BOSTON (AP) — Bowen Byram scored a minute after Boston missed a penalty shot, and Alex Tuch broke a third-period tie to help Buffalo come from behind and beat the Bruins 3-1 on Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.
Alex Lyon stopped 24 shots in his first start of the postseason and the Sabres, who snapped an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought by winning the Atlantic Division, regained home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 is Sunday in Boston, with the Bruins needing a win to assure themselves of another home game.
Jeremy Swayman made 25 saves, and Tanner Jeannot scored early in the second period for the Bruins as they opened the scoring for the third straight game.
Boston had a chance to go up 2-0 when Mattias Samuelsson’s stick broke right in front of the Buffalo net, for a turnover that gave Viktor Arvidsson an open lane on the net. Rasmus Dahlin took him down, leading to a penalty shot.
But Arvidsson shot wide.
About a minute later, Byram one-timed a shot past Swayman to tie it. Tuch made it 2-1 when he grabbed a loose puck and fired it past a screened goalie, and Noah Ostlund added an empty-netter with 84 seconds left.
HURRICANES 2, SENATORS 1
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Jackson Blake broke a tie late in the second period, Frederik Andersen made 21 saves and Carolina beat Ottawa to take a 3-0 lead in the first-round series.
The top team in the Eastern Conference in the regular season, the Hurricanes can wrap up the series Saturday in Ottawa.
Logan Stankoven also scored for Carolina, and Taylor Hall had two assists.
Drake Batherson scored for Ottawa, and Linus Ullmark stopped 25 shots.
With their 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators in Game 3, the Carolina Hurricanes now have a commanding 3-0 series lead. With this, the Hurricanes need just one more win to advance to the second round.
Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Taylor Hall has been one of the reasons behind the Hurricanes great start to the playoffs, as he is on fire right now for the Metropolitan Division club.
In three playoff games so far this spring with the Hurricanes, Hall has recorded one goal, four assists, and five points. This included him recording two assists in Game 3 for the Canes.
Hall also put together a very strong performance for the Hurricanes in Game 2, as he scored a goal and recorded an assist. With this, there is no question that the former Blackhawks forward is making a real impact for the Hurricanes early on this series.
Seeing Hall having a strong start to the playoffs is not necessarily surprising, as he showed this season with the Hurricanes that he can still be a solid offensive contributor at this point in his career. In 80 games this season with Carolina, the former Blackhawks forward had 18 goals, 30 assists, and 48 points.
In 56 games over two seasons with the Blackhawks, Hall had 11 goals, 17 assists, and 28 points.
The Philadelphia Flyers currently have a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. There are many reasons behind it, and veteran forward Sean Couturier is one of them.
Couturier has been turning back the clock for the Flyers so far this postseason, and the truth is in his stats. In three playoff games, the 2011 first-round pick has recorded three assists and a plus-2 rating. This included him recording two assists in Game 3 for the Flyers, with one of them being on defenseman Nick Seeler's game-winning goal in the second period.
With this, there is no question that Couturier has been playing some strong hockey for the Flyers early on this postseason. It is undoubtedly good news for the Flyers, as the 6-foot-4 forward is one of their most important players. If he continues to produce offensively and make an impact with his defensive play, the Flyers should stay in good shape from here.
In 42 career playoff games over his NHL career, Couturier has recorded 10 goals, 15 assists, 25 points, and a plus-3 rating. It will be interesting to see how he builds on them as this series continues.
Artturi Lehkonen delivered a crucial insurance goal midway through the third period, helping the Colorado Avalanche pull away for a 4–2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.
With the victory, Colorado takes a commanding 3–0 lead in the first-round playoff series. The Avalanche haven't picked up a four-game sweep in the first round of the playoffs since their Stanley Cup championship in 2022, when they dominated the Nashville Predators.
Gabriel Landeskog set the tone early, Cale Makar added his trademark burst from the blue line, and Brock Nelson chipped in another timely finish as Colorado dictated the pace for long stretches.
Logan O'Connor prior to Game 2. t
Scott Wedgewood was calm when it mattered most, turning aside 24 of 26 shots to help put the Avalanche one win away from advancing.
Los Angeles didn’t go quietly. They haven’t all series. The Kings outshot Colorado 12–7 in the opening period and got goals from Adrian Kempe and Trevor Moore, while Anton Forsberg delivered another strong effort in net. But despite the push, the result feels all too familiar—Los Angeles now sits one loss away from a first-round exit for the fifth straight season.
This time, though, it won’t be the Edmonton Oilers delivering the coup de grâce.
First Period
Nearly four minutes in, Forsberg had to be sharp early, flashing the glove on a slick redirect from Lehkonen that looked labeled for the corner.
Colorado broke through at 5:29 thanks to a gritty sequence. After a hard-fought puck battle behind the net, the puck kicked out to Landeskog, who spun and fired from a sharp angle. It wasn’t pretty, but it didn’t need to be—the puck ricocheted off the end boards, clipped Forsberg’s right skate, and trickled across the line for a 1–0 lead.
The Kings got their first chance to respond on the power play with just over five minutes left after a cross-checking call on Manson, but Colorado’s penalty kill held firm.
Moments later, Manson took a heavy hit into the Kings’ bench from Edmundson and tumbled awkwardly, eventually heading down the tunnel. The period closed with another penalty—Byfield went off for elbowing Drury—but the Avalanche carried their one-goal edge into the intermission.
Second Period
Manson didn’t return right away to start the second, and Colorado couldn’t take advantage of the remaining power-play time.
When he did come back, the game quickly turned chaotic. A shot from the right circle created a scramble in front, and Moore was credited with the tying goal after the puck deflected through traffic. On the same sequence, a high stick from Manson caught Moore up high and drew blood. What was initially called a double minor was trimmed to two minutes once the goal stood.
TREVOR MOORE SCORES AND DRAWS A DOUBLE MINOR ON JOSH MANSON⁉️
Not long after, Manson disappeared down the tunnel again, clearly laboring, while Malinski also made a brief exit before returning to the bench.
Colorado regained control midway through the period. At 12:12, Makar stepped into space and wired a wrist shot through a maze of bodies, the puck sneaking past a fully screened Forsberg and into the top corner to restore the lead.
Tensions boiled over later in the frame when Helenius drove MacKinnon from behind, sending him hard to the ice. The officials handed out matching minors, a call that didn’t sit well given the force of the hit.
Nathan MacKinnon got called for embellishment on this play with Samuel Helenius who also went off for cross-checking...
The Kings pushed hard late, tilting the ice and forcing Wedgewood to stay busy, but Colorado bent without breaking. Despite being outshot 19–15 through two, the Avalanche carried a 2–1 lead into the third.
Third Period
Early in the third, Byfield took his second penalty of the night, hauling down Makar as he cut toward the net. It was a necessary foul, but Colorado’s power play once again came up empty.
Seconds after the kill, the momentum flipped again—this time for good. Kulak was whistled for interference, and while Los Angeles looked poised to capitalize, Lehkonen struck shorthanded. On a clean 2-on-1 rush, he snapped a shot that deflected off Kempe’s skate and slipped through Forsberg, stretching the lead to 3–1 and silencing the building.
LEHKONEN SCORES SHORTHANDED FOR THE AVS AND HE BANKED IT OFF KEMPE AND IN 😭😵💫 pic.twitter.com/Vmr1Ackhx8
They finally found life late. With just over four minutes remaining, a tripping call on Drury opened the door. Los Angeles pulled the goalie for a 6-on-4 advantage, and Kempe redirected a shot past Wedgewood to cut the deficit to one.
The push was on, and the building had energy again.
But it didn’t last.
After pulling the goalie a second time, a miscue at the blue line proved costly. Nelson jumped on the loose puck and buried it into the empty net, sealing the 4–2 final and pushing Colorado to the brink of a sweep.
Up Next
The Avalanche will have a chance to pick up the four-game sweep on Sunday when they take on the Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. local time.
Can Logan Stankoven even be stopped at this point?
For the third straight game, the Carolina Hurricanes centerman opened the scoring, giving his team yet another 1-0 lead in their first-round series against the Ottawa Senators.
The 23 year old has been red hot since the start of April and is currently riding an 11 game point streak between the end of the regular season and into the postseason, where he's scored 10 goals and collected 15 points.
Stankoven leads all skaters in the series in scoring and is also tied for the league lead in playoff goals as well.
In fact, Stankoven became the first player in franchise history to score the opening goal in three consecutive playoff games.
Logan Stankoven scored his third goal of the 2026 #StanleyCup Playoffs and matched Pat Verbeek (3 GP in 1991) for the longest postseason-opening goal streak in @Canes / Whalers history. #NHLStats
The only other player in franchise history to even have a three-game, postseason-opening goal streak was current Anaheim Ducks GM Pat Verbeek back in 1991 and the only other player in NHL history to have a longer run of opening goals was Michel Goulet, who scored five straight in 1985.
The line of Stankoven, Jackson Blake and Taylor Hall has been terrorizing Ottawa all playoffs long and it seems like the Senators just have no answer for them so far.
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Some would argue the Kings have been surprisingly good so far this series, but tonight they hope to walk away with something to show for their efforts.
The Avalanche won both games at home, but it took some doing, and the victories came on contributions from (mainly) the depth pieces of their lineup.
Is tonight the night the Avalanche stunts their star power, or will the LA Kings make good on an upset where the ocean meets the sand?
Colorado Avalanche: 2-0
The Opponent: Los Angeles Kings (0-2)
Time: 8:00 p.m. MT
Watch: Altitude, Altitude+, TNT
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
A lot has been made of the Avalanche “playing the Kings game” in games one and two, but it should come as no surprise that this Avalanche team is committed to stout support and defensive structure.
The Avalanche is perfectly fine with playing low-scoring, tight-checking games. Nathan MacKinnon said so much after the game one victory, stating, “We pride ourselves on our defensive ability. I know that might surprise some people.”
Nonetheless, it’s possible to stay committed defensively and achieve more goals.
I have three keys to a Colorado Avalanche victory:
Score first.
Martin Necas must ‘shoot-first.’
Stay out of the penalty box.
The sit-back-and-wait approach only works against the Avalanche when they don’t have a lead, especially in a game where LA should be more desperate than in games one and two.
Martin Necas’ pass to Gabe Landeskog on Colorado’s tying goal in game two was a thing of beauty, but I want him to log a minimum of 3 SOG in the first period.
He has turned down too many great looks, given his shooting ability.
The Avalanche have a large share of the expected goals in this series, and that advantage is amplified in 5-on-5 situations.
LA has two goals in the series, both from Artemi Panarin and both on the power play.
Stay out of the box, and LA might stay off the scoresheet.
The Kings have satisfied key number one in both games this series, but haven’t secured number two.
If they had, we’d be having a much different conversation ahead of game three.
Both goalies have arguably been the best players on their sides, and if LA wants to win this game or a series, they will have to humanize Scott Wedgewood, who is on fire to start the playoffs.
The Philadelphia Flyers, for now, appear to have avoided an injury scare with goalie Dan Vladar as they look to finish off the Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Vladar, 28, has been the Flyers' MVP so far, posting a perfect 3-0-0 record with a .946 save percentage, 1.33 GAA, and one shutout.
As of now, the Flyers and head coach Rick Tocchet don't appear to be too concerned about their starting goalie's injury and subsequent absence from practice, and he was going to be kept off the ice anyway.
"It's more of a maintenance day. He was probably going to be off anyways, but he's a little banged up," Tocchet said to reporters after Thursday's practice. "Feels better today. That's all the information I really have."
Vladar suffered the apparent injury when a Penguins player landed on him in the crease, pulling the blocker off his hand in the process.
After a brief hold-your-breath moment with trainer Tommy Alva, Vladar ultimately carried on and finished Game 3, though he wasn't made available to speak with the media after the game.
Fortunately, the Flyers won't play again until Saturday night, so the Czech netminder will be afforded one more day of rest and recovery before it's showtime again.
If Vladar cannot play, the Flyers will presumably turn to Sam Ersson, who would be backed up by No. 3 goalie Aleksei Kolosov.
It's often said that in a best-of-seven series, you're never really in trouble until you lose a game at home. But it can also be said that if you're down 0-2, it forces you to go 4-1 in the final five games.
That second statement sounds a lot like trouble.
But if there's a team this season that's shown the resilience needed to pull that off, it's the Ottawa Senators.
The series shifts to Ottawa for Game 3 on Thursday night, where the crowd will be loud, and their All Heart, AllIn rally towels will be waving.
The Senators announced at their game day skate that they've swapped out a pair of their depth defensemen for Game 3.
Tyler Kleven is well enough to play after taking an early-April puck to the face in a game against the Buffalo Sabres. After skating for almost a week now, he'll take Dennis Gilbert's spot while Ottawa native Cam Crotty plays in his first NHL playoff game, subbing in for Lassi Thomson.
Here's the Senators' projected lineup:
Brady Tkachuk -- Tim Stutzle -- Drake Batherson
Ridly Greig -- Dylan Cozens -- Claude Giroux
Warren Foegele -- Shane Pinto -- Mike Amadio
Nick Cousins -- Lars Eller -- Fabian Zetterlund
Jake Sanderson -- Nikolas Matinpalo
Thomas Chabot -- Jordan Spence
Tyler Kleven -- Cameron Crotty
Linus Ullmark
James Reimer
If Ottawa gets a lead, this alignment probably won't change much. If Carolina gets the lead and the Sens are suddenly staring at the possibility of being down 0-3 in the series, then everything is on the table, including a very short bench.
Because a loss will all but end their season. NHL teams that take a 3-0 series lead have a tidy 209-4 record.
As a sidebar, if you're going to the game, there's a decent chance that Sens veteran Claude Giroux or one of his kids put the towel on your seat.
All hands on deck!
The Giroux’s and their teammates came out and helped fill the stands with #Sens@FullscriptHQ rally towels for tonight’s game!
The Utah Mammoth grabbed home-ice advantage with a Game 2 win and now welcome the Vegas Golden Knights to the Delta Center with a chance to seize the series lead on Friday, April 24.
My Golden Knights vs. Mammoth predictions and NHL picks, however, have Vegas spoiling the moment with a high-scoring win on the road.
Puck drop is set for 9:30 p.m. ET from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, with the game airing on TBS and Sportsnet 360.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 3 prediction
Who will win Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 3?
Vegas Golden Knights: This has the makings of a back-and-forth series, as the Mammoth can drive possession and generate more quality scoring chances than the Golden Knights for stretches.
Still, I’m anticipating Vegas rebounding with a road win after Utah scored three soft goals in their Game 2 victory.
Golden Knights vs Mammoth best bet: Over 5.5 (-125)
Both the Vegas Golden Knights and Utah Mammoth have mounted dangerous pushes in this series, with 11 goals and 12.39 expected goals through the first two games.
There’s ample scoring punch on both teams, and I’m not confident in the goaltending.
Vegas No. 1 Carter Hart allowed three goals on 29 shots in Game 2, and I’m anticipating him hovering around a .900 SV% through the remainder of the series following an unsustainable stretch where he posted a .932 mark across seven games after returning from injury.
Similarly, Utah starter Karel Vejmelka has allowed three goals or more in six of his past eight starts with an .880 SV% dating back to the regular season.
Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 3 same-game parlay
While there’s a lot to like about Utah evening the series in Game 2, a look at the tape reveals all three goals the Mammoth scored probably shouldn’t have ended up in the back of the net.
Of course, Vegas has also been the better team at 5-on-5 with a 55.5% Corsi For percentage (CF%) and 52.8% expected goals percentage (xG).
Additionally, while I’m not all in on Hart, this is a low saves total after he stopped 57 of 62 shots through the first two games, and the Mammoth ranked fourth in CF% at 5-on-5 on home ice during the regular season.
Golden Knights vs Mammoth SGP
Golden Knights moneyline
Over 5.5
Carter Hart Over 23.5 saves
Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 3 goal scorer pick
Jack Eichel (+220)
Golden Knights star Jack Eichel has only found the back of the net three times across his past 11 games, dating back to the regular season, despite racking up an impressive 54 shots, 17 high-danger scoring chances, and 5.97 individual expected goals.
He’s pacing Vegas forwards in ice time during the series, and his 5.6% shooting percentage during the highlighted stretch is miles below the 11.7% mark he posted across his previous 265 regular-season games.
Golden Knights vs Mammoth odds for Game 3
Moneyline: Golden Knights -110 | Mammoth -110
Puck Line: Golden Knights -1.5 (+220) | Mammoth +1.5 (-285)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-125) | Under 5.5 (+105)
Golden Knights vs Mammoth trend
The Utah Mammoth have hit the Over in 10 of their last 14 games (+5.60 Units / 35% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Mammoth.
How to watch Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 3
Location
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Date
Friday, April 24, 2026
Puck drop
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
TBS, Sportsnet 360
Golden Knights vs Mammoth latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Manitoba Moose are facing a must-win situation heading into Friday night as they prepare for Game 2 of their best-of-three American Hockey League playoff series against the Milwaukee Admirals.
Game 1 did not unfold the way Manitoba had hoped as the Admirals set the tone early, scoring twice in the opening period to seize control. One of those goals came from highly touted prospect Brady Martin, who recorded his first AHL playoff goal against Moose goaltender Thomas Milic. The moment added to Martin’s growing profile, coming just months after he was selected fifth overall in the 2025 NHL Draft by the Nashville Predators.
Milwaukee kept the pressure on in the second period, extending the lead to 3-0 and putting the Moose in a difficult position heading into the third. Manitoba showed some pushback late, managing to get on the board, but it was not enough to spark a comeback. The Admirals secured a 4-1 victory and a 1-0 lead in the series.
Now the Moose will need a much stronger effort to keep their playoff hopes alive. There is some reason for optimism as top Winnipeg Jets defense prospect Elias Salomonsson is expected to return to the lineup, providing a boost on the blue line.
Salomonsson split his season between the NHL and AHL, recording five points and a minus-six rating in 32 games with Winnipeg, along with nine points and a minus-two rating in 29 games with Manitoba.
Manitoba’s roster remains one of the most intriguing in the AHL, featuring several high-profile prospects including Colby Barlow, Brad Lambert, Brayden Yager, Thomas Milic and Salomonsson. For fans of the Jets, the Moose have become must-watch viewing, offering a look at the organization’s future core.
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BUFFALO, NEW YORK - APRIL 19: Elias Lindholm #28 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his goal with teammates Nikita Zadorov #91 and David Pastrnak #88 in the third period against the Buffalo Sabres in Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on April 19, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Ben Ludeman/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Game 3 is upon us, folks!
TD Garden should be jumping tonight, with the Bruins coming home from Buffalo with a split and playing their first home playoff game in a couple of years.
The Bruins were an excellent team on home ice this season, so here’s to hoping that continues.
If the B’s can make things start to snowball for the Sabres, some doubt/desperation may creep in for the relatively inexperienced (in the playoffs, that is) team.
Of course, those things are likely just talking points from people like me, as the Sabres remain a good team, one that hasn’t really played its best 60 minutes yet.
The Kings are coming off a 2-1 overtime loss that saw them go down 2-0 in the series. The Kings and Avalanche did not score until the 13th minute of the 3rd period, where Artemi Panarin scored his 2nd playoff goal. But the Avalanche tied it minutes after and won in overtime to get their 2nd win. The Kings have limited the Avalanche to just 2 goals per game, but they need to start scoring at 5-on-5, as their only 2 goals have come from Panarin and on the power play.
Projected Kings Lines
Here are the projected lines for the Kings in Game 3:
Artemi Panarin - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore - Quinton Byfield - Alex Laferriere
Joel Armia - Scott Laughton - Andrei Kuzmenko
Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Jared Wright
Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke
Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci
Anton Forsberg
Darcy Kuemper
Projected Avalanche Lines
Here are the projected lines for the Avalanche in Game 3:
Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas
Parker Kelly - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin
Gabriel Landeskog - Nazem Kadri - Nicolas Roy
Joel Kiviranta - Jack Drury - Logan O'Connor
Devon Toews - Cale Makar
Brett Kulak - Sam Malinski
Josh Manson - Brent Burns
Scott Wedgewood
Mackenzie Blackwood
Injuries and Line Changes
The Avalanche are expected to have the same lineup in the first 2 games. Kings forward Andrei Kuzmenko could play for the first time since February 25 after he has missed the last 25 games after getting surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Jared Wright has been moved to the 4th line.
Key Factors
A major factor for both teams in this series has been the goaltending. Both Forsberg and Wedgewood have played very well for their teams, with Forsberg posting a .941 SV% and a 1.90 goals-against average. Wedgewood has posted a .960 SV% and a 0.94 goals against average. Both teams are getting strong goaltending.
For the Kings, goaltending and defence have seemingly not been the problem; rather, it is the offence that has been the problem in this series. Only 1 player has scored for the Kings, and both of those goals were on the power play.
The Kings have not scored at even strength throughout this series, and if they want to change the series' outlook, they will need to do so. Panarin leading the team with 2 points is something the Kings seriously need to change, and they need to be better offensively, or they will not be in the playoffs for much longer.
Game 3 is in Los Angeles and starts at 10:00 P.M Eastern time.
The Montreal Canadiens return north of the border to host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday, April 24.
My Canadiens vs. Lightning predictions and NHL picks point to another closely contested matchup, with Cole Caufield expected to drive the offense more as a playmaker than relying solely on his usual scoring touch.
UPDATE: Added prediction for who will win.
Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3 prediction
Who will win Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3?
Montreal: After splitting the games in Tampa Bay and letting Game 2 slip out of their grasp late in the third, the Habs will return to the Bell Centre and pick up a win. They're 3-0-2 in their last five against the Lightning.
Lightning vs Canadiens best bet: Cole Caufield Over 0.5 assists (+130)
Fortunately, Caufield and his overshadowed vision have produced three assists in the meantime. Tampa's game plan to limit his scoring opportunities has created an abundance of passing options for the winger.
With Tampa suppressing his scoring opportunities, it's opened passing lanes and high-danger chances for his linemates (see Juraj Slafkovsky's Game 1 hat trick). At plus odds, I'm banking on a Caufield helper in Game 3.
Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3 same-game parlay
Many may be surprised Lane Hutson blocked 137 shots in his sophomore season. While his offensive numbers may be better suited for a flashy stat or a viral tweet, he's stepped up big in his own zone as Noah Dobson remains sidelined.
Hutson played over 32 minutes in Game 2, blocked two shots, and ranks third in the NHL in blocked shots over the last calendar month. He's a workhorse at both ends of the ice.
Both games in this series thus far have needed extra time, and the Montreal Canadiens have covered the puck line in five straight against Tampa — with four of them coming within the last month.
More convincingly, they've covered the PL in 10 of Jakub Dobes' last 11 starts.
Lightning vs Canadiens SGP
Cole Caufield Over 0.5 assists
Lane Hutson Over 1.5 blocked shots
Canadiens +1.5
Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3 goal scorer pick
Josh Anderson (+450)
Josh Anderson has scored in three of his last four playoff games against Tampa, including in both games in this series and dating back to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.
He's scored in three of his last four and had his highest single-game shot total since March 3 in Game 2. I'm all over this at a whopping +450.
Three of the last five meetings between these teams have required extra time, including both playoff games thus far. Find more NHL betting trends for Lightning vs. Canadiens.
How to watch Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3
Location
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
Date
Friday, April 24, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet, TNT
Lightning vs Canadiens latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Steve Yzerman addressed the Detroit Red Wings' 2025-26 season and how it ended with the club missing the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs for a 10th consecutive year.
Yzerman has been general manager of the team since April 19, 2019. Head coach Todd McLellan was also at the news conference at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, April 23.
The Wings finished the season 41-31-10, for 92 points, seven points back of the team in the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Wings looked like they were going to be one of the teams inside the playoff picture when, in late January, they had a 12-point cushion. But as games grew more intense, the Wings wilted. They went 9-15-5 from Jan. 25 on, the fourth-worst record in the NHL over that span. They won only two of their last eight games, and were eliminated on April 11 in a loss at home that left fans booing the team.
The Wings finished their season on April 15, losing 8-1 at the Florida Panthers in a game that left McLellan so frustrated he only talked for 44 seconds afterward, and said that everybody involved should be embarrassed.
Here are key points from the news conference.
How to improve
Yzerman had this to say when asked what needs to change: "The most obvious would be we need better players. We need to improve specifically in certain areas. We can talk about goal scoring, we need to improve in that area, particularly five-on-five. But collectively, if you're watching the playoffs – and I'm assuming and I'm hoping our players are – to play with the intensity and determination needed to be successful to make the playoffs and get there. But ultimately, it's incumbent upon me and my staff to improve the team."
Seven years later
Yzerman on his work since he was named GM: "Knowing full well seven years ago, I knew what I signed up for, I knew what the job, the task at hand was. And so when exactly we were going to be, are going to be a playoff team, I could never pinpoint that.
"To sit here today and say everything's going perfectly according to plan, no. There's a lot of things I'm pleased about within the organization. And areas that I'm not happy, disappointed, things that we need to have done better. We sit here today, a week after the end of the regular season, and see how the season unfolded. I think we're all kind of emotional about this, and need to take a little time to analyze it, and not forget about some of the positive things that are going on here. And then try to address how we move forward."
On the last game
McLellan expanded on his unhappiness with the last game. "I think my lack of words spoke for how I felt at that moment. Listening to the players after and talking to them, they weren't pleased, they were embarrassed with that outing. It's something we have to change in our organization. Every night is important, every day is important. Obviously not happy with the way things ended throughout the season. To cap it off with that was very disappointing. My complimenting Florida was a different way of saying I was disappointed in our players."
On relationship with ownership
Yzerman said he spoke with team owner Christopher Ilitch a few days ago.
"He and the entire ownership of the Illich family are very disappointed with the way the season played out," Yzerman said. "He continues to be extremely supportive of what we're trying to do here. We intend to have further conversations about our team and our organization in the very near future.
"I don't think I'm just going to sit and hope for the best. As an organization, I'm very disappointed how this season played out."
It's been almost three months since Barry Trotz unexpectedly announced he'd be retiring as the general manager of the Nashville Predators, with the search commencing immediately.
Owner Bill Haslam said that the team wants to have a new GM by draft day in late June, but is not hard-set on that deadline.
With the Predators missing the playoffs and officially in the offseason, finding a new GM remains the key focus for this franchise.
NHL insiders Elliotte Friedman and Frank Seravalli threw out a handful of names on Thursday that they believe are being heavily considered for the leading position in Nashville's front office.
Both agreed that Florida Panthers assistant general manager Brett Peterson, Edmonton Oilers assistant general manager Bill Scott and former New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald are candidates that "stand out."
Brett Peterson, Panthers Assistant GM
Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) is handed the Stanley Cup from Gary Bettman, the NHL Commissioner, after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Peterson has been with the Panthers since 2020, joining the organization with general manager Bill Zito and is the first Black assistant GM in NHL history. Their efforts led Florida to three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances from 2023 to 2025 and back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025.
He also served as the general manager for Team USA at the 2024 IIHF World Championships and returns to the role for the 2026 World Championships.
Peterson served as an assistant GM during the 2025 tournament, where the Americans won their first Gold Medal since 1933.
Bill Scott, Oilers Assistant GM
Scott has been with the Oilers organization since 2010, serving as the general manager of Edmonton's AHL affiliate in some capacity until 2018. From 2014 to 2022, he bounced between Edmonton's assistant GM and director of hockey operations.
He has held the role full-time since 2022. Scott has been part of one of the longest rebuilds in recent memory, seeing the Oilers land four No. 1 overall picks from 2010 to 2015, including Connor McDavid in 2015.
In that stretch, the Oilers have picked up other valuable assets, including Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, Zach Hyman and more, that have helped Edmonton to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances in 2024 and 2025.
Tom Fitzgerald, Former Devils GM
NJ Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Fitzgerald has been involved in NHL operations since 2007, joining the Pittsburgh Penguins as their Director of Player Development and being promoted to Assistant General Manager.
In his second year with the Penguins, he'd win a Stanley Cup in 2009.
In 2015, he was hired as the New Jersey Devils' assistant general manager and AHL affiliate general manager. Fitzgerald was in the Devils front office when they drafted Nico Heischer first overall in 2017 and Jack Hughes first overall in 2019.
During the 2019-20 season, he also served as an assistant coach and Executive VP of Hockey Operations before being promoted to General Manager following Ray Shero's firing.
During his time as GM in New Jersey, the Devils made the playoffs twice in 2023 and 2025, losing to the Hurricanes in the second round and the first round, respectively. He also served as an assistant GM for Team USA in the 4-Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Fitzgerald was fired by the Devils in April. New Jersey finished 13th in the Eastern Conference, 11 points outside of a playoff spot with a 42-37-3 record.
If the name sounds familiar to Predators fans, Fitzgerald was the Predators' first captain and played for the team for four seasons from 1998 to 2002.
Scott White, Stars Assistant GM
According to Friedman, the Dallas Stars gave permission for assistant GM Scott White to speak to Nashville and Toronto.
White has been with the Stars organization since 2005, coming on as the Iowa Stars' Director of Hockey Operations. He has been the AHL affiliate since 2009, and this is the first year White has served as Dallas' assistant GM full-time.
White first moved into the Stars Assistant GM role back in 2016 after serving as the Director of Hockey Operations.
During his time with the organization, the Stars have risen to become one of the best teams in the NHL, making an appearance in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. In 2014, the Texas Stars won the Calder Cup and in 2018 finished as runner-up.
