‘Can't wait to see the fans' — Flyers have first home playoff game in 8 years originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers are set to host playoff action for the first time in eight years Wednesday night when they welcome the Penguins for Game 3 of this best-of-seven first-round matchup.

The last time the Flyers had a postseason game at home was on this exact day in 2018. They made the playoffs in 2020, but that was held in the bubble because of the coronavirus pandemic.

So you can bet the crowd will be a raucous one at Xfinity Mobile Arena, especially with the Flyers returning from Pittsburgh with a 2-0 series lead.

“I can’t wait to see the fans tonight here at home,” Sean Couturier said. “I’m sure they’re going to be excited and ready to go, that’s for sure.

“I’m excited for our group, for the city, for everyone to get back to this experience. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Despite his team shutting out the Penguins, 3-0, in Game 2, Rick Tocchet felt the Flyers had to play without the puck a lot. He wants his team to make more plays in Game 3. Essentially, hold onto the puck more to play less defense.

“It’s a game of adjustments,” the Flyers’ head coach said. “[The Penguins] played well, I thought, and they had the puck a lot. And we didn’t. We defended great, we defended hard — all that stuff I love about our team. But we’re going to have to get a little bit more puck possession. We had some guys not skating, they were just deferring to flip it out.

“We can’t have that mentality tonight because, again, they’re going to come out flying. We’ve got to make some plays. That was kind of the speech today. But in saying that, I don’t want the other part of our game to suffer because of it. I think there’s room to do both, to be honest with you.”

Puck drop at Xfinity Mobile Arena is scheduled for around 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET with Flyers Pregame Live.

Here is some recommended reading.

• Banged up and bloodied, Tippett gives Flyers tough home run hitter in playoffs

• Flyers rip off two road wins to open playoffs, put Penguins on their heels

• Dvorak ‘fits in everywhere’ with Flyers, a team he believed could make playoffs

• Big third period, strong defensive effort propel Flyers to Game 1 win over Penguins

• Flyers start playoffs with sweet new shirt that ‘says a lot’

• Get Crosby ‘in the ditches,’ Michkov’s role and more Flyers vs. Penguins thoughts

• Outside doubt motivated Flyers, but so did Briere’s undisclosed message

• NHL announces Flyers vs. Penguins playoff schedule for first-round matchup

• Flyers are going back to playoffs in unforgettable fashion

Here are some updates and visuals from Wednesday and the last few days.

Flyers’ introduction and starters as playoff hockey returns to Philly for first time since 2018. pic.twitter.com/cpABa7UsMG

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

The scene is set for the Flyers' first home playoff game in eight years.

Coverage at 6:30 p.m. ET on @NBCSPhilly. pic.twitter.com/vv789AvmL8

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

The Flyers' last home playoff game was April 22, 2018. So it has been exactly eight years (2020 was in bubble).

Michal Neuvirth was in net that game.

The Flyers' defense was Shayne Gostisbehere, Ivan Provorov, Radko Gudas, Andrew MacDonald, Brandon Manning and Robert Hagg. pic.twitter.com/zEWeHO0Wf8

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will be in the building tonight for Flyers-Penguins Game 3.

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

Rick Tocchet said Flyers wanted to make more plays in Game 2, felt they had to defend a good bit. He said they have to be ready to make more plays in Game 3, but also not let their defensive game slip. pic.twitter.com/8s5x2fevuR

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

Flyers preparing for their first home playoff game in exactly eight years.

Last time they had postseason hockey here was on this day in 2018 (the 2020 playoffs were in the bubble). pic.twitter.com/DmHaJzn1gi

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

Flyers announced Dan Vladar is in net. https://t.co/xq6iyFpOLb

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

Rick Tocchet said Owen Tippett missed skate to manage the injury he’s playing through. Sounds like he’ll play tonight.

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

Flyers at skate ahead of Game 3. No Tippett at skate, so Bump filling in.

F

Foerster-Zegras-Bump
Konecny-Dvorak-Martone
Barkey-Cates-Michkov
Glendening-Couturier-Hathaway

D

Sanheim-Ristolainen
York-Drysdale
Seeler-Juulsen

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

No Owen Tippett at morning skate. He has been banged up, so Flyers have been monitoring his workload.

He didn’t practice Sunday but still played in Game 2. https://t.co/FCBvjJDGmG

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

Rick Tocchet praised Cam York for playing “playoff hockey.” Said York took a shot to the ribs, said it was a laser, but York stuck it out. Said York also took a hit to make a play at one point.

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 21, 2026

Wayne Simmonds last July on if he thought Porter Martone was going to fall to the Flyers at No. 6:

"I didn't, personally. For us, we got lucky. We'll take that one, we'll definitely take that one."

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 21, 2026

Rick Tocchet said Dan Vladar would come by the bench when Penguins made push and told his team, “We’re OK.”

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 21, 2026

In just under two weeks, the NHL will conduct the 2026 draft lottery. May 5, 2026, will be a significant day in franchise history as the Vancouver Canucks enter the draft lottery with the best odds at landing first overall. With potential franchise-altering players at the top of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Canucks hope that, for the first time, the lottery balls bounce their way and Vancouver leaves the lottery with a victory. 

One of the big questions leading into the draft lottery is whether the Canucks will name their new General Manager before May 5. After firing Patrik Allvin less than a week ago, the Canucks have reportedly already started the search for the next GM. Many names have already been connected to the job, including Ryan Johnson, who is currently one of Vancouver's Assistant GMs.

According to a new report by TSN's Darren Dreger, the Canucks goal is to have a GM in place before the draft lottery. Dreger revealed the potential timeline while making an appearance on Sekeres and Price. In his report, Dreger revealed why Vancouver wants to get this hiring done sooner rather than later. 

"Well, the hope is that they get something done around the draft lottery," said Dreger. "And there's reason behind that. You're talking about a relatively small window of influence and impact here on an organization. Especially one like the Vancouver Canucks, given their position in the draft and all of that. So how good would it be if your new head of hockey operations, or in this case, the General Manager, can participate in all scouting conversations leading up to the draft. And then he can quickly go through that crash course with the amateur scouts and everyone involved in that process with the Canucks. So that he is educated and feels part of very important days of decision making on the draft floor. It's a decentralized draft, so you're not going to have all of your hockey operations crew assembled in Buffalo, but the hope, the expectation, the target is to have that GM in place as early as the draft."

The Canucks enter the draft lottery with an 18.5% chance at first overall. According to the NHL, that equals 185 combinations out of a possible 1,000. The draft lottery broadcast will feature a live drawing and will be available to view on Sportsnet. 

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

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site: 

NHL Insider Gives Update On Canucks GM Search, Indicates That Multiple Lists May Have Been Created

Report: Canucks Granted Request To Interview Former Sabres GM For Open Position

Canucks Räty Invited To Finland's 2026 World Championship Camp

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Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (0-2) @ Philadelphia Flyers (2-0) in Game 3 of the best of seven series

When: 7:00 p.m. ET

How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NBC Sports Philadelphia, nationally on TNT and TruTV, streaming on HBO Max

Pens’ Path Ahead: Game 4 won’t be until Saturday (8:00pm start). If necessary, Game 5 would be back in Pittsburgh on Monday 4/27.

Opponent Track: The Flyers are up 2-0 in the series and now back at home for the next two games.

Hidden Stat: The Penguins went 21-12-8 on the road in 2025-26. Their 50 road points were tied for eighth in the NHL, per Pens PR. The Flyers and Penguins both tied for the fewest home wins in the regular season among Eastern Conference playoff teams (20).

Getting to know the Flyers

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Tyson Foerster – Trevor Zegras – Owen Tippett

Travis Konecny – Christian Dvorak – Porter Martone

Denver Barkey – Noah Cates – Matvei Michkov

Luke Glendening – Sean Couturier – Garnet Hathaway

DEFENSEMEN

Travis Sanheim / Rasmus Ristolainen

Cam York / Jamie Drysdale

Nick Seeler / Noah Juulsen

Goalies: Dan Vladar and Samuel Ersson

Potential scratches: Garrett Wilson, Carl Grundstrom, Alex Bump, Emil Andrae

Injured Reserve: Rodrigo Abols (fractured ankle), Nikita Grebenkin (upper body)

• Game 2 was the first shutout of the season for the Flyers, but going back to the Olympic break Philadelphia only allowed 2.38 goals against per game in the regular season (third best in NHL) and now have only given up two goals in the first two games of this series.
• Now at home with the benefit of the last change, expect the Flyers to get lots of matchups for Sidney Crosby against the Couturier and Dvorak lines.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

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 / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs

Potential Scratches: Ilya Solovyov, Justin Brazeau, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Jack St. Ivany

IR: Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones (season-ending shoulder surgery)

• The Penguins did not have practice yesterday while traveling to the other side of the state, we’ll have to wait for the morning skate today to see any clues about changes in lines or personnel as they look to get off the mat in Game 3.

The big decision

Dan Muse had a great quote after Game 2.

“Tomorrow we’re going to have to make a decision: Are we going to stay with it? Stay with what we want to do and get to our game, which we haven’t gotten to in two games? Or are we going to let frustration boil over into the next one? That’s going to be the choice we, together, all of us, including myself, are going to have to make here in the next 24 hours.”

That’s about what it boils down to. Are the Penguins going to show up and play hard, play smart and show a commitment and dedication to playing a playoff-style of hockey? If they all buy in and actually do the work, then this just might be a series.

Or is it going to go the other way and the team keeps on the same path from the first two games? If so, seven months of work to get to this point will be squandered away in a hurry. By this point there are no secrets – the Flyers are a good team that are committed to shutting the Penguins down, and now they’re growing in confidence since it’s been working. They’ve bought in and have earned it. Pittsburgh either decides to match that in Game 3, or it’s going to be more or less curtains on their season. Pretty simple in that regard.

The Los Angeles Kings expected a hostile environment for their first two games in Colorado at Ball Arena — but this was right out of a horror movie. 

With 16:48 remaining in the second period of a scoreless game, Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood made a sensational save on Kings forward Quinton Byfield on a penalty shot. 

As the fans celebrated, they leaned and pounded on the glass behind the Kings bench in a surge of playoff adrenaline. That’s when the sound of a giant crack could be heard as the glass shattered under too much pressure.

The shards of glass rained down upon interim Kings head coach D.J. Smith, with fragments of glass spilling all over him.

“Whoever the guy (was) just kept pushing and pushing and pushing,” Smith said before heading back to the tunnel to pick glass out of his suit. “I looked back because it hit me a bunch of times, then it broke.”

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton had a front row seat for the glass breaking.

The game was delayed for over 17 minutes while the cleanup crew came out with shovels to pick up shards of glass from the Kings’ bench. 

Sean Payton had a front row seat for the shattered glass behind the Kings bench. https://t.co/nO6160l84Hpic.twitter.com/8zv71G4jO9

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) April 22, 2026

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“I thought the ice crew did a good job and they did their best to fix it as fast as possible. Doesn’t happen every day,” said Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. 

The Avalanche won, 2-1, in overtime on a goal by Nicolas Roy to grab a 2-0 series lead ahead of Game 3 in Los Angeles on Thursday night.

Fans got rowdy during Game 2 of the NHL playoff series between the Los Angeles Kings and the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night, with a celebration causing a full panel of glass to collapse onto Kings interim coach D.J. Smith.

The incident took place as fans erupted in celebration after Quinton Byfield was denied on a penalty shot by the Avalanche goaltender with just under 17 minutes remaining in the second period. Video footage captured the moment the glass began to sway from the excited crowd’s repeated pushing.

Moments later, the panel shattered into pieces, falling directly onto Smith, who was standing behind the Kings’ bench. Smith was immediately covered in shards of glass and quickly made his way to the locker room to get checked out and remove any remaining debris. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured and was able to return to the game.

The Chicago Blackhawks made some tough moves during their rebuild. Some of them made the team worse in the short term, but improved the future. One of those moves was the trade that sent Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Hagel was traded to Tampa during the 2021-22 season. In the 55 games leading up to the trade, Hagel had 21 goals and 16 assists for 37 points. He wasn’t a point-per-game player, but the goal scoring and feistiness in his game were exactly what the Lightning were looking for. 

That spring, the Lightning made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. It was their third straight appearance in the big series, but Hagel’s first. The Colorado Avalanche defeated them and have been working to get back ever since. 

What happened next for Hagel was unexpected by both the Blackhawks and the Lightning. There was always more room for development in his game, but nobody projected him to go from a solid middle-six forward to a star NHL first-liner. 

With the Lightning, Hagel is a point-per-game player who is strong in all three zones, is hard to play against, and will drop the gloves with anyone. At this point, he’s one of the premier “pests” in the NHL.

Team Canada in best-on-best tournaments is the hardest team in the world to make. They selected Hagel for the championship-winning 4-Nations Face-Off team in 2025 and the Silver Medal-winning Olympic team in 2026. 

Hagel had 36 goals and 38 assists for 74 points in 71 games played this season. He missed some time with an injury, but he was an elite player once again when he was healthy. Last season, he had 35 goals and 55 assists for 90 points in 82 games. The level he has proven he can get to would help any team in the league, especially when you combine it with the other attributes that make him a winning player. 

On Tuesday night, Hagel played a key role in the Lightning's Game 2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. After scoring two in Game 1’s loss, he followed it up with his third goal of the playoffs and first assist. 

Hagel also fought former number one overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky during regulation to secure a Gordie Howe hat trick. In what was close to a must-win situation, he showed up as the true playoff performer he is. Everything that the Stanley Cup Playoffs require suits his game well. 

"I never would have expected that, to be honest," Hagel said on the Gordie Howe hat trick. "Obviously, whatever it takes to win. Sometimes it takes fighting, and sometimes it takes scoring goals. I was lucky enough to squeak one by, and Kucherov made a good play. [It's] a good feeling that we won tonight."

Despite Hagel’s success with Tampa making the trade look bad, it was the right move for the Chicago Blackhawks at the time. Would they like to have him back right now? Sure. But they wouldn’t be where they are now if they kept him, and likely, neither would he. 

In exchange for Hagel, the Blackhawks received two roster players and a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. They eventually used that pick to land Oliver Moore. Moore may never be as productive as Hagel, or maybe he will be, but with his age, he fits the Blackhawks timeline a lot more. 

Not having a developing Hagel in 2023 also contributed to the Blackhawks being the third-worst team in the league. That 30th-place finish gave them good odds to win the draft lottery, which they did. Connor Bedard may not be in Chicago if they don’t trade Hagel away. If he makes them an even slightly better team in 2022-23, the results of the lottery may have been much different. 

No matter how you slice it, the Blackhawks were not going to execute a proper rebuild if they stood pat. Sustained success is ahead of them now, but they needed to get rid of some good players to get to this point. 

Hagel wasn’t the only great player let go by Chicago. Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, and even Patrick Kane ended up on other teams despite being productive Blackhawks.

Hagel’s playoff brilliance on Tuesday night has him at the front of everyone’s mind, and the Blackhawks traded an elite player away, but it had to be done. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

Sunny is here:

“Sunny Mehta has a few tasks at hand as the New Jersey Devils’ new general manager. Among those tasks are clarifying Nico Hischier’s situation and deciding on Sheldon Keefe’s future, but that’s not all. Devils on the Rush is a reader-supported publication. Navigating ways around all the no-trade and no-move protection he inherited from former general manager Tom Fitzgerald will be key to a successful offseason. It’s specifically a problem on defense, where nearly the entire blue line has some type of no-trade/no-move protection. And it could hamper what Mehta wants to do to retool the roster this offseason.” [Devils on the Rush]

“Sunny Mehta took the Stanley Cup to his home state of New Jersey each of the past two years after winning it as assistant general manager of the Florida Panthers. Now, he’s hoping to do the same with his childhood team after being hired by the New Jersey Devils as GM on April 16.” [NHL.com]

“Mehta’s hockey brain made him a candidate for multiple vacancies around the NHL. The 48-year-old could have probably gotten more money from the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were also looking for an analytical GM. He chose the Devils and, underneath a screen showing him hoisting the Cup, called it without exaggeration his dream job. He called being from New Jersey a part of his identity and, for good measure, even dropped a Taylor Ham reference to show which half of the state he came from. ‘This is where I’ve always wanted to be,’ Mehta said. ‘This is where I want to be.’” [Associated Press]

Could Jacob Markstrom be bought out this offseason? “Despite the deal kicking in when Markstrom is age 36, his extension only has signing bonuses in Year 1 and the total compensation does not vary year-to-year, meaning it is not considered a ‘35+’ deal. The complication is that Markstrom cannot be bought out during the first buy-out window because his extension has not started until July 1, meaning he can only be bought out in the second window.” [Puckpedia]

Hockey Links

“The NHL is officially moving past the billion-dollar mark as commissioner Gary Bettman signals a massive surge in franchise valuations and future expansion fees.” [The Hockey News]

On the effort to get NHL hockey established in Seattle as winning has been a struggle and the NBA comes to town: [The Athletic ($)]

Still no Victor Hedman for the Lightning:

Defenceman Victor Hedman is taking part in Tampa Bay’s optional skate this morning ahead of Game 2 against the Montreal Canadiens but HC Jon Cooper says Hedman returning is on “the doubtful side for this series. pic.twitter.com/kRr8yhFs8v

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 21, 2026

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

The Montreal Canadiens lost Game 2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in overtime, but at the end of the day, Martin St-Louis’ men beat themselves on the night. They played a great game for 52 minutes, but after that, they made too many mistakes, and the Bolts made them pay.

We’ve often heard St-Louis say that good teams will make you pay cash for your mistakes, and Tampa Bay is a good team. If you turn the puck over high in your zone just by the blueline like Juraj Slafkovsky did on Tuesday, giving them a prime opportunity, they will feast on it.

Canadiens Drop The Game In Overtime, Go Back To Montreal Tied 1-1
Canadiens' Nick Suzuki Predicted To Win Top Award
Canadiens And Anderson Earn Big Praise From Tkachuk

If you’re too tired to take two or three more strides at the end of a shift before clearing the puck, they will make you pay. If you stop playing because you feel there should have been a call, they will make you pay. That’s what Tuesday night’s game came down to in the end.

THIS SERIES IS TIED ⚡️

J.J. Moser wins Game 2 for the Lightning with the Subway Canada OT winner! pic.twitter.com/3AV8HF4Pa6

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 22, 2026

That, and the fact that when Jon Cooper elected to send Scott Sabourin on the ice with two minutes left in the game, and he took an unnecessary but predictable penalty, the Canadiens couldn’t make them pay. They came close, they hit the post, but that was their opportunity to win, and they missed it. Something they weren’t able to bounce back from.

Montreal goes back home with a 1-1 split, which is a good result in the grand scheme of things, but they’ll have to get over the disappointment that they came oh so close to going home with a 2-0 lead. That will be made easier if the coach puts his money where his mouth is and makes at least one lineup change, scratching Kirby Dach.

The Albertan has a good pedigree; he was a third-overall pick, but he hasn’t lived up to it despite multiple opportunities. Time and time again, he was given opportunities to play in the top six, and he didn’t live up to expectations. Still, St-Louis decided to put him in the lineup for the playoffs, on a third line alongside Zachary Bolduc and Oliver Kapanen. Two games in, he’s been pretty much invisible except in the dying minutes of Tuesday night’s game when his two mistakes sealed the Canadiens’ fate.

St-Louis often says hockey is a game of mistakes, and you have to cut down on them to be successful. You must worry about the details and play the right way. With the game tied at 2-2, not icing the puck is not a detail; it’s more important than that. With tired players at the end of a shift, it’s vital.

Granted, it’s a shame for Dach, but he hasn’t been able to take flight, and he’s run out of runway. It’s time to ground him, especially with good options waiting in the wings. Veteran Brendan Gallagher must be foaming at the mouth at the thought of playing his first game in the series. The same goes for Joe Veleno. Neither is as talented as Dach, but both play a more committed, determined game and will be visible for the right reasons.

Veleno didn’t use to be the kind of player who goes out on the ice and forechecks hard, but he understood in less than a season that if he wanted to play for the Canadiens, that’s what he would have to do. Something Dach hasn’t been able to understand in four seasons. He’s also younger and has more energy than Gallagher, but the veteran has a lot of playoff experience and bleeds red, white, and blue. Whoever the coach picks doesn’t matter, as long as he picks one and shows Dach that what he did was unacceptable.

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

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Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ recent playoff struggles at home continued with back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Flyers in Games 1 and 2. Pittsburgh’s home-ice playoff struggles run deeper than this series against their cross-state rival, however. Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017, Pittsburgh has managed just five home playoff wins over nine seasons and now must earn at least a split in Philadelphia to keep the series alive. [PensBurgh]

The Penguins now enter Philadelphia for the next two games, but coach Dan Muse said the team remains confident and focused on correcting mistakes rather than panicking. [Penguins]

Pittsburgh coaches are rightfully considering lineup and power-play changes ahead of Game 3. The questions now become whether it’s too late to make changes or if the changes will even work against a team that has outright stymied Pittsburgh. [Trib Live]

News and notes from around the NHL…

The Vancouver Canucks have received permission to interview former Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams for their vacant GM position as they continue searching for a replacement after dismissing Patrik Allvin. [Sportsnet]

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said star defenseman Victor Hedman is unlikely to play in his team’s first-round NHL playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens. [Sportsnet]

Former NHL star Ilya Kovalchuk has been named president of KHL club Shanghai Dragons, marking a new front-office role for the retired winger. [TSN]

Colorado Avalanche (55-16-11, in the Central Division) vs. Los Angeles Kings (35-27-20, in the Pacific Division)

Los Angeles; Thursday, 10 p.m. EDT

LINE: Avalanche -157, Kings +131; over/under is 5.5

NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Avalanche lead series 2-0

BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche visit the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-0 lead in the series. The teams meet Tuesday for the sixth time this season. The Avalanche won 2-1 in overtime in the previous matchup.

Los Angeles has a 15-17-9 record in home games and a 35-27-20 record overall. The Kings have a 26-4-11 record when scoring three or more goals.

Colorado has a 29-7-5 record on the road and a 55-16-11 record overall. The Avalanche have a 48-6-6 record when scoring at least three goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Adrian Kempe has 36 goals and 37 assists for the Kings. Quinton Byfield has six goals and two assists over the past 10 games.

Nathan MacKinnon has 53 goals and 74 assists for the Avalanche. Gabriel Landeskog has scored three goals over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 5-2-3, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.3 assists, 3.3 penalties and 7.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.

Avalanche: 8-1-1, averaging 2.2 goals, 3.8 assists, 3.5 penalties and seven penalty minutes while giving up 1.2 goals per game.

INJURIES: Kings: Kevin Fiala: out for season (leg).

Avalanche: None listed.

___

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

Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Boston Bruins (45-27-10, in the Atlantic Division)

Boston; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Bruins -110, Sabres -110; over/under is 6

NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Series tied 1-1

BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres visit the Boston Bruins for game three of the first round of the NHL Playoffs with the series tied 1-1. The teams meet Tuesday for the seventh time this season. The Bruins won the previous matchup 4-2. Viktor Arvidsson scored two goals in the win.

Boston is 45-27-10 overall and 12-13-3 against the Atlantic Division. The Bruins serve 11.9 penalty minutes per game to rank second in league play.

Buffalo is 17-7-4 against the Atlantic Division and 50-23-9 overall. The Sabres have a +43 scoring differential, with 283 total goals scored and 240 allowed.

TOP PERFORMERS: David Pastrnak has scored 29 goals with 70 assists for the Bruins. Sean Kuraly has one goal and five assists over the past 10 games.

Tage Thompson has 40 goals and 41 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has five goals and five assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 4-4-2, averaging 2.9 goals, 5.3 assists, 4.1 penalties and 10.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.

Sabres: 6-3-1, averaging 3.5 goals, 5.8 assists, 5.3 penalties and 14.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.

INJURIES: Bruins: None listed.

Sabres: Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: out (arm), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap), Noah Ostlund: out (upper-body).

___

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

LAS VEGAS -- The wide-growing theme across the NHL this season - youth, speed and skill - caught up with the Vegas Golden Knights in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth in Game 2 of the opening round.

Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev scored for the Knights, while Carter Hart stopped 26 shots.

The veteran-laden Knights chased the game for much of the second and third periods, while Utah's youngsters shone brightly to help the Mammoth steal home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven series.

Meanwhile, Vegas' big guns Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner couldn't find the back of the net, perhaps a cause for concern with the team shifting to Salt Lake City for Games 3 and 4.

Eichel hasn't scored in either of the first two games and has been limited to two goals in his last 10 games. Since March 14, he has three goals.

Marner hasn't scored in this series either and has just one goal in his past eight games.

Utah, which has the 13th youngest team with an average age of 28.15 years old, got its game-winning goal from Logan Cooley, the team's youngest active player, with six minutes left in the game.

Also scoring for the Mammoth was Dylan Guenther, the second-youngest active player on the ice last night. Veteran MacKenzie Weegar gave Utah its first goal of the game.

Karel Vejmelka made 19 saves to earn the win for Utah.

KEY MOMENT

Vegas was a perfect 4 for 4 on the penalty kill, but it might have been a Knights penalty that set them back a step early in the second period. Nic Dowd was called for tripping Cooley just 2:27 into the period, and the Knights appeared to be on their heels to rest of the game. After being outshot by Vegas in the first period, 10-6, the Knights were outshot by Utah in the second and third periods, 13-4 and 10-7, respectively.

KEY STAT

1 ... Carrying over from their aforementioned scoring droughts, Eichel and Marner each had just one shot on goal in the game. That's not going to cut it in the postseason. Eichel, who averaged 3.1 shots per game during the regular season, had three in Game 1. Marner averaged 2.0 shots per game in the regular season and had just one in Game 1. For the Golden Knights to steal home ice while the series is in Utah, and win this series, these two not only have to put more on net, but also find a way to put more shots in the net.

WHAT A KNIGHT

Barbashev now has a goal in each of the first two games and has scored in three of the past four games. He's scored six times in the last 14 games. Barbashev's consistency will be key when the series moves to the Delta Center, which hosts its first playoff game on Friday, in what should be a frenzied atmosphere.

UP NEXT

The Golden Knights continue their best-of-seven playoff series with the Mammoth as the scenery changes to Salt Lake City for Game 3 on Friday.

PHOTO CAPTION

Vegas Golden Knights left wing Ivan Barbashev (49) looks to deflect the puck towards Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) during the first period of game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena.

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READ The Hockey News' Hannah Kirkell's recap from Game 2: 

Mammoth Take Game 2 After Golden Knights Can’t Mount Yet Another Third Period ComebackHistorically, teams that have gone up 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs went on to win their series&nbsp;<a href="https://champsorchumps.us/records/nhl-series-odds-up-2-0">87.5</a>% of the time. After <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vegas-golden-knights/latest-news/game-one-game-won-golden-knights-kick-off-postseason-with-third-period-comeback">winning Game 1</a> by a score of 4-2, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vegas-golden-knights">Vegas Golden Knights</a> entered Tuesday’s matchup with the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/utah">Utah Mammoth</a> desperate to grab a stranglehold over the series.&nbsp;

Another game at Ball Arena in this first round series against the LA Kings where the Colorado Avalanche hoped to sweep the home portion of the opening schedule. While it took until just before the clock struck midnight, the Avalanche achieved just that with a 2-1 overtime victory.

The Game

The first period was defined with cheap shots and fruitless power plays as seven minor penalties were called and the teams combined went through five power plays. No score was put on the board but Colorado did hold a 14-6 shot advantage through the first frame. Martin Nečas was the recipient of one of those cheap shots on a high hit to the head. He had to sit out for a bit but returned to the ice by the end of the period.

Cale Makar smokes the crossbar

EJ:

“You could hear that all the way in Greeley”#GoAvsGo

— Adrian Hernandez (@AdoHernandez27) April 22, 2026

The start of the second period saw the Avalanche take a penalty on Quinton Byfield whilst on their own power play which was deemed worthy of a penalty shot. Scott Wedgewood stonewalled the young forward and the game remained scoreless. Right after that a pane of glass shattered behind the Kings bench and there was a lengthy delay. That loss of momentum didn’t help as it was an ugly period with only eight shots apiece and still a scoreless game after 40 minutes of play.

Some urgency that developed at the end of the second period carried over to the third as suddenly this game was ripe for either team to claim it. With under seven minutes to go in the game a goal finally found its way into the back of the net — just unfortunately it counted for the Kings. Artemi Panarin broke through on the power play just like he did late in the contest in Game 1.

Of course this game wouldn’t end quietly as Gabe Landeskog tied the score with just over three minutes to go. As the Kings are no stranger to overtime having been a NHL record 33 times in the regular season, an extra frame was needed to settle the 1-1 tie at the end of regulation. After half a period of back-and-forth action Nic Roy broke through on Colorado’s second shot in overtime to give the Avalanche the 2-1 victory.

Takeaways

It will be interesting to see if Jared Bednar chooses to ride the momentum and decline to make any lineup changes leaving Ross Colton and Mackenzie Blackwood out of action as the Avalanche hope to wrap up the series on the road.

Upcoming

The series shifts to Los Angeles with the first game on Thursday night. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. MT televised on TNT.

Historically, teams that have gone up 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs went on to win their series 87.5% of the time. After winning Game 1 by a score of 4-2, the Vegas Golden Knights entered Tuesday’s matchup with the Utah Mammoth desperate to grab a stranglehold over the series. 

Or, at least, the Golden Knights entered the first period desperate to grab a stranglehold over the series. They controlled play and outshot the Mammoth 10-7. They generated 12 scoring chances while holding Utah to four.

The Golden Knights broke the ice on the power play at 11:42 in the first. Mark Stone threw a centering pass towards the net, and it went off of Mikhail Sergachev’s skate and in past Karel Vejmelka. 

Stone with the centering feed. If Tomáš Hertl got a stick on that, it’s his first goal since March 4th. Nope— went off of Sergachev’s skate.

1-0, Golden Knights

pic.twitter.com/YKZ6yixsug

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 22, 2026

The Mammoth responded at 16:59 in the first. Noah Hanifin blocked MacKenzie Weegar’s shot on goal, but the puck took a bounce into Rasmus Andersson’s shin and into the net.

Another own goal. Hart makes the save on Weegar, but the rebound kicks out into Andersson’s skate and into the back of the net.

1-1

pic.twitter.com/p3F0YJUU6K

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 22, 2026

All of that first period urgency slipped away in the second. As the parade to the box continued, the Golden Knights struggled to find rhythm. The stats reflect it— the Mammoth outshot them 13-4, generated 16 scoring chances while holding Vegas to just three, and controlled 88.76% of the expected goal share.  

The Mammoth took their first lead of the night at 14:56 in the second. Kailer Yamamoto jumped to glove down Noah Hanifin’s flip-pass and found Dylan Guenther above the left circle; Guenther ripped a one-timer past Carter Hart short-side for his first career playoff goal.

Dylan Guenther will win a rocket one day.

2-1, Mammoth

pic.twitter.com/ipgCUcur5v

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 22, 2026

The Golden Knights found the equalizer just 1:02 later. Jack Eichel got a stick on Mikhail Sergachev’s stretch-pass attempt, and Ivan Barbashev corralled the puck at the blue line. Barbashev entered the zone, split the defense, and beat Karel Vejmelka on the backhand.

Ivan Barbashev goes 1-on-3 and scores on the backhand. What a move.

2-2

pic.twitter.com/ylfHrcw8hc

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 22, 2026

In the third period, the Golden Knights were largely unable to generate any kind of offense. Shots were 10-7 in favor of the Mammoth, and Utah controlled 70.79% of the expected goal share.

The Mammoth regained the lead at 14:00 in the third. Kailer Yamamoto backhanded a pass to Dylan Guenther, who entered the zone with speed, flew past Shea Theodore, and snapped a shot on goal. When Carter Hart made the save, Guenther got his own rebound and put it off the post. Undetected, Logan Cooley cut to the middle and scored on the third attempt.

Dylan Guenther flies past Theodore. Hart makes the save, and Guenther puts the rebound off the post. Pittsburgh’s own Logan Cooley gets that rebound and puts it into the net.

3-2, Mammothpic.twitter.com/BO7sHlDcWChttps://t.co/BO7sHlDcWC

— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 22, 2026

The Golden Knights pulled Carter Hart for the extra attacker with 2:51 remaining in regulation and tried to mount yet another third-period comeback. They generated their looks, but managed only two shots on goal, and the Mammoth held on for a 3-2 win.

“I thought our first period was one of our better first periods in a while,” said Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella postgame. “We lost any type of flow in the second period. The way everything was going on, we had a good start to the third period and had some opportunities. We couldn’t score, and they found a way with some of their speed.”

Three Takeaways of the Knight

1. In Game 1, the Golden Knights were the more physical team by a wide margin and out-hit the Mammoth 51-31. For whatever reason, they just didn’t have that same edge in Game 2. It was a less intense affair, but the Mammoth had the edge tonight, 39-33.

“Being physical and playing hard… when you go out searching for it, that’s when you get burned,” said Brett Howden postgame.

2. Carter Hart was excellent tonight against the initial shot, but struggled to control the rebound. For the most part, the team in front of him did a good job of boxing the Mammoth out and preventing any second-chance opportunities. But on Utah’s game-winner, no one caught Logan Cooley crashing the net, and it cost them.

3. It’s been a long time since Hertl has scored a goal. He’s had his fair share of chances, but he just can’t seem to finish one. He’s not playing poorly– Hertl is doing the little things right, and he’s  recorded eight hits over the first two games of this series.

But he’s not scoring. And that, more than anything, continues to haunt the Golden Knights. With a chance to go up 2-0 in their second power play of the night, Hertl stared down an empty net… and sent it wide. 

By Corey Abbott, RotoWire.com

The 2025-26 regular season is over, and the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs have just begun. However, it's never too early to start planning for 2026-27 fantasy hockey drafts. Changes to rosters via the NHL Draft, free agency and trades could alter the rankings. There may also be injuries in the playoffs, offseason or training camp that force adjustments. Still, this can serve as a starting point for first-round possibilities. 

1.    Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers 

McDavid led the league with 90 assists and 138 points in 82 games in 2025-26, capturing his sixth Art Ross Trophy. He has reached the 100-point plateau in six consecutive campaigns and has topped the NHL in points four times during that span. McDavid also led the pack with 43 multipoint performances and 54 power-play points in 2025-26. 

2.    Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche 

MacKinnon, surprisingly, has not topped the league in points yet, but he did claim his first Maurice Richard Trophy in 2025-26 after netting a career-high 53 markers. He also topped the NHL with a plus-57 rating, 42 even-strength tallies and 350 shots on goal. MacKinnon has paced the league in shots on target in each of the past three seasons. 

3.   Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning 

Kucherov comfortably surpassed the 100-point threshold for a fourth straight campaign in 2025-26, finishing second in the league with 130 points across 76 appearances. He also potted 44 goals for the second time in the last three seasons. Kucherov was second in the NHL with 40 multipoint efforts in 2025-26. Over the last three seasons, he has led the way with 395 points and 136 power-play points in 235 outings. However, his shots per 60 minutes have dropped in each year during that span. 

4.   Leon Draisaitl, C/LW, Edmonton Oilers 

Draisaitl suited up in only 65 games during the 2025-26 campaign, but he still made a significant impact. He amassed 35 goals on 186 shots and 97 points. Draisaitl was fourth in the league in points before missing the final 14 contests of the homestretch. He also tied for third overall with 42 power-play points. Draisaitl should get back on track in 2026-27 after posting five consecutive 100-point performances before last season.

5.   Macklin Celebrini, C, San Jose Sharks 

Celebrini took the next step into superstardom thanks to a remarkable sophomore season. He generated 45 goals, 115 points, including 33 on the power play, and 287 shots on net over 82 appearances. He ranked fourth in the league in points and nearly willed the rebuilding Sharks into a playoff spot. The 19-year-old phenom will be high on draft boards going into 2026-27. 

6.   Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche 

Makar had 90 points in 2023-24 and a career-high 92 points in 2024-25, but he slipped to 79 points across 75 appearances last season. Still, he scored at least 20 goals for a third straight year while posting 199 shots and 117 blocks. Makar also ranked third among blueliners with 29 power-play points. He leads all defenders with 261 points and 103 power-play points over the past three seasons. 

7.   David Pastrnak, RW, Boston Bruins 

Pastrnak achieved the 100-point milestone for a fourth straight season in 2025-26. He had just 29 goals after scoring at least 40 in his previous four campaigns, but he dished out a career-high 71 assists while posting 261 shots, 86 hits and 33 power-play points. His shooting percentage (11.1) also dropped below his career average (13.6) and should improve in 2026-27. 

8.   Martin Necas, RW, Colorado Avalanche 

Necas has been a superb addition for the Avalanche since being acquired from the Hurricanes in 2024-25. In 108 regular-season contests with Colorado, he has 49 goals and 79 assists. The 27-year-old winger established personal bests in goals (38), assists (62), points (100) and hits (85) across 78 appearances in 2025-26. He also had 24 power-play points.

9.   Mikko Rantanen, LW/RW, Dallas Stars

Rantanen was productive in his first season with Dallas despite being limited to 64 appearances. He registered 22 goals and a team-high 55 assists while picking up 139 shots and 34 power-play points. Still, operating at a 99-point pace over a full 82-game season should keep his fantasy stock high, especially since he didn't miss much time in his previous three campaigns.  

10.   Kirill Kaprizov, LW, Minnesota Wild 

Kaprizov collected his fourth season with at least 40 goals, scoring 45 times while adding 44 assists in 78 games. He tied for third in the league with 19 power-play tallies and had 268 shots. His dip in offensive production during the fourth quarter put a damper on what was a solid bounce-back showing for the 28-year-old. However, his scoring potential makes him a worthwhile first-round selection. 

11.   Jason Robertson, LW/RW, Dallas Stars 

Robertson came close to returning to his 2022-23 form, when he recorded 46 goals and 109 points. He lit the lamp 45 times on 294 shots and had 96 points last campaign. Robertson placed fifth in the league with 41 power-play points, including a career-high 15 goals. His durability and 100-point ceiling give him plenty of fantasy value going into 2026-27. 

12.   Evan Bouchard, D, Edmonton Oilers 

Bouchard led all defensemen with 74 assists and 95 points in 82 games during the 2025-26 campaign. He achieved personal bests in goals (21), assists and points. He also earned 33 power-play points, 221 shots and 101 blocks. Bouchard sits tied for the second-most points among blueliners over the last three seasons. If he returns to the 20-goal and 90-point marks in 2026-27, then he enters Makar territory in terms of offensive prowess and category coverage. 

Honorable Mentions: 

Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs: Matthews struggled offensively in 2025-26, notching only 27 goals and 53 points in 60 games. However, the 28-year-old has led the league in goals in three of the last six seasons and has considerable bounce-back potential if he stays healthy and his deployment improves. 

Nick Suzuki, C, Montreal Canadiens: Suzuki has been steadily improving and surpassed the 100-point plateau for the first time in his NHL career in 2025-26. He also recorded personal bests in helpers (72) and power-play points (43). He is tied for the sixth-most points in the league over the last two campaigns. 

Quinn Hughes (D, Minnesota Wild), Zach Werenski (D, Columbus Blue Jackets): Hughes and Werenski are likely to go high in fantasy drafts because of their offensive acumen from the blue line. 

Jack Hughes, C/LW, New Jersey Devils: Hughes' offensive prowess is unquestionable, but his inability to stay healthy holds back his fantasy value. Still, the upside is there for 100-plus points if he can finally put those concerns to rest.