTavish slid into the middle to center the third line with Jeff Viel and Cutter Gauthier. No other lineup changes were made.

Here's how the Ducks lined up to start Game 5:

Kreider-Carlsson-Terry
Killorn-Granlund-Sennecke
McTavish-Poehling-Gauthier
Johnston-Washe-Viel

LaCombe-Trouba
Mintyukov-Carlson
Zellweger-Moore

Lukáš Dostál and Carter Hart faced one another once again, with Dostál stopping 16 of 21 shots and Hart stopping 31 of 32 shots.

Game Notes

Game 6 was almost reminiscent of Game 3 from the jump, with the Ducks conceding a goal on the first shot against and then giving up a shorthanded goal. Mitch Marner was at the forefront of the action once again, as he was in Game 3. He scored the first Vegas goal and had the primary assist on Brett Howden's shorthanded tally. Shea Theodore's power play tally saw the Ducks facing a three-goal deficit at the end of the first period.

Joel Quenneville swapped Troy Terry and Beckett Sennecke after the second period, which gave Leo Carlsson's line a bit more speed. The Golden Knights showed why they have been a playoff contender almost every season of their existence, refusing to play a safe game and continuing to push back against Anaheim's attempts to erase their deficit. Their plethora of playoff experience was evident in this one. Anaheim made a push in the second and third, but the early 3-0 hole was too much to overcome.

Power Play-The power play was a very sore spot for the Ducks in this series, as the Golden Knights killed off all but four of the 21 opportunities that the Ducks had. The Ducks also gave up two shorthanded goals.

Anaheim's power play success against the Oilers wasn't going to be replicated, but there were times when they were unable to even generate momentum on the man advantage. Though they did get a power play goal in this game courtesy of Mikael Granlund, the power play did not shift the tide nearly enough overall.

Olen Zellweger-Zellweger continues to give the Ducks a dynamic option on the blue line, capable of creating offense with both his skating and shot. Where Jackson LaCombe has taken a bit of a backseat offensively in the past few games, Zellweger has grabbed that opportunity by the horns. It led to more ice time for the second consecutive game as he was paired with John Carlson down the stretch.

John Carlson-Carlson was a non-factor in this game and most of the series, quite frankly. He registered just one point and was a minus-4. He was walked several times in Game 4 and his attempt to go off the wall in the defensive zone led directly to a goal against in Game 5. The savvy, veteran plays he was pulling off in the Oilers series were few and far between in the Vegas series, with his lack of foot speed unable to cover up some of his mistakes.

Ryan Poehling-The Ducks really missed Poehling in this game, as they didn't have a bridge to cover the gap between Carlsson/Granlund and Washe. While McTavish and Gauthier drove play well in Game 4 without Poehling, they couldn't quite replicate that in Game 5. Some of that may have been due to the absence of Poehling, who also holds a big role on the penalty kill.

The Ducks' season comes to an end after securing a playoff berth for the first time in eight seasons. They also won their first playoff series in nine seasons. While their season is over, their young core gained plenty of experience, which they can pull from heading into next season.

Goaltending-While Lukáš Dostál isn't solely to blame for this loss, he was outplayed by Carter Hart in this one. The dreaded "first shot, first goal" trend which has followed Dostál into the playoffs reared its head once again. He did play well in Game 5, which makes that overtime loss sting a bit more. This is the most games Dostál has ever started in his pro career, including a stint at the Winter Olympics in February. It's also important to remember that next season will be just his second as the full-time starter.

When the Vegas Golden Knights took the ice on Thursday night, they did so with one mission: beat the Anaheim Ducks and advance to the Western Conference Finals. They certainly rose to the occasion– they struck 62 seconds into the first period and never let up en route to a 5-1 victory.

Less than a minute into the first period, William Karlsson sprung Mitch Marner on a breakaway. What followed was one of the most impressive goals in Golden Knights history. 

Marner moved in on Lukáš Dostál, shielding the puck from a pursuing Jackson LaCombe. When Dostál moved to cut off Marner’s angle, the forward pulled up, stopping on a dime. Marner went forehand-backhand-forehand-backhand, and finished the play off forehand, between-the-legs, while skating backward.

Mr. Game Six. Stretch pass from William Karlsson, and Money Mitch is in on a breakaway. Dostál closes him off, no problem. Money Mitch with the pull up, tucks it home, and puts his team up early.

1-0, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/YyiDFZLnxY

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 15, 2026

“I didn’t really have a good look at it, being behind the play. But from the glimpse I saw, it was just so sick,” said defenseman Shea Theodore postgame. “That’s him, though. [Marner] is so good on his edges, and he’s so good at finding different ways to get things done.”

The Golden Knights doubled their lead at 8:30 in the first. Mitch Marner took the puck up ice, carried it into the zone, and surveyed the ice as Brett Howden drove the net. Marner threaded a pass between Jackson LaCombe and Alex Killorn to set Howden up for a one-timer.

It’s the shorthanded specialist. Marner made it happen, and Howden finished it off. Have you heard that one before?

2-0, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/JEnnXDTug9

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 15, 2026

The Golden Knights added to their lead on the power play at 17:19 in the first. Tomáš Hertl won the draw clean back to Shea Theodore, who moved into the high slot and fired a wrister through traffic that found its way home. 

That took all of four seconds. Snipe city, population Shea Theodore. Rips one from the point.

3-0, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/nfm5yi1PqE

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 15, 2026

Anaheim came out flying to start the second period and recorded five shots in the first four minutes. Eventually, they broke through on the power play.

The Ducks broke through on the power play at 12:46 in the second. Troy Terry entered the zone with speed, danced between Mitch Marner and Shea Theodore, and fired a cross-ice pass to Mikael Granlund. Granlund picked his spot and ripped a wrister past Carter Hart far-side.

Mikael Granlund. Wow. What a shot. Let’s one rip from the top of the left circle and beats Hart far-side.

3-1, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/KIZyxEN3tP

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 15, 2026

Granlund’s goal rejuvenated a frustrated group, but to no avail. Despite outshooting the Golden Knights 28-12 in the final two periods, the Ducks simply weren’t able to capitalize. 

The Golden Knights restored their three-goal lead just 2:52 into the third. John Carlson tried to rim the puck around the boards, but it never made it to Alex Killorn at the half wall. Ivan Barbashev read the play, intercepted the pass, and threaded a backhand through Mikael Granlund to find Pavel Dorofeyev with time and space. Dorofeyev stepped into the slot and beat Lukáš Dostál far-side with a wicked wrister.

The kid is on fire! Ducks turnover, Ivan Barbashev with a backhand feed, and Pavel Dorofeyev finishes it off with a laser from the slot.

4-1, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/DHLXIxWHCq

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 15, 2026

The Golden Knights tacked on another at 12:32 in the third. Rasmus Andersson fired the puck deep into the zone, and Lukáš Dostál left his crease to play the puck behind the net. Pavel Dorofeyev got to it first, protected the puck from Jacob Trouba, rolled out to below the right circle, and beat Lukáš Dostál over the shoulder short-side.

Pavel Dorofeyev. Ew. Drifts out from behind the net and rips one over Dostál’s shoulder.

5-1, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/5hENZoCUCE

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 15, 2026

The Ducks pulled Lukáš Dostál for the extra attacker with over five minutes remaining in regulation. But a four-goal deficit is a mountain to climb; despite recording eight shots, they couldn’t solve Carter Hart, and the Golden Knights held on for a commanding 5-1 victory.

Handshakes in Anaheim. pic.twitter.com/io0QQ7bmlo

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 15, 2026

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals is scheduled for 5 p.m. PST on Wednesday at Ball Arena.

Duck Hunters: 3 Takeaways as Golden Knights Win Game 6, Advance to Western Conference Final

The Vegas Golden Knights hired former Vancouver Canucks head coach John Tortorella on March 29, only eight games before the end of the 2025–26 regular season. 

Now, with only five games lost in both the regular season and playoffs since being hired, Tortorella and the Golden Knights are heading to the Western Conference Final. 

After taking down the Utah Mammoth in six games during the first-round of the 2026 post-season, Vegas has knocked out an up-and-coming Anaheim Ducks team that defeated the Edmonton Oilers and brought the Golden Knights to six games. 

This is the fifth time in their nine-season franchise history that the Golden Knights have made it to the Conference Finals. Vegas has made it to the Stanley Cup Final twice in their club history, losing to the Washington Capitals in their inaugural season (2018) and winning in 2023. They have only missed the post-season once, in 2022. 

Tortorella has made the post-season 13 times in his coaching career, winning the Stanley Cup once with the Tampa Bay Lighting in 2003–04. He has made it to the Conference Finals only one other time throughout his career — with the New York Rangers in 2012. In his lone season as the Canucks’ head coach, Vancouver went 36–35–11 during the regular season and did not make the playoffs. 

Also an ex-Canuck heading to the Western Conference Final with Vegas is Nic Dowd, who played with Vancouver for 40 games before heading to Washington for the better-half of eight seasons. While he didn’t end up getting on the scoresheet during the Golden Knights’ second-round series against the Ducks, Dowd played an important role against the Mammoth, scoring the game-winning goal in Game 1 and finding the back of the net in Game 3. 

Hutton, the ex-Canuck and current Golden Knight who spent the most time with Vancouver, did not play in Vegas’ first-round series but found himself back in the lineup against Anaheim. The defenceman has served as a solid depth defender for the Golden Knights since joining the organization in 2021–22, steadily averaging 14 to 16 minutes per game. 

Vegas will now move on to face the Colorado Avalache in the Western Conference Final. The Avalanche defeated the Minnesota Wild in five games while also sweeping the Los Angeles Kings in the first-round. 

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.

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Fresh off their series victory over the Manitoba Moose, the Grand Rapids Griffins were back on the ice in the friendly confines of Van Andel Arena for their Central Division finals series against the Chicago Wolves on Thursday evening.

Unfortunately, the Wolves proved to be rude guests. 

A goal from Josiah Slavin, who is a 2018 NHL Draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, broke a 1-1 tie in the third period and proved to ultimately stand up as the game-winner.

The Wolves, who picked up a 2-1 regulation victory, lead the series one game to none. 

final. pic.twitter.com/U7DhMo7Eud

— y-Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) May 15, 2026

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Eduards Tralmaks, who is playing in his first season in the Red Wings organization and scored 26 goals in 64 regular season games with the Griffins, opened the scoring late in the second period, only to have the Wolves respond courtesy of a tally from Justin Robidas. 

Griffins goaltender Michal Postava, another first-year player in the organization and who has been playing nearly lights out hockey, made 30 stops in a losing effort. Meanwhile, Wolves goaltender Cayden Primeau made 23 saves. 

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