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Canadiens: Will Noah Dobson Be Back In This Series?

Sunday morning, the Montreal Canadiens told the media that they would have an update on Noah Dobson within 48 hours. In other words, we should know more about Dobson’s status on Tuesday morning. Practice is scheduled for 10:30, so we should have some news then, or at the end of the on-ice session, when Martin St-Louis will speak to the media.

While the coach had given a day off to his players after their 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 of their series, there was one player who took to the ice on Monday morning: Dobson. It wasn’t the first time he had hit the ice since his injury. On Saturday, RDS’ Luc Gelinas reported that he was skating, which is an encouraging sign given that he skated twice in the last three days.

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However, his skating session on Monday morning was limited to just 25 minutes under the watchful eye of Adam Nicholas, and while he did do some puck handling, he didn’t take any shots. Watching Marc-Olivier Cook’s footage on X, the right-shot rearguard doesn’t look like a player who’s on the verge of coming back to play. Besides, he has yet to take part in a single practice with the group.

It will be interesting to see if he does take to the ice with his teammates on Tuesday morning, but even if he does, his return shouldn’t be rushed. The Canadiens are tied 2-2 in their series with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the defense corps has done very well so far. Of course, his transition game could help the attack to get in gear, but looking at his puck handling, he doesn’t seem ready to launch long passes up ice.

All eyes will be on the CN Sports Complex in Brossard on Tuesday morning as fans will eagerly await a complete update on the defenseman’s status.

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Pens Points: Still Breathing

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell (67) skates with the puck against Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York (8) during the second period in Game Five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 27, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Facing another win or go home game, the Pittsburgh Penguins returned to the friendly confines of PPG Paints Arena on Monday night and delivered for the hometown crowd for the first time this series, squeezing out a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 5 to stave off elimination once again and force a Game 6 back across the state in Philadelphia on Wednesday night.

After leading 2-0 in the second period, the Penguins did see that lead erased by the Flyers, but a good bounce off the glass from a shot by Kris Letang found its way behind Dan Vladar and turned into the game winning goal as the Penguins defense played lock down hockey in the final period to seal the victory. [Pensburgh]

Pens Points…

One area that Sidney Crosby struggled in during this series with the Flyers has been in the face-off dot, an area where he is typically among one of the best. In fairness to Sid, faceoff struggles have not just been limited to him as the entire team has battled issues in the series. [Trib Live]

Facing a 0-3 series hole and needing a victory in Game 4 to keep their season alive, the Penguins remained lighthearted at practice despite the task ahead of them. When Crosby caught an errant puck to the head at Friday’s practice the players let out a laugh, giving off a relaxed state before staying alive the next day. [The Athletic $$]

Very few players in franchise history have exemplified what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin better than Bryan Rust. Over the course of his 12-year career, Rust has risen from a bottom-six grinder to a mainstay on the Penguins top line alongside Sidney Crosby. [PPG]

While the Penguins have been getting contributions from all over this series, one name is still missing from the score sheet. That name is Egor Chinakhov, who has been snake bitten now through five games, but the looks are there, he just needs to start converting those looks into goals. [Pensburgh]

NHL News and Notes…

Starting today and running through May 11th, minus weekends, the NHL will being announcing the finalists for the league’s annual awards. The Ted Lindsay Award will kick off the nominations later today, with all awards to follow and concluding with the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award. [NHL]

After being swept in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes, the Ottawa Senators and captain Brady Tkachuk are facing speculation the two sides could be heading for a parting of ways this offseason, rumors that team general manager Steve Staios was quick to shoot down. [NHL]

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Game 4 Recap: Golden Knights Overcome Overturned Goal in Dramatic Overtime Thriller

John Tortorella, head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, stood in a scrum on Monday morning before an optional skate. He fielded five different questions, but the message remained consistent throughout his various answers.

“We’re ready to play,” he said simply.

Tortorella was right. His Golden Knights were indeed ready to play. They scored just 72 seconds into the first period, survived a three-goal collapse, and scored in overtime to tie their series against the Utah Mammoth at two heading back to Vegas.

After sitting and stewing in their Game 3 loss for two days, the Golden Knights came out flying. They didn’t allow the Mammoth to record a shot on goal for nearly six minutes, and outshot them 8-3 in the first despite two Utah power plays. They generated eight high-danger scoring chances in the first period while holding the Mammoth to one.

The Golden Knights broke the ice just 1:12 into the first. Jack Eichel held onto the puck in the corner, drawing three Mammoth defenders out of position before finding Ivan Barbashev all alone at the left dot. Barbashev one-touched a pass to Pavel Dorofeyev, who finished off the back-door play.

The Golden Knights doubled their lead while shorthanded at 18:38 in the first. Mitch Marner pressured JJ Peterka into a turnover and found Brett Howden all alone in the slot. Howden pulled to the forehand, pivoted, and elevated his shot over Karel Vejmelka’s pad.

The second period was all about momentum swings. To begin the period, the Golden Knights were hot again and outshot the Mammoth 7-2 through the first seven minutes.

The Golden Knights extended their lead 3:26 into the second. Noah Hanifin fired a shot from the point, and Cole Smith redirected it home.

Smith’s goal gave the Golden Knights life, but in hockey, momentum can change on a dime.

The Mammoth got on the board at 8:04 in the second. Lawson Crouse fired a shot from the top of the left circle, and Nick Schmaltz chipped the rebound over Carter Hart’s pad.

Just 29 seconds later, while Utah’s PA was still calling the goal, the Mammoth struck again. The Golden Knights were unable to clear the puck, and Ian Cole fired a slap shot from the point that found its way home.

Just 1:45 into the third period, the Golden Knights let the remainder of a once seemingly insurmountable lead slip away. Dylan Guenther found Michael Carcone all alone in the right circle, and the winger redeemed himself for an earlier miss.

The Mammoth continued to swarm and took their first lead of the night at 5:10 in the third. Clayton Keller gloved down an errant pass and threw a centering pass towards the net. The puck took a fortuitous bounce off Mitch Marner’s stick and into a sliding Shea Theodore before trickling into the back of the net.

From that point on, the Golden Knights played at the level required for what had just occurred. They outshot the Mammoth 7-5 and generated four high-danger chances.

“When you trail, you’re making plays you don’t make normally,” said Mammoth head coach André Tourigny postgame. “You’re pushing the pace, and you’re a little bit careless defensively. You’re taking more chances, you’re putting more numbers in the rush… It’s not just that [we’re] sitting back, it’s that they’re tougher to defend.”

The Golden Knights netted the equalizer at 10:25 in the third. Noah Hanifin fired a blast from the point, and Brett Howden redirected it home for his second of the night.

The Golden Knights thought Pavel Dorofeyev ended the game 10 minutes into overtime, but after a lengthy review, officials determined that Jack Eichel was offside prior to the goal. He redeemed himself less than nine minutes later and recorded the assist on the overtime game-winning goal.

With less than a minute remaining in overtime, Ivan Barbashev found Eichel cutting to the net. Karel Vejmelka made the save, but lost his stick in the process. Brett Howden made a play to get the puck back to Eichel behind the net, and Eichel found Shea Theodore all alone on the slot for the game-winner.

Three Takeaways of the Knight

1. The Golden Knights absolutely needed to win the special teams battle tonight. They debuted two new power play units, but went 0-fer on four opportunities, including one that came just 2:28 into overtime. However, they were also a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill, gave the Mammoth power play very little to work with, and scored a shorthanded goal.

2. Jack Eichel answered the call for the Golden Knights today. Tomáš Hertl, on the other hand, rode the bench for a telling amount of time in such a pivotal game. Hertl took just 18 shifts and played less than 12 minutes in a game that nearly went to double overtime.

Pavel Dorofeyev, too, saw very little ice time in the third period. He did, however, return for the start of overtime and scored a goal that was ultimately disallowed.

3. During the regular season, the Golden Knights struggled with starts, riding out momentum swings, and finding a way to stop the bleeding. Tonight, they came out on top in all three areas.

First, they scored just 72 seconds into the first to jump out to an early lead against the Mammoth, and added another at the end of the period. When the Mammoth scored four unanswered to take the lead, the Golden Knights managed to rally and turn what would have been a crushing loss into a victory.

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Penguins fend off elimination again with a Game 5 win over Flyers to send series back to Philly

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Connor Dewar, Kris Letang and Elmer Soderblom scored and the Pittsburgh Penguins avoided elimination for the second time in 48 hours with a 3-2 win over Philadelphia in Game 5 of their first-round series on Monday night.

Sidney Crosby shook off a shot to his left knee to add two assists for the Penguins, who cut the Flyers lead in the best-of-seven series to 3-2.

Game 6 is Wednesday in Philadelphia, where the pressure will be on the Flyers to avoid putting themselves in danger of becoming just the fifth team in NHL history to blow a series after winning the first three games.

Alex Bump scored his first goal of the playoffs for Philadelphia, who rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie it on Travis Sanheim’s second goal of the series 15:06 into the second.

Crosby, who limped to the bench and then to the training room for treatment minutes earlier after a blast from the point by teammate Ryan Shea appeared to hit the top of his left knee, helped put the Penguins back in front just over two minutes later when he fed the puck to Letang at the top of the Philadelphia zone.

Letang sent a shot toward Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar that sailed wide of the net before bouncing back toward Vladar. The puck smacked off Vladar’s left pad, then his right and across the goal line to give Pittsburgh the lead for good.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS 5, MAMMOTH 4, OT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Shea Theodore scored on a snap shot from the high slot with 51.5 seconds left in overtime as Vegas beat Utah after squandering a three-goal lead, tying the first-round playoff series at two games apiece.

Game 5 of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday night in Las Vegas.

The Golden Knights appeared to have won the game earlier in OT when Pavel Dorofeyev tapped in a loose puck with 9:41 left, but the apparent score was waved off when it was determined Vegas was offsides.

Vegas’ Brett Howden scored his second goal of the game on a tip-in with 9:35 remaining in the third period, and the goal forced overtime after Utah had stormed back with four straight goals.

The Golden Knights raced out to a 3-0 lead with two goals in the first and one early in the second by Dorofeyev, Howden, and Cole Smith.

Utah countered with four straight scores, capped by Clayton Keller’s wrist shot off a deflection for a 4-3 lead at the 5:10 mark of the third period.

Utah’s Karel Vejmelka had 31 stops. Carter Hart had 27 saves for Vegas.

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Golden Knights overcome overturned overtime goal to beat Mammoth in OT

The Vegas Golden Knights missed out when an apparent overtime goal that was waved off for offsides.

But they pushed through and eventually scored a goal that counted to tie their first-round playoff series against the Utah Mammoth at two games apiece.

Shea Theodore got the official goal at 19:08 of the first overtime to give the Golden Knights a 5-4 victory in a game in which they blew a 3-0 lead but tied the game 4-4.

The Golden Knights took advantage of Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka losing his stick on the winning goal. Though a teammate tried to get the stick back to him, the goalie wasn't able to grab it and Theodore blasted the puck past him at 19:08 into the first overtime.

The Golden Knights were celebrating earlier in overtime but all OT goals are reviewed and officials zeroed in on a potential offsides.

It was determined after a long review that Jack Eichel entered the zone ahead of the puck and the goal was wiped out.

But Eichel made up for it. He drew an assist on Theodore's game-winner.

The series will head back to Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 29 for Game 5.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Golden Knights rebound from overturned goal to beat Mammoth in OT

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Former Red Wings Help Penguins Stay Alive In Playoffs

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While the Detroit Red Wings are watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs at home for the 10th straight season, a pair of forwards who wore the Winged Wheel earlier in their careers are helping their current team stay alive in postseason competition. 

Former Red Wings forwards Anthony Mantha and Elmer Soderblom, now with the Pittsburgh Penguins, factored into the scoring in Monday evening's Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Penguins squeaked out a 3-2 victory at PPG Paints Arena, cutting what was once a three games to none series lead for the Flyers down to three to two. 

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Soderblom, who was traded to the Penguins by the Red Wings in March, opened the scoring with his first career goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, whistling a snap shot past the blocker of Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar early in the first period. 

Picking up the assist on Soderblom's goal was none other than Anthony Mantha, who enjoyed a career season in Pittsburgh. He set new personal highs in both goals (33) and assists (31), and is in line for a raise on the $2.5 million he earned for this year. 

Soderblom, who was the tallest player in Red Wings history at towering at an imposing 6'9", was never able to realize his full potential in Detroit, and after registering just two goals and an assist in 39 games played this season, was traded to Pittsburgh on March 6 for a 2026 third-round draft pick.

Mantha, who spent the first several years of his NHL career with Detroit but often had time giving a full effort on the ice, was traded to the Washington Capitals in April 2021 for Jakub Vrana, Richard Panik, a 2021 first-round pick, and a 2022 second-round pick. 

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3 Takeaways: Behind Strong Defensive Effort, Penguins Take Game 5 Against Flyers And Climb Back Into Series

Well, folks, we officially have ourselves a series. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins made the trip back to Pittsburgh for Game 5 on Monday after a gutsy Game 4 win that finally put a dent into that 3-0 series lead for the Philadelphia Flyers. Like Game 4, it was do-or-die, as they had to come away with the "W" in order to survive.

And after Monday's game, that small dent has become quite a bit larger. 

The Penguins put on a defensive clinic in the third period to best the Flyers, 3-2, and force Game 6 in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Goaltender Arturs Silovs - despite allowing a goal he'd probably want back - was strong yet again, stopping 18 of 20 Flyers' shots on goal and, for the most part, coming up big when he had to.

It is also the second-straight game where the Penguins have locked down defensively in the third period, and head coach Dan Muse gives credit to the Penguins' ability to largely maintain possession of the puck, even late in both games with the empty net. 

"I think you us giving up less there in both of the third periods, which I think it's a credit to the group," Muse said. "Just being able to make sure in the tight games, I think it's important, too - and I thought for the most part, we did a good job - but we still want to make plays. You don't want to just be throwing pucks away. The more you can be in the offensive zone and have possession, that's always the best defense.

"Overall, the guys did a really good job at the end of the games that we've won."

The Penguins opened up the scoring pretty early in this one despite the Flyers getting some early opportunities. Defenseman Parker Wotherspoon dumped the puck into the zone, and Anthony Mantha won the footrace to it behind the net as well as the battle for the puck. He quickly and decisively found Elmer Soderblom breaking into the slot, and Soderblom put home the Penguins' first shot of the game to give them a 1-0 lead. 

Pittsburgh controlled most of the first period, and that continued in the early stages of the second, when the team's third line had a good shift where they maintained possession of the puck. That continued with the fourth line, and toward the end of their shift, Blake Lizotte fed Sidney Crosby - fresh off the bench - and he found Connor Dewar breaking down the left side. 

Dewar fired a top-shelf snipe to the upper-left corner of the net, hitting the back bar and coming out just as fast as it went in. The Penguins realized they scored right away - even if the officials didn't - and after a short gathering, they confirmed the goal, which put the Penguins up, 2-0, just over three minutes into the second period. 

However, things got a bit dicey when the Flyers responded just 12 seconds later. Alex Bump - taking the place of young Flyers' forward Matvei Michkov in the lineup - broke down the right side and gained positional advantage, and he put a puck on net that somehow found its way through Silovs's five-hole and into the net to cut into the Penguins' lead.

From there, much of the middle frame was played in the neutral zone, with each team not giving the other a ton of space. Later in the period, Sidney Crosby absorbed a heavy blast from teammate Ryan Shea - he later confirmed he was okay - and briefly went down the runway.

Right upon his return to the bench, Travis Sanheim shot a puck from the left side that went through traffic and deflected off the stick of Erik Karlsson, going behind Silovs and tying the game at 2-2. 

But the Penguins responded with a goal of their own this time - and they got their lucky bounce as well.

A little more than two minutes later, the Penguins' first line was cycling in the offensive zone, and defenseman Kris Letang floated a puck toward the goal that hit off the stancheon and bounced back toward Vladar. Vladar backed himself onto the goal line - not knowing where it was - and accidentally slid the puck past the goal line to give the Penguins back the 3-2 lead late in the second. 

Then, in the third period, the Penguins simply didn't allow much at all. Even though they only registered four shots themselves in the final frame, they limited the Flyers to six and largely kept them to the perimeter. Again, the Penguins were especially good in the final few minutes, making it difficult for the Flyers to pull Vladar in the first place and not giving them much at all once he was finally pulled.

This win was a huge testament to the resiliency of this group, which is something that has been on display all season long.

"That's something we've prided ourselves on all year," Crosby said. "Throughout the season, we have been in different situations, and I think that we've done a great job at handling adversity. Again, here, we're faced with more. It doesn't get any easier, so we know it's a big challenge.

"I think we have a lot of belief in our group, and we've done it time and time again. So, we've got to do it again."

Game 6 between the Penguins and Flyers will be Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET in Philadelphia.

GAME BLOG: Pittsburgh Penguins V. Philadelphia Flyers, Game 5GAME BLOG: Pittsburgh Penguins V. Philadelphia Flyers, Game 5Follow along with the THN - Pittsburgh Penguins' LIVE game blog for Round 1, Game 5 against the Philadelphia Flyers

Three Takeaways

- The fourth line did a whole lot of good things in this game. They were used quite a lot in the final frame, when the Penguins were tasked with shutting things down and holding their narrow lead. And they helped generate offensively, too.

But, boy, was the first line good on Monday, too.

Crosby, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust were a threat nearly every time they touched the ice. They gave up some chances against, too, but they were able to cycle in the offensive zone for the majority of the game, which is a pretty big deal.

87 looked much more himself in this game, and he was in vintage form. He finished with two primary assists on the evening and nearly scored an empty-netter on a diving attempt near center ice.

"When things get hard, when backs are against the wall, there is no doubt in my mind that he's going to lead the charge in terms of elevating, finding a way to do everything possible to help this team win a hockey game," Muse said of Crosby after the game.

Honestly, all four lines were big contributors for the Penguins Monday, as the third line of Soderblom, Ben Kindel, and Mantha were excellent as well. I'd still like to see more from the second line, but it's only a matter of time before Egor Chinakhov finds the back of the net in this series. 

Penguins Going Back To Same Lineup From Game 4 Was The Right CallPenguins Going Back To Same Lineup From Game 4 Was The Right CallThe Pittsburgh Penguins are going back to what worked in Game 4 ahead of their must-win Game 5 matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers.

- That said, the best players on the ice Monday were Letang and Sam Girard.

This pairing was driving the bus for the Penguins all night long. According to Moneypuck, they had a 64.4 percent expected goals share, which, honestly, seems kind of low. Letang, in particular, looked confident while carrying the puck and was able to make a few key defensive plays as well. 

Girard's ability in transition led to several opportunities as well, and they both skated the puck out of trouble with relative ease.

Karlsson still has not found the next gear. Ilya Solovyov's shifts were limited, especially in the third period. And Wotherspoon has been a bit shaky at times in this series. But between those two and Shea - who saw some shifts with Karlsson during the third period in this one - the Penguins' blue line has been more than solid in the last two.

Once Karlsson elevates - and if Girard and Letang can maintain this level and keep generating - things should look pretty good on the backend for the Penguins.

3 Takeaways: Penguins Earn Desperation Win Against Flyers To Force Game 53 Takeaways: Penguins Earn Desperation Win Against Flyers To Force Game 5The Pittsburgh Penguins - led by goaltender Arturs Silovs and captain Sidney Crosby - played well enough to force a Game 5 against the Philadelphia Flyers in their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series.

- It's already been said a few times over, but I'm so impressed with the Penguins' shutdown play in both third periods during these last two games. 

Yes, they surrendered a third-period goal Saturday, but the response matters. They're not giving the Flyers any time and space. They've even deployed their own 1-1-3 in the neutral zone at times. They're giving the Flyers a taste of their own medicine from earlier on in the series, and even Flyers' coach Rick Tocchet is impressed with the Penguins' defensive effort.

"You've got to give them credit," Tocchet said. "They're defending really hard."

If the Penguins can get the first goal again and play this well defensively in Game 6 - and, perhaps, get their power play going - they could make things very, very interesting.

Stay tuned, folks.

'You Don't Really Have Anything To Lose': With 3-0 Odds Stacked Against Them, Penguins Still Believe Comeback Is Possible'You Don't Really Have Anything To Lose': With 3-0 Odds Stacked Against Them, Penguins Still Believe Comeback Is PossibleIt's no secret that the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in a precarious spot down 3-0 in their first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers. But they're not ready to give up or give in.

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Penguins fend off elimination again with a 3-2 Game 5 win over Flyers to send series back to Philly

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins

Apr 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) moves the puck against Philadelphia Flyers center Luke Glendening (41) during the third period in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — Connor Dewar, Kris Letang and Elmer Soderblom scored and the Pittsburgh Penguins avoided elimination for the second time in 48 hours with a 3-2 win over Philadelphia in Game 5 of their first-round series on Monday night.

Sidney Crosby shook off a shot to his left knee to add two assists for the Penguins, who cut the Flyers’ lead in the best-of-seven series to 3-2.

Game 6 is Wednesday in Philadelphia, where the pressure will be on the Flyers to avoid putting themselves in danger of becoming just the fifth team in NHL history to blow a series after winning the first three games.

“We know it’s a big challenge going into there,” Crosby said. “But I think we have a lot of belief in our group, and we’ve done it time and time again.”

Alex Bump scored in his playoff debut for Philadelphia, who rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie it on Travis Sanheim’s second goal of the series 15:06 into the second.

Crosby, who limped to the bench and then to the training room for treatment minutes earlier after a blast from the point by teammate Ryan Shea appeared to hit the top of his left knee, helped put the Penguins back in front just over two minutes later when he fed the puck to Letang at the top of the Philadelphia zone.

Letang sent a shot toward Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar that sailed wide of the net before bouncing back toward Vladar. The puck smacked off Vladar’s left pad, then his right and across the goal line to give Pittsburgh the lead for good.

“Bounces are part of the game,” Penguins coach Dan Muse said. “But I think you earn them when you’re working and you try to do the right things. That’s usually when the bounces go your way.”

After four games of mostly low-event hockey, Game 5 started with a frantic pace, a style that favors the Penguins, who finished as the NHL’s third-highest-scoring team during the regular season.

That offense went largely missing while Pittsburgh fell into a 3-0 hole. Pushed to the brink, it has returned with a flourish, and this time it wasn’t just Crosby, Letang and Evgeni Malkin shouldering the burden.

Soderblom’s first goal of the playoffs and Dewar’s second gave Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead in the second period. Philadelphia responded behind Bump and Sanheim, but Letang’s fluky score late in the second was the difference.

Pittsburgh will take the ice on Wednesday, having all the momentum after two games in which they looked like the resilient, resourceful group that was among the NHL’s biggest surprises.

The Flyers and their late playoff surge were one of the others, though Philadelphia and its talented young core will have the difficult task of finishing off a more experienced group with Hall of Famers scattered across the roster.

“They are a veteran team, they know what it takes to win,” Vladar said. “We are still a young team. We’ve got to learn that. We’ve got to bounce back. Still try to play our game, not their game.”

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This Amazing Sabres Move Just Keeps Getting Better

The Buffalo Sabres now have a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Boston Bruins in their first-round series. With this, the Sabres only need one more win to advance to the second round. 

The Sabres have won each of their last two games to get into this position, and a massive reason behind it has been the play of goaltender Alex Lyon.

Since taking over the Sabres' crease from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen this series, Lyon has been nothing short of fantastic. In three appearances this playoffs, he has a 2-0 record, a 0.89 goals-against average, and a .964 save percentage. 

In Game 3 against the Bruins, Lyon stopped an impressive 24 out of 25 shots. Then, in Game 4, Lyon stopped 23 out of 24 shots. With this, there is no question that Lyon has been helping carry the Sabres and should continue to have the net for the time being because of it.

Lyon's strong start to the postseason comes after he had a 20-10-4 record, a 2.77 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage, and three shutouts. With this, the Sabres' decision to sign Lyon to a two-year, $3 million contract during this past offseason has been simply outstanding. 

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Penguins/Flyers Game 5 Recap: Pens find a way, pull out another win to keep season alive

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (80) has the puck bounce of him for a goal by Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) (not pictured) during the second period in Game Five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 27, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Pregame

The Penguins use the same players, lines and goalie from Game 4 for Game 5.

The Flyers make a few changes, Alex Bump is in and Matvei Michkov is out up front. On the blueline Emil Andrae is in and Noah Juulsen takes a seat.

First period

The Flyers get a few chances early and some close calls when Arturs Silovs makes the first stop and leaves a couple of rebounds just in front of him. It’s the Penguins who strike first, almost out of no where on their first shot of the game. Elmer Soderblom dumps the puck, looks routine until Anthony Mantha barges in on the forecheck and wins the puck from Rasmus Ristolainen. Mantha centers the puck and it ends up on the stick of Soderblom who hammers it by Dan Vladar. Pittsburgh up 1-0 just 2:45 into the game.

Sam Girard takes the first penalty of the game with a tripping call early, the Pens’ PK kills it off.

Soderblom gets tripped to draw a penalty then shenanigans ensue after the whistle. Travis Konecny goads Evgeni Malkin into punching him, Mantha gets tied up with someone. Both the Pens go off, Konecny joins them, Pittsburgh ends up with a 5v4 power play out of it, nothing comes of it.

The Flyers get a push at the end, Trevor Zegras has a puck roll off his stick when he tries to lift a backhand shot, then tries to shoot after pulling the puck between his legs but misses wide.

Time runs out in a hectic first. Philadelphia has an 11-9 edge in shots, Pittsburgh has a 1-0 lead where it counts.

Second period

The Pens’ third line stacks another tremendous shift with zone time to trap the Flyers in. They start getting a change and Connor Dewar gets a pass from Sidney Crosby that he blows a wrist shot over the shoulder of Vladar. It’s in and out so quickly the refs on the ice didn’t see it was a good goal. A quick review confirms it was. 2-0 Pens.

Before the crowd stops cheering, Alex Bump zooms by Parker Wotherspoon and flips a shot that leaks through Silovs. 2-1 just 12 seconds after the last goal.

Erik Karlsson has to trip a player to prevent a rush and he’s the next to the penalty box, his teammates kill it off without giving up as much as a shot.

Chaotic ending, Crosby is felled by a Ryan Shea shot to his knee. He’d leave the game and return momentarily.

Momentum shifts to the Flyers, they catch the Pittsburgh fourth line for a long d-zone shift where they just can’t clear the puck. Eventually that comes back to haunt them, Travis Sanheim shoots the puck, it clicks off the stick of Karlsson and in. 2-2 game.

Then it’s the Pens turn for a good bounce, Kris Letang shoots from deep, the puck bounces off the end wall and Vladar’s skate and into trickle into the net with the Flyer goalie unable to find where it went. 3-2, Pens back in front.

The second period amped up quickly. Both teams scored two goals, a couple of zany bounces along the way and this game heads into the third period at 3-2 Penguins.

Third period

Bryan Rust dekes around a defender and tries to go forehand but Vladar gets the big leg outstretched to it in the first minute. The Pens stay on their front foot with zone time and Andrae trips Malkin to send the Pens to their second power play of the game. They mainly just pass it around, getting only a long and predictable shot that’s easy to stop/

The rest of the period moves quickly, both teams battle along the walls and middle of the ice but few shots are found for either side. The clock runs for about 7 minutes straight in the second half of the period and that becomes a big ally for Pittsburgh.

Whistles come, the Pens hang on with a few icings and Crosby has narrow misses on a few chances at the empty net after the Flyers pull Vladar. The crowd roars as the time grows short and runs out. Pittsburgh forces a Game 6.

Some thoughts

  • The Pens have kept the Flyers off the scoreboard in the first period of all five games. First period scoring was a major edge to Pittsburgh in the regular season and that’s held up in this series so far.
  • The second periods on the other hand have been tough goes. The Flyers have been very strong in the middle period.
  • Great to see Mantha show up and finally make something happen. That line was devoid of offense in the series until that point and they got back to basics. Dump the puck, create some havoc on the forecheck, get to the net. Worked out well.
  • It seems like as this series has gone on the Penguins are finding more ways to break through the Flyer trap and neutral zone. The weak side outlet is often there and they’re starting to find it more for some easier releases into space all the way up to entering the offensive zone.
  • Kudos to whoever put Crosby out for a change on the fly in the second period instead of Acciari to play with the other fourth liners. It was the perfect moment for it with so much momentum building and paid off when Crosby made a great play to glove done a clearing attempt and then Dewar finished for the second goal.
  • Two game winning goals for Kris Letang. This one was a fluky one, but they count just the same. By hook or crook the Pens have found some unusual ways to manufacture goals in the last few games.
  • Another multi-point night for Crosby, the formula was kinda the same as Game 4 with the captain finding a way to help create offense.
  • On that note, Ilya Solovyov only played 10 shifts and 6:09 total in this game. Exactly like last time, the Pens are going to be leaning on Karlsson and Letang for as far as that will take them.
  • Another solid night from Silovs too. The first goal against was one he’ll want back, not much can be done about the deflection on the second. Kudos to him that was all there was to talk about, if he can keep finding ways to keep the goals against to 2 then you gotta like the Pens’ chances. (That said, the Flyers missed the net on 22 shots tonight, including several very good looks. Again, might be classified as by any means necessary but for now you gotta take what you can get).

The Flyers were always going back to Philadelphia after tonight. What they didn’t want is for the Penguins to follow them. Well, that’s happening, courtesy of Pittsburgh’s big win that will start to shift the pressure a bit to the other team that haven’t been able to close things out. Game 6 on Wednesday night.

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On This Date: Bill Lindsay Scores Most Iconic Goal In Panthers History, Clinching Florida's First Playoff Series

We’ve hit another significant date in Florida Panthers history.

This time, the moment that occurred on this particular date was one that remained the lasting image of any early success found by the franchise for decade upon decade.

We’re talking, of course, about the diving, series-clinching goal scored by Billy Lindsay during Game 5 of the first playoff series the Panthers ever played, against the Boston Bruins.

The game was played on Saturday, April 27, 1996 at Miami Arena in Downtown Miami. 

With the game tied at three late in the third period, Lindsay picked up the puck in the neutral zone and zoomed up the right-side boards.

With the puck on his stick, Lindsay drove toward the net and past Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, who tripped Lindsay just as he reached the goal.

Lindsay managed to tip the puck between the legs of Bruins goaltender Bill Ranford as he slid through the crease and out the other side.

Miami Arena exploded in jubilation, and the Panthers went on to knock out the Bruins in five games.

Florida then took out the high-flying Philadelphia Flyers in six games and the powerhouse Pittsburgh Penguins in seven, making the team’s first Stanley Cup Final appearance in just its third season of existence.

Unfortunately, the lack of playoff success in the coming decades would keep the image of Lindsay’s goal as the quintessential moment of ultimate Panthers postseason glory, a reminder of their improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Stay tuned for more reminders of fun Panthers playoff successs in the coming weeks and months. 

In the meantime, let us know in the comments where you were when Lindsay scored his remarkable goal and how you remember seeing it go down!

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GAME BLOG: Pittsburgh Penguins V. Philadelphia Flyers, Game 5

Pittsburgh Penguins v. Philadelphia Flyers - Game 5 (PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pa.)  |  Monday, Apr. 27, 2026

Puck Drop: 7:10 p.m. ET

Penguins' projected lines and pairings:

Forwards

Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Egor Chinakhov-Tommy Novak-Evgeni Malkin

Elmer Soderblom-Ben Kindel-Anthony Mantha 

Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari

Defensemen

Parker Wotherspoon - Erik Karlsson

Sam Girard - Kris Letang

Ryan Shea - Ilya Solovyov

Goaltenders

Arturs Silovs (starter) 

Stuart Skinner (backup)

Flyers' projected lines and pairings:

Tyson Foerster-Trevor Zegras-Owen Tippett

Travis Konecny-Christian Dvorak-Porter Martone

Denver Barkey-Noah Cates-Alex Bump

Luke Glendening-Sean Couturier-Garnet Hathaway

Defensemen

Travis Sanheim-Rasmus Ristolainen

Cam York-Jamie Drysdale

Nick Seeler-Noah Juulsen

Goaltenders

Dan Vladar (starter) 

Sam Ersson (backup)

First period

- Philadelphia with a chance from the jump, and Silovs was ready for it. 

- Early on, Penguins are having a hard time entering the o-zone. Philly not giving them much winning a lot of board battles, and taking it the other way. Don't seem very willing to play dump-and-chase.

- GOAL (PITTSBURGH): Elmer Soderblom (1), from Anthony Mantha and Parker Wotherspoon (2:45). Penguins lead the Flyers, 1-0. 

- THAT is what the Penguins need to see more of from Mantha. He won the puck battle down low and fed it to Soderblom, who was breaking in the slot. The Penguins are going to need to be willing to play dump-and-chase and win a whole lot more of those battles if they expect to come back in this series. 

- Sam Girard for tripping (4:17). Philadelphia to the power play. 

- Penguins' fans are booing Trevor Zegras every time he touches the puck. 

- The PK gets it done, and the Penguins are feeding off that momentum. They have a lot of jump now, and it would be in their best interest to take advantage of that. 

- What a route by Rakell to get to a puck and get the cycle going after a Crosby dump. About 12 and a half to go in the first period. 

- Silovs has come up with some stops early. The Penguins are, generally, getting the better of the play here in the first, but they are being outshot 7-3 at the midway point of the period. 

- Penguins getting a ton of chances now. First line is cooking. And they draw a tripping penalty on Garnet Hathaway, but some punches are thrown after, and Malkin goes, too. Penguins still head to the power play (14:27).

- Novak takes Malkin's spot on PP1. Actually liked the look of that. Decisive with the puck and a good distributor. Set up a few chances there. 

- Flyers kill off the Penguins' PP, get shorthanded chance that Silovs stops (when second unit was on). 

- Vladar almost Vladar'd again (from Rakell in Game 4), this time from Blake Lizotte.

- Some chances exchanged in the closing minute of the period. Both goaltenders stood tall. 

- END OF FIRST PERIOD - 

Score: 1-0 Pittsburgh over Philadelphia  |  Goals from: Elmer Soderblom (PIT)  |  Shots on goal: Pittsburgh 11, Phildelphia 9

Second period

- Something I like about the Penguins' offensive zone attack today is that they're getting more bodies to the net. More traffic in front of Vladar. More chaos. 

They're going to need that in order to beat him. He's been that good. 

- GOAL (Pittsburgh): Connor Dewar (2), from Sidney Crosby and Blake Lizotte (3:17). Pittsburgh leads Philadelphia, 2-0

- What a snipe. That was in and out so fast that no one knew it went in the net at first. After a brief conversation amongst the officials, it was called a goal. 

- GOAL (Philadelphia): Alex Bump (1), from Rasmus Ristolainen and Noah Cates (3:29). Pittsburgh leads Philadelphia, 2-1. 

- Not a good goal from Silovs there. Leaked right through his five-hole. He's been outstanding in this series, but he'd want that one back. Time for his teammates to pick him up, just as he's done the same many times over in these two games. 

- Dewar just missed another one. Second-chance opportunity, backhand missed the top-left corner of the net. 

- Dan Vladar is really playing with fire. He almost gave up another one on a misplay, as Ben Kindel beat him to the puck and fired the puck to the left circle, where he was hoping a Penguin would be there. Luckily for Vladar, it was a teammate. 

- Lots of neutral zone play in this period, but Karlsson takes a tripping penalty after turning the puck over to Konecny. Would have been a breakaway otherwise. Flyers to the power play (9:23). 

- Really solid PK by the Penguins. Clogged shooting lanes and didn't give the Flyers too many looks. Forced them to the perimeter. (No shots on their PP).

- Chinakhov cannot hit the net for the life of him. He's overthinking it. Gotta just rip it. 

- That Shea blast hit Sid. Couldn't put any weight on his leg. Hobbles to the bench. 

- Crosby is back on the Penguins' bench. But the Flyers score in the meantime. Sanheim shoots one through traffic and off Karlsson's stick.

- GOAL (Philadelphia): Travis Sanheim (2), from Rasmus Ristolainen and Travis Konecny (15:06). Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are tied, 2-2. 

- GOAL (Pittsburgh): Kris Letang (2), from Sidney Crosby and Ryan Shea (17:06). Pittsburgh leads Philadelphia, 3-2. 

- And THAT, folks, is why you shoot the puck! Letang just floated that in the direction of Vladar, and it somehow finds its way behind him as he caved into the net. Throwing pucks at the net is never a bad thing. Case in point. 

Huge goal for the Penguins. They needed a response after that unfortunate bounce on the tying goal. This is something this team has done all season long, and they need to continue pressuring and putting their foot on the gas.

- Kris Letang is having himself a second consecutive nice game. I really liked what I've seen from him in this one. Managing the puck a whole lot better than he was in the first three.

- END OF SECOND PERIOD - 

Score: 3-2 Pittsburgh over Philadelphia  |  Goals from: Connor Dewar (PIT), Alex Bump (PHI), Travis Sanheim (PHI), Kris Letang (PIT)  |  Shots on goal: Pittsburgh 17, Philadelphia 14

Third period

- Bryan Rust almost scored one of the more impressive playoff goals by a Penguin in recent memory. Crosby feeds it to him off a turnover, Rust dekes around a Flyer, and he goes cross-crease and tries to stuff it in. Vladar pad save. 

- Ryan Shea is out there with Karlsson to start the third. Interesting. 

- Malkin draws an early tripping penalty on Emil Andrae. Penguins to the power play (1:37). 

- Penguins possessing the puck well on the power play. Not shooting nearly enough. And not nearly enough movement. 

- Chinakhov really needs to get going here. He's just playing way too nervous and gripping the stick a bit too tight. The floodgates will open if he just puts one in. 

- The Crosby line has been a problem for the Flyers all game long. They're giving them fits. They're dominating in the offensive zone. Winning every battle and forechecking the heck out of this thing. Excellent stuff from them tonight. 

- The Penguins have iced the puck three times in a row here midway through the third. Not ideal. 

- Flyers had a hard time pulling Vladar at first because of Pens' pressure. Then, once they did, Pens had several opportunities to put the puck in the empty net and didn't. 

- This is such a tight, tight contest. Pens are going to have to come up big here in the final 40 seconds. 

- Sid dives for a puck and hits the post on the empty net. Icing with 9.9 seconds left. 

- END OF GAME - 

FINAL SCORE: Penguins 3, Flyers 2  |  Flyers lead series, 3-2

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Penguins Going Back To Same Lineup From Game 4 Was The Right Call

When a team goes down 3-0 in a Stanley Cup Playoff series, there typically isn't a whole lot going right. And it typically takes something close to divine intervention to come all the way back, as it's only happened four times in the history of the NHL.

So, when that fourth game ends up in the "W" column, it makes sense not to change anything and roll with whatever was working game-by-game.

And the Pittsburgh Penguins are doing exactly that.

After finding themselves in that 3-0 opening-round series hole against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Penguins managed to stave off elimination with a 4-2 win in Game 4 to force a fifth game on Monday in Pittsburgh. And, understandably, they're going with the same exact lineup they went with on Saturday, which includes rookie Arturs Silovs getting the nod between the pipes for the second consecutive game. 

3 Takeaways: Penguins Earn Desperation Win Against Flyers To Force Game 53 Takeaways: Penguins Earn Desperation Win Against Flyers To Force Game 5The Pittsburgh Penguins - led by goaltender Arturs Silovs and captain Sidney Crosby - played well enough to force a Game 5 against the Philadelphia Flyers in their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series.

"I think both [Silovs and Stuart Skinner] have done a really great job," head coach Dan Muse said. "I think it's good that both guys were always engaged, they're always ready to go. There's never that long lull with anybody not playing for a really long time, and so there's a rhythm that guys were able to keep throughout the course of the year. And they were able to build off the rhythm with the games they were playing."

And, while that tandem worked in the regular season, the Penguins simply have to ride whoever has the momentum from game to game in the playoffs. Silovs was brilliant Saturday, stopping 28 of 30 Flyers' shots on goal and making some key saves on odd-man breaks that could have buried the Penguins, much like Skinner was doing in the first three games of the series.

But the Penguins won the hockey game with Silovs in net, and they won the hockey game with a slightly adjusted lineup, too. Elmer Soderblom was back in for Justin Brazeau, the top line of Rickard Rakell, Sidney Crosby, and Bryan Rust was reunited - as was the second line of Egor Chinakhov, Tommy Novak, and Evgeni Malkin - and Ilya Solovyov took the place of Connor Clifton on the third defensive pairing. 

Philadelphia Flyers At Pittsburgh Penguins Game 5 Preview: Penguins Keep Same Lineup Ahead Of Another Elimination GamePhiladelphia Flyers At Pittsburgh Penguins Game 5 Preview: Penguins Keep Same Lineup Ahead Of Another Elimination GameThe Pittsburgh Penguins will try to extend their season again on Monday.

Going back to what worked in Game 4 - even if there is still more to build on - was absolutely the right call, as the Penguins were finally able to get to the game that was working for them all season long and break through Philadelphia's neutral zone trap. 

Crosby's line had a 100 percent chances for share - meaning they gave up no scoring chances against - and the second line had their fair share of looks as well. The power play is still something that the Penguins will need to work on, though, as is making sure they don't give up too many high-danger looks.

"I still think that there's another level that we can get to. I believe strongly in that," Muse said. "I think it just [starts] with the play with the puck, the puck support, I thought that was better. When you have that, I think it leads you to be in better positions as you navigate through the neutral zone.

Flyers Stick with Vladar, Make Lineup Shift Ahead of Potential Closer Against PenguinsFlyers Stick with Vladar, Make Lineup Shift Ahead of Potential Closer Against PenguinsThe lineup decisions that define a playoff series are going to be scrutinized.

"Overall, some of the decisions being made to try to set up the o-zone overall - it was better, but there's still room for even more there. I think we have to continue to take steps, continue to tighten things up defensively. We gave up too many odd-man rushes. Some of the chances we gave up last game, I think we can definitely clean up as well. But, it was more in line with the way we want to play."

If the Penguins are to keep their season alive, they absolutely need to improve upon those fundamentals from last game, and they are going to have to see yet another "W" in the result column. Going back to what worked in Game 4 - without a doubt - gives them the best chance to repeat victory and extend the series.

'You Don't Really Have Anything To Lose': With 3-0 Odds Stacked Against Them, Penguins Still Believe Comeback Is Possible'You Don't Really Have Anything To Lose': With 3-0 Odds Stacked Against Them, Penguins Still Believe Comeback Is PossibleIt's no secret that the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in a precarious spot down 3-0 in their first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers. But they're not ready to give up or give in.

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2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 5 Gamethread: Flyers @ Penguins

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 20: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (55) battle after the play during the first period in Game Two of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 20, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Talk about the game with Pens fans here!

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Flyers again can't close out Penguins, come home for massive Game 6

Flyers again can't close out Penguins, come home for massive Game 6 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

PITTSBURGH — So much for the Flyers’ commanding lead.

They have themselves a series.

The Flyers suffered a 3-2 loss Monday night to the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Game 5 of this best-of-seven first-round playoff matchup.

Rick Tocchet’s club now heads home with its series advantage whittled down to 3-2. The Flyers knew eliminating a team like Pittsburgh was going to be a challenge.

“There’s no way that group’s going to go away,” Tocchet said before the game. “No chance.”

The Flyers showed some resolve, but they couldn’t overcome multiple deficits. They erased a 2-0 hole in the second period on goals from Alex Bump and Travis Sanheim.

Kris Letang, though, responded to regain the Penguins their lead before intermission. Pittsburgh closed the door in the third period.

The Penguins are trying to become just the fifth team in NHL history to win a series when down 3-0.

“They’re an experienced group that has been in this situation before,” Cam York said before the game. “They’re not just going to go away easy. I think we wanted them to go away a little bit easy last game and that obviously wasn’t the case. … We’ve got to bring our A-plus game to take these guys out.”

The Flyers dropped consecutive games for just the second time since Feb. 26.

• Dan Vladar converted 18 saves on 21 shots.

On Letang’s goal, the Flyers’ netminder tried to glove a high shot. The puck ended up ricocheting off the boards and then Vladar’s skate as Pittsburgh took its lead back.

The Penguins struck just 2:45 minutes into the game. Elmer Soderblom scored from the slot after Anthony Mantha had a textbook forecheck on Rasmus Ristolainen.

Vladar gave his team a really solid third period, but the Flyers couldn’t rally.

Arturs Silovs, making his second straight start for Pittsburgh, stopped 18 of the Flyers’ 20 shots.

He denied Porter Martone with under a minute to go.

The Flyers’ league-worst power play went 0 for 2 and is just 2 for 15 in the series.

• As expected, Matvei Michkov was a healthy scratch. Bump entered the lineup for his first career NHL playoff game.

The 22-year-old said he was “stoked” to play and he looked it. His second-period goal came just 12 seconds after Connor Dewar had the building abuzz. The Penguins’ fourth-line winger took advantage of the Flyers failing to clear the zone and cushioned his team’s lead to 2-0.

But Bump quickly quieted the crowd with an excellent move to the net.

The rookie winger was noticeable from the onset. On his first shift, he fired a shot and had a hit.

Bump did exactly what the Flyers were hoping for in his postseason debut. He’ll definitely always remember PPG Paints Arena. His first goal in both the regular season and playoffs came here.

• Sidney Crosby exited briefly in the second period when a shot from his teammate nailed his left leg.

The future Hall of Fame center returned and assisted Letang’s go-ahead goal.

Crosby has put up back-to-back multi-point efforts after recording just an assist through the first three games.

• The series shifts back to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET/NBCSP).