Category: NHL

After their first two games of the first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the defending-champion Florida Panthers, the Tampa Bay Lightning were on their heels and on the ropes, having dropped both games at home to the Panthers.

However, in Game 3 Saturday afternoon, the Lightning punched back, and did so convincingly, beating Florida by a 5-1 score. And the Bolts were able to win their first game of the series thanks to big-time contributions from a first-year Lightning member, as well as a proven Tampa Bay legend.

The first-year-Bolts member who thrived Saturday was left winger Jake Guentzel, who posted a goal – his second of the post-season – and two primary assists in the Game 3 win. And the proven Lightning legend was goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who stopped 33 of 34 Panthers shots, frustrating Florida at just about every turn.

Guentzel now has a pair of goals and four points in the series, while Vasilevskiy has overcome a sub-par Game 1 performance – where he allowed six goals on 17 shots – to get increasingly better as the series has gone on, putting up a .955 save percentage in Game 2, and a .971 SP in Game 3.

As Saturday’s game unfolded, the Panthers grew especially ornery at their inability to solve Vasilevskiy, lashing out multiple times and giving the Lightning five power plays. Tampa Bay failed to score on any of their man advantages, but the Bolts killed off all four power plays the Panthers had. It was a measure of the Lightning’s determination that, slowly but surely, Tampa Bay grinded down on Florida at equal strength, overcoming the Panthers’ 1-0 lead in the game to battle back with five unanswered goals.

The Lightning also got a solid performance on offense from star right winger Nikita Kucherov, who put up three assists in the win. But it was Tampa’s defense that was the biggest factor in Saturday’s win.

The Bolts had only 21 shots on Panthers goalie Serge Bobrovsky, but they made them count, particularly in the third period, where Tampa Bay scored three times to put the contest well out of reach. And Florida’s shots on Vasilevskiy were mostly low-quality, allowing Vasilevskiy to methodically square up to most of them and prevent second and third-chance opportunities.

Panthers star left winger Matthew Tkachuk did make an impact right away by scoring the first goal of the game – and his third of the playoffs – at the 2:43 mark of the opening frame. But Tkachuk also was undisciplined, taking an unsportsmanlike minor penalty in the second period, then getting penalized for a five-minute interference major penalty on Guentzel at the 15-minute mark of the third period.

Tkachuk’s hit on Guentzel, which was extremely late, is almost certainly going to result in supplemental discipline. So, Tkachuk has hurt not only himself, but his team by taking liberties with Guentzel. We’re guessing Tkachuk will be suspended for Game 4 on Monday, and Tkachuk has no one but himself to blame for it.

Matthew Tkachuk has been given a 5-minute major for this hit on Jake Guentzel before Tampa's ENG pic.twitter.com/gDHny5h8z2

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 26, 2025

In any case, the Lightning have now cut the Panthers’ series lead in half, serving notice that they’re not going to roll over simply because Florida won the first two games.

From our vantage point, we believe Tampa Bay is likely to extend the series to at least six games. And you can bet the other teams still active in the Eastern Conference playoffs – we’re looking at you, Toronto Maple Leafs – are elated to see the Lightning and Panthers beating up on each other. Because the longer this series goes, the harder it will be for Florida or Tampa Bay when they eventually take on their second-round opponents.

That said, right now, the second round seems very far away for the Lightning and Panthers. Florida had the chance to take a commanding 3-0 series lead over Tampa Bay with a victory Saturday, but the Bolts battled back – and now, the heavyweight bout between two recent Stanley Cup champs looks like it’s going to be increasingly brutal with every game that takes place. 

The Lightning aren’t going to go into the off-season without a fight, and the Panthers now understand their challenge against the Bolts is not going to be a cakewalk. Tampa has pushed back against Florida, and all of us who foresaw a long first-round series for the two teams are feeling good about that prediction.

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The Carolina Hurricanes had an opportunity to extend their series lead to 3-0 in their Game 3 matchup against the New Jersey Devils. Unfortunately, the Hurricanes fell short in their attempt to achieve this, as they lost to the Devils by a 3-2 final score in double overtime. With this, the Devils now have the chance to tie the series back up at home in Game 4. 

The Hurricanes showed heart in this contest, however. After Devils forward Dawson Mercer made it a 2-0 score in the third period, Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho each scored goals to tie it up and force overtime. Yet, the Hurricanes could not beat Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom in overtime before Devils defenseman Simon Nemec scored the overtime winner. 

While this was a tough way to lose, there is no question that the Hurricanes are still in a good spot right now. The Hurricanes still have the advantage in the series and can extend their lead to 3-1 with a victory in Game 4. That would be massive for the Hurricanes, as it is never easy for teams to come back from 3-1 deficits. 

The Hurricanes will now be looking to pick up a much-needed win in Game 4. If they lose, it would undoubtedly make things more stressful for the Hurricanes. We will need to wait and see if they can secure a victory against the Devils from here.

Recent Hurricanes News 

Former Hurricanes Forward Has Big Game With New TeamFormer Carolina Hurricanes forward Warren Foegele signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings this past off-season. This was after the 29-year-old winger posted 20 goals and 41 points in 82 games with the Edmonton Oilers in 2023-24. Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs HubThe Carolina Hurricanes have made a seventh consecutive playoff berth and will be taking on the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Battle of Ontario could end in a sweep, as the Ottawa Senators host the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Canadian Tire Center on Saturday night.

The Leafs took a commanding 3-0 lead in the series with a 3-2 victory on Thursday, courtesy of an overtime goal from defenseman Simon Benoit. Toronto has had a distinct advantage on special teams and the edge in goal with Anthony Stolarz outdueling Linus Ullmark, but Ottawa has been the better of the two clubs at even-strength.

Toronto will not make any lineup changes for Game 4, while the Sens held an optional skate on Saturday and any changes will not be revealed until just before gametime.

This story will be updated throughout the game. Make sure you refresh the page so that you are receiving the up-to-date version of this story, and join the conversation in the comment section at the bottom of the article.

Also, be sure to check out our post-game Playoff Frenzy Live stream, where Michael Augello and Andrew McInnis break down Game 4.

Overtime

4:37 - Drake Batherson with a high-sticking double-minor on Chris Tanev. No John Tavares available. 

Jake Sanderson OT Winner at 17:42 

Sens 4, Leafs 3 

Third Period

7:32 - Sens 3, Leafs 2 - Nylander nearly puts Toronto in the lead, Holmberg gets leveled by Tkachuk, and Ottawa goes the other way and takes the lead on a David Perron tip-in. 

14:31 - Sens 3, Leafs 3 - Ullmark makes a big save on Pacioretty, but moments later, Nylander feeds Oliver Ekman-Larsson cross-ice for the tying goal and his second of the series. 

SOG - Toronto 7, Ottawa 3

After 60 - Toronto 25, Ottawa 14

Second Period

4:47 - Leafs had the advantage of chances during a 4-on-4, but Tavares takes a tripping minor to give the Sens the man advantage. 

6:06 - Sens PP abbreviated by Jake Sanderson interference call. 4-on-4 for 41 seconds followed by a Toronto PP.

10:12 - Sens 2 - Leafs 2 - Matthew Knies wins a race for the puck, and on a delayed penalty beats Linus Ullmark to tie the game. 

SOG - Toronto 9, Ottawa 2

After 40  - Toronto - 18, Ottawa 11

First Period

8:00 - Ottawa not showing as much energy as Game 3, both clubs being cautious in the opening eight minutes of the game, but Max Domi takes a careless penalty in the faceoff dot to give the Sens their first power play.

9:03 - Sens 1 - Leafs 0: Domi's penalty comes back to bite the Leafs, as Tim Stutzle scores on the PP to give Ottawa the opening goal. 

13:26 - David Perron nearly scores, but Jake McCabe prevents it from going over the goal line, he then gives a Leaf player a facewash and takes a roughing minor. Leafs PP has been lethal in this series. 

14:11 - Sens 2 - Leafs 0: Shane Pinto with a short-handed breakaway, and his shot leaks through Stolarz's pads. 

19:06 - Sens 2 - Leafs 1: Nylander shoots from just inside the blueline and it is deflected by John Tavares to get Toronto on the board. That has to be deflating for the home club. 

SOG - Toronto - 9, Ottawa - 9

Last night, the Oshawa Generals defeated the Barrie Colts 3-1 in the opening game of the Eastern Conference Final. This is the first time during the 2024-25 playoffs that the Colts have failed to win on home ice. 

"It's a game of inches, and it just didn't go our way tonight," said Colts' Head Coach Marty Williamson. " There is going to be no quit in this team, we will come back and get the bounces to go our way." 

Both Williamson and team Captain Beau Jelsma expressed dissatisfaction with the way Barrie started the game. Though the game was scoreless through 20 minutes, the Generals outshot the Colts 14-8. 

Late in the second period Oshawa's Owen Griffin scored the opening goal of the game on a play where defender Simon Wang saved a goal at one end of the ice before Griffin raced down the ice and fired a puck past Sam Hillebrandt. 

"He [Wang] has been a big piece on the back end," said Oshawa Head Coach Brad Malone. "It was a very athletic play to bail out Oster, and then we go the other way and Griffin cashes it in."

Dickinson Leads Knights To Victory In Game OneJust days after winning the Max Kaminsky Trophy, San Jose Sharks prospect Sam Dickinson scored four points to help London overcome Kitchener 5-2 in game one of the Western Conference Finals. 

Initially, no one realized the puck had gone in, and so the game continued until the buzzer and a review confirmed the goal.

Owen Griffin's development into an elite scoring threat started in the second half of the OHL season and has come to fruition in the postseason. In 13 playoff games, he's scored 12 goals and added eight assists for 20 points.

That kind of scoring pace would result in 104 points would have resulted in a 104-point season, more than doubling the 51 points he scored in 62 games during the 2024-25 regular season.

San Jose Sharks Prospect Named OHL Defenseman Of The yearEarlier today, the OHL announced that San Jose Sharks prospect Sam Dickinson is the 2024-25 winner of the Max Kaminsky Trophy, which is awarded to the OHL Defenseman of the Year. 

Griffin is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft, and his improvement has been noticed by NHL Central Scouting. In their recent rankings, he moved up to 70th amongst North American Skaters. That's more than 100 spots higher than the 197th overall ranking he received when NHL Central Scouting released their midseason rankings. 

"I'm just playing with more confidence this year," said Griffin. "My linemates have been great, setting me up and me setting them up ... it's been good."

Shortly after grabbing the 1-0 lead, Matthew Buckley scored on the power play to solidify Oshawa's control over the game. Malone mentioned during the postgame that he felt Buckley has had a fantastic year, though, similar to Griffin, it hasn't always manifested on the stat sheet. 

Kitchener Completes Reverse Sweep To Advance To Western Conference FinalsOttawa Senators prospect Luke Ellinas scored in overtime of game seven to win the series for Kitchener and complete a reverse sweep of the Kitchener Rangers. It is the first OHL reverse sweep since the Guelph Storm achieved the same feat during the 2019 playoffs. 

The Colts stabilized in the third period, going toe to toe with the talented Generals squad. Anthony Romani scored the lone goal for Barrie in the game, with the assist going to fellow trade deadline acquisition Owen Van Steensel. 

New York Islanders prospect Calum Ritchie sealed the win for Oshawa by potting an empty-net goal with just over a minute remaining in the game. 

At the end of the night, both goalies had solid performances. Hillebrandt had the busier night, making 36 saves on 38 shots, while overage goalie Jacob Oster made 27 saves on 28 shots for the Generals. 

Both teams will reset for game two in Barrie tomorrow evening. Puck drop will be at 6:00 p.m. inside Sadlon Arena.

---

The Edmonton Oilers faced the prospect of going down 3-0 to the Los Angeles Kings in Game 3 of their first-round series, but former Buffalo Sabre Evander Kane played a key role in the Oilers 7-4 comeback victory at Rogers Arena on Friday.

Kane took the spot of another former Buffalo winger Jeff Skinner in Game 2, and after a scoreless outing in his first game in 10 months, the big forward assisted on Connor Brown’s second-period goal and tied the game on a controversial goal late in the third period. After going to the front of the net, Kane kicked the puck to his stick and slide it past a prone Darcy Kuemper.

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The officials ruled it a good goal, but Kings coach Jim Hiller challenged the goal for goalie interference. After ruling that there was not any contact with Kuemper, the Oilers went on the power play and Evan Bouchard scored the game-winner 10 seconds later.

After a review for a kicking motion AND a challenge for goaltender interference, Evander Kane gets his first of the playoffs.

The official call is that Kane kicked the puck to his stick and was able to shoot it before it went in. pic.twitter.com/Aw0y3ZgMVJ

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 26, 2025

Here is how some former Sabres did in the playoffs on Friday:

Joel Armia (MTL) 1A, -1, 15:18 TOI, 1 SOG

William Carrier (CAR) 14:32 TOI, 6 Hits, 2 SOG

Eric Robinson (CAR) -1, 16:25 TOI, 3 Hits

Taylor Hall (CAR) -1, 19:33 TOI, 1 SOG

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

The Florida Panthers had a chance to put a stranglehold on their opening round series with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday in Sunrise.

Instead, the Lightning came up with a big road victory in Game 3, their first win of the series, by a score of 5-1 at Amerant Bank Arena.

While the day ultimately belonged to Tampa, it didn’t take long for the Panthers to open the scoring and send their fans into a frenzy.

Sam Bennett drove toward the net after pulling the puck off the boards, but his stick was lifted just as he went to release a shot.

The puck instead slid to Matthew Tkachuk on the opposite side of the crease and all he had to do was just taaaap it in to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead at the 2:43 mark.

Later in the period, with 2:45 to go, Jake Guentzel took a pass from Nikita Kucherov and dangled through the slot before firing a shot that hit Brayden Point on its way past Sergei Bobrovsky to tie the game at one.

Moments after Florida killed off a Tampa power play late in the second period, the Bolts would take their first lead of the game.

With Brad Marchand hustling to the bench after his stick broke mid-shift, Nick Paul found space in the right circle and fired a shot that seemed to handcuff Bobrovsky. It went off his left pad and trickled into the net, giving the Lightning a 2-1 lead with 6:43 to go in the middle frame.

Guenzel scored his first of the game and second of the series just 21 seconds into the third period on a funky play that had Bobrovsky looking the wrong direction and playing without a stick.

Tampa had three goals despite being outshot 26-17 at that point of the game.

A rush goal late in the period by Luke Glendening and an empty-net goal by Anthony Cirelli shortly after would seal the win for the Lightning.

On to Game 4.

QUICK THOUGHTS

We’re still waiting for our first home win of this series.

Tkachuk is up to two goals and four points so far during the playoffs.

Sam Bennett had the primary assist on Tkachuk's goal. Bennett has points (two goals and two assists) in all three playoff games so far.

Florida’s penalty kill went 5-for-5 on Saturday and has killed off 12 of Tampa Bay’s 13 power plays this series.

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ST. PAUL - Wild head coach John Hynes confirmed before Saturday's Game 4 clash with the Vegas Golden Knights that forward Marcus Johansson will not play. He is out with a lower-body injury. 

Johansson, 34, has one assist in three games this playoffs so far. He got hit a few times in the third period and did not return to the third period for the last 13 minutes. 

Hynes said that Vinnie Hinostroza would enter the lineup to replace Johansson. He won't play on the second line though. 

We will see in warmups what the lines shake out to be, but it will probably be Gustav Nyquist on the second line to take Johansson's spot. Hinostroza would then take Nyquist's spot on the third line. 

The Winnipeg Jets entered the playoffs with the best regular-season record (56-22-4), winning the Presidents’ Trophy and looking utterly dominant in front of Hart Trophy Candidate, Connor Hellebuyck. Despite that, many fans and analysts still do not believe the Jets can win the Stanley Cup.

Longtime NHL head coach Bruce Boudreau is not one of those people. Joining the Big Show with The Hockey News’ Michael Traikos and Ryan Kennedy, Boudreau spoke fondly about the Jets.

“Oh, they’re a legit contender, there’s no doubt in my mind,” said Boudreau about the Jets. 

The Jets are up 2-1 in the series over the St. Louis Blues with a pair of gutsy wins at home before suffering a beatdown on the road. Their road loss was played without veteran defenseman Dylan DeMelo, a stabilizer on the back end. They’ve also been without their third and fifth leading scorers, Nikolaj Ehlers and Gabriel Vilardi.

With those absentees, the Jets still hold the series lead and home-ice advantage in the first round. Their ability to level up their game in difficult circumstances is why Boudreau believes they can win it all.

“I think they’re a really good team, and I’ll tell you where I thought these guys aren’t kidding around this year,” said the 15-year veteran coach. “With about 10 games to go in the season, they went into Vegas and beat Vegas 4-0. Then they played Chicago, they won in overtime, they played a couple of lesser lights, and they either lost or just got by. Then all of the sudden they played Dallas when if Dallas would have won, they would have been within two points of them for the Central Division crown, and they beat them 5-1… they played St. Louis when St. Louis was on their 12-game winning streak and they beat them again very handily. That’s when I said, this team is a team that could win it now. They can step up their game whenever they want.” 

The 70-year-old Boudreau won the Jack Adams Award in the 2007-08 season after taking over the Washington Capitals head coaching job 21 games into the season. Boudreau had achieved a lot throughout his coaching career, including a Presidents’ Trophy with the Capitals, the fastest coach to reach 200 wins, and the quickest a coach was hired after being fired.

While Boudreau did have some playoff struggles in his coaching career, that shouldn’t diminish the great former coach's ability to recognize how impressive the Jets have looked since Game 1 of the regular season. 

They roll four lines, six defensemen and can both match the opponent's play style or inflict their own. Highlighted by the additions of Luke Schenn and Brandon Tanev, the Jets can impose themselves physically and wear down their opponent by the time the third period begins. 

“As a proud Canadian, I hope it’s Winnipeg against Florida and that Winnipeg brings it, but I think Florida is going to win, they’re the deepest team.”

The Jets’ route through the playoffs is vicious. Defeating the Blues has been proven to be a difficult task, and a potential second-round matchup against the Dallas Stars or the Colorado Avalanche doesn’t make things any easier, but the Jets have built themselves to succeed in the playoffs, both stylistically and roster-wise. 

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Ottawa Senators host Toronto Maple Leafs, who look to complete a series sweep with a 3-0 series lead heading into Game 4 on Saturday

Sunday night is the ultimate opportunity for NHL fans, with a loaded slate of thrilling matchups of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The game that sticks out is the Battle of Ontario between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators, which promises to be a physical war of attrition.

The Buds look to close out the series and complete their first series sweep since 2001 when they disposed of the same Ottawa Senators in the first round.

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 25-12 record on our last 37 picks, including a 5-0 night during Game 1 of the Battle of Ontario.

More NHL: Battle of Ontario Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Futures for Maple Leafs versus Senators

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators Best Bets:

• Senators ML (-115)
• Over 5.5 goals (-118)
• Tim Stutzle Under 0.5 points (+122)
• Brady Tkachuk Over 0.5 points (-158)
• William Nylander Over 0.5 points (-162)

The Sens are staring down the barrel of five straight playoff losses with their last victory in the postseason being in 2017 when they lost in the Conference Finals to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Toronto's last sweep in the playoffs was 2001 when they beat the Senators in the first round, which could point to history repeating itself on Saturday.Ottawa has been within reach of every game with two straight overtimes not going their way.

More NHL: Bolts, Golden Knights Present Last Call For Massive Betting Values

They're receiving little help on offence as captain Brady Tkachuk and veteran winger Claude Giroux have been forced to do the heavy lifting. Senators' regular season point leader Tim Stutzle hasn't been seen with just one point through three games. The assist he recorded was a touch along to a defenceman who fired off a shot that was tipped in front of the net, basically meaning he hasn't production virtually any offence at all.

The under for Stutzle has been really effective this series and we will continue to go to the well as the pick is still listed at plus money. However, I expect his linemate in Tkachuk to cause some damage. One of the biggest headlines of the series heading in was seeing how Tkachuk was going to adapt to the playoff environment after thriving at the Four Nations Face-Off yet he hasn't had a multi-point game so far.

We were expecting more of a performance similar to Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov, who has seven points through three playoff games. It should finally boil over Saturday as Brady will be giving it his all to prevent his team from being eliminated.

Despite the over not hitting for us in game three, I think we go back to it as the numbers are hard to go against with six or more goals in 18 of their last 25 matchups at Canadian Tire Centre. The Buds should give a lot of push back and I expect it to come from Leafs leading goal scorer, Williiam Nylander.

People have forgotten cause of the team's success that Nylander has just one goal in this series in the opener. The Swedish winger entered the series with nine goals and six assists for 15 points in his last 16 games against the Senators. He also recorded 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points over his last 26 games.

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The streets of Edmonton were awash in blue and orange, the colors of the city’s hockey team, on Friday.

From the Southgate Centre, on the city’s southern edge, to the downtown financial district, it seemed as if everyone, from students and shopkeepers to cabbies and the cable guy, were wearing Oilers sweaters. And with reason: Their team, a Stanley Cup finalist a season ago, was fighting for its playoff life against a Kings team it had dispatched with ease each of the last three postseasons.

The Kings won the first two games in the best-of-seven series, so Edmonton desperately needed a victory at home. It got that in uncommon fashion, scoring four unanswered goals in the final seven minutes of a 7-4 win.

But the Oilers didn’t do it alone. The atmosphere, said winger Evander Kane, who scored the goal that started the final rally, played a big part.

“It was nice to get in front of our own fans,” he said. “You come back to Edmonton, there’s some buzz in the city. There’s some buzz in the morning. We kind of got reenergized a little bit.”

The Kings still lead the first-round series 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Sunday in Edmonton. Both teams then will return to Los Angeles for Game 5 on Tuesday. A fifth game was looking unlikely until a bizarre sequence that began with 6:42 to play erased a 4-3 Kings lead and changed the complexion of the series.

Read more:Kings rally to take lead, only to collapse in third period of Game 3 loss to Oilers

It started with Kane scoring on a scramble in front of the Kings’ net to tie the score, although the goal took time to sort out since it appeared Kane, playing for just the second time this season, kicked the puck under Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper.

After a lengthy video review determined Kane used his stick to score, the Kings called a timeout and rather than playing it safe, they challenged the goal, claiming Kane interfered with Kuemper. When they lost that challenge, Edmonton was awarded a two-minute power play and needed only 10 seconds of it with Evan Bouchard scoring what proved to be the winner on a tip-in from the crease.

The Oilers, blanked on the power play in the first two games, had two goals, both by Bouchard, with the man advantage Friday. The Kings also had two power-play goals and are now seven for 12 with the man advantage in the series while the teams have combined for 30 goals in three games.

So much for the conservative nature of playoff hockey. And this series might have turned on Jim Hiller’s challenge, which was the furthest thing from playing it safe.

“We take a timeout. We understand the situation. We don’t want to give them a power play but clearly we felt that that challenge was in our favor. The league disagreed,” the Kings' coach said. “The next step would have been for us to kill a penalty and that didn’t happen either. It’s a tough stretch for us, there’s no question. That’s hockey. That’s playoff hockey, especially.”

Connor McDavid and Connor Brown each scored into an empty net in the final 1:40 to account for the final score. It was the second time in three games that Edmonton scored four times in the final period to erase a deficit, although the Kings came back to win the first time.

“I'm pretty happy that we're playing the game well enough that we're leading them in the third period,” Hiller said. “So I'll take that. That's the way I look at that.”

Another way to look at that is the Kings have collapsed twice, failing to close out games they led handily. Friday they erased a two-goal deficit and twice broke ties to take the lead, only to give it all back.

“Yeah, it sucks,” defenseman Mikey Anderson said. “But we're still in a good place. You get to come back in two nights and get another stab at it, which is the best part.”

Be careful what you wish for because the next stab at it also will be on the Oilers’ ice, in one of the loudest buildings in the NHL.

Hockey in Edmonton is special, more a religion than a game. And any night the Oilers play in the postseason is church night.

Rogers Place was again a raucous cacophony of noise Friday while outside thousands of people who couldn’t get a seat in the temple — some carrying signs that read “We Believe” — began lining up more than three hours before game time for a spot in the “Moss Pit,” an open-air fan zone named after Joey Moss, a longtime club employee.

Their prayers were answered with a comeback that fed off the size and fervor of the crowd, which inspired the home team while intimidating the visitors.

“The crowd was emotional,” Hiller said. “The crowd was great. The energy, we expected. I would have wished that we did a better job of just weathering that.”

Anderson agreed.

“We knew they were going to come out hard. It's their home rink,” he said.

The Oilers finished strong as well, climbing back into a series that appeared all but over until the final seven minutes Friday.

Afterward Edmonton’s ICE District, a town square centered around the hockey arena, continued buzzing until well after midnight. A pickup truck with a faux oil derrick flanked by two large Oilers flags drove laps around the area while fans in the de rigueur orange and blue team sweaters milled about, too excited to leave but too exhausted to do much more than blow on horns and block the sidewalks.

“What a game,” one young man repeated aloud to no one in particular.

The Oilers will play again Sunday, the traditional Christian Sabbath, and the faithful once again will file into Rogers Place to offer hosannas at decibel levels loud enough to make your ears bleed. If their prayers are answered, the series will return to L.A. even at two games apiece.

If not, Friday’s game might prove to be a false miracle, unworthy of either praise or condemnation.

“It feels good right now to get that win,” said Leon Draisaitl, who had two assists, including the pass that set up Bouchard’s winner. “But it’s not going to do much if we don’t follow it up, right? We’ve got to follow it and take this back to L.A. 2-2.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

As time passed after Simon Benoit's overtime-winner for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 3 against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, his phone continued filling up with messages cheering him on.

The 26-year-old has played an integral role in Toronto's last two overtime goals. In Game 2, the defenseman intercepted a puck in the Maple Leafs' end before jumping up in the rush and finding Max Domi, whose goal gave Toronto a 2-0 series lead.

48 hours later, Benoit found himself in an identical position: on the ice during a decisive moment in overtime.

Auston Matthews won the faceoff back to Benoit, who fired a shot through an assemblage of players in front of Ottawa's net. Benoit's shot found its way to the net, beating Linus Ullmark and putting Toronto up 3-0 in the series.

SIMON BENOIT! OVERTIME WINNER! 🚨

THE LEAFS ARE UP 3-0! pic.twitter.com/fCxQ7iSlBS

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 25, 2025

"I don't score much goals, so I would say yeah," said Benoit after Game 3, when asked if it's the biggest goal of his life. The second-biggest goal of his life? "Probably peewee or something," he added with a smile.

"It's fun. In the playoffs, it's not always the same guys. It's fun when other guys get a good goal because it's so hard to score in the playoffs, so getting that goal was pretty exciting."

'I Don't Score A Lot Of Goals': Leafs Take 3-0 Series Lead As Simon Benoit's Heroics Put Senators on the RopesKANATA, Ont. — After scoring the Toronto Maple Leafs' game-winning overtime goal against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, Simon Benoit took the news conference podium and was asked if it was the biggest goal of his life?

What's it been like for Benoit — and his phone — throughout the days following his overtime-winning goal?

"A couple [messages], that's for sure," he laughed on Saturday morning.

"A lot of people support me, which I really appreciate, and it means a lot to me. It’s fun to see that old teammates, old coach, old friends, they still keep track of what you’re doing out there, so it’s fun."

When asked if he had a favorite message from the loads that he received, Benoit said, "They’re all good. It’s all good. All love."

Nick Cousins, Senators Issued Fines For ‘Unsportsmanlike Conduct’ In Game 3 Warmups Against Maple LeafsThe NHL has officially handed out disciplinary fines following a pre-game incident in Game 3 of the Battle of Ontario first-round playoff series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators.

The defenseman has had an interesting year, to say the least. It began with him and his girlfriend welcoming a baby daughter during training camp. A new list of responsibilities arrived, including a new sleep schedule.

Benoit's play at the beginning of this season wasn't as strong as the previous year, which helped him earn a three-year extension. However, Toronto's trust in Benoit never wavered.

"I think for me it was a long process this season. I struggled a bit at the beginning of the season. My game wasn't quite there yet, and management was good enough to just let me take my sleep back and work my way through it," said Benoit.

"And after Christmas, I think I managed all the things that were happening at home and it's the best thing that could happen for me. My baby's just fantastic, and I have a wonderful girlfriend who's at home, so it's fun."

‘She Just Looks At You, Not Really A Word For It, It’s Just Exceptional’: Maple Leafs Defenseman Simon Benoit on Having a Baby Girl, Returning To Training Camp, and Thoughts on New Oreo PartnershipBenoit returned to training camp on Friday after he and his girlfriend, Alice, welcomed their firstborn child, a little girl, into the world on Thursday.

While the biggest storyline entering Game 4 against Ottawa is Toronto having the chance to sweep the Battle of Ontario, the micro story of Benoit has been refreshing. In the playoffs, different players come up big for their team in dire moments.

For Benoit, his back-to-back overtime contributions came with some attention of the good kind.

"I’m not used to it, that’s for sure," he smiled. "But no, it’s fun. We have the greatest fans out there, so you just have to embrace it."

Game 4 goes down Saturday night inside the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. Let's see if the Maple Leafs pounce on the chance to sweep the Senators in four games, and if there'll be another unsung hero for Toronto.

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The Vegas Golden Knights are in search of any positive outcome tonight in Game 4, looking to regain their footing and take back the momentum the Minnesota Wild have built.

In Games 2 and 3, the Golden Knights have performed considerably lower than the expectations they've set for themselves. They've allowed far too many quality chances in front of their goal, and Adin Hill has not done a good enough job of bailing them out. 

In the series, Hill has posted a .825 SV% and a 3.77 GAA, simply not good enough.

Hill isn't the only Golden Knight who's underperforming in the first round. Jack Eichel and Mark Stone, two forwards who've shown on several occasions they elevate their game in the playoffs, have not recorded a point, combined for just 10 shots, and they both have a +/- rating of -5. If the duo continue to ghost through games, Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy will continue to run all over the Golden Knights and make quick work of the series.

A win today maintains home ice advantage for the Golden Knights, something they desperately need. The Wild's atmosphere is lively. 

"The series isn’t over. It’s 2-1. Would you like to be up 2-1 or 3-0? Of course. Who wouldn’t? But it’s never a bad thing to go through a little adversity and work a little bit harder to get what you want. What we want is Game 4," said the Golden Knights captain.

With the experience they possess, the Golden Knights know how important the mental side of the playoffs can be. HC Bruce Cassidy has attempted to rest his players during the opening round, looking to keep their minds away from hockey. He also believes that drastically shaking up the lines would indicate panic, and at the moment, he and the Golden Knights are in the belief that there is nothing to panic over. 

If the Golden Knights can be more attentive on the defensive side of the puck, get contributions from their best players, and get better performances from their No.1 goaltender, they should be heading back to Vegas with the series tied.

If they don't, Kaprizov and Boldy will continue to run rampant and take a commanding 3-1 series lead.  

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

EXCLUSIVE: Former Golden Knight Marc-Andre Fleury Soaking Up Final Moments In The NHL As Wild Aim For CupLAS VEGAS -- "And now, the end is near. And so I'll face the final curtain. ... I've lived, a life that's full ... I've traveled each and every highway. And more, much more than this, I did it My Way."Limiting Turnovers and Production From Star Players The Key To Game 3 For Golden KnightsGame 2 was an uncharacteristically bad showing for the Vegas Golden Knights, losing 5-2 to the Minnesota Wild, and they'll be looking to turn things around as they head out onto the road for Game 3.

The Florida Panthers will have a full roster for Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Panthers Captain Sasha Barkov was on the ice for pregame warmups and will be in the lineup after being deemed a game-time decision by Head Coach Paul Maurice.

Barkov left Game 2 in Tampa midway through the third period after taking an illegal hit from Lightning forward Brandon Hagel, who was given a five-minute major for interference.

Hagel has since been suspended for Game 3 by the NHL Department of Player Safety as a result of the hit, and it was unknown whether Barkov would be able to play.

Well, now we know that Barkov is good to go.

He'll skate on the Panthers top line, flanked by Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart.

Florida will also welcome defenseman Aaron Ekbald back into the lineup after the top pairing defenseman finished serving a 20-game suspension for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.

Here is how the Panthers lined up during pregame warmups:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Evan Rodrigues – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

Jesper Boqvist – Nico Sturm – Mackie Samoskevich

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Nate Schmidt – Dmitry Kulikov

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Home-ice advantage is a powerful force in the National Hockey League, and no home rink holds more magic than the Bell Centre. So, even though the Montreal Canadiens are locked into a tough 1-vs-8 matchup against the Washington Capitals, it should be no surprise that their first playoff game on home ice since the 2021 Stanley Cup Final was a well-earned 6-3 win.

The Habs will have the opportunity to tie their best-of-seven series 2-2 in Game 4 on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET).

But on Friday, the fans, as always, brought it. 

MONTREAL WENT WILD AFTER SUZUKI’S GOAL 🔊 pic.twitter.com/LfR7k1lrlR

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 26, 2025

On the ice, Montreal held a 40-21 edge in shots, won 53.7 percent of the face-offs, out-hit the Capitals 45-26, went 2-for-5 on the power play, perfect on the penalty kill and controlled 66.15 percent of expected goals at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick. 

The Canadiens didn’t even get rattled when Sam Montembeault, who was arguably their MVP through the first two games of the series, departed abruptly just after the midpoint of the game, with the score tied 2-2.

Cole Caufield put Montreal back in the lead with nine seconds left in the middle frame, and after Alex Ovechkin drew the Capitals level early in the third, the Canadiens scored three more times to salt away the win. Christian Dvorak’s second of the series stood up as the game-winner, and Juraj Slafkovsky’s first-ever playoff goal came on the same play that forced Logan Thompson to leave the Washington crease after he was run into by his teammate, Dylan Strome.

The Capitals have had a storybook season of their own, and Ovechkin has his own unique superpowers. But the seed of doubt has now been planted in this series.

Early in Ovechkin’s career, the Capitals had a reputation for failing to rise to the occasion. While that narrative disappeared when they broke through with their Stanley Cup win in 2018, the Canadiens have a knack for winning, even when they have no business doing so. 

The Canadiens’ 23 Cups in the NHL era since 1917 dwarf every other franchise. The Toronto Maple Leafs are second with 13, and the Detroit Red Wings are the only other team in double digits (11). 

And while their dynasties from 1956-1960 and 1976-1979 loom the largest in their history, today’s Habs share more DNA with the group that won Canada’s last Stanley Cup, in 1993, and the one that went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. 

That team earned a strong 102 points in 84 games, in the era before overtime, but still finished third in the top-heavy Adams division behind the Boston Bruins and Quebec Nordiques. 

The Canadiens started the playoffs on the road in Quebec City and needed two overtime wins to take the Battle of Quebec in six games. Regaining home ice for the division final, they won three more games in sudden death to sweep the Buffalo Sabres.

Then, against the New York Islanders, they added two more overtime wins — including one in double OT — to claim the Prince of Wales Trophy. Finally, they took down Wayne Gretzky’s Los Angeles Kings in five games to claim the Cup on home ice at the Montreal Forum, winning three more overtime games along the way. 

It takes a certain swagger to win 10 of your 16 playoff victories in extra time, and that record still stands today. No other team has ever had more than seven.

But the 2020-21 Canadiens had six — and also manufactured a run to the Stanley Cup Final seemingly out of nowhere. 

It feels like way more than four years have passed since the shortened 56-game campaign, when the Canadiens replaced Claude Julien with Dominique Ducharme one-third of the way through, then rode a fourth-place finish in the Scotia North Division past the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights before falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Today’s Canadiens are a young group. But Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Joel Armia, Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson were all part of that run in 2021. They would have learned plenty along the way.

The Canadiens also have a history of unproven netminders stepping up at playoff time — whether that was Ken Dryden in 1971, fresh out of college, or 21-year-old rookie Patrick Roy in 1986. 

Will that turn out to be Montembeault, a native son like Roy? Or will upstart Jakub Dobes seize the reins and stir up 50-year-old memories of Dryden’s early heroics?

The ghosts may have rattled their chains louder at the old Montreal Forum, but they’re still watching over the Habs at the Bell Centre. With their support and with the Canadiens’ true-blue fans in full voice, don’t be surprised if the team delivers another magical memory on Sunday. 

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From the end of the 2023–24 regular season to now, nine Vancouver Canucks have departed the team’s lineup whether by trade, free agency, or otherwise. With the 2024–25 regular season now wrapped up, let’s take a look at how some of these ex-Canucks from last season performed with their new clubs. 

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Carson Soucy

New York Rangers

1G, 2A in 16GP 

The most recent Canucks departure compared to the rest of this list, Soucy was moved the day before the 2025 Trade Deadline. Notably, he scored goals in both his last game with the Canucks on March 5 and his first game with the Rangers on March 8. In his first 16 games with the Rangers, Soucy notably gave the puck away 13 times. He faced the same issue of being able to hold onto the puck in Vancouver as well, as he had 65 giveaways in the 59 games he played with the Canucks this season as well. Soucy will enter the final year of his three-year contract in 2025–26 — whether he remains with the Rangers for the rest of it or not is yet to be determined. 

Casey DeSmith

Dallas Stars

2.59 GAA, .915 SV%

14–8–2 

As a member of De Stars, DeSmith has done well as a reliable backup to Jake Oettinger. He nabbed two shutouts during the regular season and even had an assist in the team’s 4–2 win against the Buffalo Sabres on December 31. Interestingly, in the 10 losses he started in both in regulation and in overtime, the lowest amount of shots he faced was 24. In his last three losses of the regular season, he stopped 34, 32, and 39 shots against, giving up five, six, and four goals respectively. One of these losses was Vancouver’s 6–5 overtime comeback win on April 8. DeSmith has two more years left on his contract and will be 35 when it expires. 

Elias Lindholm

Boston Bruins

17G, 30A in 82GP 

Many fans were upset when two of the team’s biggest free agents from 2023–24 walked for nothing. Elias Lindholm, who was brought into the Canucks organization at the end of January 2024, ultimately signed a seven-year, $7.75M AAV deal with the Bruins during the 2024 free agency period. The start of his first season with Boston got off to a rocky start, as he had seven goals and 13 assists in the first half of 2024–25. While he experienced a couple of slow stretches after this point, Lindholm managed to slightly pick up his pace offensively speaking, adding another 10 goals and 17 assists to his season total. He finished the final 10 games of the season with four goals and six assists. 

Ian Cole

Utah Hockey Club

1G, 16A in 82GP 

While Vancouver seemed to have found their replacement for Cole in Derek Forbort, the current Utah defender had the kind of season that would make a team regret letting him go. A shot-blocking machine, Cole led the NHL in blocked shots this season with 211. The Canuck with the closest amount to this was Tyler Myers with 125. One caveat on Cole’s season was that, like Soucy, he was prone to giveaways. He surrendered the puck to the opposition 118 times this season, which ties him with David Pastrnak and Thomas Harley at 11th in the league. On March 5, he signed a one-year contract extension with Utah that will pay him $2.8M.     

Ilya Mikheyev 

Chicago Blackhawks 

20G, 14A in 80GP 

Vancouver let Mikheyev go via trade after a disappointing 2023–24 season that saw him go goalless for 34 games. It was fitting, of course, that he scored a goal in his first visit back to Rogers Arena after being traded. Mikheyev registered his first point with the Blackhawks in his 10th game with the team. He had 10 rush attempts on the season with Chicago, which would have tied him with Brock Boeser for third on the Canucks. His four-year, $4.75M AAV contract expires after the 2025–26 season. 

J.T. Miller 

New York Rangers

13G, 22A in 32GP 

Miller’s time with the Canucks officially ended on January 31 when he was traded to the Rangers in exchange for Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, and a 2025 1st Round Pick. As many Vancouver fans heard, Miller’s first game back with New York resulted in the forward scoring two goals. After competing for Team USA at the 4 Nations Faceoff, Miller returned to the Rangers and put up five goals and five assists in six games. In his final six games of 2024–25, he registered three goals and six assists. While some have pointed out that the defensive woes in Miller’s game seem to have surfaced in New York, offensively speaking, it looks as though the ex-Canuck has continued to perform at the level many know he is capable of. Miller’s current deal expires in 2030, during which he’ll be 37.  

Nikita Zadorov

Boston Bruins 

4G, 18A in 81GP

For Canucks fans, Zadorov’s departure may have been one of the most upsetting of players who left Vancouver during the 2024 free agency period. The hulking defenseman endeared himself to Canucks fans with his on-ice toughness and off-ice humour. While not known for his offensive prowess, Zadorov still had 22 points with the Bruins this season, finishing third on his team in points by a defenseman behind Charlie McAvoy and Mason Lohrei. Unsurprisingly, Zadorov led the NHL in penalty minutes with 145. After this season, Zadorov has five years left on his contract with Boston. 

Sam Lafferty

Buffalo Sabres

4G, 3A in 60GP 

Lafferty had a career year with the Canucks last season, setting new personal records in goals (13) and points (24). He tied his season assist record with 11 in 79 games played. The speedy forward was due to hit free agency in July 2024, but was dealt to the Blackhawks by the Canucks as part of the Mikheyev trade. He went on to sign a two-year contract with Buffalo, where he missed a month of play in the fall due to a lower body injury. He also sustained a groin injury in March that kept him out of the lineup for four games. Lafferty faced a bit of offensive regression with the Sabres, as he didn’t score his first point of the season until November 7. After the 2025–26 season, Lafferty will be a free agent. 

Vasily Podkolzin 

Edmonton Oilers

8G, 16A in 82GP 

When Podkolzin was picked 10th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, some Canucks fans were confused. His KHL contract made it so he wouldn’t be able to join Vancouver until two years after he was drafted. The forward joined the Canucks in the 2021–22 season, putting up 14 goals and 12 assists in 79 games played. After a couple of disappointing seasons that ultimately resulted in him being sent down to the Abbotsford Canucks, Podkolzin was traded to the Oilers for a fourth-round pick. Since joining Edmonton, Podkolzin has earned himself a roster spot by putting his hard work on display. As well, he has provided Edmonton with more of a physical presence in their bottom six, as he quietly led his team with 210 hits during the regular season. Podkolzin, who is still an RFA, will need to sign a new deal with the Oilers after the 2025–26 season. 

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