Category: Ice Hockey

The NHL playoffs are heading into the fifth day and every series is about to switch venues, except for Anaheim-Edmonton, which began later than the others.

The Philadelphia Flyers are the only true surprise, winning both of their games in Pittsburgh against the Penguins in their first playoff appearance since 2020.

The conference-leading Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes hold 2-0 leads after the games were closely contested. The Buffalo Sabres-Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning-Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Stars-Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights-Utah Mammoth series are tied 1-1.

Here are the winners and losers of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs so far:

WINNERS

Porter Martone, Philadelphia Flyers

The 19-year-old is first NHL teenager to get game-winning goals in his first two playoff games. His first goal was spectacular and he showed good instincts on the second. He was playing for Michigan State in late March and his arrival has been as helpful as a trade deadline acquisition.

Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes had used both Andersen and Brandon Bussi down the stretch. But they went with the veteran Andersen over Bussi, who had given up a few bad goals late in the season. Andersen has rewarded the decision. He got a shutout in the opener and stopped 37 of 39 shots in a double-overtime win in Game 2.

Scott Wedgewood, Colorado Avalanche

Just like the Hurricanes, the Avalanche had a choice to make in net between Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood. Wedgewood filled in well at the start of the season when Blackwood was hurt. He also played better down the stretch. Wedgewood is second in the playoffs behind Andersen with a 0.94 goals-against average.

Brandon Hagel, Tampa Bay Lightning

Hagel missed much of the first round last season because of a one-game suspension then a series-ending injury on a hit that earned Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad a two-game suspension. But Hagel has been a factor against the Montreal Canadiens. He scored twice in the opener and had a Gordie Howe hat trick (goal, assist, fight) in Game 2. He's averaging more than 24 minutes a game.

LOSERS

Pittsburgh Penguins power play

The Penguins had the seventh-ranked power play in the regular season, but the Flyers have shut it down, going 7-for-7 on the kill and allowing only three shots on goal. They also scored a short-handed goal in Game 2. The Penguins have trouble setting up and on one power play, they were called for offsides multiple times. The Flyers' power play was last in the league in the regular season – and scoreless in this series – and the Penguins need to connect on the power play if they are going to get back in the series.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buffalo Sabres

He allowed a goal from center ice when Morgan Geekie was merely chipping the puck into the offensive zone. Luukkonen didn't last the game, being pulled after giving up four goals on 19 shots. He has a 4.19 goals against average. The Bruins have taken leads in both games. The Sabres were able to rally in Game 1 but couldn't in Game 2.

MORGAN GEEKIE JUST SCORED A GOAL FROM CENTER ICE 😱

WHAT IS GOING ON 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dTEylZ4aP7

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 22, 2026

To his credit, Luukkonen owned up to his mistake after the game. "Just a bad bounce on the goal, the second one there," he told reporters. "Of course, it's my fault, like there's no way around it, and you just got to do better with those."

Tomas Hertl, Vegas Golden Knights

He has gone 22 games since he last scored a goal on March 4. He had 24 goals in 62 games before that drought began. The Golden Knights could use more scoring as they head to Utah with the series tied.

Minnesota Wild injuries

The Wild couldn't build on their Game 1 blowout victory because Mats Zuccarello was a late scratch before Game 2 and Yakov Trenin left Monday's game after a massive hit from Dallas' Colin Blackwell. The series is tied 1-1 as the series shifts to Minnesota. Both players sat out Game 3.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff winners and losers include Flyers, Penguins

It’s been exactly a week since the Florida Panthers played their final game of the 2025-26 season.

Florida capped off their frustrating, injury-filled campaign with an 8-1 trouncing of the Detroit Red Wings last Wednesday night at Amerant Bank Arena.

The Panthers actually won each of their final three games despite knowing that their 2026 first-round pick, one the Cats initially traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2025 Trade Deadline deal for Seth Jones, was top-10 protected. That means if Florida finished in a position that laded them a selection in the first 10 of this year’s NHL Draft, the Panthers would keep their pick.

Well, you can thank the hockey gods or just simple good karma, but despite the wins, Florida ended up finishing eighth-worst, guaranteeing them a pick in the top-10 regardless of what happens at next month’s NHL Draft Lottery.

Getting back to the point of this post, the Panthers season is over and their home arena no longer needs to house and maintain an NHL-quality sheet of ice.

With that being the case, earlier this week the arena’s excellent ice and maintenance crew undertook the process of removing the ice.

You can check out a video of the process below: 

Generally, that process begins with turning off the building’s floor cooling system before spraying hot water on top of the ice so it can start to break down and lose its strength and durability.

Crew members than take large hammer-mallet-like tools and walk across the surface, cracking the ice by slamming the tool into the ground over and over.

Once the ice is all broken up into smaller chunks, it’s removed from the floor into drainage pits while the logos and advertisements are peeled away and disposed of.

After that, crews make sure the arena’s floor surface is properly cleaned, and then the remaining boards are removed.

That’s it, no more ice rink until September.

Amerant Bank Arena will host several events in the coming weeks and months, including concerts for Bruce Springsteen and Ariana Grande, Professional Bull Riding and Monster Jam.

As for the Panthers, they’ll get an extended summer break for the first time in several years.

Expect them to be back in the playoff mix at this time next year, though.

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Less than three minutes into Game 1, Adam Henrique got tangled up in front of the net with one of his own teammates, went down, and didn't come back. The Edmonton Oilers won 4-3, and Dickinson and Kapanen were the story of the night. 

After the game, Kris Knoblauch wasn't giving much away, but the tone said enough.

"It's going to be a big hole missing Rico," he said. "He's been so good on our special teams, and we're going to have to have some other guys step up if we are to lose him."

Next Man Up As Injury News Not Great Regarding Adam HenriqueAdam Henrique's playoff status is unclear after an early exit in Game 1. The Oilers will likely have to go next man up.

A big hole instead of day-to-day or a few games. For a player whose contract expires at the end of this playoff run, that's slightly concerning.

Henrique turns 36 in August. He signed a two-year, $6 million deal, $3 million annually, to stay in Edmonton after last season. That deal is now done, and depending on what the diagnostic news looks like, there's a real question about whether he plays another NHL game.

It's not just this injury; Henrique was already having a career-low season offensively, 15 points in 65 games before a two-month IR stint in January. Now this. He logged two minutes and 56 seconds in Game 1 before his night was over.

Kapanen, Dickinson Bail Out Oilers In Game 1 Win Over AnaheimFor a while, Monday night at Rogers Place, the Anaheim Ducks were doing exactly what they came here to do. Get under the Oilers’ skin, claw back into a game they had no business being in, and make a series out of this thing right from the jump. They almost pulled it off.

Nobody was expecting Henrique to score. His value has always been harder to measure. He's a faceoff guy, a penalty killer, and he brings the experience of countless playoff seasons under his belt. He was the only player in this series who played in the 2018 playoffs for Anaheim, the last time the Ducks were a playoff team. That's the kind of guy he is. He's been around, he knows the game, and he was ready for this.

His body just might not be anymore.

And that's not a knock on him, it's just the reality of what the game does to players over time. The cracks get wider, recoveries get longer, and at 36, with no offensive numbers to put in front of a team in free agency, Henrique's path back to the NHL runs almost entirely through how serious this injury turns out to be.

Oilers Rally to Take Game 1 Despite Quiet Night From The Top GuysOilers overcome a rare quiet night from their stars, with unexpected heroes and a nail-biting third period securing Game 1.

The market for a 36-year-old fourth-line centre who's spent two seasons bouncing on and off the IR list is a tough one, even under good circumstances.

Maybe he comes back in this series. Maybe the Oilers bring him back next year on another modest deal. None of that is off the table. But watching him leave the ice three minutes into Game 1, it was hard not to wonder if that was the last time we see him in an NHL playoff game.

A long, understated career that did a lot of the right things, and might have just reached its end.

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Longtime Los Angeles King, Trevor Lewis, has officially announced his retirement on Wednesday.

Lewis played 17 NHL seasons, beginning in 2008-09, and his final campaign came last year. Along the way, 14 of those seasons were played for the Kings, with three other years between the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets.

He played a total of 1,034 regular-season contests and recorded 104 goals and 133 assists for 243 career points. Lewis won two Stanley Cups with the Kings in 2012 and 2014.

"As a kid growing up in Utah, I could have never imagined this journey," Lewis said in a statement through the NHLPA. "Playing over 1,000 games and winning two Stanley Cups. Those milestones aren't just numbers to me, they represent years of sacrifice, perseverance, and a deep love for the game."

Los Angeles drafted Lewis in the first round of the 2006 draft and selected 17th overall, just one year after the Kings drafted Anze Kopitar.

After getting drafted, Lewis won the Clark Cup with the Des Moines Buccaneers as the USHL champion. He was also named the USHL player of the year following that 2005-06 championship campaign.

Later, before he would make his NHL debut with Los Angeles, Lewis featured for the OHL's Owen Sound Attack in 2006-07, followed by parts of three straight seasons in the AHL with the Manchester Monarchs.

Eventually, he would make his first full appearance wearing the Kings' jersey in 2010-11, and the rest is history.

Former Kings' Star Named President Of KHL TeamThe Shanghai Dragons of the KHL have turned to two former NHLer's including a former Los Angeles Kings sniper to take over as head of hockey operations for the franchise.

"I want to especially thank the Los Angeles Kings organization for believing in me from day one," Lewis said. "You gave me an opportunity to chase this dream, and together we built something I will carry with me for the rest of my life."

After 14 straight seasons in the Kings' organization, 12 of which featured for Los Angeles, Lewis became a UFA and signed a one-year deal with the Jets ahead of the 2020-21 campaign. Following one season in Winnipeg, he signed another contract, this time a two-year agreement with the Flames.

With a three-year stint in Canada, the Kings brought him back on two one-year contracts.

"Hockey has given me more than I could ever ask for - brothers in the locker room, lessons that shaped me as a man, and memories that will last forever," he said. "To everyone who was part of this journey - including the Jets, Flames, teammates, coaches, GMs, trainers, fans and beyond, thank you!"

In his final NHL season, Lewis made 60 appearances for the Kings, registering six goals and six assists for 12 points and averaging 10:13 of ice time. He didn't represent any NHL franchise for the 2025-26 campaign, and as of Wednesday, he's officially called it quits as a player.

"To my family, you were the foundation through it all," Lewis said. "Your sacrifices, your belief, and your unwavering support made this career possible. I share every moment with you.

"I leave this game with nothing but gratitude and pride. Hockey has given me everything and I'm excited to see what comes next."

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Former NHL forward Trevor Lewis officially announced his retirement on Wednesday, bringing an end to a steady and respected 17-year career defined by reliability, versatility, and championship pedigree.

Lewis, 39, spent the majority of his career with the Los Angeles Kings, where he became a trusted depth forward over 14 seasons. The Salt Lake City native finishes his NHL career with 1,034 NHL games under his belt and totaling 104 goals and 133 assists for 237 points.

While never known for high offensive totals, his consistency and defensive responsibility made him an important part of the Kings’ success, particularly during their Stanley Cup-winning seasons in 2012 and 2014.

During the Kings’ 2012 championship run, Lewis recorded nine points in 20 playoff games and followed that performance with five points in 26 games during the 2014 postseason. He played a key supporting role in both title runs as Los Angeles captured its second championship in three years. Though not a headline star, Lewis earned recognition as one of the most effective depth players on those teams.

Trevor Lewis has officially announced his retirement following 1,034 NHL games – wishing all the best to the 2x Stanley Cup champion in his retirement 👏 pic.twitter.com/FwJIrITP2f

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) April 22, 2026

Over his NHL career, Lewis played more than 800 games with the Kings, recording 84 goals and 107 assists for 191 points. His role was not centered on offense but on providing stability throughout the lineup, a responsibility he handled consistently.

Lewis also had a brief stint with the Winnipeg Jets during the 2020-2021 season. In 56 games with Winnipeg, he recorded five goals and five assists for 10 points while continuing to contribute in a bottom-six role. Later in his career, he spent time with the Calgary Flames before returning to Los Angeles and ultimately retiring as a member of the Kings.

Lewis adds another!!

🚨: @trevorlewis22

3-1 WPG | #GoJetsGopic.twitter.com/2Y3WuBB6gk

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) May 1, 2021

Statistically, Lewis was typically a 15 to 25 point player, reaching a career high in the 2017 to 2018 season when he recorded 14 goals and 12 assists for 26 points in 68 games. While his name may not top scoring lists, Lewis leaves behind a legacy that highlights the importance of role players in championship success. 

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In the Montreal Canadiens’ 4-3 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of their first-round matchup, former first overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky stole the show, scoring three goals on the power play.

Despite the Habs having 117 years of history, that puts the 22-year-old in a good position to break a franchise record. Jacques Lemaire holds the distinction of having scored the most power-play goals in a playoff year with six goals. Four players have scored five: Marcel Bonin, Vincent Damphousse, Jean Beliveau and Bobby Smith, while 13 players have netted four.

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With his three goals, Slafkovsky is 19th in Canadiens history for the most power-play goals in a single year, but there are still a lot of games left to be played in this series, at the very least three. And should the Canadiens win the next three games and make it to the second round, that would add even more games to the power forward’s postseason.

Of his 30 goals in the regular season, 15 came on the man-advantage. That’s three times as many power play goals as he scored last season, and it’s not down to luck. The hulking forward now knows how to use his big frame to his advantage on the ice. On the forecheck, with a lot of speed, he’s a menace, and on the power play, parked in the bumper spot, he’s quite a challenge to move.

Seeing his performance in the regular season was a great surprise for fans and media alike. His season of awakening came quicker than most expected, but it’s even better to see him elevate his game in the postseason when it truly counts. The Slafkovsky we saw Sunday in the first game of the series looked like the one that led Slovakia to a medal game at the Olympics, a leader who wants to be the man when his team needs him the most.

It will be interesting to see how many power play goals he has to his name by the end of the playoffs…

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‘Can't wait to see the fans' — Flyers have first home playoff game in 8 years originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers are set to host playoff action for the first time in eight years Wednesday night when they welcome the Penguins for Game 3 of this best-of-seven first-round matchup.

The last time the Flyers had a postseason game at home was on this exact day in 2018. They made the playoffs in 2020, but that was held in the bubble because of the coronavirus pandemic.

So you can bet the crowd will be a raucous one at Xfinity Mobile Arena, especially with the Flyers returning from Pittsburgh with a 2-0 series lead.

“I can’t wait to see the fans tonight here at home,” Sean Couturier said. “I’m sure they’re going to be excited and ready to go, that’s for sure.

“I’m excited for our group, for the city, for everyone to get back to this experience. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Despite his team shutting out the Penguins, 3-0, in Game 2, Rick Tocchet felt the Flyers had to play without the puck a lot. He wants his team to make more plays in Game 3. Essentially, hold onto the puck more to play less defense.

“It’s a game of adjustments,” the Flyers’ head coach said. “[The Penguins] played well, I thought, and they had the puck a lot. And we didn’t. We defended great, we defended hard — all that stuff I love about our team. But we’re going to have to get a little bit more puck possession. We had some guys not skating, they were just deferring to flip it out.

“We can’t have that mentality tonight because, again, they’re going to come out flying. We’ve got to make some plays. That was kind of the speech today. But in saying that, I don’t want the other part of our game to suffer because of it. I think there’s room to do both, to be honest with you.”

Puck drop at Xfinity Mobile Arena is scheduled for around 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET with Flyers Pregame Live.

Here is some recommended reading.

• Banged up and bloodied, Tippett gives Flyers tough home run hitter in playoffs

• Flyers rip off two road wins to open playoffs, put Penguins on their heels

• Dvorak ‘fits in everywhere’ with Flyers, a team he believed could make playoffs

• Big third period, strong defensive effort propel Flyers to Game 1 win over Penguins

• Flyers start playoffs with sweet new shirt that ‘says a lot’

• Get Crosby ‘in the ditches,’ Michkov’s role and more Flyers vs. Penguins thoughts

• Outside doubt motivated Flyers, but so did Briere’s undisclosed message

• NHL announces Flyers vs. Penguins playoff schedule for first-round matchup

• Flyers are going back to playoffs in unforgettable fashion

Here are some updates and visuals from Wednesday and the last few days.

Flyers’ introduction and starters as playoff hockey returns to Philly for first time since 2018. pic.twitter.com/cpABa7UsMG

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

The scene is set for the Flyers' first home playoff game in eight years.

Coverage at 6:30 p.m. ET on @NBCSPhilly. pic.twitter.com/vv789AvmL8

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

The Flyers' last home playoff game was April 22, 2018. So it has been exactly eight years (2020 was in bubble).

Michal Neuvirth was in net that game.

The Flyers' defense was Shayne Gostisbehere, Ivan Provorov, Radko Gudas, Andrew MacDonald, Brandon Manning and Robert Hagg. pic.twitter.com/zEWeHO0Wf8

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will be in the building tonight for Flyers-Penguins Game 3.

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

Rick Tocchet said Flyers wanted to make more plays in Game 2, felt they had to defend a good bit. He said they have to be ready to make more plays in Game 3, but also not let their defensive game slip. pic.twitter.com/8s5x2fevuR

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

Flyers preparing for their first home playoff game in exactly eight years.

Last time they had postseason hockey here was on this day in 2018 (the 2020 playoffs were in the bubble). pic.twitter.com/DmHaJzn1gi

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

Flyers announced Dan Vladar is in net. https://t.co/xq6iyFpOLb

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

Rick Tocchet said Owen Tippett missed skate to manage the injury he’s playing through. Sounds like he’ll play tonight.

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

Flyers at skate ahead of Game 3. No Tippett at skate, so Bump filling in.

F

Foerster-Zegras-Bump
Konecny-Dvorak-Martone
Barkey-Cates-Michkov
Glendening-Couturier-Hathaway

D

Sanheim-Ristolainen
York-Drysdale
Seeler-Juulsen

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

No Owen Tippett at morning skate. He has been banged up, so Flyers have been monitoring his workload.

He didn’t practice Sunday but still played in Game 2. https://t.co/FCBvjJDGmG

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 22, 2026

Rick Tocchet praised Cam York for playing “playoff hockey.” Said York took a shot to the ribs, said it was a laser, but York stuck it out. Said York also took a hit to make a play at one point.

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 21, 2026

Wayne Simmonds last July on if he thought Porter Martone was going to fall to the Flyers at No. 6:

"I didn't, personally. For us, we got lucky. We'll take that one, we'll definitely take that one."

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 21, 2026

Rick Tocchet said Dan Vladar would come by the bench when Penguins made push and told his team, “We’re OK.”

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) April 21, 2026

In just under two weeks, the NHL will conduct the 2026 draft lottery. May 5, 2026, will be a significant day in franchise history as the Vancouver Canucks enter the draft lottery with the best odds at landing first overall. With potential franchise-altering players at the top of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Canucks hope that, for the first time, the lottery balls bounce their way and Vancouver leaves the lottery with a victory. 

One of the big questions leading into the draft lottery is whether the Canucks will name their new General Manager before May 5. After firing Patrik Allvin less than a week ago, the Canucks have reportedly already started the search for the next GM. Many names have already been connected to the job, including Ryan Johnson, who is currently one of Vancouver's Assistant GMs.

According to a new report by TSN's Darren Dreger, the Canucks goal is to have a GM in place before the draft lottery. Dreger revealed the potential timeline while making an appearance on Sekeres and Price. In his report, Dreger revealed why Vancouver wants to get this hiring done sooner rather than later. 

"Well, the hope is that they get something done around the draft lottery," said Dreger. "And there's reason behind that. You're talking about a relatively small window of influence and impact here on an organization. Especially one like the Vancouver Canucks, given their position in the draft and all of that. So how good would it be if your new head of hockey operations, or in this case, the General Manager, can participate in all scouting conversations leading up to the draft. And then he can quickly go through that crash course with the amateur scouts and everyone involved in that process with the Canucks. So that he is educated and feels part of very important days of decision making on the draft floor. It's a decentralized draft, so you're not going to have all of your hockey operations crew assembled in Buffalo, but the hope, the expectation, the target is to have that GM in place as early as the draft."

The Canucks enter the draft lottery with an 18.5% chance at first overall. According to the NHL, that equals 185 combinations out of a possible 1,000. The draft lottery broadcast will feature a live drawing and will be available to view on Sportsnet. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (0-2) @ Philadelphia Flyers (2-0) in Game 3 of the best of seven series

When: 7:00 p.m. ET

How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NBC Sports Philadelphia, nationally on TNT and TruTV, streaming on HBO Max

Pens’ Path Ahead: Game 4 won’t be until Saturday (8:00pm start). If necessary, Game 5 would be back in Pittsburgh on Monday 4/27.

Opponent Track: The Flyers are up 2-0 in the series and now back at home for the next two games.

Hidden Stat: The Penguins went 21-12-8 on the road in 2025-26. Their 50 road points were tied for eighth in the NHL, per Pens PR. The Flyers and Penguins both tied for the fewest home wins in the regular season among Eastern Conference playoff teams (20).

Getting to know the Flyers

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Tyson Foerster – Trevor Zegras – Owen Tippett

Travis Konecny – Christian Dvorak – Porter Martone

Denver Barkey – Noah Cates – Matvei Michkov

Luke Glendening – Sean Couturier – Garnet Hathaway

DEFENSEMEN

Travis Sanheim / Rasmus Ristolainen

Cam York / Jamie Drysdale

Nick Seeler / Noah Juulsen

Goalies: Dan Vladar and Samuel Ersson

Potential scratches: Garrett Wilson, Carl Grundstrom, Alex Bump, Emil Andrae

Injured Reserve: Rodrigo Abols (fractured ankle), Nikita Grebenkin (upper body)

• Game 2 was the first shutout of the season for the Flyers, but going back to the Olympic break Philadelphia only allowed 2.38 goals against per game in the regular season (third best in NHL) and now have only given up two goals in the first two games of this series.
• Now at home with the benefit of the last change, expect the Flyers to get lots of matchups for Sidney Crosby against the Couturier and Dvorak lines.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust

Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin

Elmer Soderblom – Ben Kindel – Anthony Mantha

Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Sam Girard / Kris Letang

Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs

Potential Scratches: Ilya Solovyov, Justin Brazeau, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Jack St. Ivany

IR: Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones (season-ending shoulder surgery)

• The Penguins did not have practice yesterday while traveling to the other side of the state, we’ll have to wait for the morning skate today to see any clues about changes in lines or personnel as they look to get off the mat in Game 3.

The big decision

Dan Muse had a great quote after Game 2.

“Tomorrow we’re going to have to make a decision: Are we going to stay with it? Stay with what we want to do and get to our game, which we haven’t gotten to in two games? Or are we going to let frustration boil over into the next one? That’s going to be the choice we, together, all of us, including myself, are going to have to make here in the next 24 hours.”

That’s about what it boils down to. Are the Penguins going to show up and play hard, play smart and show a commitment and dedication to playing a playoff-style of hockey? If they all buy in and actually do the work, then this just might be a series.

Or is it going to go the other way and the team keeps on the same path from the first two games? If so, seven months of work to get to this point will be squandered away in a hurry. By this point there are no secrets – the Flyers are a good team that are committed to shutting the Penguins down, and now they’re growing in confidence since it’s been working. They’ve bought in and have earned it. Pittsburgh either decides to match that in Game 3, or it’s going to be more or less curtains on their season. Pretty simple in that regard.

The Los Angeles Kings expected a hostile environment for their first two games in Colorado at Ball Arena — but this was right out of a horror movie. 

With 16:48 remaining in the second period of a scoreless game, Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood made a sensational save on Kings forward Quinton Byfield on a penalty shot. 

As the fans celebrated, they leaned and pounded on the glass behind the Kings bench in a surge of playoff adrenaline. That’s when the sound of a giant crack could be heard as the glass shattered under too much pressure.

The shards of glass rained down upon interim Kings head coach D.J. Smith, with fragments of glass spilling all over him.

“Whoever the guy (was) just kept pushing and pushing and pushing,” Smith said before heading back to the tunnel to pick glass out of his suit. “I looked back because it hit me a bunch of times, then it broke.”

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton had a front row seat for the glass breaking.

The game was delayed for over 17 minutes while the cleanup crew came out with shovels to pick up shards of glass from the Kings’ bench. 

Sean Payton had a front row seat for the shattered glass behind the Kings bench. https://t.co/nO6160l84Hpic.twitter.com/8zv71G4jO9

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) April 22, 2026

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“I thought the ice crew did a good job and they did their best to fix it as fast as possible. Doesn’t happen every day,” said Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. 

The Avalanche won, 2-1, in overtime on a goal by Nicolas Roy to grab a 2-0 series lead ahead of Game 3 in Los Angeles on Thursday night.

Fans got rowdy during Game 2 of the NHL playoff series between the Los Angeles Kings and the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night, with a celebration causing a full panel of glass to collapse onto Kings interim coach D.J. Smith.

The incident took place as fans erupted in celebration after Quinton Byfield was denied on a penalty shot by the Avalanche goaltender with just under 17 minutes remaining in the second period. Video footage captured the moment the glass began to sway from the excited crowd’s repeated pushing.

Moments later, the panel shattered into pieces, falling directly onto Smith, who was standing behind the Kings’ bench. Smith was immediately covered in shards of glass and quickly made his way to the locker room to get checked out and remove any remaining debris. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured and was able to return to the game.

The Chicago Blackhawks made some tough moves during their rebuild. Some of them made the team worse in the short term, but improved the future. One of those moves was the trade that sent Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Hagel was traded to Tampa during the 2021-22 season. In the 55 games leading up to the trade, Hagel had 21 goals and 16 assists for 37 points. He wasn’t a point-per-game player, but the goal scoring and feistiness in his game were exactly what the Lightning were looking for. 

That spring, the Lightning made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. It was their third straight appearance in the big series, but Hagel’s first. The Colorado Avalanche defeated them and have been working to get back ever since. 

What happened next for Hagel was unexpected by both the Blackhawks and the Lightning. There was always more room for development in his game, but nobody projected him to go from a solid middle-six forward to a star NHL first-liner. 

With the Lightning, Hagel is a point-per-game player who is strong in all three zones, is hard to play against, and will drop the gloves with anyone. At this point, he’s one of the premier “pests” in the NHL.

Team Canada in best-on-best tournaments is the hardest team in the world to make. They selected Hagel for the championship-winning 4-Nations Face-Off team in 2025 and the Silver Medal-winning Olympic team in 2026. 

Hagel had 36 goals and 38 assists for 74 points in 71 games played this season. He missed some time with an injury, but he was an elite player once again when he was healthy. Last season, he had 35 goals and 55 assists for 90 points in 82 games. The level he has proven he can get to would help any team in the league, especially when you combine it with the other attributes that make him a winning player. 

On Tuesday night, Hagel played a key role in the Lightning's Game 2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. After scoring two in Game 1’s loss, he followed it up with his third goal of the playoffs and first assist. 

Hagel also fought former number one overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky during regulation to secure a Gordie Howe hat trick. In what was close to a must-win situation, he showed up as the true playoff performer he is. Everything that the Stanley Cup Playoffs require suits his game well. 

"I never would have expected that, to be honest," Hagel said on the Gordie Howe hat trick. "Obviously, whatever it takes to win. Sometimes it takes fighting, and sometimes it takes scoring goals. I was lucky enough to squeak one by, and Kucherov made a good play. [It's] a good feeling that we won tonight."

Despite Hagel’s success with Tampa making the trade look bad, it was the right move for the Chicago Blackhawks at the time. Would they like to have him back right now? Sure. But they wouldn’t be where they are now if they kept him, and likely, neither would he. 

In exchange for Hagel, the Blackhawks received two roster players and a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. They eventually used that pick to land Oliver Moore. Moore may never be as productive as Hagel, or maybe he will be, but with his age, he fits the Blackhawks timeline a lot more. 

Not having a developing Hagel in 2023 also contributed to the Blackhawks being the third-worst team in the league. That 30th-place finish gave them good odds to win the draft lottery, which they did. Connor Bedard may not be in Chicago if they don’t trade Hagel away. If he makes them an even slightly better team in 2022-23, the results of the lottery may have been much different. 

No matter how you slice it, the Blackhawks were not going to execute a proper rebuild if they stood pat. Sustained success is ahead of them now, but they needed to get rid of some good players to get to this point. 

Hagel wasn’t the only great player let go by Chicago. Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, and even Patrick Kane ended up on other teams despite being productive Blackhawks.

Hagel’s playoff brilliance on Tuesday night has him at the front of everyone’s mind, and the Blackhawks traded an elite player away, but it had to be done. 

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

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Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

Sunny is here:

“Sunny Mehta has a few tasks at hand as the New Jersey Devils’ new general manager. Among those tasks are clarifying Nico Hischier’s situation and deciding on Sheldon Keefe’s future, but that’s not all. Devils on the Rush is a reader-supported publication. Navigating ways around all the no-trade and no-move protection he inherited from former general manager Tom Fitzgerald will be key to a successful offseason. It’s specifically a problem on defense, where nearly the entire blue line has some type of no-trade/no-move protection. And it could hamper what Mehta wants to do to retool the roster this offseason.” [Devils on the Rush]

“Sunny Mehta took the Stanley Cup to his home state of New Jersey each of the past two years after winning it as assistant general manager of the Florida Panthers. Now, he’s hoping to do the same with his childhood team after being hired by the New Jersey Devils as GM on April 16.” [NHL.com]

“Mehta’s hockey brain made him a candidate for multiple vacancies around the NHL. The 48-year-old could have probably gotten more money from the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were also looking for an analytical GM. He chose the Devils and, underneath a screen showing him hoisting the Cup, called it without exaggeration his dream job. He called being from New Jersey a part of his identity and, for good measure, even dropped a Taylor Ham reference to show which half of the state he came from. ‘This is where I’ve always wanted to be,’ Mehta said. ‘This is where I want to be.’” [Associated Press]

Could Jacob Markstrom be bought out this offseason? “Despite the deal kicking in when Markstrom is age 36, his extension only has signing bonuses in Year 1 and the total compensation does not vary year-to-year, meaning it is not considered a ‘35+’ deal. The complication is that Markstrom cannot be bought out during the first buy-out window because his extension has not started until July 1, meaning he can only be bought out in the second window.” [Puckpedia]

Hockey Links

“The NHL is officially moving past the billion-dollar mark as commissioner Gary Bettman signals a massive surge in franchise valuations and future expansion fees.” [The Hockey News]

On the effort to get NHL hockey established in Seattle as winning has been a struggle and the NBA comes to town: [The Athletic ($)]

Still no Victor Hedman for the Lightning:

Defenceman Victor Hedman is taking part in Tampa Bay’s optional skate this morning ahead of Game 2 against the Montreal Canadiens but HC Jon Cooper says Hedman returning is on “the doubtful side for this series. pic.twitter.com/kRr8yhFs8v

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 21, 2026

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

The Montreal Canadiens lost Game 2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in overtime, but at the end of the day, Martin St-Louis’ men beat themselves on the night. They played a great game for 52 minutes, but after that, they made too many mistakes, and the Bolts made them pay.

We’ve often heard St-Louis say that good teams will make you pay cash for your mistakes, and Tampa Bay is a good team. If you turn the puck over high in your zone just by the blueline like Juraj Slafkovsky did on Tuesday, giving them a prime opportunity, they will feast on it.

Canadiens Drop The Game In Overtime, Go Back To Montreal Tied 1-1
Canadiens' Nick Suzuki Predicted To Win Top Award
Canadiens And Anderson Earn Big Praise From Tkachuk

If you’re too tired to take two or three more strides at the end of a shift before clearing the puck, they will make you pay. If you stop playing because you feel there should have been a call, they will make you pay. That’s what Tuesday night’s game came down to in the end.

THIS SERIES IS TIED ⚡️

J.J. Moser wins Game 2 for the Lightning with the Subway Canada OT winner! pic.twitter.com/3AV8HF4Pa6

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 22, 2026

That, and the fact that when Jon Cooper elected to send Scott Sabourin on the ice with two minutes left in the game, and he took an unnecessary but predictable penalty, the Canadiens couldn’t make them pay. They came close, they hit the post, but that was their opportunity to win, and they missed it. Something they weren’t able to bounce back from.

Montreal goes back home with a 1-1 split, which is a good result in the grand scheme of things, but they’ll have to get over the disappointment that they came oh so close to going home with a 2-0 lead. That will be made easier if the coach puts his money where his mouth is and makes at least one lineup change, scratching Kirby Dach.

The Albertan has a good pedigree; he was a third-overall pick, but he hasn’t lived up to it despite multiple opportunities. Time and time again, he was given opportunities to play in the top six, and he didn’t live up to expectations. Still, St-Louis decided to put him in the lineup for the playoffs, on a third line alongside Zachary Bolduc and Oliver Kapanen. Two games in, he’s been pretty much invisible except in the dying minutes of Tuesday night’s game when his two mistakes sealed the Canadiens’ fate.

St-Louis often says hockey is a game of mistakes, and you have to cut down on them to be successful. You must worry about the details and play the right way. With the game tied at 2-2, not icing the puck is not a detail; it’s more important than that. With tired players at the end of a shift, it’s vital.

Granted, it’s a shame for Dach, but he hasn’t been able to take flight, and he’s run out of runway. It’s time to ground him, especially with good options waiting in the wings. Veteran Brendan Gallagher must be foaming at the mouth at the thought of playing his first game in the series. The same goes for Joe Veleno. Neither is as talented as Dach, but both play a more committed, determined game and will be visible for the right reasons.

Veleno didn’t use to be the kind of player who goes out on the ice and forechecks hard, but he understood in less than a season that if he wanted to play for the Canadiens, that’s what he would have to do. Something Dach hasn’t been able to understand in four seasons. He’s also younger and has more energy than Gallagher, but the veteran has a lot of playoff experience and bleeds red, white, and blue. Whoever the coach picks doesn’t matter, as long as he picks one and shows Dach that what he did was unacceptable.

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Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ recent playoff struggles at home continued with back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Flyers in Games 1 and 2. Pittsburgh’s home-ice playoff struggles run deeper than this series against their cross-state rival, however. Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017, Pittsburgh has managed just five home playoff wins over nine seasons and now must earn at least a split in Philadelphia to keep the series alive. [PensBurgh]

The Penguins now enter Philadelphia for the next two games, but coach Dan Muse said the team remains confident and focused on correcting mistakes rather than panicking. [Penguins]

Pittsburgh coaches are rightfully considering lineup and power-play changes ahead of Game 3. The questions now become whether it’s too late to make changes or if the changes will even work against a team that has outright stymied Pittsburgh. [Trib Live]

News and notes from around the NHL…

The Vancouver Canucks have received permission to interview former Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams for their vacant GM position as they continue searching for a replacement after dismissing Patrik Allvin. [Sportsnet]

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said star defenseman Victor Hedman is unlikely to play in his team’s first-round NHL playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens. [Sportsnet]

Former NHL star Ilya Kovalchuk has been named president of KHL club Shanghai Dragons, marking a new front-office role for the retired winger. [TSN]