DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Stars defenseman Nils Lundkvist avoided having to go to the hospital after taking a skate to his face, though coach Glen Gulutzan had no further update Sunday.
Lundkvist suffered a deep laceration after taking an inadvertent skate to the left side of his face during the second period of Dallas' 3-2 overtime loss at Minnesota on Saturday that tied the best-of-seven first-round series at 2-2.
Stars players had the day off Sunday, when Gulutzan spoke to reporters on a Zoom call and said he was waiting for an update after a further examination of Lundkvist. But the coach said Lundkvist never had to to go the hospital for the cut.
On the play where he go hurt, Lundkvist was called for a tripping penalty. As Michael McCarron tumbled over, his skate inadvertently caught the face of the Stars defenseman, who was bleeding when he immediately went to the Dallas bench and then down the tunnel.
Lundkvist signed a two-year, $3.5 million contract that was announced just before the start of the playoffs and goes through the 2027-28 season.
The Colorado Avalanche have a chance to end their first-round series Sunday afternoon, while a loss for Los Angeles could also bring the curtain down on the legendary 20-year career of Anze Kopitar.
The Avalanche carry a 3-0 series lead into Game 4 at Crypto.com Arena after grinding out victories in all three matchups, including a 4-2 win in Game 3. Colorado has not overwhelmed Los Angeles offensively, but it has been the steadier, more composed club in the moments that have mattered most.
Colorado in Control
Each game in the series has featured narrow margins, yet the Avalanche have consistently found answers. They opened with a 2-1 win, followed with a 2-1 overtime triumph in Game 2, then created separation late in Game 3 to move within one win of advancing.
Colorado’s structure, depth, and poise have allowed it to dictate the tone even when the Kings have clogged the neutral zone and turned games into trench warfare. The Avalanche now have an opportunity to become the first Western Conference team to punch its ticket to the next round.
Kings Facing Elimination
For Los Angeles, the challenge is clear: generate more offense before the season disappears. The Kings have defended competitively throughout the series, but too often their attack has stalled before it could truly pressure Colorado.
Now back on home ice, Los Angeles will try to summon the urgency and emotion that often accompanies elimination games. Anything short of a win sends the Kings into the offseason.
Puck drop is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. MT. Broadcast coverage will be available on Altitude, TNT, TruTV, and HBO Max, with radio coverage on Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM.
But most importantly, how are you, the fans feeling? Will the Avalanche pull off the sweep? Don't miss all the action as The Hockey News will cover every facet of the game!
BOSTON — The site of Sunday afternoon’s Game 4 between the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres was technically TD Garden. But for large stretches, it sure felt a lot like a Sabres home game.
Many Sabres fans made the trip to Boston. They took up a lot of seats in the Garden and they were very loud. And they had plenty to cheer for.
The Bruins gave their worst performance of the season in their most important game. There have been some lackluster playoff efforts from the B’s throughout the last 15 or so years, and this one ranks near the top.
“Man-to-man in here, if we’re not f—ing embarrassed with what just happened, then I don’t know what to say,” Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy said postgame. “It’s not over after three (wins for Buffalo). We have everything to play for here. We know we’re such a better team than what we did today.”
When the final horn mercifully sounded and the scoreboard read 6-1, the Bruins had officially been pushed to the brink of elimination trailing 3-1 in the series.
“I am embarrassed. We all should be,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said.
This might sound hyperbolic, but when you consider the score, the stats and the glaring lack of execution and concentration, the first period might have been the worst 20 minutes of Bruins playoff hockey in a very long time. Sure, there have been periods of bad playoff hockey from the B’s in games that carried far more significance than a Game 4 of Round 1, but the opening 20 minutes Sunday were laughably lopsided.
“To show up like that as a team in the first period is unacceptable,” Bruins forward David Pastrnak said. “We’re much better than that.”
Here are some numbers (all situations) from the first period, via Natural Stat Trick:
Shot attempts: 34-13 Sabres
Shots: 19-5 Sabres
Scoring chances: 19-7 Sabres
High-danger chances: 8-4 Sabres
Goals: 4-0 Sabres
It didn’t take long for the Sabres to take over this game.
They scored the opening goal at 4:17 after a turnover by Fraser Minten. Alex Tuch fed Peyton Krebs on a 2-on-1 and he fired the puck past Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman.
Sloppy play with the puck was the Bruins’ biggest issue in the first period (and for most of the game). Three of the Sabres’ four goals in the opening 20 minutes were the direct result of Bruins giveaways. All of those turnovers were forced in the Bruins’ own zone. The B’s were credited with 10 giveaways in the first period, and that honestly felt too low of a number.
Buffalo’s relentless forecheck has bothered Boston all series. The Sabres’ 10 goals scored within 10 seconds of forcing a turnover are the most of any team in the playoffs.
Too fast, too furious. Sabres up 4-0 after the 1st period after scoring 3 goals via offensive zone takeaways. No team has scored more goals by forcing turnovers in the playoffs. Bruins with 2 goals against today on controlled breakouts – can't happen. pic.twitter.com/q0oBBLCJQy
In total, the Bruins had 17 giveaways Sunday. Similar to Game 1, breaking out of the defensive zone was a huge challenge. The Sabres are executing the 2023 Panthers playbook very well. They pressure and forecheck aggressively, force a turnover and capitalize on the ensuing scoring chance.
“They did a good job getting on us quick. They had a lot of speed tonight,” Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm said. “They came out on us quick. It’s something we have to look at to try to be a little stronger on pucks and kill their speed a little bit and not play into their game.”
It wasn’t until about five minutes left in the second period that the Bruins finally put together several consecutive shifts with a high compete level, physicality and extended offensive zone time. Why did it take so long for that to happen?
The Bruins were trailing 2-1 in the series. The margin for error was very slim. They were on home ice, where they won an Eastern Conference-leading 29 games in the regular season. There was no excuse not to be ready to go right from the start in the most important game of the year.
There were zero positives to take from this game — nothing to build on going into Game 5. It was a disaster of a performance at the worst possible time.
The Bruins, in fairness, have shown resilience throughout the season. The Game 2 win in Buffalo after a brutal collapse in Game 1 was one recent example.
It wouldn’t be shocking if they went into KeyBank Center and came out with a win. But accomplishing that objective is going to require massive improvement in literally every facet of their game.
“We’ve been through a lot this year as a group,” Pastrnak said. “We believe in this group. We have to do it together.”
The Los Angeles Kings are down 3-0 to the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs and will look to avoid a sweep and extend the series to Game 5.
Los Angeles has been in this series for the most part in all three games; the game has been decided by one possession. With the first two games being played in Denver, the Kings lost by just one goal, and Game 3 at LA was a one-goal game until the Avs scored an empty-net goal to seal the deal.
Other than that, the opportunities have been there for the silver and black, but they just haven't been able to capitalize on offense, despite playing great defense led by goaltender Anton Forsberg.
Not only will a win Sunday afternoon extend LA's season, but it will also help extend Anze Kopitar's career, who will likely play his final game if the Avs bring in the brooms.
Start Time and TV Schedule
Who: Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche
When: 1:30 p.m. PT
Where: Crypto.com Arena
Watch: TNT, FanDuel Sports Network West
Kings Projected Lines
Artemi Panarin - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore - Quinton Byfield - Alex Laferriere
Alex Turcotte - Scott Laughton - Jared Wright
Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward
Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke
Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci
Anton Forsberg
Darcy Kuemper
Avalanche Projected Lines
Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas
Ross Colton- Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin
Gabriel Landeskog - Nazem Kadri - Nicolas Roy
Parker Kelly - Jack Drury - Logan O'Connor
Devon Toews - Cale Makar
Brett Kulak - Sam Malinski
Nick Blankenburg - Brent Burns
Scott Wedgewood
Mackenzie Blackwood
Key Factors
For LA to win this game and force another game in Denver, they need to come out aggressively, as they did in Game 3 at home, and put pressure on the Avs' defense. The Kings have done a good job defending Colorado's power play, holding them to 0-for-9 in all three games of this series, but LA, meanwhile, is 2-for-12, barely capitalizing on its stops.
Everything has come so tough for the Kings, especially scoring against Avs goaltender Scott Wedgewood, who has been a monster under the crease for Colorado with a .923 SV%, saving nearly every shot that Los Angeles throws at him.
Will Anton Forsberg stay hot? The Swedish goaltender had a solid Game 3, but took a bit of a drop off compared to the first two games at Denver, and still made several key saves.
And what kind of changes will we see from the top line for Los Angeles? The top line of Kopitar, Artemi Panarin, and Adrian Kempe takes most of the blame, as they were pretty much nonexistent offensively in Game 3. Panarin does have two goals and two points through three games, but Kempe, who ended the season on a hot streak, hasn't lived up to expectations
With Kopitar likely playing his last NHL game on Sunday afternoon, the motivation should be there for the veteran and the rest of the team to try to extend their season.
Notes and Updates
For the Kings injury report Kevin Fiala (fractured leg) remains out and for the Avs Josh Manson (upper-body) is unlikely to play.
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It certainly wasn't perfect for the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 on Saturday as they faced a first-round sweep against the cross-state rival Philadelphia Flyers.
But it was enough to keep them alive.
In a hard-earned effort, the Penguins beat the Flyers, 4-2, to avoid elimination and force a Game 5 in Pittsburgh on Monday. Goaltender Arturs Silovs - starting in place of Stuart Skinner, who got the nod for the first three games of the series - was brilliant, stopping 28 of 30 Flyers' shots on goal and coming up with some huge saves in key moments of the game.
The Penguins still gave up a bit more than they would have liked to, and their power play is still somewhat dysfunctional. They looked much more like the Penguins' team that clinched a playoff spot in the regular season, though, and they live to fight another day on Monday in Game 5.
"I think that looked more like our game," said Sidney Crosby, who registered a goal and an assist. "It's probably taken us three games to look like ourselves a bit. So, I think that's something we can definitely build on."
Despite getting outshot by a small margin, the Penguins generally carried the play in the first period, and they had an opportunity on the power play with under six to go after a Denver Barkey high-stick on Sam Girard. Crosby won the first faceoff back to Erik Karlsson, who recognized an opportunity and slipped a soft-serve dish back to Crosby from behind. With the puck sliding toward the net, Crosby timed it perfectly on a one-timer and snuck it past Dan Vladar to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead five seconds into the power play opportunity.
Then, early in the second period, Vladar went to play a puck behind the net, and he hesitated to make a decision. Meanwhile, Penguins' forward Rickard Rakell closed in on him, forcing the puck away as it squirted out above the goal line. Rakell dove to curl his stick and guide the puck into the net before the Flyers' defense could close in, and it was 2-0 in favor of Pittsburgh.
Late in the second, the Flyers did begin to push a little bit and get back to their game. They were rewarded when Barkey redirected a Trevor Zegras shot-pass behind Silovs to make it a one-goal game.
The third period began with a grind, as both teams jockeyed for the upper hand. About four minutes in, Erik Karlsson and Garnet Hathaway were tangled up in a board battle, and Hathaway took the opportunity to elbow Karlsson in the face, which he took exception to. Both went to the box, and the teams played four-on-four.
And that's when Kris Letang - having himself a pretty good night already with a few key defensive plays earlier in the game - took a soccer-style feed from Crosby into the slot, where he wound up for a one-time blast and restored the Penguins' two-goal lead.
Less than three minutes later, Travis Konecny was lost in coverage and left all alone in the right circle, finding the back of the net and bringing the Flyers back to within one. But, after that, the Penguins shut things down, not giving Philadelphia much with the extra attacker.
Eventually, Blake Lizotte made a nice play to break the puck out of the zone and give the puck just the right amount of English to allow Connor Dewar's speed to catch up to it and put it in the empty net, securing the 4-2 win for the Penguins.
And, with that, the Penguins have taken the first step in getting themselves back in this series.
"Obviously, going home, it doesn't get any easier," Crosby said. "With every game in the series, it's more difficult. But, we've got some life, and we've got to take advantage of the opportunity of going back home now."
Game 5 between the Penguins and Flyers will be at 7:00 p.m. ET at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
- Even though the Penguins won this game, there are a ton of things they still have to clean up. The Flyers' second goal was a direct result of a defensive breakdown, and the Penguins, at times, still had issues containing the Flyers' active defensemen throughout the game.
But the biggest issue is still the power play.
Yes, Crosby scored a power play goal, but it was five seconds in and right off the faceoff, which didn't require the Penguins to set up and generate the goal. Other than that, on Pittsburgh's two other opportunities, it was a mess.
The Flyers - once again - had several odd-man breaks, all of which Silovs, like Skinner earlier in the series, was able to stop. This included a breakaway opportunity in the second period by Christian Dvorak, even if he was pressured on the backcheck by Kris Letang and forced to make a quick move.
The Penguins aren't even trying to get pucks to the net on the man advantage. They aren't moving their feet enough. They aren't throwing the Flyers' pedestrian penalty kill unit out-of-structure. They need to shoot the puck, and they need more traffic in front.
At this point, swap out Evgeni Malkin for Egor Chinakhov up high, and swap out Bryan Rust for someone like Elmer Soderblom or, even, Ben Kindel, down low. Soderblom has good hands and can create havoc at the net-front with his size, Kindel is a good distributor and isn't afraid to get in around the net-front, and Chinakhov is a shoot-first player with a dangerous shot.
- Speaking of Chinakhov, this guy has got to start hitting the net.
Contrary to some other talking heads, I don't think Chinakhov has been "invisible" in this series. He's actually had several opportunities to put the puck in the back of the net, and he's generated some of them himself. He just can't - for the life of him - hit the target.
In fact, he's had 27 shot attempts in four games - the second-highest mark on the team to Karlsson - and he's had six shots hit the net, 10 shots blocked, and 11 unblocked shots just miss the net altogether. And some of these are golden looks from the slot that he would have buried during the regular season.
I think he's just gripping the stick a bit too tight and showing some nerves right now. But, once one goes in, the floodgates will open.
As for players who have been a bit invisible? The Penguins need much, much more from their third line, especially. Kindel played a much better game on Saturday and is, by far, the best player on his line. Soderblom has had his moments. But Mantha has not been doing much of anything to help generate opportunities, and he's spent a whole lot of time in the box during this series, too.
Pittsburgh needs far more from its middle six in general, but the third line really needs to step up if the Penguins are to stay in this series.
- It's worth mentioning again how brilliant Silovs was in this game.
When it was announced that he would start over Skinner in Game 4, many folks were left scratching their heads. Skinner had not been the problem at all in the first three games, and Silovs struggled after the Olympic break during the regular season. In a must-win elimination game, it was definitely a bold choice by head coach Dan Muse.
But the thing to remember about Silovs is that he has a track record of playing his best hockey when the stakes are the absolute highest. He tended goal for the Vancouver Canucks against the Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 playoffs after some injury misfortune, and - against an Oilers' team as dangerous as they were and one that made the Cup Final that season - he gave his team a chance to win. And he had a 28-save shutout in the clinching game against the Preds in round one.
Yep. And don't forget that he was also phenomenal in Abbotsford's Calder Cup run last season.
Sure, it's the AHL. But he went 16-7 with a .931 SV% and won tournament MVP. Also a good international resume.
His track record suggests he shows up when the stage is the biggest. https://t.co/3eQwHYly8E
Then, he led the Abbotsford Canucks to the 2025 Calder Cup Championship with a 16-7 record and a .931 save percentage, earning playoff MVP honors. He also has an impressive international resume, with his 2023 and 2024 World Championship save percentages for Team Latvia - who faced off against elite competition - standing out at .952 and .921, respectively.
He came up big when it mattered in this one, just as he usually does. I mentioned the breakaway save earlier, but he had another big one on a two-on-one near the end of the second after the Penguins took a too many men penalty (which was Ilya Solovyov's - playing in his first game this series - only real mistake on the night). And, right now, that move by Muse to go with Silovs - probably, one to light a fire under his team - is looking like a pretty good one.
I don't think there's any question that he's the starter for Game 5. I think the leash should be short for either guy, but the fact of the matter is that the Penguins have been getting more than competent goaltending in this series.
If their offense can finally find that next gear it had in the regular season again, they might just have a chance to pull off something pretty special.
The Detroit Red Wings’ offense produced 239 goals this season, finishing 22nd in the NHL, but a deeper breakdown of how those goals were scored reveals a team with clear strengths and equally clear areas for improvement.
Detroit generated 142 of its 239 goals at five-on-five, the third-fewest total in the league, highlighting a heavy reliance on special teams.
On the power play, however, the Red Wings were far more effective, tying for seventh in the NHL with 56 goals alongside the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens. That unit was led by Alex DeBrincat, who scored 15 power-play goals, followed closely by captain Dylan Larkin with 14.
When examining shot types, the wrist shot proved to be Detroit’s most common scoring method. The Red Wings scored 90 goals via the wrist shot, ranking 25th in the NHL, with Larkin leading the team with 17 such goals.
The snap shot, however, was a more productive weapon with Detroit scoring 84 snap-shot goals, ranking ninth league-wide, with DeBrincat pacing the team at 16, making it one of the club’s most effective offensive tools.
The Red Wings were also above average in finishing plays around the net as they scored 25 tip-in goals, tied for 11th in the league alongside the Washington Capitals.
Contributions in this area were spread out, with six players tied for the team lead at three tip-ins each, including known net-front presence James van Riemsdyk.
Detroit produced 22 backhand goals, ranking 13th in the NHL, with DeBrincat again leading the way with five. However, the team struggled significantly in generating offense from the blue line in traditional ways.
The Red Wings scored just eight goals via the slap shot, tied for the fewest in the league with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Defenseman Moritz Seider led the team with only two slap-shot goals, underscoring a clear gap in point-shot production.
At the league level, Carolina set the standard in that category with 38 slap-shot goals, powered by six each from Andrei Svechnikov and Alexander Nikishin.
Detroit also lagged in other finishing categories as the Red Wings scored just four deflection goals, tying for 25th in the NHL, while the New York Rangers and Nashville Predators led the league with 13.
They added only three goals via batting pucks in, two off poke checks, and one highlight-reel through-the-legs goal from van Riemsdyk, one of just eight such goals scored across the entire league this season.
Overall, the breakdown shows a team that leaned heavily on snap and backhand shots and power-play execution, while lacking consistent production from point and wrist shots.
As Detroit looks ahead to next season, improving offensive diversity, particularly from the blue line and in front of the net, will be a key focus if the Red Wings want to climb the standings and become a more complete scoring unit.
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Over the past several seasons, the Florida Panthers have provided some pretty magical playoff moments during the postseason months of April, May and June.
While the Cats may not be participating in the playoffs this year, they should be back competing for the Stanley Cup in short order.
Still, it can sting a little knowing what a healthy Panthers squad is capable of.
In hopes of taking some of the edge off of that sting, THN Florida is going to provide some fun ‘On this day’ memories as the Panther-less postseason chugs along.
Today, we’re looking back at a big game in Boston that occurred on April 26, 2023.
Florida was on the brink of elimination that day, entering the playoffs as the eighth seed and facing the historically-good Boston Bruins, who set a record for most points during the regular season that year.
Down 3-1 in the series and playing inside the TD Garden in Boston, Florida came up with an incredible effort that sparked arguably the best playoff run in franchise history.
After dropping back-to-back games on home ice and heading back to Boston with their backs against the wall, the Panthers were locked in for Game 5.
Florida never trailed, leading 1-0 after the first period on a goal by Anthony Duclair and then taking a 2-1 lead into the second intermission when Sam Bennett scored to answer a tally by Brad Marchand earlier in the middle frame.
A Sam Reinhart power play goal came less than a minute after Patrice Bergeron tied the game early in the third period, but Taylor Hall tied the game at three and that’s how the score would remain until overtime.
Many of you probably remember that the game nearly didn’t reach overtime after Marchand was unleashed on a breakaway against Sergei Bobrovsky quite literally as time expired.
Marchand’s potential series-winning shot was stopped by a Bobrovsky kick save, keeping Florida’s season alive and pushing the game past regulation.
The overtime session didn’t last very long though.
A turnover by Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark behind the net led to the puck on the stick of Matthew Tkachuk at the top of the crease, and his backhand shot found the back of the yawning cage, sending the series back to South Florida.
You can check out the full game highlights in the video below:
After claiming victory in Game 5, the Panthers went on to win 10 of their next 11 games, steamrolling their way through the Eastern Conference and into the Stanley Cup Final.
Little did we know, this was just the beginning of what has proven to be a hell of a run by Florida, winning back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2024 and 2025.
Considering the Cats’ championship roster will remain intact for the next several seasons, with opportunities to add impact players thanks to Florida’s players signing team-friendly deals and a rising salary cap, there may be a few more banners hanging above the ice at Amerant Bank Arena when all is said and done.
What are some of your favorite memories from that 2023 first round series against Boston? Let us know in the comments below!
Photo caption: Apr 26, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) reacts after scoring the winning goal during overtime in game five of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 23: Casey Mittelstadt #11 of the Boston Bruins prepares to take a shot against Alex Lyon #34 of the Buffalo Sabres during the third period Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Sabres defeat the Bruins 3-1. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to another edition of the Public Skate, folks!
The Bruins and Sabres are back at it this afternoon, fresh off of enjoying two days off after Game 3 on Thursday.
The B’s should be playing with a level of desperation facing the prospect of going back to Buffalo in a 3-1 hole, but there’s also no real need to panic when you’re only down 2-1 in the series.
The optimist: the B’s lost Game 1 and bounced back to win Game 2!
The pessimist: the B’s looked inept on offense in Game 3 and this could be the last game at TD Garden this season.
Legendary singer Ginette Reno was the guest of honor at the season finale of En direct de l’univers last night and revealed an interesting tidbit. Back in 1968, when the new Forum was inaugurated, Reno sang the national anthem with Paul Anka, and the Montreal Canadiens wanted to thank her with a pair of lifetime tickets, which she turned down. Recalling the event on the show last night, she said:
“I said no, why should I have that? My kids want to kill me for that today; my two boys want to kill me. Today, I’d say yes.”
-
It’s funny to think that the singer could have had tickets to the Canadiens’ most glorious decade, but she passed on them. The fact that she says she’d say yes today goes to show how exciting this new iteration of the Habs is.
The 80-year-old singer was in good enough shape to be the weekly show’s guest, but she said she’s not in as good health today. In a recent interview with 7 Jours magazine, she explained:
I’m healthy, but I don’t have much strength. I’m breaking like porcelain. My back really hurts, I walk with a cane, and I can’t sing standing up anymore. [...] There are days when I wake up, and I feel like I have no resources. I’m running on empty with no energy and no strength at all. I’m in bed all day, and it can last two or three days.
- Reno on her health
It’s quite understandable that her days singing the national anthem for the Canadiens’ games are long gone, but she did give the fans some good performances over the years. Especially when she sang the anthems during the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs in the second round against the Boston Bruins on April 22, 2014, as she got off the ice, she shook Daniel Briere’s hand, and minutes later, the diminutive center was scoring a goal. She returned in 2017 in the series against the New York Rangers, but the Habs ended up losing in the first round.
The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that defenseman Alexander Nikishin did in fact suffer a concussion in Game 4 as a result of the hit thrown by Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven.
Nikishin was caught unaware by Kleven early in the second period as he was attempting to play a puck along the boards in the Hurricanes' defensive zone.
While the hit caught him square in the chest/shoulder area, the sheer force of it and the fact that Nikishin wasn't prepared for it made it an unfortuante circumstance for the Russian blueliner.
Alexander Nikishin had to be helped off the ice after being hit by Tyler Kleven.
The hit was not dirty by NHL standards, but it was a bit predatory for my liking and Kleven himself admitted as much in his postgame comments, essentially saying that he was looking to take a pound of flesh in retribution for the hit on Jake Sanderson in Game 3.
Nikishin remained down on the ice for quite a while following the hit and he ultimately had to be helped to the locker room, however he was up and about in the locker room following the game and made his way back to Raleigh with the team that night.
And with Carolina sweeping their first round series, Nikishin will have more time to rest up, although he still might not be ready for the start of the second round.
However, the Hurricanes are more prepared this year than in previous for a loss on the blueline with Mike Reilly waiting in the wings as well as a pair of other battle tested rookies in Charles Alexis Legault and Joel Nystrom.
"We did get looks at guys for, not just a game or two, but for real extended periods, which not only gives us a little more confidence, but it certainly gives them more confidence if they have to get thrown in there," said Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour.
Hopefully Nikishin will be ready sooner rather than later, but the Hurricanes are a deep team and they can weather the loss if need be.
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The Los Angeles Kings have their backs against the wall in their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. The Kings are down 3-0 and are struggling to find ways to outscore the Avs.
"I'm hoping it's not going to be (my last game)," Kopitar told NHL.com. Indeed, it would be a disappointing way to sign off on the magical career that Kopitar had.
Unfortunately for the 38-year-old, it doesn't look good for the Kings based on the first three games of this series against the Avalanche.
Defensively, Los Angeles has put up a fight against a Colorado roster that is littered with stars and elite talent. Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Brock Nelson, Martin Necas and Nazem Kadri have all been limited to one point each in these playoffs.
In the first three games in this series, Los Angeles hasn't scored more than two goals. To go with that, the Kings' top line that includes Kopitar, as well as Artemi Panarin and Adrian Kempe on his flanks, have not scored a single point at even strength.
Kopitar himself is the only player in the team's top-six forward group to not record a point in these playoffs. Also, he's averaged 19:14 of ice time and has registered a team-low minus-four plus-minus rating.
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After an arduous rookie season in 2023-24, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe took a sizable step in his progression in 2024-25, jumping from 17 points (2-15=17) in 71 games while averaging 19:23 TOI/G to 43 points (14-29=43) in 75 games and leading the Ducks in TOI/G with 22:18.
When LaCombe was discussed among breakout players in 2024-25 among national media outlets, it was met with a chorus of “WHO?”
Just prior to the 2025-26 season, on Oct. 2, 2025, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek signed LaCombe to an eight-year contract extension that carries an AAV of $9 million, and will not kick in until the start of the 2026-27 season.
Upon the extension announcement and when it reached a national audience, it was again met with a chorus of “WHO?”
On Jan. 21, 2026, it was announced that USA Hockey selected LaCombe to replace Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones on USA’s 2026 Winter Olympic men’s hockey team that would play in Milano Cortina in February.
Guess what the reaction was. That’s correct, a chorus of “WHO?”
He didn’t see any ice during USA’s run to a gold medal, but returned to Orange County with one around his neck, regardless, and gained valuable experience skating on the same ice with the world’s best hockey players day in and day out.
LaCombe continued to elevate his game and finished the 2025-26 season with 58 points (10-48=58) in 82 games, again leading the Ducks in TOI/G with 24:15, 17th in the entire NHL. He is the blueline’s centerpiece, a true NHL #1 defenseman, on a Ducks team that made a 12-point jump in the standings (a year removed from a 21-point jump in the standings) and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
Through three playoff games, one would be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t know the name “Jackson LaCombe,” as he’s been one of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs’ top performers, and the argument could easily be made that he’s been the single best. However, due to the late starts in the series between the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks, there are still those relatively unfamiliar.
As of Saturday morning, when three games were played across all eight playoff series, LaCombe co-led the NHL in scoring (with Leon Draisaitl) with six points (1-5=6) and led all defensemen in scoring by two points. However impressive the production has been, what he’s accomplishing over the entire 200-foot ice surface, on the defensive side of the puck, and against Planet Earth’s single best hockey player (maybe in history) has been transcendent.
“It’s insane. I think he’s probably our best player,” Ducks forward Mason McTavish said. “He just does everything. Even in practice, when he’s defending a two-on-one, it’s so hard to pass through him every time. Just his skating, he’s so smart in the o-zone, he’s a single-man breakout. He literally does it all, so it’s been really fun to watch him step into this role.”
Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Through three games, LaCombe has led the Ducks with 67:55 TOI at 5v5. In those minutes, the Ducks have registered 62.30% of the shots on goal, 55.94% of the shot attempts, 62.24% of the expected goals, and have outscored the Oilers 6-4.
Though Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville didn’t have the benefit of last change in the first two games of the series, he deployed LaCombe, along with partner Jacob Trouba, as much as he could against Connor McDavid and the Oilers’ top line. All but three defensive zone starts featured LaCombe and Trouba.
When the series shifted back to Anaheim for Game 3, McDavid was on the ice against LaCombe for 13:55 TOI and Trouba for 13:39 at 5v5, a far cry from the Ducks’ second pair of John Carlson (4:58) and Pavel Mintyukov (4:55).
“Oh my god, was he good tonight,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said after Friday’s 7-4 Game 3 win over Edmonton. “He was special tonight. The plays, the poise, and the patience he had on the goal at the empty net kind of sums up the night. He did have the puck a lot, and I thought his speed going through the middle and into the zone was high-end, and he was definitely a factor.”
In total, in this series, LaCombe has gone head-to-head against McDavid for 33:10 TOI at 5v5. In those minutes, the Ducks have won the shots on goal battle 20-10 (66.67%), the shot attempts battle 45-32 (58.44%), the expected goals battle 1.44-0.88 (61.95%), and the Ducks have outscored the Oilers 4-1.
Game 3 was LaCombe’s standout performance to this point in the playoffs, as he took his game to heights unseen and capped off his efforts with a spinning backhand disruption against a 2v1 featuring McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and a play where he (at the end of a long shift) drove McDavid into the corner, won a puck, ignited a breakout, and joined a rush that the Ducks eventually scored on to extend their lead to 6-4, effectively icing the game.
In today’s NHL, which features electric, dynamic talents like Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Lane Hutson, who will bring fans out of their seats by dancing at the offensive blueline, the fashion in which LaCombe impacts a game is far more subtle and understated while remaining equally as impactful.
Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
Watching him on a shift-by-shift basis will reveal how immensely involved he is in every play, in every zone, while remaining efficient in his efforts, never wasting a stride and poised throughout. He’s so effective on his edges that with just a few strides, LaCombe will often retrieve a puck, evade an F1, conduct a one-man breakout, dish at the offensive blueline, drive the center lane toward the crease, track back, and seal an opposing counter to win the puck back again.
While hesitant to invoke such a name, there’s been only one defenseman in Anaheim Ducks/Mighty Ducks of Anaheim history who could skate so well, defend so intelligently, play so poised, and effortlessly dice through opposing defensive structures while maintaining possession: Scott Niedermayer.
LaCombe still has a long journey ahead of him if he’s to achieve such lofty standards, however, and he remains far from a finished product. He can still often toe the line between poised and casual. Though instances of him holding on to and losing pucks against a heavy pursuit have diminished as the season progressed.
He’s also been somewhat of a liability in front of his own crease at times through the regular season and these playoffs. He’s made quality judgments on when to front on perimeter shots and get key blocks, but when he’s forced to box out, clear a sightline for his goaltender, or find a rebound in front, he’s come up short on occasion.
“I think there’s always things you have to learn and grow,” LaCombe said on Saturday. “You see other players around the league, and you see what they can do, and even on your own team, too. There’s always details you can pick up, and there are so many things in my game I want to improve and work on. So, I don’t think there’s ever a point where you’re a finished product.”
Given his vast progression through the first three years of his NHL career, one would likely be foolish to bet against LaCombe rounding out his game and continuing his evolution into one of the NHL’s truly elite defensemen.
The Montreal Canadiens look to take a commanding 3-1 lead in Game 4 tonight, while the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning aim to even up the series.
Nick Suzuki was Montreal’s best playmaker in the regular season, and that trend has continued into the playoffs.
My Lightning vs Canadiens predictions and NHL picks break down why the Habs captain will pick up another assist on Sunday, April 26.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Lightning vs Canadiens Game 4 prediction
Who will win Lightning vs Canadiens Game 4?
Montreal: The Canadiens outplayed the Lightning in Game 3, outshooting them 29-17 en route to another dramatic overtime win.
Fueled by the energy at the Bell Centre, the Habs will take a 3-1 series lead tonight. The series has been close, but Montreal has dominated this matchup this season, going 4-0-1 in the last five meetings dating back to March.
Lightning vs Canadiens best bet: Nick Suzuki Over 0.5 assists (-160)
After finishing the regular season with 72 assists — good for fifth in the NHL — Nick Suzuki has picked up right where he left off with three helpers through the first three games of the postseason.
The Montreal Canadiens captain logged at least one assist in Games 1 and 2, but was held off the score sheet in Game 3 despite playing more than 21 minutes.
Montreal’s power play was uncharacteristically bad in Game 3, with no goals on four opportunities. That should change in Game 4, and Suzuki will collect another assist.
Lightning vs Canadiens Game 4 same-game parlay
I’m picking Suzuki and the Canadiens to win, but it’s hard to deny how good Brandon Hagel has been for the Lightning.
Hagel’s four goals are tied for the league lead so far this postseason, while the Lightning forward has collected at least one point in all three games so far, averaging nearly 25 minutes on ice per contest.
Lightning vs Canadiens SGP
Nick Suzuki Over 0.5 assists
Brandon Hagel Over 0.5 points
Canadiens moneyline
Lightning vs Canadiens Game 4 goal scorer pick
Juraf Slafkovsky (+170)
Juraj Slafkovsky came out hot with a hat trick and seven shots in Game 1, but the Habs winger has been relatively quiet since then, recording just three total shots and no points over his last two outings.
Slafkovsky has always been a clutch performer, and he’ll come through again tonight in Game 4 when the Habs need him most.
The Lightning have cashed the Under in nine of their last 13 games for +4.6 units and a 32% ROI. Find more NHL betting trends for Lightning vs. Canadiens.
How to watch Lightning vs Canadiens Game 4
Location
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
Date
Sunday, April 26 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN, CBC
Lightning vs Canadiens latest injuries
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Our best NHL player props for Sunday, April 26
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Prop #1: Leon Draisaitl Over 1.5 points
+105 at BET99
While Connor McDavid has finally awakened from his playoff scoring slumber, Leon Draisaitl has taken care of business, potting two points in all three games against the Ducks this series.
It’s business as usual against Anaheim: Draisaitl now has 16 multi-point games in his last 21 against the Ducks, a trend that should continue in a crucial one for Edmonton tonight.
His linemates, Vasily Podkolzin and Kasperi Kapanen, are also buzzing, combining for eight points in this series. It looks as if Anaheim won't slow down this line anytime soon.
Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CBC, ESPN
Prop #2: Cole Caufield Over 3.5 shots
+120 at BET99
It’s been an extremely quiet playoff for the NHL’s second-leading goal scorer, as Cole Caufield has just three assists and zero goals against the Lightning.
With Montreal in position to push Tampa to the brink, I think the 25-year-old starts throwing everything at the net.
Caufield was Top 15 in shots on goal this year, averaging 3.2 per game, yet he hasn’t even touched three shots in a game this series. That changes in Game 4.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CBC, ESPN
Prop #3: David Pastrnak anytime goal scorer
+ODDS at BET99
It’s a critical situation for the Boston Bruins, who can’t afford to lose Game 4, giving Buffalo a chance to wrap things up at home in Game 5.
David Pastrnak was shut out of scoring for the first time this series, but Boston’s leading scorer will need to be prominent to bring this series back to even.
He’s scored four goals in the last six head-to-head meetings with the Sabres and will likely need another one to give his Bruins a chance.
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 Pittsburgh Penguins picked up a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4. With this, the Penguins have kept their season alive but still trail the series 3-1.
The Penguins made a bold lineup change for Game 4, as they started goaltender Arturs Silovs after going with Stuart Skinner for the first three games of the series. There is a risk in having a goalie come in cold deep into a series, but this bold move undoubtedly paid off for the Penguins in Game 4.
Silovs stepped up in a big way for the Penguins in this contest, as he stopped 28 out of the 30 Flyers shots he faced. With this, ended the game with a .933 save percentage, which is quite impressive.
Given how well Silovs played in Game 4 for the Penguins, it would be shocking if he is not the club's starter for Game 5. He did a great job keeping the Penguins' season alive, and it will now be interesting to see if he can keep this kind of play up for Pittsburgh from here.
In 39 regular-season games this season with the Penguins, Silovs had a 19-12-8 record, an .888 save percentage, a 3.07 goals-against average, and two shutouts.
Draisaitl Over 1.5 points
Caufield Over 3.5 shots
David Pastrnak anytime goal scorer