The Buffalo Sabres brought in the most popular athlete in the city to fire up the crowd before Game 2 of their playoff series against the Boston Bruins.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, wearing Alex Tuch's No. 89, had the honor of banging the drum for the Sabres on Tuesday night, leading the chant of "Let's go Buffalo!" After his final hit, Allen tossed the drumstick aside and pulled out what appeared to be a beer from his back pocket. He proceeded to chug the drink (most of it anyway), to roars of approval from the crowd.
The Boston Bruins bounced back in impressive fashion with a Game 2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night at KeyBank Center to even their first-round playoff series 1-1.
Just like in Game 1, the Sabres made a strong comeback in the third period. This time, they trimmed the Bruinsâ lead from 4-0 to 4-2 with five minutes left in regulation. But the Bâs didnât let the momentum carry the Sabres any further.
They tightened up defensively and goaltender Jeremy Swayman rose to the occasion with a bunch of important saves.
What were the key factors in the Bruinsâ win? Letâs look at four key takeaways from Game 2.
1. Second line bounces back
Game 1 was ugly for the Bruinsâ second line of Viktor Arvidsson, Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt. This trio tallied zero points, four total shots, and had only 0.28 expected goals at 5-on-5. It was a rare bad outing for one of the leagueâs most productive lines post-Olympic break.
Bruins head coach Marco Sturm admitted the team needed more from this line after Game 1.
âI think the Zacha line, they can be better, they really can,â he told reporters Monday. They were just OK, but I know they have another gear, like theyâve been all year. So I think thatâs, thatâs one line that needs to get better.â
These guys bounced back in a major way in Game 2, and it was the difference in the outcome.
Viktor Arvidsson was the catalyst for Boston. After failing to score on a first-period breakaway, he cashed in on another breakaway attempt in the second period to beat Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen with a backhand shot.
Zacha also scored on a second-period power play. Mittelstadt picked up assists on both of Arvidssonâs goals. Overall, this line had three goals, two assists and nine total shots.
The Bruins need scoring depth to win this series. They canât rely too much on the top line. The rest of the lineup stepped up to the challenge in Game 2.
2. Jeremy Swayman giving Bâs clear advantage in net
Swayman played really well in Game 1 despite the loss, and he was even better in Game 2. He made 34 saves on 36 shots for a .944 save percentage. He also saved 1.67 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck, and he made eight saves on nine high-danger scoring chances for the Sabres.
Swayman was especially reliable late in the third period after the Sabres scored twice to cut the lead in half. He didnât relent, tracked the puck well and prevented the score from getting too close for comfort. He made 18 saves in the third period. It was a pivotal stretch in the series.
Sturm praised Swaymanâs leadership postgame.
âHeâs a big part of it. If you have a goalie like that, he doesnât have to have a âCâ or an âAâ on him,â Sturm told reporters at his press conference. âWe know heâs a big part of our team, heâs a big leader. Heâs been through it, those ups and downs. Heâs been very quiet but when he speaks we all listen.â
Swayman has a .931 save percentage in the series, which is outstanding. As expected, he has given the Bâs a huge advantage in net. Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen didnât play great in the series opener and gave an awful performance in Game 2 with four goals against, including a shocking goal from center ice on a simple dump in by Morgan Geekie.
The Sabres now need to figure out whether to go back to Luukkonen for Game 3 or go with backup Alex Lyon. Thereâs no such controversy with the Bruins. Swayman is the most trustworthy player in the series right now.
Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Swayman has a .931 save percentage in two games vs. the Sabres.
3. Bruinsâ penalty kill surprisingly excellent so far
The Bruins didnât have an effective penalty kill in the regular season. This unit ranked 24th in the league with a 77 percent success rate. The Bâs have shown tremendous improvement shorthanded in this series, though.
Boston went 5-for-5 on the penalty kill in Game 2 and this group is a perfect 9-for-9 in the series. Swayman is a huge part of that success. He has stopped all 18 shots the Sabres have generated on the power play.
It hasnât all been Swayman, though. The Bâs are consistently breaking up passes, winning puck battles and preventing zone entries while shorthanded.
The Sabres are in a power play slump. Theyâve failed to score on 31 straight opportunities with the man advantage going back to the regular season. Will the Sabresâ power play break through in Boston?
4. David Pastrnak making strong impact offensively
Superstar players have to deliver in the playoffs, and Pastrnak has stepped up for the Bruins through two games.
After scoring one goal with two assists in Game 1, he added two more assists in Game 2, moving him into a tie with Hall of Fame defenseman Bobby Orr for eighth place on the Bruinsâ all-time playoff scoring leaderboard with 92 career points.
David Pastrnak (0-2â2) recorded his 24th career multi-assist playoff game and moved into eighth place on the @NHLBruinsâ all-time list. #StanleyCup
Pastrnak isnât just making a difference at even strength. He has factored into both of Bostonâs power play goals (one goal, one assist) in the series, too.
Pastrnak could maybe be a little more aggressive looking for his shot on the power play, but the numbers donât lie: The Bâs have produced 19 scoring chances and 11 high-danger chances when heâs been on the ice through two games.
The Detroit Red Wings entered the 1999 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, and matched up against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for the second time in the last three seasons.
The Red Wings had suffered through inconsistency for much of the 1998-99 NHL campaign, but loaded up at the 1999 Trade Deadline thanks to the acquisitions of multiple high-profile veterans, including Chris Chelios, Bill Ranford, Wendel Clark, and Ulf Samuelsson.
After accumulating 93 points, the Red Wings earned the top spot in the Central Division and home ice advantage over the Ducks, whom they'd defeated two years prior in a four-game sweep.
Ultimately, the 1999 Western Conference Quarterfinal would prove no contest, as the Red Wings once again advanced with a four-game sweep of the Ducks.
On April 21, Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman registered the fourth playoff hat trick of his career as part of Detroit's 5-3 win at Joe Louis Arena.
Detroit followed that win with a 5-1 triumph in Game 2 thanks to a pair of goals from Brendan Shanahan.
As the series shifted to Southern California, the Red Wings maintained their dominance over the Ducks with 4-2 and 3-0 wins in Games 3 and 4, completing the sweep.
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The Buffalo Sabres are set to face off against the Boston Bruins in Game 2 of the first round on Tuesday night. The Sabres are certainly entering this contest with momentum on their side, as they beat the Bruins in Game 1 with a great third-period comeback win.Â
Now, the Sabres have a golden opportunity for Game 2 that they absolutely must seize.Â
If the Sabres defeat the Bruins in Game 2, they would have a commanding 2-0 series lead before they head to TD Garden for Games 3 and 4. This would put them in a fantastic spot and put them in complete control of the series.Â
However, if the Sabres end up losing Game 2 on home ice, it would put them in a tougher situation, as they would be tied in the series 1-1 before heading to Boston. This would not be ideal, as the Bruins had far more success at home this season. Their 29-11-1 home record this campaign effectively demonstrates this.
It will now be interesting to see if the Sabres can win Game 2 over the Bruins from here. If the Sabres play like how they did in Game 1 vs. the Original Six club, they will undoubtedly have a good shot at winning Game 2.Â
It appears the Vancouver Canucksâ search for a new General Manager is unfolding. A report from Matthew Fairburn and Thomas Drance of The Athletic notes that the Canucks have requested permission to interview former Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams for their open role. Vancouver parted ways with former General Manager Patrik Allvin on Friday morning.
Adams previously served as the Sabresâ General Manager from the 2020â21 season to December of 2025. He had been with the Sabres organization since the 2009â10 season, acting as a Development Coach, Assistant Coach, Director, and Vice President before being named GM. In his time as the Sabresâ GM, Adams manned the organizationâs helm for moves like trading Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights for Peyton Krebs, Alex Tuch, a 2022 first-round pick that turned into Noah Ăstlund, and a 2023 second-round pick that Buffalo partially flipped for Jordan Greenway.
Since Adamsâ firing, Buffalo has clinched the Atlantic Division and is currently up 1â0 in their first-round series against the Boston Bruins. This is the first time the Sabres have made the post-season since the 2010â11 season.
Adams and Rutherford are connected via the Carolina Hurricanes, who the former played for from 2001-02 to 2006-07 (excluding the 2004-05 lockout). Rutherford served as Carolina's President and GM for all of these seasons.
During his year-end media availability on Friday, Rutherford explained that the search for a new GM would begin at the start of this week. Abbotsford Canucks General Manager and Canucks Assistant General Manager Ryan Johnson has been a popular name mentioned in the discussion for Vancouver's new GM.
Feb 23, 2013; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres assistant coach Kevyn Adams talks to left wing Thomas Vanek (26) on the bench during the game against the New York Islanders at the First Niagara Center. Islanders beat the Sabres 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-Imagn Images
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To say that his December trade from Baie-Comeau to Chicoutimi has served Beckman well would be a ridiculous understatement. Since the trade, the Montreal native has lost just one game, going 21-1 in regular season and playoffs combined. Meanwhile, the Drakkar, the team he spent parts of three seasons with, finished dead last in the league.
Beckman was selected in the 4th round (97th overall) by the Senators in the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles. He's likely to get some attention from Hockey Canada's radar for the World Juniors this Christmas.
At the Sens development camp last summer, Beckman was excited to experience the higher level, which he expected would help him this season.
"The shots here are coming a lot quicker, the speed is better, and I think it means that when I go back to junior, it's going to feel a bit more slow motion (by comparison), and I'm going to be able to kind of be ahead of the play more," Beckman said.
Beckman also told The Hockey News that he had a specific goal for this season.
"My personal goal would be to be the best goalie in the Q," Beckman said. "That might sound a little overconfident, but I think I'm able to. We'll see."
So far, so good.Â
Beckman is the fifth Sens prospect in the past month to sign his ELC. The others are Blake Montgomery (F, Wisconsin), Hoyt Stanley (D, Cornell), Kevin Reidler (G, Penn State, and Gabriel Eliasson (D, Barrie).
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: Â
DALLAS (AP) â The Dallas Stars are still without injured top-line center Roope Hintz, who stayed home Tuesday when the team traveled to Minnesota for Game 3 of its Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Hintz hasn't played since sustaining a lower-body injury on March 6 in a game against Colorado and experiencing an unspecified setback in his recovery.
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan previously said Hintz was unlikely to play in Game 3 on Wednesday night, and it now appears the center's earliest possible return could be Game 5 when the series switches back to Dallas next week.
âHe's not traveling. Like I said, Game 3, won't be there. Game 4 (on Saturday), I would say is very doubtful,â Gulutzan said before boarding the team flight. âHopefully by the time we get back, we're in a good spot, and he's in a good spot.â
Gulutzan had said between Games 1 and 2 that Hintz hadn't even returned to skating on his own.
The 29-year-old Hintz, in his eighth NHL season, played for bronze medal-winning Finland and then missed the Stars' first four games after the Olympic break because of an illness. He got hurt in his only game since, 6 1/2 weeks ago against the Avalanche.
Hintz remained down and reached at the back of his left leg after being engaged with Nathan MacKinnon along the boards in the second period. Hintz put no weight on his leg while being helped off the ice.
The first few days of the NHL playoffs have been outstanding, which will only provide Gary Bettman another bullet for his âbest first round in sportsâ talking point he uses when people complain about the current division-focused playoff structure.
Thus far, weâve had a double overtime, several one-goal games that went down to the wire, a couple big late comebacks and Pittsburgh losing both opening games at home â each a totally fun thing in its own way!
Tonight there are four games on the schedule AND an Islanders playoff gameâŠAHL Bridgeport Islanders, of course.
Hereâs a thread for all the action, including if youâre following along for Bridgeportâs Last Ride. So many years where Hershey was dominant, itâs nice to have Bridgeport with home advantage and a decent chance to win a mini-round in their finale season.
On Tuesday morning, it was announced that former NHL sniper Ilya Kovalchuk was named President of the Shang Hai Dragons of the KHL. Joining him as General Manager of the club is another former NHLer Evgeny Artyukhin.
The Dragons, formerly known as the Kunlun Red Star have entered a new era in their franchise as they look to improve off of a disappointing 2025-26 campaign.
In the most recent season, the Dragon went 21-35-6-6 finishing 9th place in the Western Conference, missing the playoffs by 15 points. Former Los Angeles King Ilya Kovalchuk looks to build a team that can compete with the powerhouses of the Kontinental Hockey League.
Drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers with the 1st overall pick in the 2001 NHL draft, Kovalchuk was one of the most entertaining players to watch during his time in the league. He also has the title of one of the most interesting NHL careers in recent history.
After eight and a half years with the Thrashers, Kovalchuk was traded to the New Jersey Devils in a massive deal that shook the hockey world in 2010. The former Rocket Richard leader then signed an egregious 17-year deal worth $102M. The deal was rejected by the NHL and Kovalchuk and the Devils agreed on a new 15-year deal worth $100M.
Just four years into the contract that was supposed to last for a decade and a half, Kovalchuk shockingly retired from the NHL, walking away from the remaining 12 years and $77M on his contract. He would go on to play in the KHL where he was one of the faces of the league until 2018 when he would make a major decision.
In the summer of 2018, the Kings made a major splashing by signing Kovalchuk to a three-year contract worth $18.75M ($6.25 AAV). Although he was 35 at the time, the Kings were hoping he could provide a major offensive spark to a team that hadn't won a playoff series since they won the Stanley Cup in 2014.
After just 22 games in Montreal, the Canadiens traded Kovalchuk to the Washington Capitals where he would play his last game in 2020 before returning to the KHL once again where he would finish out his playing career.
In 2025, the former first overall pick officially announced his retirement from professional hockey and he now finds himself in charge of turning around a lacklustre KHL franchise.
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BUFFALO, NEW YORK - APRIL 19: An overall view of KeyBank Center before the game between the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins during Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on April 19, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Joe Hrycych/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Tuesday, folks!
If you ran the Boston Marathon on Monday, hopefully youâre feeling relatively normal today. My brother beat Zdeno Charaâs time, which means now my family must challenge him for the hardest shot title as well.
If youâll excuse me, Iâll be working on shooting a puck, say, 30 MPH first.
Anyways, the Bruins and Sabres will renew acquaintances tonight. Buffalo will be looking to capitalize on its Game 1 momentum, while the Bâs will be hoping to return to Boston with something to show for their efforts.
Youâre not in trouble in a series until you lose on home ice, right? Maybe the Bruins can cause a little trouble tonight.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 18: An exterior view of PPG Paints Arena before of Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 18, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Penguins havenât given the home fans at PPG Paints Arena a lot to cheer about over the last several years.
With losses to the Flyers in Games and 2 of the teamâs playoff series, thereâs no guarantee that the fans will get to see another home hockey game in Pittsburgh this season unless the Penguins can earn a split on the road in Philadelphia, at minimum.
Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017, when the Penguins boasted an impressive home playoff record of 19-7 across two long playoff runs, the Penguins have won just five home playoff games.
Over the past nine seasons, the Penguins have a home record of just 5-11 across six playoff series. A seventh series was played at a neutral location in the COVID-19 pandemic âbubble.â
Only three of the Penguinsâ home playoff wins have come since May of 2021.
The Penguins have a tall task ahead of themselves now, trailing 2-0 to the Flyers.
Game 3 is set for 7 p.m. tomorrow night in Philadelphia.
BRIDGEPORT, CT -- During his end-of-the-season press conference, New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche announced that the team had signed forward prospect Quinn Finley (2022, Rd. 3) to his two-year entry-level contract.Â
"We signed Quinn Finley to a contract starting next year," Darche said on Apr. 15. "We'll try to send him to Bridgeport. We just have some medical things to go over, but we agreed on a contract this morning with Quinn Finley."
The Hockey News has learned that Finley will ultimately not be joining the Bridgeport Islanders, the club's AHL affiliate for the Calder Cup Playoffs.
A specific reason was not confirmed.Â
The 21-year-old, now-former Wisconsin forward, elected to turn pro following his junior season, during which he recorded 33 points (17 goals, 16 assists) in 36 games. Because his contract kicks in for the 2026-27 season, he would have had to sign an ATO with Bridgeport to join them.
Finley will play for Hamilton, the Islanders' soon-to-be AHL affiliate, beginning in 2026-27 and is likley to attend development camp after the 2026 NHL Draft in late June, before returning to Long Island for rookie camp in mid-September.
While Finley won't be joining Bridgeport for their playoff run, the AHL affiliate did get some additional help.Â
Forwards Cal Ritchie and Victor Eklund, along with defenseman Isaiah George, who ended the season on the Islanders' roster, were optioned to Bridgeport, and all three will play in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Hershey Bears.
Puck drop is at 7 PM ET. You can watch the game on FloHockey.Â
Over the past several postseasons, it has become commonplace to see the Florida Panthers playing hockey deep into May and June.
Itâs also been normal to see family members of Panthers players cheering on their loved ones from the stands.
Naturally, that could include current and former NHL players.
You probably know where Iâm going with this.
During each of the past three Panthers run to the Stanley Cup Final, TV cameras would often scan the crowd and locate Florida star Matthew Tkachukâs family, generally featuring dad Keith, mom Chantal, sister Taryn and brother Brady, who also plays for the NHLâs Ottawa Senators.
This year, however, things are a little different in Pantherland.
For the first time in seven seasons, Florida did not qualify for the playoffs.
But Ottawa did.
That means Matthew now has the opportunity to support his brother the same way Brady has done for Matthew, and he did just that.
Monday night, when the Senators played Game 2 of their opening round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Matthew Tkachuk was in the crowd, right next to his dad Big Walt, cheering on the Senators.
Unfortunately for Brady and his teammates, the good vibes from his family didnât translate to a victory, as Ottawa lost the game 3-2 in double overtime.
Now the Senators are heading back to Ottawa down two games to zero in the series.
Hopefully, for the Sens and the Tkachuks, Ottawa is able to turn things around on home ice so that Matthew and Co. can continue to follow Bradyâs quest for his own Stanley Cup ring.
Game 3 between the Senators and Hurricanes is set for Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Photo caption:Â Feb 22, 2026; Milan, Italy; Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk of the United States celebrate after winning the men's ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. (James Lang-Imagn Images)
Rickard Rakell has already had success against the defensively disciplined Philadelphia Flyers this season, recording at least a point in three of their four matchups, including the playoffs.
Heading into Game 3, our Penguins vs. Flyers predictions expect the top-line winger to stay involved offensively as the Pittsburgh Penguins look to swing momentum and get back into the series.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Wednesday, April 22.
Penguins vs Flyers Game 3 prediction
Who will win Penguins vs Flyers Game 3?
Pittsburgh: This series has not been as one-sided as the 6-2 scoreline suggests. The Penguins are winning the high-danger chance battle 19-15 but are shooting only 4.55% after ranking fourth in finishing rate (12.38%) during the regular season.
Penguins vs Flyers best bet: Rickard Rakell Over 0.5 points (-110)
They've controlled 66% of expected goals, 71% of scoring chances, and generated 33 shot attempts through two games with Rakell on the ice, the most of any Penguins forward.
He's also a focal point on the man advantage, where only Evgeni Malkin's had more ice time.
Rakell’s being used in prime offensive situations, and the Penguins are generating chances. Dan Vladar is unlikely to sustain a .954 SV%, and Rakell is a prime candidate to help break through.
Penguins vs Flyers Game 3 same-game parlay
Bryan Rust skates on the same line and power play unit as Rakell, so there is strong correlation there. There are also encouraging signs production could be coming.
Rust is tied for first in the series in high-danger chances, so I’m buying stock.
We’ll round out the parlay with Travis Sanheim blocks. The minute-munching defenseman blocked multiple shots in 73% of his home games following one day of rest, and his usage is predictably higher in the playoffs.
The Penguins will make a big push in Game 3, which should lead to plenty of block opportunities for the Philadelphia Flyers stalwart.
Penguins vs Flyers SGP
Rickard Rakell Over 0.5 points
Bryan Rust Over 0.5 points
Travis Sanheim Over 1.5 blocked shots
Penguins vs Flyers Game 3 goal scorer pick
Rickard Rakell (+210)
Rakell finished the regular season with seven goals over his final eight games. While he hasn’t found the net in this series, he leads the Penguins in expected goals at 5-on-5.
The vast majority of his shot volume comes from the slot and in, which is key. An in-form Vladar is unlikely to be beaten from range.
Penguins vs Flyers odds for Game 3
Moneyline: Pittsburgh +100 | Philadelphia -120
Puck line: Pittsburgh +1.5 (-270) | Philadelphia -1.5 (+210)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (+120) | Under 5.5 (+100)
Penguins vs Flyers trend
Rickard Rakell has points in three of four games against Philadelphia this season. Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Flyers.
How to watch Penguins vs Flyers Game 3
Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
TNT
Penguins vs Flyers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
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