Five years ago, in May, a rookie Ilya Sorokin broke out nationally for the New York Islanders in their first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Sorokin went 4-0 in the series, with just sparkling numbers. He posted a goals against average of 1.95 and a save percentage of .943, leading the Islanders into the second round.
Sorokin's magnum opus came in Game 5, when the Penguins had the home crowd in PPG Paints Arena rocking. The Penguins totally blitzed the Islanders.
The second period saw the Penguins rifle 20 shots on goal, yet they only came up with one tally, which kept the score at 2-1 and well within reach for the Islanders.
The onslaught didn't stop early in the third. The Penguins pushed hard for an insurance tally, but Sorokin kept everything out.
The shots read 37-14 with 11:30 to play in the third. Sorokin was all but perfect.
Then, Jean-Gabriel Pageau threw a big hit and knocked the puck to Leo Komarov. Komarov found Jordan Eberle all alone in front, and he outwaited Tristan Jarry, tying the game.
The Islanders and Sorokin never looked back. Sorokin made more herculean-like saves in overtime, all leading to Josh Bailey's famous 2OT winner.
Enjoy the highlights from Game 5, almost entirely a Sorokin highlight reel:
Five years ago today, May 26, the New York Islanders polished off their first-round upset of the-then division champion Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
Nassau Coliseum shook as hard as it did in the glory days of the 1980s as the Islanders marched on.
Rookie sensation goaltender Ilya Sorokin led the way, dominating the Penguins in Games 1, 4, and 5 before a shaky start to Game 6 saved by his team picking him up.
Brock Nelson, Josh Bailey, and Anthony Beauvillier torched the Penguins in the series and especially in Game 6.
Nelson scored twice in the second period, while assisting on Beauvillier's first period tally. Josh Bailey notched two assists, including a jaw-dropping slap-pass assist to Nelson.
The Islanders trailed three separate times in Game 6, but never once backed down.
Ryan Pulock scored the game and series-winning goal in the second period.
Sorokin went 4-0 in the series, including making 48 saves in Game 5 in Pittsburgh to give the Islanders a chance to close out the Penguins in Nassau Coliseum.
Before the season, did anyone have John Tortorella and Carter Hart teaming up in Vegas and leading the Golden Knights to a Western Conference Final sweep?
You wouldn’t have found any odds on that. Tortorella didn’t have a coaching job in October and Hart wasn’t eligible to play yet. But the former Flyers head coach and former Flyers goaltender are headed to the Stanley Cup Final after Vegas finished off the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche on Tuesday night.
The Golden Knights completed a stunning sweep with a 2-1 win at T-Mobile Arena. Hart had 20 saves and nearly delivered his first playoff shutout since 2020, when he was with the Flyers in the bubble.
The Golden Knights will face the winner of the Eastern Conference Final matchup between the Hurricanes and Canadiens. After sweeping the Flyers in the second round, Carolina has a 2-1 series lead on Montreal.
Evgeni Malkin is back for another year in the Steel City.
The beloved Penguins star signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract on Tuesday, marking his return for his 21st NHL season, and one that will likely be his last.
Malkin will turn 40 later this summer and has spent his entire NHL career in a Penguins jersey.
In a video posted by the team, Malkin expressed his excitement to remain in Pittsburgh for another year, calling Tuesday the “best day of my life!”
“Best city. Best fans. I stay one more year,” he said earlier in the video.
The new deal includes a possibility for Malkin to earn $3.5 million in performance bonuses, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and also includes a no-movement clause.
Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins handles the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period in Game 6 of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 29, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Getty Images
The Penguins can seek a three-team approved trade list from Malkin for possible trades Feb. 1 and beyond, the outlet also reported.
“Over the last several weeks, myself and Dan Muse have had very open discussions with Evgeni and his camp about him returning for the 2026-27 season, how his role will evolve and what all of our expectations are at this stage of Evgeni’s career and the current stage in the evolution of the Penguins,” president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas said in a statement. “The result of that process is Evgeni returning to the Penguins for his 21st season with the club.”
Malkin never wanted to leave Pittsburgh, though the team remained noncommittal publicly about the idea of keeping him for another season until recently.
The Russian star told reporters after the Penguins lost to the Flyers in Game 6 of the opening round of the playoffs that he understood if the Pens wanted to change course.
“It’s not easy for Kyle, maybe he wants new blood here,” Malkin said, per the Associated Press. “I understand business. I understand he wants maybe new team, see new faces here.”
Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his first period goal against Dan Vladar #80 of the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 3 of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Getty Images
Malkin has certainly had a Hall of Fame career with the Penguins, winning three Stanley Cups with the franchise in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
He sits second in all-time games played with 1,269 games, third in goals with 533 and second in game-winning goals with 89.
Only Sidney Crosby has played more seasons with the Penguins.
Malkin was drafted second overall in the 2004 NHL Draft behind Capitals star Alex Ovechkin and made his NHL debut on Oct. 18, 2006.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 24: Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche skates with the puck ahead of Pavel Dorofeyev #16 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the first period of Game Three of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on May 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Avalanche 5-3. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If the Colorado Avalanche season were a boat at sea, the vessel would be taking on water with the feeling of impending doom as the choppy waters of a series sweep loom over the horizon. A journey that started in the waters of Los Angeles could come to a sinking halt in the desert of Las Vegas, as the Golden Knights have a 3-0 series lead with a chance to advance to the cup final tonight.
Colorado seems battered and bruised from the quest, as Cale Makar is clearly not healthy, and Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin were hobbled in game three.
The team from the Mile High City also appears morally drained after blowing their first third-period lead to lose game two and a 3-0 first-period lead in game three. In fact, in game three, Colorado failed to register a shot in the last 12+ minutes of the final frame despite getting a power play at one point.
Vegas has been sippin’ pina coladas like a prize fighter as their (hard-earned) luxury yacht rolls into port for another night of dominance. The Avalanche have had zero answers to what Las Vegas has brought to the table, and so for the Golden Knights, the focus will be more of the same.
Will the Avalanche end the suffering and go quietly, or will they put up a fight?
Colorado Avalanche: 8-4
The Opponent: Vegas Golden Knights (11-4)
Time: 6:00 p.m. MT
Watch: ESPN+, ESPN
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
What can I really say about where the Avalanche stand today ahead of game four? A lot.
For starters, it feels like Nathan MacKinnon either got some incredible treatment over the last 36 hours or he will, at a minimum, be hobbled this evening after he took a puck to the outside of his right knee in game three. The impact was substantial enough to bench MacKinnon for most of the third period outside of one pointless power play appearance.
I don’t say pointless because MacKinnon shouldn’t be out on the power play, but he was clearly unable to make any explosive movements and was basically ineffective.
This leads me to an adjustment I hope to see from Bednar. I don’t think riding your clearly wounded top guys into the ground is going to do anything but accelerate losing.
The approach we saw in game three just came off desperate as the top group waved off a timeout just to inevitably be too gassed to stave off an open net attempt.
Moreover, it explains why the end of game three was so lifeless.
Only one team in NHL history has come back from down 3-0 beyond the quarterfinals, and that was the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs.
Saying things have changed since then is incredibly reductive, but back then, Leafs head coach Hap Day chose to bench the team’s leading scorer and a veteran defender to make his lineup younger, faster, and better equipped to play 60 minutes of playoff hockey.
Here are three keys to victory for the Colorado Avalanche:
Effort every second of every shift.
A commitment to sacrifice and teamwork
Patience and pride.
It’s desperation time for the Avalanche (although I’d argue it has been for at least two games), and they will have to lean into that to avoid the sweep. That means controlling what they can control, and that starts with effort.
Speaking of effort, you clearly aren’t going to skill it up to a victory against this Vegas team, so to win, Colorado will have to buy into sacrificing offense for defense, grinding in the corners and below the goal-line, and crashing the net.
The approach that’s required right now isn’t a pretty one. It’s not gonna land anyone on ESPN’s top ten or make an end-of-year highlight reel. The Avalanche will have to trust themselves, prepare for battle, and play for the logo on the front of their jerseys.
Note: I have italicized the individuals who are a bit questionable tonight. We haven’t gotten the real word on either Nichushkin or MacKinnon’s status, and Cale has dealt with stuff all postseason.
Nothing has been reported, but it feels like the right time to give MacKenzie Blackwood a chance in game four.
Vegas Golden Knights
When John Tortorella took the reins in Vegas, he talked a lot about just getting out of the way with this Vegas group, which has an established cup-winning core and a cupboard full of talent. It’s apparently exactly what was needed to right the ship in Vegas.
Good goaltending has also helped, as Carter Hart is on a Jordan Binnington-like run here in the 2026 playoffs. His success has been largely instrumental in Vegas’ commitment to the counterstrike approach, as he’s backstopped the group well when Colorado has earned the seldom-seen high-danger look.
Vegas is in comfortable territory right now, but won’t just take the foot off the gas this close to getting back to a cup final.
Here are three keys to victory for the Golden Knights:
Stick to the plan.
Play to win.
Ride momentum.
Vegas’ approach is undefeated against the team that many (along with Carolina) viewed as a shoo-in for the Cup Final. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
With this sort of series lead, it’s human nature to let up a little bit, seeing as only four teams have ever come back from being down 3-0 in the NHL’s 109 seasons. That gives the Avalanche ~ a 3.7% chance of realizing a reverse sweep.
That’s the sort of unlikelyhood that can seep into the little habits, but as we know in Colorado, habits are fleeting and must be nurtured even when the going is good. Or else.
The Golden Knights have done very well at getting and keeping momentum when it matters most. The first goal hasn’t mattered as much as the last goal in this series because Vegas doesn’t come out of their game when behind.
The Los Angeles Kings are still enduring the long process of searching for their 29th Head Coach in franchise history. As time goes on we hear more rumors and speculation about who they may end up hiring.
There are certainly plenty of solid options in this year's coaching carousel, including Bruce Cassidy, Manny Malhotra, Craig Berube, among others.
Now, according to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, the Kings are one of a handful of teams to have had talks with a coach who has seen a large amount of success, including a Stanley Cup Championship.
Now entering the mix is Peter Laviolette, a longtime NHL Head Coach who has been behind the bench for over 1,700 combined regular season and Stanley Cup playoff games.
Per Pierre, the Kings have spoken with Peter Laviolette in their interview process.
Also notes that LAK remains interested in talking with Bruce Cassidy should that opportunity arise. https://t.co/EhAj6JvgdN
In his regular season career, Laviolette has won 846 of his 1,594 games, giving him a respectable .589 winning percentage. The now 61-year-old has also had success when it matters, in the postseason.
Laviolette has coached three different franchise to a Stanley Cup Finals appearance, and won one with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. He fell just short with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 and with the Nashville Predators in 2017, running into dynasties in both instances.
Laviolette is more than qualified to be the next head coach of the Kings, however both he and the LA front office will have to do their due diligence to see if he is the correct fit moving forward.
The Kings aren't just focused on Laviolette. They have also reportedly expressed interest in Manny Malhotra, and while unlikely, interim coach DJ Smith has also been included in the process. Bruce Cassidy is perhaps the biggest name and the Kings have interest in talking with him, but have not yet had the opportunity to do so.
Finding a coach to begin the era of no Anze Kopitar in a Kings sweater is an important process and must be correctly, but it's also a task that shouldn't take up the entire offseason as the NHL Draft and free agency are quickly approaching.
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The idea of the Montreal Canadiens signing forward Evgeni Malkin this summer can officially be forgotten.
This is because the Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have signed Malkin to a one-year, $5.5 million contract extension.
Malkin was the best pending unrestricted free agent center who could have hit the market on July 1. Due to this, some wondered if the Canadiens could consider making a push for him if he tested the market this summer. Yet, with this news, Malkin will be staying put with the Penguins and playing his 21st season in Pittsburgh.
Malkin would have had the potential to be a nice addition to the Canadiens' forward group. The veteran forward showed this season that he can still produce like a star, as he posted 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games with the Penguins. With numbers like these, he could have been a good pickup for Montreal's top six.
Yet, at the same time, the Canadiens bringing in Malkin would have come with some real risk. Malkin will be turning 40 in July and has a long history of injury trouble. Due to this, if the Canadiens should have far better options to consider on the trade market if they want to add a top-six center during the off-season.
Apr 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) skates up ice with the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
PITTSBURGH — Evgeni Malkin is going to get a chance to finish what he started in Pittsburgh.
The Penguins re-signed the franchise icon to a one-year deal worth $5.5 million on Tuesday, answering perhaps the club's biggest offseason question before the offseason truly starts.
Malkin, who turns 40 in August, was set to become a free agent on July 1. The Russian had maintained for the past year-plus that he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh rather than hit the open market for the first time in his career. General manager Kyle Dubas spent months declining to offer any specifics on the prospect of keeping Malkin around.
“It’s not easy for Kyle, maybe he wants new blood here,” Malkin said shortly after the Penguins' bounce-back season ended with a Game 6 loss to rival Philadelphia in the opening round of the playoffs. “I understand business. I understand he wants maybe new team, see new faces here.”
Dubas didn't tip his hand until recently, saying on May 12 that the Penguins would “love” to have Malkin back for a 21st and perhaps final season of a career that will almost certainly end with him entering the Hall of Fame.
While he missed 20 games because of an injury and another five to a late-season suspension for an illegal hit, Malkin finished with 19 goals and 42 assists in 56 games to help Pittsburgh return to the playoffs after a three-year absence.
And while Dubas has given the roster a significant overhaul and a needed influx of young talent since taking over in the summer of 2023, that talent is not ready to supplant Malkin on Pittsburgh's second line.
"I don’t think he’s blocking anybody,” Dubas said earlier this month.
The signing means Malkin, and longtime running mates Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang are all under contract for next season. The trio has played 20 seasons together, the longest run by any three teammates in major North American professional sports history.
Malkin, the second overall pick in the 2004 draft, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and the 2012 Hart Trophy winner as the NHL's Most Valuable Player, acknowledged he was open to playing elsewhere next season.
It never came to that.
While Malkin will take a bit of a pay cut from the $6.1 million he made on the deal that expires on June 30, when healthy and engaged, he remains a dangerous offensive player. His strong start last fall helped fuel Pittsburgh's return to contention under first-year head coach Dan Muse, and his 1.09 points per game tied Crosby for tops on the team.
Malkin's 1,407 career points are second all time among Russian-born players, trailing only NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin. While Ovechkin's future remains up in the air, Malkin's now is not.
After blowing a three-goal lead, the Colorado Avalanche are on the verge of being swept by the Vegas Golden Knights.
We saw eight players score in Vegas' 5-3 win on Sunday — including Mark Stone — and my Avalanche vs. Golden Knights goal scorer predictions expect him to strike again tonight.
Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner can control the puck and find Stone for easy tap-ins, while his elite positioning also creates chances for him to knock in loose pucks off saves.
The Golden Knights' man advantage has scored in two of three games in the series, and the veteran's heavy involvement on PP1 has me betting this at +280 with confidence. Anything down to +250 is a go for me.
Landeskog scored his second goal of the series on six shots in Game 3, and the Avs dominated while he was on the ice. In 24:04 of ice time, Colorado outshot Vegas 17-4 and had 21 scoring chances for compared to eight against.
The captain also sported a 66.67% Corsi For percentage (CF%), including 58.62% at 5-on-5.
His strong play at even strength is important to highlight, as the Avalanche have been downright ass on the man advantage. Landeskog is tilting the ice whenever he plays, and I would play this down to +200.
Goal scorer pick: Brett Howden (+305)
This is purely a price play for me. Brett Howden scored his 10th goal of the postseason in Game 3 — albeit an empty netter — but I still think +305 is a misprice we can take advantage of.
Brett Howden pairs nicely on the second line with William Karlsson and Mitch Marner, with the trio sporting a 53.33% CF% in 9:49 of 5-on-5 in Game 3.
Howden played just over 12 minutes at 5-on-5 in his last outing, and the Golden Knights had four high-danger chances while giving up zero.
His elite 60% face-off percentage has the Knights relying on him defensively just as much as they do offensively, which puts him in situations like penalty kills — and the final minutes of the game with an empty net just begging to be scored on.
Howden doesn't shoot often, but his 37% shooting percentage in the playoffs proves that even when the volume is low, his efficiency is there. I would play this down to +275.
Avalanche vs Golden Knights anytime goal parlay
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With NHL free agency about one month away, the rumors are already swirling on what kind of blockbuster trades we can expect to happen this offseason.
According to Pierre LeBrun, writer and sportscaster for the Sports Network, reported that the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, and Montreal Canadiens are among several teams that will be interested in Nico Hischier if he becomes available in this summer’s trade market.
The Kings, Wild, and Canadiens would be among the clubs that will be interested if Hischier becomes available in this summer’s trade market.
However, Pierre LeBrun believes an extension is the more likely outcome, though the discussions are at “an early and delicate stage”.
While Lebrun reported that an extension remains as the most likely outcome for Hischier to remain with the New Jersey Devils, there is still a possibility that he will hit the trade market, which would create one of the biggest offseason storylines if he gets moved.
For years now, the Los Angeles Kings have searched for a solution down the middle to solve their center position. With Anze Kopitar retiring, there are still question marks about who will take the mantle and become the next captain of the Kings organization.
NEW for @TheAthletic, Nico Hischier’s future, NHL coaching carousel, Bo Byram, Claude Giroux and more in Rumblings ! ⤵️https://t.co/XpnXRoxdHU
Hischier in a Kings uniform will instantly change that conversation. The 27-year-old Devils captain has quickly developed into one of the best two-way centers in the NHL. Known for his leadership and offensive consistency, Hischier represents the exact type of player the Kings have been searching for in line with their organizational identity.
The Swiss hockey star finished this season with 28 goals, 38 assists, and 66 points playing all 82 games. Hischier has consistently stayed healthy every season, averaging 70 games played over the last five seasons, but it hasn't translated into wins.
In nine seasons, Hischier has qualified for the playoffs just three times and won only one playoff series, in the 2022-23 season. The Devils, as a franchise, have struggled to stay consistent throughout Hischier's tenure with the team, currently sitting as just an average or good team, despite being loaded with top-tier offensive talent.
When healthy, players like Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Timo Meier form one of the most dangerous and skilled offensive cores in the NHL.
But outside of their top lines, the team's depth and bottom-six forwards have frequently struggled to consistently generate offense or control play.
If Hischier wants a change of scenario, instead of constantly running it back with the same team and roster and remaining average at best, the Kings should put all the chips on the table for a potential trade this summer.
Now, there is no rumored package or deal that LA can offer New Jersey to acquire Hischier, but it will likely include some of their young talent and multiple draft picks that New Jersey can use to build for their future.
Hischier signed a seven-year contract with the New Jersey Devils, carrying an average annual value of $7,250,000 million in the 2020-21 season and will expire at the end of the 2026-27 season, which will have him as an unrestricted free agent.
If no trade or contract extension happens, LA can wait until the summer of 2027 to pursue him as a free agent, but the risk is that Hischer may be interested in signing with the Kings or taking his talents elsewhere, where he feels he has a better chance of winning.
No matter what happens with Hischier this offseason, if he becomes available for a trade, the Kings have no choice but to pull the trigger and make a serious call to go all out for the star center.
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K’Andre Miller has seemed to tap into his potential with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Selected by the New York Rangers in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft, the potential was always there.
Given his 6-foot-5 frame and impressive skating abilities on top of his defensive skill set, the Rangers hoped Miller could blossom into a sure-fire top-four defenseman.
Despite showing flashes of what he was capable of as a defenseman and once being considered to be a cornerstone on the blueline for the Rangers, Miller’s inconsistent play over his five seasons in New York scared the front office away from giving him a long-term commitment.
When Miller was set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025, the Rangers opted to send Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes in a sign-and-trade deal that included a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 or 2027 NHL Draft, and Scott Morrow.
The Hurricanes went ahead and signed Miller to an eight-year, $60 million contract, which was deemed to be a risky move at the time, given some of his inconsistencies and flaws that held him back with the Blueshirts.
However, Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky and head coach Rod Brind'Amour had a vision for how they planned to utilize Miller in their system, and credit to them, that vision came to fruition.
The 26-year-old defenseman stepped into a top-four defensive role for the Hurricanes this season while playing valuable minutes on both the power play and penalty kill, showing how well-rounded his game truly is if properly utilized.
Averaging a career-high 22:14 minutes per game, Miller has certainly wiped away some concerns about his leaky defensive game with the Rangers, proving his capabilities to mold into a shutdown defenseman.
“He’s been great from Day 1,” Brind’Amour said via The Athletic. “Seemed to just fit in seamlessly. I mean, he has the physical attributes. He’s a great athlete. That’s what you see in those plays. That’s just athletic ability. There’s no scheme or anything. … He’s got reach and he can skate, and that’s what we’ve seen all year.”
Through the Hurricanes’ playoff run thus far, Miller leads all defensemen on the team with seven points, while his 24:02 minutes per game are the most amongst all Carolina players.
“He’s an explosive skater,” Tulsky said. “We ask our defensemen to really gap up and close out, and that ability to get a strong first push and get into a guy faster than he expects, coupled with the reach that he has and his ability to recover with his stick when he gets a little bit caught, it makes him very effective in the way we ask our defensemen to play.”
The Colorado Avalanche looked like a team hanging by a thread after Game 3, but the return of Nathan MacKinnon for Game 4 suddenly gives Colorado a pulse again.
Head coach Jared Bednar confirmed Tuesday morning that MacKinnon will suit up despite suffering a frightening knee injury during Saturday night’s 5-3 collapse against the Vegas Golden Knights. Multiple sources also informed The Hockey News on Monday evening that MacKinnon’s X-rays came back completely clear, an encouraging development for an Avalanche team facing elimination.
Colorado still has uncertainty elsewhere in the lineup, however, as Valeri Nichushkin remains a game-time decision after exiting Game 3 late.
“I think we’ll be able to use him (normally),” Bednar told reporters. “He’s feeling a lot better today. We’ll see when he gets on the ice tonight and what the game brings, but he’s feeling pretty good today and feels like he’ll be ready to go.”
MacKinnon Avoids Disaster As Avalanche Search For Life
The injury sequence involving MacKinnon immediately sent panic through bench and fan base.
Midway through the second period of Game 3, the Avalanche superstar dropped to the ice in agony after blocking a shot from Shea Theodore off the outside of his right knee. MacKinnon stayed down for several seconds before finally managing to limp off under his own power while Ball Arena fell silent.
For a brief stretch, it looked like Colorado’s season — and perhaps its summer — had taken an even darker turn.
MacKinnon missed the remainder of the second period and the opening portion of the third while receiving treatment. Although he eventually returned, his usage was noticeably limited. Most of his late-game ice time came during power plays or with the net empty as Colorado desperately tried to erase another devastating loss.
The Avalanche have already been battered physically throughout this playoff run. Cale Makar missed the opening two games of the Western Conference Final with an upper-body injury, while both Sam Malinski and Artturi Lehkonen entered the Vegas series still working their way back from injuries suffered against the Minnesota Wild.
Nichushkin’s situation only added to the concern. The power forward barely saw the ice after the midway point of Game 3 and did not play during the final 22 minutes of regulation.
Now, facing a 3-0 series deficit, Colorado is searching for anything capable of shifting momentum.
Avalanche Turn To Blackwood In Critical Game 4
Bednar is also making a significant change in goal.
Mackenzie Blackwood will start Game 4 in place of Scott Wedgewood, marking Blackwood’s first start since the opening round against the Wild. Wedgewood had largely taken control of the crease late in the regular season and carried that momentum into the playoffs, including an outstanding performance during Colorado’s sweep of the Los Angeles Kings.
But with the Avalanche now staring down elimination, Bednar believes a different look could help reset the group mentally.
“I think Mackenzie’s the type of guy and goalie that plays better when he’s loose and confident and he’s been doing the work to make sure that he’s ready and prepared,” Bednar said. “It’s not a desperation move. It’s just … you’ve got to make a change and see if something else works for me. We felt confident in both these guys all year long. I felt like (Wedgewood) kind of earned the net in (Games) 1 and 2 and we gave him the shot in (Game) 3 and we didn’t get it done. It’s not on him, either. It’s on our team.
“We’re just looking for (Blackwood) to come in and play to the best of his ability and be loose and have fun. The whole team’s kind of in that mode right now, and I think if you can do that, you might see the best of him.”
That mindset may be Colorado’s only option left.
The Avalanche are wounded, frustrated, and suddenly out of room for mistakes — but with MacKinnon cleared to play and Blackwood stepping into the spotlight, they at least have one more chance to stop this series from slipping away completely.
Former St. Louis Blues third-round pick Leo Loof will leave the organization and return to Finland to play for Ilves, the team announced on Tuesday.
Loof's contract has expired, and he was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1.
Prior to signing his entry-level contract with the Blues, Loof played for Ilves, where he scored eight goals and 26 points in 103 games as a defenseman across two seasons.
Upon signing with the Blues, Loof was sent to play in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds. In three seasons, the 24-year-old scored two goals and 30 points in 168 games.
This past season, Loof played in 47 regular-season games but did not dress for any of the 12 post-season games.
Standing 6-foot-1, Loof exits the organization with no NHL experience and ultimately, in disappointing fashion. While Loof was never known for his offensive game, that facet never improved, and his defense was never as stout as it needed to be to earn a shutdown role.
Drafted in the third round (88th overall) in the 2020 NHL draft, Loof will now join an Ilves team that finished in fourth place in the Liiga season. Ilves lost to Tappara, the eventual Liiga winners, in the semifinals before losing to SaiPa in a one-game third-place game.
In addition to adding Loof, Ilves has also signed goaltender Christoffer Rifalk, defenseman Tony Sund, and forwards Aleks Haatanen, Topias Hynninen, Jan-Mikael Järvinen, Benjamin Korhonen, and Jaakko Lantta.
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The Colorado Avalanche will have star Nathan MacKinnon in the lineup on Tuesday, May 26, as they try to stave off elimination against the Vegas Golden Knights.
MacKinnon was injured while blocking a shot in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals and was limited for the remainder of the game, a 5-3 loss in which the Avalanche blew a 3-0 lead.
Coach Jared Bednar told reporters on Tuesday that MacKinnon would play. However, he indicated forward Valeri Nichushkin is a game-time decision. "We'll see," he said.
Bednar is also making a goalie change, announcing Mackenzie Blackwood as the starter. Scott Wedgewood had started the first three games of the series.
"If he's loose and confident and playing his game, I think he has the ability to not only win us games, but steal us games," Bednar said of Blackwood.
The Golden Knights lead the best-of-seven series 3-0 and can clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Final with a victory.
The Islanders signed forward Liam Foudy to a one-year, two-way contract extension, the team announced Tuesday.
Foudy, who has spent almost all of his time under contract with the Isles in the AHL, appeared in just one NHL game last season, the final contest of the 2025-26 campaign against the Hurricanes on April 14.
New York Islanders Liam Foudy runs a drill during practice at the Northwell Health Ice Center, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in East Meadow, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“I’ve watched Foudy since junior. His speed is always the first thing that pops. And everybody’s looking for speed,” head coach Pete DeBoer said when the team called Foudy up.
“Again, there’s late bloomers all the time. There’s always guys that get it a little bit later than others. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re gonna hit on all those guys. And it might be one out of 10. If you can get that one out of 10 guy that is that late bloomer, that took a little bit longer, that becomes a really effective NHL player, a lot of teams have them, that’s a big bonus for an organization. I think it’s important to keep those guys on your radar.”
Having played for three different NHL organizations in his career, Foudy has collected 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) through 105 games.
He’s played 230 contests across two AHL campaigns with Bridgeport, posting 46 goals and 46 assists.
New York Islanders Liam Foudy moves the puck down ice as Simon Edvinsson #77 of the Detroit Red Wings gives chase during the first period at UBS Arena, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Elmont, NY.
Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The 26-year-old set an AHL career high in power-play goals this past season with five, while also recording six game-winners.
His 47 points were also ranked second on Bridgeport, behind only Adam Beckman (51 points).
Mark Stone
Gabriel Landeskog
