The Chicago Blackhawks came in last place in the NHL's Central Division in 2025-26. They had an 11-point improvement from the year prior, but their division is the best in the league. 

On Thursday night, Central Division rival Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars played the sixth game of their first-round series. Going in, the series was the story of one team (Minnesota) dominating at 5-on-5, and the other (Dallas) owning the special teams battle. This had the Wild up 3-2 in the series with a chance to clinch at home. 

It was a back-and-forth affair throughout the first two and a half periods until Quinn Hughes gave the Wild a 3-2 lead at 10:38 of the final frame. The Wild added two empty net goals and won 5-2. This earned them their first series win in 11 years. 

The Wild will move on to play the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche, another Central Division squad. These three teams, Colorado, Dallas, and Minnesota, were all top 8 NHL teams, but one had to be eliminated after one round because of the playoff format. 

The truth of the matter is that the Blackhawks are nowhere near these teams as currently constructed. Watching the way the Wild dominated even-strength play against the Stars, who are still an elite team, showed just how far away the Blackhawks are. Add in the Avalanche, and it makes it even bleaker. 

Even the Utah Mammoth, which made the playoffs out of the Central Division through the Wild Card, is way ahead of Chicago. Utah is down 3-2 in their series to the Vegas Golden Knights, but they have shown tremendous fight against a veteran team with Stanley Cup pedigree. The series is still far from over. 

Could a couple of wise moves get the Blackhawks on par with teams like the St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, or Winnipeg Jets? It's possible, but those teams are always looking to improve as well. 

When it comes to competing with teams like the top three in the Central, the Blackhawks need a number one defenseman in the neighborhood of Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Miro Heiskanen, and those guys don't grow on trees. 

Connor Bedard could become a superstar of the highest level, and his supporting cast is only going to get better, but there is a ton of development needed there. 

Not only are these the teams that the Blackhawks need to jump in the standings if they want to become a winner again, but they are also the ones they will see as opponents on the ice most often. 

The sport of hockey is in for a treat with this second-round series between the Wild and Avalanche. Colorado has been on a second-round collision course with one of Dallas or Minnesota since American Thanksgiving, and it's finally here. 

What is the solution for the Blackhawks team trying to get to this level? Stay the course. Keep developing their young players, adding talent to the NHL roster when they are ready, and be ready to jump on a big trade or free agency signing when the time is right. 

As of now, Chicago's biggest strengths are its farm system, its cap space, and its development success. As the years go on, it will all come together, and they will slowly but surely start competing with these teams. 

They just aren't there yet, and these teams are showing why as they go through the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

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

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The Minnesota Wild hadn't advanced past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2015, but that was made ancient history on Thursday evening. 

Former Michigan Wolverines defenseman Quinn Hughes, who had been linked to the Detroit Red Wings earlier this season, along with former Red Wings forward Vladimir Tarasenko, both played key roles in their Game 6 victory over the Dallas Stars, sending them on a collision course with the Colorado Avalanche. 

Hughes, who was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Wild in December despite being heavily linked to the Red Wings, scored twice as part of Minnesota's 5-2 victory at Grand Casino Arena. 

Meanwhile, Tarasenko, who more than doubled his goal output this season with Minnesota after scoring only 11 last season with Detroit, also scored for the host Wild. 

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Tarasenko is one of several former Red Wings who made an appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this spring. 

Not only is Tarasenko with the Wild, but so is veteran defenseman Jeff Petry, who started this season with the Florida Panthers but was later trade to Minnesota. 

Anthony Mantha and Elmer Soderblom, now with the Pittsburgh Penguins, were recently eliminated from the opening round by Luke Glendening and the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Goaltender Alex Lyon, who played two seasons with the Red Wings, is on the verge of a second round appearance with the Buffalo Sabres should he and his teammates defeat the Boston Bruins in Game 6 on Friday.

And while he's not playing, former Red Wings first-round draft selection Joe Veleno is part of the Montreal Canadiens squad that is one win away from eliminating the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

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A former Vancouver Canucks forward has won an award named after a former Canucks head coach. On Thursday, Jayson Megna was named the winner of the 2026 Bruce Boudreau award. As per the AHL, the award "honors the most outstanding American Hockey League player not playing on an NHL contract, recognizing their leadership, consistency, and impact on the league."

Megna is currently in his second season with the Colorado Eagles. The 36-year-old has served as Colorado's captain for the last two years, during which he has recorded 102 points in 134 games. The Eagles are currently in the second round of the playoffs and are getting ready to begin their series with the Henderson Silver Knights. 

As for his time with Vancouver, Megna spent two seasons split between the NHL and AHL. He played 59 games for the Canucks, where he recorded four goals and eight points from 2016-18. Megna also played 29 games for the Utica Comets, where he recorded 16 points. 

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After a short and disappointing playoff run that ended in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa Senators fans may be looking for something, anything, to cheer for over the next month and a half.

For those fans who like to keep an eye on the players who used to wear the Centurion crest, there are still a number of former Senators in play to win a Cup this year.

Dallas vs. Minnesota

It’s hard to believe Matt Duchene has been gone from the Senators for seven seasons now and is easily the most productive player on this list. He has eight points in five playoff games, good for a share of third in the league. Duchene was traded to Columbus back in 2019 for Vitaly Abramov, Jonathan Davidsson, and a first-round draft pick that would turn out to be Lassi Thomson.

For Minnesota, a pair of former Senator veteran wingers are still plugging away. Nick Foligno and Vladimir Tarasenko both have one point in five games. Goalie Filip Gustavsson has had a front-row seat to this series. He has been on the bench for every game, wearing the ball cap, while 23-year-old Jesper Wallstedt has played every minute for the Wild.

Edmonton vs. Anaheim

The only former Senator in this series is Ottawa’s former first-round draft pick, Curtis Lazar, who has no points in four games for the Oilers. Lazar was once seen as a real blue-chip prospect, and though he never quite lived up to his first-round billing here or anywhere else, he deserves credit for carving out a solid NHL career with over 600 games and counting.

Montreal vs. Tampa Bay

The Lightning have a pair of former Senators playing in this series. "Nick Paul does it all," but he hasn’t gotten on the scoresheet in this series, with no points in four games. Tough guy Scott Sabourin has no points in two games.

Paul was traded away by Ottawa in 2022 for Mathieu Joseph and a fourth-rounder that would turn into Blake Montgomery, who just started his pro career playing a few games at the end of the season with the Belleville Senators.

Buffalo vs. Boston

Former Senator Josh Norris is back in a familiar spot to Sens fans, and unfortunately, that is the injured list. He’s missed the last three games with injury and has no points in two games, but he is expected to return for Game 6 of the Bruins-Sabres series. Of course, Norris was famously traded away at the deadline last year in a multiplayer deal that saw the Senators land Dylan Cozens.

For Boston, three players have former Senator ties. Mark Kastelic, who brings toughness to the fourth line, just as he did here, has one point in five games in this series and 11 penalty minutes. He was sent to Boston from Ottawa in the Linus Ullmark deal, as was goalie Joonas Korpisalo, who has only played 13 minutes in the series in relief of Jeremy Swayman.

Jonathan Aspirot has been a revelation for the Bruins. After four years in Ottawa's organization with Belleville and then two more AHL seasons with Calgary, he ended up with the Bruins this season. And when they had a rash of injuries, Aspirot got his shot. He's played in all five games for Boston and has two assists.

Vegas vs. Utah

Mark Stone has four points in five games for Vegas. Stone has certainly been injury prone with Vegas, routinely missing significant time during the regular season. However, he always seems to find a way to be ready for the playoffs, and while probably held together with bubble gum and binder twine, Stone has four points in five games for Vegas so far.

Since he was once property of the Senators for less than a week, we also need to include Utah defenseman Ian Cole on this list. He has 2 points in five games for the Mammoth. In 2018, Cole was traded to Ottawa when the Sens dealt Derick Brassard to Pittsburgh in a multi-player deal for Filip Gustavsson and a first-rounder.

Three days later, Cole was shipped to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Nick Moutrey and a third. The Sens might have held out for a little more if they knew that Cole was going to play another eight years in the league.

So there it is. If you're looking for a reason to stay invested this spring, those are the familiar names still chasing the Stanley Cup. Live vicariously, my friends.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:  

Tkachuk Frustrated By "The Noise,” But Holds The Power To Silence It
Ottawa's Jake Sanderson One Of Three NHL Finalists For Lady Byng
Did The Senators Actually Improve This Season? And What Has To Happen Now?
Staios Admits Senators Goaltending Plan For This Season Was Flawed
Now Facing A Suspension, Ridly Greig Addresses His Game 4 Sucker Punch

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For the 10th consecutive season, the Detroit Red Wings are watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs from home.

Their fate was officially sealed after yet another late-season collapse, in which a once-comfortable lead above the playoff cut line vanished, culminating in a disappointing 5–3 loss and a chorus of boos from frustrated fans at Little Caesars Arena on April 11.

Following a 4–3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the penultimate game of the season, they were then throttled 8–1 in the regular-season finale by the Florida Panthers.

Head coach Todd McLellan was nothing short of incensed afterward and, during what was his shortest postgame media availability session of the campaign, said bluntly that the entire team should be embarrassed.

It was McLellan who decried what viewed as "jerseys" on the ice, or players who weren't making a difference and weren't giving a complete, total effort. 

“Right now, for us, I think we have some players that are playing well and playing hard, and then we have some guys that are just jerseys,” McLellan said on February 28. “What I mean by that is they’re wearing jerseys. They’re skating around, they’re eating up some minutes, but we need more. We just flat out need more."

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Which players, especially during the final third of the season, was McLellan referring to? 

Jersey No. 1: Michael Rasmussen

There may be no player who better embodies Todd McLellan’s “jersey” critique than Detroit’s former first-round pick (ninth overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft

Built like a prototypical power forward at 6'6" and 220 pounds, Michael Rasmussen instead shies away from physical contact, is routinely knocked off the puck, and rarely ventures into the dirty areas of the ice. To see him drive to the net is about as rare as a solar eclipse. 

He’ll occasionally show flashes of the player Detroit envisioned when they made him a first-round pick in 2017. Perhaps the most notable example came when he leveled Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils after scoring an empty-net goal, then stood over him in a pose reminiscent of Muhammad Ali towering over Sonny Liston.

"I Expect A Lot More": Steve Yzerman Addresses Latest Late-Season Unraveling By Red Wings Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman said that he expects more from his players in the wake of their 10th consecutive season of missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs during his season-ending media availability on Thursday.

Rasmussen appeared in 64 games this past season, and his 14 total points were the lowest of his career aside from the shortened 2020–21 campaign, in which he recorded 12 points in 40 games. Additionally, his hit total was less than half of what it was just a season ago.

He appeared to be coming into his own in 2021-22 and for much of 2022-23 before his season was ended because of a broken kneecap as the result of a shot block. 

Since then, Rasmussen has resembled anything but the kind of power forward that his size affords him the opportunity to be. 

He remains under contract for two more seasons carrying a salary cap hit of $3.2 million. 

If GM Steve Yzerman makes good on his offseason outlook of improving the club's five-on-five scoring while making their bottom-six tougher for the opposition to face, don't be surprised to see Rasmussen be a roster casualty in the form of a trade or buyout. 

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For the second year in a row, Adam Edstrom had his season derailed by an injury. 

Limited to 51 games during the 2024-25 campaign, the 25-year-old appeared in just 35 games this season after suffering his second long-term injury in 10 months. 

Edstrom revealed he competed on a fractured ankle for six weeks before he and the Rangers medical staff decided he undergo surgery in December, keeping him out until early March.

The lower-body injury that ended his season last year also required surgery. 

While this latest injury ate up nearly half his season, Edstrom was also a healthy scratch in the final 11 games. 

The extended time away from the ice has hindered Edstrom’s development, allowing some of his former Wolf Pack teammates to climb the Rangers depth chart and compete for the bottom six role he’s occupied since his 2023-24 debut.

“From last year to this year, I feel like I’m getting kind of used to [the injuries], which is not a good thing,” he said on breakup day earlier this month. “It’s always tough to be out of the lineup like that [as a healthy scratch]. You want to play and you want to contribute. I’m just looking forward to a good summer and then getting into camp and playing well.” 

After Edstrom spent most of the season on long-term injured reserve, head coach Mike Sullivan tried to work the 6-foot-7 forward back into the lineup.

He slotted back into his usual spot on the left wing of the fourth line before plugging him onto the second line for the March 12 game in Winnipeg. 

When that didn’t pan out, Sullivan tried Edstrom in the middle of the fourth line.

It was the first time Edstrom skated as a center in the NHL. 

It lasted five games. 

Playing between Jaroslav Chmelar and Taylor Raddysh and then Chmelar and Jonny Brodzinski, Edstrom and his linemates struggled to generate anything offensively.

His unit with Chmelar and Brodzinski was on the ice for one goal against, per Natural Stat Trick, while neither line scored a single goal during 5-on-5 play. 

The Edstrom-to-center experiment was short-lived for a reason, but it also called into question where No. 84 fits in the Rangers lineup going forward. 

“I grew up playing center,” Edstrom said. “When I went pro, so when I was like 18, that’s when I moved out to the wing. It’s been a good amount of years since I played center, and it felt kind of new to me. And then especially at the NHL level, like draws, I feel like that was a big difference from when I was taking draws against 17-, 18-year-old kids. I feel like I’m probably more comfortable on the wing as of right now.” 

Edstrom was moved to center in the first place to accommodate Chmelar, whose play won the coaching staff’s affections and demanded a lengthier opportunity.

The 22-year-old made more of an impact in his 28 games (six points) than Edstrom did in his 35 (five points). 

It wasn’t just from a production standpoint, either.

Chmelar is more physically imposing than Edstrom despite standing three inches shorter and weighing six pounds less.

His overall impact on a game-to-game basis was also much more consistent than the rate Edstrom was going. 

As of now, Chmelar is looking like Edstrom’s biggest competition going into training camp. 

“[Sullivan] has brought up the consistency,” Edstrom said. “I mean, just for me, in my own head, I just want to stay healthy. I know I have a lot of good hockey in me. I know I can prove myself at this level. So just stay healthy. Hopefully, I have a good camp and then just play my best hockey.” 

The Florida Panthers have had some very positive experiences on April 30.

Twice over the past several years, Florida has emerged victorious during the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the final day of April.

Back in 2023 came one of the biggest and perhaps most surprising playoff wins not only in Panthers postseason history, but in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

That’s because the eighth-seed Panthers, who snuck into the playoffs at the end of the regular season, took down the historically-good Boston Bruins in a seven-game shocker.

Boston not only won the Presidents’ Trophy that season, but they also finished with more wins and more points than any other team in the existence of the NHL.

Unsurprisingly, the Bruins jumped out to a 3-1 series lead on the Panthers, shipping back up to Boston after winning Games 3 and 4 in Florida by a combined score of 10-4.

A gritty overtime win in Game 5 was followed up with a comeback victory at home in Game 6, setting up the seventh game showdown at TD Garden.

The Panthers jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but by the first TV timeout of the third period, the Bruins had re-taken the lead and were trying to put the clamps down on Florida.

With goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky on the bench for an extra attacker, former Cats defenseman Brandon Montour fired a shot that snuck between the post and Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman, sending the game to sudden death overtime.

It took less than nine minutes for Florida to finish off the Bruins.

Picking up a loose puck at the side of Boston’s net, Sam Bennett found Carter Verhaeghe in the right circle, and he wired a wrist shot that zoomed past Swayman’s left ear and into the top of the net.

Ballgame. Series over.

Florida, as we all remember, went on a hell of a run that postseason, marching all the way to the Stanley Cup Final after reeling off wins in 10 of 11.

Fast forward a couple of years and we arrive at last season.

During the Cats’ 2025 run to the Stanley Cup Final, they dispatched their cross-state rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning, in a quick five-game series.

That Game 5 was played on April 30 at Amalie Arena in Tampa.

Defending the first Stanley Cup victory in franchise history, the Panthers entered the 2025 postseason as the third seed in the Atlantic Division.

Florida quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead, winning the first two games in Tampa by a combined score of 8-2.

After a split in Sunrise, the Cats headed back up to Tampa with a chance to knock out the Bolts and advance to round two.

The Panthers and Lightning went toe-to-toe for first half of the game, with each putting up three goals, before Florida slowly started to take over.

A goal by Bennett moments after the Panthers finished killing off his slashing penalty gave Florida a 4-3 lead late in the second period, one they would never relinquish.

Eetu Luostarinen fourth point of the night was a goal that put the Cats up by two, and a Sam Reinhert empty-net goal sealed the deal.

Following the five-game win over Tampa Bay, the Panthers went through familiar playoff foes – the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games and the Carolina Hurricanes in five – en route to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearance and second straight championship. 

So yeah, April 30 has become a good day to recall some Panthers playoff success.

We’ll have to wait and see if they can add to that list in the coming years.

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Photo caption: Apr 30, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) reacts on the winning goal during overtime in game seven of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)

The Pittsburgh Penguins' season came to a heartbreaking end with their 1-0 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 6. The Penguins worked hard to try to force a Game 7 after going down 3-0 in the series, but they fell just short. 

While the Penguins lost in Game 6, Arturs Silovs certainly cannot be blamed. The 25-year-old goaltender gave the Penguins everything he had, as he stopped 31 out of 32 Flyers shots he faced. Unfortunately, the Penguins were unable to solve Flyers goalie Dan Vladar. 

Silovs was excellent for the Penguins throughout the series, too. After taking over Pittsburgh's crease in Game 4, Silovs helped lead the Penguins to two straight wins due to his strong goaltender. In Game 4, he stopped 28 out of 30 shots he faced. He then stopped 18 out of 20 shots in Game 5. 

With this, Silovs finished the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 1.52 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage in three games. There is no question that the young Penguins goalie had a strong postseason, and he certainly should build off this for next season.

Silovs demonstrated during this postseason that he has good upside. It will be interesting to see what kind of campaign that he can put together next season, but it seems that the 2019 sixth-round pick may not have hit his ceiling just yet. 

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It’s been nine years since the Anaheim Ducks won a playoff series, but the team is still just one win away from advancing into round two of this year’s NHL Playoffs.

After winning three straight against the Edmonton Oilers in games two, three and four, the reigning Western Conference champions came back to win Game 5, 4-1.

Edmonton took a 3-0 lead early in that matchup with first period goals from Vasily Podkolzin, Zach Hyman, and Leon Draisaitl, the latter of whom tied Wayne Gretzky for the most postseason power-play goals in franchise history with 23. Alex Killorn scored the Ducks’ only goal in the 3-1 loss.

Tonight, the teams will meet in a potentially series-deciding Game 6.

If the Ducks win tonights game, they’ll advance into the second round of the NHL Playoffs to face either the Utah Mammoth or Vegas Golden Knights. An Oilers win would force a winner-takes-all Game 7 in Edmonton.

Oilers vs. Ducks Game 6 start time

Tonight’s (April 30) Oilers vs. Ducks playoff game is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. ET.

How to watch Oilers vs. Ducks for free

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the Oilers vs. Ducks game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching hockey live for free — the five-day free trial of its MySports genre pack has TNT, plus all of the other channels you’ll need for the NHL playoffs. When the trial is over, you’ll pay $44.99/month for your first two months and gain access to 20+ live sports channels.

If you aren’t ready to commit to a full-on subscription, you can try a Sling Orange Day Pass. Priced at $4.99, you’ll get 24 hours of access to all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including TNT. Sling also offers weekend and week-long passes for its Orange plan, which offer between three and seven days of access.

Oilers vs. Ducks playoff schedule

• Game 1: Oilers 4, Ducks 3
• Game 2: Ducks 6, Oilers 4
• Game 3: Ducks 7, Oilers 4
• Game 4: Ducks 4, Oilers 3 (OT)
• Game 5: Oilers 4, Ducks 1
• Game 6: Oilers at Ducks | April 30, 10 p.m. (TNT)
• Game 7: Ducks at Oilers | TBD (if necessary)

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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.

The Dallas Stars are set to face off against the Minnesota Wild in Game 6 on Thursday. This is a must-win game for the Stars, as a loss would officially knock them out of the playoffs.

A former Buffalo Sabres defenseman won't be on the ice for this contest, as the Stars are expected to scratch blueliner Tyler Myers in Game 6. 

Myers being a healthy scratch for Game 6 is undoubtedly notable news. The Stars acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2029 fourth-round pick. 

Myers has had a tough start to the playoffs for the Stars, as he has zero points and a minus-5 rating in five games. Now, he will be sitting out for Game 6 because of it, and the Stars will be hoping that this decision pays off. 

Myers appeared in 73 regular-season games split between the Canucks and Stars in 2025-26, where he had one goal, 10 assists, 11 points, 85 hits, 121 blocks, and a minus-23 rating. 

Myers was selected by the Sabres with the 12th overall pick of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. In 365 games over six seasons with the Sabres, the 6-foot-8 defenseman had 45 goals, 106 assists, 151 points, and 485 hits. 

The Golden Knights' offense continues to keep them alive and with another thrilling win, they're on the brink of eliminating the Utah Mammoth from the opening round of the playoffs.

Pavel Dorofeyev scored the game-tying goal with 53 seconds left in regulation to complete a hat trick, Brett Howden scored the game-winner 5:28 into the second overtime, and the Golden Knights won 5-4 to take a commanding 3-2 series lead over the Mammoth.

Vegas can wrap things up and move into the Western Conference semifinals with a win Friday night in Salt Lake City.

Shea Theodore also scored for the Knights, while goaltender Carter made 34 saves, including 10 in the first overtime.

Theodore's goal late in the second period gave the Knights a 3-2 lead, but Utah scored two within the first 12:42 of the third period to take a 4-3 lead.

Jack Eichel had two assists, while a total of nine Knights registered at least one point in the game.

KEY MOMENT

It's easy to say Dorofeyev's goal with 53 seconds left was the key moment, but that goal doesn't happen if Game 4 hero Theodore doesn't save the puck from leaving the zone with 58.2 seconds after his former teammate Nate Schmidt, now with the Mammoth, sent the puck around the boards from behind the net. Theodore then fed Eichel, who one-timed a shot to create the rebound for the game-tying goal. Theodore's glove save was the key moment.

KEY STAT

In NHL history, per OptaSTATS, there have been 29 instances of a team trailing in the third period in each of the first five games of a playoff series.

Of those 29 teams, 28 were behind in the series or had already lost the series after five games.

The lone exception is this year's Golden Knights.

WHAT A KNIGHT

Dorofeyev's hat trick takes the spotlight, obviously, as he turned the fourth of his career and second of this season. Last year's goal leader for the Knights came through with his biggest performance at the right time. Dorofeyev's first two goals tied the score - in the first at 1-1 and in the second at 2-2. After the Mammoth took a 4-3 lead in the third, he positioned himself perfectly for the game-tying goal with 53 seconds left to send the game to overtime.

UP NEXT

The Golden Knights will look to close out their series in Salt Lake City in Game 6 on Friday night.

PHOTO CAPTION

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) was named Third Star of the Game after the Golden Knights defeated the Utah Mammoth 5-4 in the second overtime period of game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena.  

The Buffalo Sabres have the advantage of leading their first round series with the Boston Bruins 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Friday, but to say that the younger Sabres do not have any pressure on them would be inaccurate, since a loss would force a seventh and deciding game at KeyBank Center on Sunday. The series has been decidedly to the advantage of the visitors, as four of the five games in the series the road club has come out victorious, and the one game the home team won was Game 1’s improbable four-goal comeback late in the third by Buffalo. 

The Sabres practiced on Thursday morning before flying to Beantown, where center Josh Norris replaced the injured Noah Ostlund in between Zach Benson and Josh Doan.  Head coach Lindy Ruff provided an update on Norris and defenseman Logan Stanley, who was absent from practice.

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Why was Stanley not on the ice?

Sick, (he’s) doing better today, but we held them off.....he was worse yesterday, better today, but then you're missing a couple days and you haven't ate. We're gonna have to judge where the energy level is too at the same time.

Norris was slotted in his old spot, was that just to not disrupt the lineup too much?

For a period of time that line was really good for us, and put him back in his spot. He had a great practice today, skated really well, feeling really good.  It's an opportunity where a guy like (Josh) can just step up and he could be a big difference maker for us.

Thompson has not scored since Game 1, and during the regular season, not scoring in four games is not a big deal, but everything in the playoffs is magnified. What have you seen from him in his quest to get back on the scoresheet?

You look at the opportunities in the game. A game ago, (the Bruins) were talking about how they needed more out of (Morgan) Geekie and more out of (David) Pastrnak. This is the time of the year, where I think the attention towards your best players always comes to a highlight. If one guy doesn't have goals for two or three games, no different than McDavid in Edmonton with his start to the playoffs, it's that time of year. I think if you look at the game and you break it down, (Tage) had an unbelievable chance in the third period where (Peyton) Krebs fed him across crease and he didn't finish. If that goes, you're probably not asking me this question today, but it didn't go in. (Our) best players, we're depending on them to be difference makers, but the cool thing about our team all year long has been that if the top guys weren't producing for a few games, we had other guys, whether it was our defense, whether it was (Beck) Malenstyn, guys like that were helping us win hockey games, and it's really what our team has been about the whole year.

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Los Angeles Kings forwards Andrei Kuzmenko and Scott Laughton are both due for new contracts this summer as pending UFAs.

On Wednesday, the duo spoke with the media at the end-of-season press conference and were asked about their intentions and future with the Kings organization.

Both Kuzmenko and Laughton gave different answers in terms of their interest in signing a contract extension with Los Angeles, one more encouraging than the other.

Laughton, who was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline by Kings GM Ken Holland, has spent less than a couple of months in Los Angeles. However, based on his comments, he seems to be interested in extending his tenure with the Kings organization.

"The interest level is high for me, for sure," Laughton told reporters. "The opportunity I was given here, the guys here, the staff, the way I was treated, my family came down and absolutely loved it... so yeah, the interest level is high."

Laughton featured in 21 games for the Kings this year in the regular season. He put up five goals and eight points while averaging 15:46 of ice time in Los Angeles, which is more than two minutes compared to his stint with the Maple Leafs this season.

The Burden of the CrownLOS ANGELES, CA — The door has closed on the Los Angeles Kings. Anze Kopitar, the King of Kings, the man who surpassed Marcel Dionne in his final season to become the franchise's all-time points leader, played his last NHL game in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche. Whatever you want to call the last several years of Kings hockey, a retool, a transition, a slow-moving rebuild dressed up in playoff appearance clothing, it ended on the ice vs Colorado. There hasn't been a sexy transition to a new hockey model that has found success in LA.

The veteran center added that "the culture and the players in place" give him a real reason to stay, too.

Furthermore, earlier this week, David Pagnotta believes that the Kings will take a chance at keeping Laughton. The NHL insider also shared that clarity on who the next head coach will be for Los Angeles is a big part of that potential agreement. 

Kings coach D.J. Smith utilized Laughton well, but he was just an interim bench boss for the dismissal of Jim Hiller. The expectation is that Holland will provide an update on whether Smith is staying on board or if the organization will look for a different candidate.

At any rate, the interest is there for Laughton to stay, as he puts it. The 31-year-old just wrapped up a five-year contract that carried a $3-million salary cap hit.

Kings' Pending RFA Brandt Clarke Explains Why He Hasn't Signed a New Contract YetLos Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke has yet to sign a contract extension, despite being a pending RFA. In Wednesday's end-of-season presser, the 23-year-old explains why negotiations have played out the way it has and his intentions with his future.

As for Kuzmenko, the message was slightly different. The 30-year-old was a lot more uncertain and non-committal in his response.

"We'll see," is what Kuzmenko said to the media in the players' exit interviews on Wednesday.

The Russian left winger completed the regular season with 13 goals and 25 points in 52 appearances. He inked a one-year deal with the Kings last summer, at a $4.3-million cap hit.

If Kuzmenko does move on from the Kings to another NHL club, it'll be the fifth team he's suited up for in the past three years.

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The Buffalo Sabres head to TD Garden with another chance to close out their series against the Boston Bruins in Game 6 tonight.

My top Sabres vs. Bruins predictions and NHL picks are backing Buffalo to punch its ticket to Round 2 on Friday, May 1.

Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. ET in Boston, with the game airing on TNT and Sportsnet 360. 

Sabres vs Bruins Game 6 prediction

Who will win Sabres vs Bruins Game 6?

Buffalo Sabres: This is a letdown spot for the Bruins after leaving it all on the line to eke out the Game 5 win on the road.

Buffalo won both of the first two games in Boston, and the Sabres have won the possession and expected goals battle at five-on-five, so I fully expect the series to end in Game 6.

Sabres vs Bruins best bet: Sabres moneyline (-115)

Jeremy Swayman stole Game 5 for the Boston Bruins with seven high-danger saves and 2.80 goals saved above expected, and I fully expect a dip from Swayman to allow the Buffalo Sabres to capitalize on enough chances to win Game 6.

Swayman’s scattered just 0.71 GSAx across the other four games of the series, after all.

Buffalo has also dominated the time of possession at 5-on-5 with a 55.6 Corsi For percentage, and the Sabres held the Bruins to just 11 goals and 15.56 expected goals through five games, including only 2.75 xGF at TD Garden.

Sabres vs Bruins Game 6 same-game parlay

Don’t let some of the high scores in this series fool you. Boston has only scored once in the first period through five games, and four of Buffalo’s five first-period goals came in Game 4. With another elimination game on tap, expect to see attention to defensive detail to be on full display.

Turning to the final leg of this same-game parlay, Alex Tuch has been a force for the Sabres. He found the scoresheet in each of the first four games of the series and has been on the ice for an impressive 8.89 expected goals.

Sabres vs Bruins SGP

• Sabres moneyline
• Under 1.5 first-period goals
• Alex Tuch Over 0.5 points

Sabres vs Bruins Game 6 goal scorer pick

Jason Zucker (+320)

Buffalo winger Jason Zucker is up to 2.48 individual expected goals and 10 high-danger scoring chances without finding the back of the net in Round 1.

The eight-time, 20-goal scorer continues to generate quality scoring opportunities, and he’s receiving consistent top-six minutes at 5-on-5 while also jumping the boards with the No. 1 power-play unit, so he's in the right role to break through in Game 6.

Sabres vs Bruins odds for Game 6

• Moneyline: Sabres -115 | Bruins -105
• Puck Line: Sabres -1.5 (+215) | Bruins +1.5 (-265)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-120) | Under 5.5 (+100)

Sabres vs Bruins trend

The Buffalo Sabres have won 19 of their last 25 away games (+14.25 Units / 50% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Sabres vs. Bruins.

How to watch Sabres vs Bruins Game 6

Sabres vs Bruins latest injuries

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Dylan Guenther enters tonight's must-win game for the Utah Mammoth leading all players with 55 shot attempts.

My Golden Knights vs. Mammoth predictions see Guenther piling up the shots once again on home ice. 

Find out more in my free NHL picks for Friday, May 1. 

Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 6 prediction

Who will win Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 6?

Mammoth: The Mammoth have scored at least four goals in three consecutive games. They’re generating a lot of offense and will have a good chance of evening the series if Karel Vejmelka can get back to the .900 save percentage range.

Golden Knights vs Mammoth best bet: Dylan Guenther Over 3.5 shots on goal (-140)

Getting Dylan Guenther the puck in shooting position has been the top priority for the Utah Mammoth in this series, and they’ve done a great job of it.

He has averaged 5.2 shots on 11 attempts through five games, going over his total in each.

Nobody on the Mammoth has come close to that kind of volume. Nick Schmaltz ranks second on the team in attempts, and he is averaging 5.6, just over half of Guenther’s output.

In a do-or-die game on home ice, Guenther should be aggressive while logging a ton of ice.

Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 6 same-game parlay

The Mammoth have generated 8.09 expected goals and 58 scoring chances with Logan Cooley on the ice, most of any player. That has only translated to six on-ice goals and three points. He deserves more production, and it should come if he continues feeding Guenther.

Pavel Dorofeyev has cleared 2.5 shots in four consecutive games. His two best shooting performances came in Games 4 and 5, which align with a promotion to the Vegas Golden Knights' top line alongside Jack Eichel. He has four goals over those two games and plenty of incentive to keep shooting.

Golden Knights vs Mammoth SGP

• Dylan Guenther Over 3.5 shots on goal
• Logan Coley Over 0.5 points
• Pavel Dorofeyev Over 2.5 shots on goal

Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 6 goal scorer pick

Nick Schmaltz (+225)

The Golden Knights have the lowest team save percentage in the playoffs at 5-on-5, and Schmaltz leads the Mammoth in high-danger chances during that game state. He’s a likely candidate to capitalize on Carter Hart’s struggles.

Golden Knights vs Mammoth odds for Game 6

• Moneyline: Golden Knights -125 | Mammoth +105
• Puck Line: Golden Knights -1.5 (+190) | Mammoth +1.5 (-230)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (+110) | Under 5.5 (-130)

Golden Knights vs Mammoth trend

Logan Cooley has eight points through eight games against Vegas this season. Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Mammoth.

How to watch Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 6

Golden Knights vs Mammoth latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.