OTTAWA, Ontario — Logan Stankoven scored the go-ahead goal in the third period as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated Ottawa 4-2 to sweep the first-round series.
Taylor Hall added a goal and an assist before Sebastian Aho buried two pucks into the empty net. Frederik Andersen made 25 saves. Seth Jarvis chipped in two assists.
Drake Batherson, with a goal and an assist, and Dylan Cozens replied for the Senators, who put up just five goals in four games and never led against the Hurricanes. Linus Ullmark stopped 26 shots. Rookie defenseman Carter Yakemchuk added two assists in his playoff debut.
Of the 213 NHL teams to fall behind 3-0 in a seven-game series, just four have come all the way back to win — the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, 1980 New York Islanders, 2010 Philadelphia Flyers and 2014 Los Angeles Kings.
Ottawa also trailed last spring’s first-round matchup with Toronto 3-0 after seven years outside the postseason tournament before eventually falling in six games.
Stankoven scored his fourth goal in as many games at 9:10 of the final period on a power play off a rebound from the end boards.
Batherson came close to equalizing again with six minutes to go before Carolina was whistled for too many men. But Ottawa’s anemic power play again couldn’t generate any quality looks against a high-pressure penalty kill.
Aho scored into the empty net before Cozens made it 3-2 with 1:49 left on the clock. Aho then sealed the series for good with another empty netter.
Carolina opened the scoring in a physical, nasty second period when Hall beat Ullmark five-hole at 15:15 after Mark Jankowski made a big shot block at the other end.
Ottawa’s power play — 0-for-12 in the series entering play and without much going Saturday — finally broke through when Batherson tipped a Tim Stutzle one-timer.
Emotions boiled over earlier in the period after Senator's defenseman Tyler Kleven crushed Hurricanes counterpart Alexander Nikishin with a huge hit that left the Russian dazed and needing help off the ice.
Former Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Travis Green and the Ottawa Senators have officially become the first team eliminated from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Earlier today, the Carolina Hurricanes completed their first-round sweep of the Senators by winning their fourth consecutive game.
While Ottawa was unable to find the back of the net during Game 1 of their series against the Hurricanes, they made things close in a deadlocked Game 2 that saw both teams make the push to double-overtime. A disallowed goal and denied penalty shot opportunity for Carolina gave the Senators a little extra hope, though Jordan Martinook ultimately won Game 2 for the Hurricanes. Game 3 was one-again separated by only one goal, though Carolina managed to squeeze out a regulation win. While today’s game was another close one, Ottawa ultimately wasn’t able to secure a single win this post-season.
Green has been the Senators’ Head Coach for the past two seasons, taking up the role in the 2024–25 season after spending part of the 2023–24 season as Head Coach of the New Jersey Devils. Ottawa has made the post-season in both of the years that Green has been their Head Coach. In nearly five years as the Head Coach of the Canucks, Green’s team only made playoffs once in 2019–20.
While the Senators have no former Canucks on their player roster, Green isn’t the only member of the organization to have worked for Vancouver. Senators Assistant Coaches Nolan Baumgartner and Mike Yeo also spent time with the Canucks in the same roles, while former player Sam Gagner also serves as Ottawa’s Director of Player Development.
Apr 25, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen (31) makes a save in front of Ottawa Senators center Nick Cousins (21) in the first period of game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn
On Carolina’s side, Jalen Chatfield, a former Canucks defenceman who spent four seasons in the organization but only one with Vancouver, will be advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Chatfield has been a member of the Hurricanes organization since parting ways with Vancouver after the 2020–21 season and has been with them for their past three post-season runs.
Carolina will now take on the winner of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers’ series. The Flyers, led by former Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet, are currently up 3–0 on the Penguins in the series and could also clinch a spot in the second-round tonight.
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UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight + goal scorer pick
Nathan MacKinnon was the league’s best goal scorer during the regular season, but he’s stuck with a big ole' donut in that category through the first three games against the Los Angeles Kings.
My Avalanche vs. Kings predictions expect MacKinnon to rip the monkey off his back and light the lamp as his team looks to complete a Round 1 sweep.
Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Sunday, April 26.
Avalanche vs Kings Game 4 prediction
Who will win Avalanche vs Kings Game 4?
Colorado: Nathan MacKinnon hasn’t scored, Martin Necas hasn’t scored, Cale Makar has only one point, and the Avalanche are still winning the series 8-4 and on the verge of a sweep. I think the Avalanche will bring their best to the table in order to put the Kings away and earn extra rest heading into a monstrous second round series against Dallas or Minnesota.
Avalanche vs Kings best bet: Nathan MacKinnon anytime goal (-105)
Nathan MacKinnon leads the Colorado Avalanche in scoring chances and high-danger opportunities through three games. He just hasn’t converted.
That spells trouble for the Los Angeles Kings as MacKinnon is a ticking time bomb. He led the league in goals and only went more than three straight without scoring twice during the regular season.
He is in the perfect situation to find the net Sunday. He will be working on two days of rest, and he has feasted under those circumstances.
MacKinnon has 10 goals over his last nine games following two days off, and scored in seven of them.
Avalanche vs Kings Game 4 same-game parlay
Martin Necas is attached to the hip of MacKinnon at even-strength and on the power play. Given how intertwined they are, it should come as no surprise Necas assisted in seven of the last nine games MacKinnon scored in. Colorado’s top duo has been quiet (relatively speaking) but I expect their best in Game 4.
The Kings are allowing more than 82 attempts per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play with Cody Ceci on the ice. That’s the highest mark of any defender on the roster, meaning Ceci is spending a ton of time in the defensive zone and there’s plenty of volume to jump in front of.
Avalanche vs Kings SGP
Nathan MacKinnon anytime goal
Martin Necas Over 0.5 assists
Cody Ceci Over 1.5 blocked shots
Avalanche vs Kings Game 4 goal scorer pick
Martin Necas (+155)
There’s a lot to like with MacKinnon’s running mate as well. He is leading the Avalanche in expected goals and slots second to MacKinnon in scoring chances. Necas potted 11 goals more than expected in the regular season so his chances should start pouring in sooner than later.
Avalanche vs Kings odds for Game 4
Moneyline: Colorado -160 | Los Angeles +140
Puck Line: Colorado -1.5 (+155) | Los Angeles +1.5 (-180)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-120) | Under 5.5 (+100)
Avalanche vs Kings trend
Martin Necas has averaged 1.1 assists through 14 games following two days off. Find more NHL betting trends for Avalanche vs. Kings.
How to watch Avalanche vs Kings Game 4
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Sunday, April 26, 2026
Puck drop
4:30 p.m. ET
TV
TNT, truTV
Avalanche vs Kings 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.
They were unable to sweep the Penguins in this best-of-seven first-round playoff matchup as they suffered a 4-2 loss Saturday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Travis Konecny and Denver Barkey provided the Flyers’ goals.
Konecny drew the Flyers to within 3-2 in the third period on a snap shot from the circle. Christian Dvorak and Travis Sanheim made aggressive plays to set it up.
Barkey cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 2-1 in the second period off a feed from Trevor Zegras.
But the Penguins never relinquished their advantage after striking first.
Rick Tocchet’s club had its series lead trimmed to 3-1. In the days leading up to Game 4, the Flyers’ head coach stressed the challenge of trying to eliminate a team like Pittsburgh.
“They’ve been down before,” Tocchet said Thursday. “It’s a group that you’re going to have to stick a fork in them. I’m sure they’re reading clippings of teams that have come back from 3-0. I’d be doing the same thing. It can happen.”
The last time the Flyers swept a playoff series was 1995, when they took out the Rangers in the second round.
Tocchet’s club won Games 1 and 2 at PPG Paints Arena. It’ll try to win one more there with Game 5 next.
He had a rare blemish 1:03 minutes into the second period when he turned the puck over behind his net. Rickard Rakell forced Vladar into the mistake and scored a second later with an impressive effort. That put the Flyers in a 2-0 hole.
Vladar had given up just four goals over the first three games of the series. He entered Game 4 with 70 saves on 74 shots.
Arturs Silovs was in Pittsburgh’s net for his first start of the series. The 25-year-old stopped 28 of the Flyers’ 30 shots.
The Flyers cracked him with 4:20 minutes left in the second period when Zegras found his roommate Barkey. The goal cut the Flyers’ deficit to 2-1 and gave the building life.
But the Flyers went 0 for 3 on their power play. They pulled Vladar with around 1:50 minutes left, but couldn’t net the equalizer. The Penguins finished things off with an empty-netter from Connor Dewar.
The Flyers won Game 2 despite giving Pittsburgh five power plays. They won Game 3 despite surrendering two power play goals. But they allowed another power play goal in Game 4 and one at 4-on-4. They don’t want the series to turn into a special teams battle.
• After being held to no goals and one assist over the first three games, Sidney Crosby opened the scoring Saturday night.
On a first-period power play, the Penguins’ future Hall of Fame center won a faceoff and then scored five seconds later with a quick release. Vladar got a piece of the shot with his glove, but it still snuck past him.
In the third period, Crosby showed his savviness to win a puck battle and set up Kris Letang’s 3-1 goal.
This was No. 87’s best game of the series. The ultimate Flyers killer had been pretty quiet up until now.
But he owns 139 points (60 goals, 79 assists) in 93 career regular-season games against the Flyers. And in the playoffs, he has put up 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) in 27 career meetings with the Flyers.
• The series picks back up Monday at PPG Paints Arena with Game 5 (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
Kings captain Anze Kopitar, right, battles Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews for position near the goal during Game 3 of first-round playoff series on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The best way to climb a mountain is one step at a time.
Especially when you’re wearing skates.
And the Kings will be wearing skates and staring at a very large mountain when they take the ice Sunday for Game 4 of their best-of-seven Stanley Cup playoff series with the Colorado Avalanche, a loss away from elimination.
“You’ve just got to start with the first one,” defenseman Mikey Anderson said after a fast-paced 45-minute practice Saturday. “You try to win the first one, and then reset and go from there.”
Since the Kings trail 3-0 a win in Sunday’s matinee at Crypto.com Arena will do little more than extend the series one game, sending the teams back to Denver. To advance to the second round, the Kings need to win four in a row against the team that posted the NHL’s best record in the regular season.
How big a mountain is that? Well, the Avalanche haven’t lost four in a row since October and the Kings haven’t won a first-round playoff series since 2014.
“You just have to win one, that's first off. And then the hardest one will be the next one,” Kings interim coach D.J. Smith said. “And then, you know, it's just momentum changes. But you can't think about that without winning one, and you can't think about winning one without winning the first period.
“You're up against it, but I don't think you can think about winning the series. You just got to think about winning one game.”
The series has been a lot closer than the deficit would indicate. The Kings have won the battle of the special teams, with their penalty kill shutting out the NHL’s highest-scoring team on nine chances. They’ve also scored a power-play goal in each of three games and held Nathan MacKinnon, the league’s top goal-scorer, to one assist in three games.
MacKinnon didn’t even take a shot in Game 3, yet Colorado won 4-2 with two goals bouncing in off the skates of Kings forward Adrian Kempe and goalie Anton Forsberg while another was scored into an empty net.
“You still lose the game,” Anderson said. “This time of year doesn't really matter. You can say it feels good, you do all these good things. But if you don't win the game, it's kind of it's the only thing that matters right now.”
ings center Scott Laughton (21) checks Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski (70) into the boards during the second period of Game 2 in Denver. (Jack Dempsey / Associated Press)
Added forward Scott Laughton, “Sometimes you get the bounce, sometimes you don't. You have to have a very-narrow minded focus. We’ve got to stick to the process.”
The Kings have only four goals in the series and have scored just once at even strength, so Smith scrambled his bottom two forward lines in practice Saturday in a search for speed in the offensive end. But he said he doesn’t plan any major changes for Game 4, adding the Kings just need to check harder, move the puck better and get to the net more.
“I think that the game plan is correct,” he said.
However the Kings have taken just 76 shots in the three games, making things far too easy for Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood, who has been brilliant.
“We’ve got to find ways to put the puck in the net, whether that's crashing the nets, making the play for an empty netter. It doesn't matter at this point,” said Kings’ captain Anze Kopitar, whose 20-year NHL career ends when his team’s season does. “We’ve got to find a way.”
Smith, who rallied the Kings into the playoffs after taking over for Jim Hiller with 23 games left in the regular season, is making his Stanley Cup playoff debut as a head coach. But he’s been in this position before. As an assistant with Windsor in the Ontario Hockey League, Smith coached a team that overcame a 3-0 deficit and went on to win the league title.
That was a big mountain. And they climbed it one step at a time.
“We’ve just got to play our best game one time, and then we'll worry about the next game,” Smith said. “But we have to find a way to score more while playing the exact same defense.
“Is it hard? Yes. Are we going to give it everything we got? Yes. I think you're going to see our best game in the series.”
OTTAWA, CANADA - APRIL 25: Taylor Hall #71 of the Carolina Hurricanes reacts after scoring his teams first goal during the second period of Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Ottawa Senators and the Carolina Hurricanes at Canadian Tire Centre on April 25, 2026 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
*Deep breath* *Exhales* *Cracks knuckles*
The Carolina Hurricanes are officially heading to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the sixth consecutive year after completing a sweep of the Ottawa Senators with a 4-2 win in Kanata on Saturday afternoon.
A vicious, violent game came to an end with a regulation win thanks to a valiant effort from a Carolina penalty kill that was asked to dig deep again and again as well as goals from Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven, who put an exclamation mark on their respective excellent efforts in the series.
So too did Frederik Andersen, who surrendered just five goals in his four starts against a team that came into the postseason as one of the hottest in the NHL.
The first period went by without any goals or much in the way of incident before the second period became an absolute circus.
The shenanigans began when Tyler Kleven hit Alexander Nikishin hard enough to knock Nikishin out of the game. Andrei Svechnikov was assessed four minutes worth of roughing penalties. Brady Tkachuk received two, so Ottawa got a power play.
I’ll spare the details on the remainder of the penalties in the second period, but one that was not called was a sucker punch from Ridly Greig to Sean Walker while Walker was already engaged with Warren Foegele.
Hall got the scoring started with a nice shot along the ice to beat Linus Ullmark, and Drake Batherson answered for Ottawa with his third of the series to tie the game at a goal apiece heading into the third.
Carolina killed a partial 5-on-3 to start the third, and eventual the power play came through when Stankoven buried his fourth of the series to make it 2-1 and really put the pressure on Ottawa.
Sebastian Aho got his second of the series with an empty-net goal with over two minutes to go. The Sens weren’t done just yet, though, as Dylan Cozens got them one back with his second of the series.
With the game in question again, Jordan Martinook made one of the plays of the series when he stepped into a Tim Stutzle shot that might have been labeled for the net.
That allowed Aho to score his second of the game on an open net, and Ottawa had no further push from there.
Carolina will await the winner of the series between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to determine its second round opponent. The Flyers have a 3-0 lead and are going for a sweep of their own Saturday night.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Gwyneth Philips stopped 41 shots as the Ottawa Charge defeated the Toronto Sceptres 3-0 on Saturday to capture the final Professional Women’s Hockey League playoff berth.
Fanuza Kadirova, Sarah Wozniewicz and Alexa Vasko scored for Ottawa, which will make its second playoff appearance.
Raygan Kirk had 28 saves for Toronto.
Ottawa will now wait to find out if it will play either the Boston Fleet or Montreal Victoire in the playoffs.
The Sceptres came into the game needing a regulation win to leapfrog the Charge for the final playoff spot but came up short for the second straight year.
Leading 1-0, Ottawa extended its advantage just 1:03 into the third when Toronto’s Kali Flanagan turned the puck over at her own blue line. That allowed Charge captain Brianne Jenner to find Wozniewicz all alone and beat Kirk off her backhand.
Vasko added an empty-net goal with just over four minutes remaining to seal the victory.
The Charge opened the scoring early in the second.
With a battle in front for the puck Michela Cava made a cross-crease pass to Kadirova, who took the pass off her skate to her stick to beat Kirk to the short side.
The goal changed the momentum of the game. Toronto dominated play early in the contest but the Charge fed off the energy of the goal and had sustained pressure numerous times throughout the period.
Ottawa thought it had opened the scoring near the seven-minute mark when Brooke McQuigge fired a shot that initially looked like a goal. But the review showed the puck hit the crossbar and never crossed the goal line.
Up next
Charge: Playoff game against a yet to be determined opponent.
The Carolina Hurricanes will more than likely be without defenseman Alexander Nikishin for the foreseeable future after the Russian blueliner absorbed a huge hit from Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven.
In the second period of Game 4, Nikishin was leaned over attempting to play a puck in his own defensive end when Kleven came charging in with a gigantic hit.
Kleven caught Nikishin square in the body, but the force of it alone was enough to make you think a concussion is likely.
Alexander Nikishin had to be helped off the ice after being hit by Tyler Kleven.
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With a commanding 3-0 series lead, the Philadelphia Flyers are about to face a desperate Pittsburgh Penguins team doing anything it can to stay alive in the stanley Cup playoffs.
The Flyers just got some important news for their own hopes, as it was announced Saturday afternoon that goalie Dan Vladar would start after an injury scare kept him off the ice for the last two days.
Penguins forward Bryan Rust landed on Vladar's hand during Game 3, but after a brief conversation with trainer Tommy Alva, the Flyers goalie carried on and finished out the contest.
Vladar, 28, is 3-0-0 this postseason with a 1.33 GAA, .946 save percentage, and one shutout.
As for the Penguins, they're making further lineup changes in an effort to keep this series going.
Pittsburgh head coach Dan Muse announced Saturday that goalie Arturs Silovs would start for the Penguins, replacing the incumbent Stuart Skinner, who backstopped the Edmonton Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup finals.
The problem for them, though, is that Silovs was one of the worst goalies in the NHL this season, going 19-12-8 in spite of a porous 3.07 GAA and .888 save percentage.
Comparatively, Vladar saved 13.8 goals above expected for the Flyers, which was 10th-best in the NHL.
Further complicating matters is the fact that Silovs played under Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet for parts of three seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, so if anyone knows what Silovs' weaknesses are, it's him.
The Latvian played 10 games for Tocchet and the Canucks last year, going 2-6-1 to the tune of a 3.65 GAA and .861 save percentage--the former was fourth-worst in the league among goalies with at least 10 games played, and the latter was second-worst under the same parameters.
This is all to say that Tocchet has seen Silovs at his worst and should know better than most how to get the 6-foot-4 netminder off his game and what strategies are most effective against him.
Muse and the Penguins might be looking for a spark, they might think Skinner deflated the team after a bad goal allowed to Rasmus Ristolainen in Game 3, or they might be waving the white flag and want their younger goalie to get playoff reps.
In any case, Silovs is just 5-5-0 in his career in the Stanley Cup playoffs and owns a .898 save percentage.
The numbers don't lie, and the Flyers must take advantage of a vulnerable young player on a desperate team.
When the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs opened, the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche were widely viewed as the team to beat. One week into the postseason, that opinion has only strengthened.
Avalanche Still Set the Standard
Despite leading the NHL with 298 goals during the regular season, Colorado has already shown it can win in a far different style when the stakes rise. The Avalanche now hold a commanding 3-0 lead over the Los Angeles Kings after Thursday’s 4-2 win, moving within one victory of the second round. Artturi Lehkonen led the charge with a goal and an assist, while Scott Wedgewood earned his third straight win to begin the playoffs.
Just as impressive is how Colorado has done it without needing nightly fireworks from every star in the lineup. Maurice Richard Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon, who scored a career-best 53 goals this season, has not been forced to carry the offense because the Avalanche have leaned on their depth, defensive structure, and steady goaltending.
Colorado is now 13 wins away from becoming the first Presidents’ Trophy winner to lift the Stanley Cup since the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks. History has not always been kind to regular-season juggernauts, but this Avalanche team appears equipped to buck that trend.
Updated Stanley Cup Odds
According to the latest FanDuel Stanley Cup futures odds, Colorado remains the clear favorite at +240, followed by the Carolina Hurricanes at +320. The Tampa Bay Lightning sit next at +850, while the Dallas Stars are listed at +1200. The Buffalo Sabres have climbed into the conversation at +1400, with both the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens close behind at +1500.
Further down the board, the Vegas Golden Knights are +1900, followed by the Philadelphia Flyers at +2000 and the Utah Mammoth at +2200. The Minnesota Wild check in at +2500, while the Anaheim Ducks are +3000. Longer shots include the Boston Bruins at +6000, Ottawa Senators at +10000, Pittsburgh Penguins at +17500, and the Kings at +25000.
While Colorado has tightened its grip on the Western Conference picture, Edmonton still looms as a potential obstacle as it chases a third consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearance. Dallas remains dangerous, Vegas carries championship pedigree, and Utah has quickly become one of the postseason’s most intriguing stories.
In the East, Carolina has only strengthened its standing as Colorado’s top challenger. The Hurricanes were elite defensively all season and now appear to be finding enough offense to match. Tampa Bay’s experience keeps it firmly in the mix, while Buffalo and Montreal have emerged as compelling dark-horse threats.
For now, though, the road to the Stanley Cup still runs through Denver. Colorado has taken complete control of its opening-round series, received outstanding play from Wedgewood, and shown it can win even when the offense is not operating at full speed.
That balance is exactly why the Avalanche remain the favorite.
After losing each of their first three games of their series against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Pittsburgh Penguins are making a change between the pipes for Game 4. Arturs Silovs will be the team's starting goalie for the matchup, replacing Stuart Skinner.
Seeing the Penguins switching goalies for Game 4 is understandable. They need a shakeup after how the first three games have gone, and they will be hoping Silovs can provide them with a much-needed boost.
This is a great opportunity for Silovs to try to show the Penguins that he can be trusted in big moments for them. The 25-year-old goalie has good upside and will be looking to make a major impact for the Penguins to try to save their season.
Silovs has NHL playoff experience, as he played in 10 postseason games for the Vancouver Canucks in 2024. During them, he had a 5-5 record, an .898 save percentage, and a 2.91 goals-against average. He notably helped the Canucks get past the Nashville Predators in the first round that year, which included him having a 28-save shutout in Game 6.
During this past year, Silovs helped lead the Abbotsford Canucks to their Calder Cup championship. In 24 games during their playoff run, he had a 16-7 record, a 2.01 goals-against average, a .931 save percentage, and five shutouts. Due to his dominance that postseason, he was named the AHL Playoff MVP.
Now, Silovs will be looking to shine after getting this opportunity for the Penguins. Let's see if he can seize his chance and help Pittsburgh avoid being swept.
After three seasons of developing in the American Hockey League with the Utica Comets, Topias Vilén finally received his first NHL call-up on April 10, 2026.
The 23-year-old made his NHL debut with the New Jersey Devils on April 12 against the Ottawa Senators. He played two NHL games, averaging 15 minutes of ice time.
“They have been really happy with his development over the last three years, but this year in particular,” Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe said at the time of the call up. “They felt he was the guy who earned the opportunity and someone they wanted to get a look at.”
When the organization announced it would be Vilén, who was drafted 129th overall in 2021, who received that final call-up instead of other prospects, including 2020 120th overall pick Ethan Edwards, some questioned the decision.
In an interview with The Hockey News, Comets general manager Dan MacKinnon provided clarity to that question.
“We want to be a process-driven organization,” he said. “This was the third year of his entry-level contract, and he has matured incredibly as both a hockey player and a person over those three years. I am not saying anything that our coaches wouldn't say. He was our best overall defenseman in all three zones in the second half of the year. He didn't have the start he wanted, like a lot of guys on that team, but Keefe watches our games, and he said, ‘I want to see this guy at the NHL level.’”
With the Comets, Vilén finished the 2025-26 season with 27 points (four goals, 23 assists) in 61 games. He had the second-most points on the blue line behind Calen Addison. When he was re-assigned to the Comets after his stint with the Devils, he collected three assists in Utica’s final two games of the season.
“I wanted to give Topias the boost coming to training camp next year on his second contract. To say, ‘Hey, you are not that far away from playing at the NHL level.’ You know, that motivation he will have in the offseason. That was all part of the process.”
As Vilén prepares for his second contract, Edwards will be training for his second full season playing professional hockey.
In 79 career AHL games, the former University of Michigan Wolverine has impressed MacKinnon, who believes the youngster has a ton of upside.
“Edwards is an elite skater and will be even a high-end skater at the NHL level,” MacKinnon shared. "He is sub-six feet tall, but he is so hockey strong. He never loses a battle. What he was learning this year was coming from college, where he could sort of impose himself on the game with the puck and understand sometimes less is more in terms of managing the puck and being efficient. His game evolved during the AHL season this year, and he became much more responsible and steady in terms of his puck management.”
Edwards will be the first to say there was a bit of a learning curve in the middle of the season for him. He appeared in 69 games for the Comets, collecting 23 points. His 10 goals led all defensemen.
“It was no slight against (Edwards), MacKinnon said of Vilén receiving the call-up. “He was a rookie playing his first year pro, and he still needs more time. That is all part of the process.”
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The 2027 Discover NHL Winter Classic will feature the Colorado Avalanche visiting the Utah Mammoth on December 31, 2026, with puck drop set for late afternoon and a prime-time broadcast window in the Eastern time zone.
A Proven Outdoor Team Meets a New(ish) Franchise
Cale Makar during the 2020 Stadium Series
The Avalanche come in with a level of outdoor experience that few teams in the league can really match.
Over the past decade, Colorado has become a regular presence in these showcase games, including a 5–3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings at Coors Field in the 2016 Stadium Series, a 3–1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings at Falcon Stadium in 2020, and a 3–2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights in the Lake Tahoe outdoor game in 2021, which was played without fans during the pandemic.
Different settings, different conditions, and a mix of results have all added up to a team that feels comfortable on hockey’s biggest outdoor stages.
Utah, by contrast, is still in the early chapters of its NHL story—but moving quickly.
In a short time, the organization has gone from expansion arrival to fully establishing its footprint in the market, acquiring the hockey assets of the Arizona Coyotes, setting up a temporary practice facility, and pushing through early renovations at the Delta Center.
That progress has already carried into a full identity shift with the unveiling of the Utah Mammoth, the opening of a permanent practice facility, and continued upgrades to the arena, which has quickly developed into a loud, consistently sold-out home fueled by a growing fan base that feels more invested in the game.
Now all of that growth meets hockey’s biggest outdoor stage.
The game will be played at Rice-Eccles Stadium on the University of Utah campus, set against the backdrop of Salt Lake City and the surrounding mountains. It’s a setting that fits the occasion—large, open, and visually striking, with a natural atmosphere that makes outdoor hockey feel even bigger than the game itself.
Utah is expected to embrace the moment fully, turning the entire weekend into something that feels closer to a citywide winter celebration than a standalone event. With the game landing on New Year’s Eve, it naturally becomes the centerpiece of a longer stretch of festivities across Salt Lake City.
Instead of just a single night of hockey, the city will likely be buzzing for days—concerts, downtown events, and winter-themed activities building around the matchup. Ski resorts and mountain tourism will also play a part, giving visiting fans plenty of reasons to turn the trip into a full experience. And along the way, it’s the kind of stage where a few new fans of the sport might stick around long after the final horn.
The Winter Classic will also mark a league-wide milestone, as all 32 NHL franchises will have now taken part in an outdoor game. For Utah, it’s a first appearance on that stage—and another meaningful step in its rapid rise from expansion team to one of the most closely watched new markets in the NHL.
Former Vancouver Canucks goaltender Artūrs Šilovs will start in what is shaping up to be a sudden-death playoff elimination game for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins have dropped their first three games of their first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers and could be eliminated with a loss tonight.
Šilovs has an extensive recent history of performing excellently when his teams need them most, which could ultimately make the difference tonight. In 2023, Šilovs registered a 7–3–0 record and .921 SV% at the IIHF World Championship to win Latvia their first-ever Bronze medal at the tournament.
The former Canucks goaltender’s history of clutch performances only continues from there. The goaltender backstopped the Canucks to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs back in 2024, even pulling off his first career playoff shutout in Vancouver’s series-clinching win against the Nashville Predators.
In the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs, Šilovs recorded five shutouts and a 2.01 GAA to help the Abbotsford Canucks win their first AHL Championship in franchise history. The goaltender was named the AHL Playoff MVP for his performance in the post-season.
The Penguins have not showcased their best efforts since the post-season began. While they narrowly lost Game 1 by a score of 3–2, since then, each of their losses have been by three goals. Puck drop for Game 4 is scheduled for 5:00 pm PT.
Apr 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs (37) looks on against the Florida Panthers during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Alberti-Imagn Images
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They've been outplayed in the first three games of the series, being outscored 11-4 and have only one 5v5 goal. Their offense has been completely stifled, even though they finished the regular season with the third-most goals scored in the league.
The Flyers' neutral-zone trap has really frustrated them in this series, but the Penguins had the right idea to beat it in the first period of Game 3. They dumped the puck deep and went to work down low, with a shoot-first mentality. Their efforts were rewarded with their first lead of the series in the first period before they got away from it in the final two periods, eventually losing 5-2.
Head coach Dan Muse has looked out of his depth in this series and is set to make more lineup changes for Game 4. Ilya Solovyov is slated to come in for Connor Clifton while Arturs Silovs will start in goal over Stuart Skinner.
Muse is also reuniting Egor Chinakhov with Evgeni Malkin after the former was on the third line with Ben Kindel for Game 3. Elmer Soderblom is coming in for Justin Brazeau after the latter replaced the former on Wednesday.
Here's a look at the projected lines and pairs:
Forwards
Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
Soderblom-Kindel-Mantha
Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari
Defensive pairs
Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Girard-Letang
Shea-Solovyov
If the Penguins win this game, they'll return to Pittsburgh for Game 5 on Monday.
Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET on TBS, truTV, HBO Max, and SportsNet Pittsburgh.
