The many Avalanche fans who waved their rally towels during warmups chanted "Landy, Landy, Landy" while the 32-year-old prepared for his first game since June 26, 2022, 1,032 days ago.
The "Landy" chants returned when Landeskog hit the ice before the American national anthem. When the P.A. announcer revealed Landeskog was in the starting lineup, the crowd roared and chanted his name again.
That shows just part of the significance of the Avalanche's captain returning to the NHL.
He had a right knee injury that involved multiple surgeries, including a cartilage transplant surgery in May 2023. He had multiple setbacks in his recovery.
"I found myself thinking about this moment a lot over the last three years, and now that it's here, it's reversed," Landeskog told Altitude Sports' Kyle Keefe before the game. "I'm thinking a lot about kind of the hard work that's gone into it. Some of the ups, a lot of the downs, the sacrifices and support I've had along the way. Thankful for everybody and all their support."
"He had every right to pull the plug at any time he wanted to but wanted to see it through," Avalanche teammate Erik Johnson told NHL.com.
Added defenseman Cale Makar: "It's going to be really exciting to have him back in the room, and have the Captain back doing his thing."
Landeskog spoke about how he felt leading up to game time.
"I feel surprisingly calm and in control right now," he said. "I know the butterflies and the nerves will come, I'm sure. But, excited."
His second shift lasted 18 seconds, but his third shift lasted 1:06. The Avalanche will now try to win their second game of the series in front of the Avs and Landeskog faithful.
The Pittsburgh Penguins just wrapped up their 57th season, missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season. Despite their lack of recent successes, the franchise has played in the playoffs 37 times and won five championships.
Our newest series will take a look back at how the Penguins performed on specific days leading up to the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.
Today, April 23, Pittsburgh has compiled a 6-6 record in 12 games on this date.
1970: Win vs. St. Louis Blues (3-2)
1989: Loss vs. Philadelphia Flyers (4-1)
1991: Win vs. Washington Capitals (3-1)
1992: Win vs. Washington Capitals (6-4)
1994: Loss vs. Washington Capitals (4-1)
1997: Win vs. Philadelphia Flyers (4-1)
1998: Loss vs. Montreal Canadiens (3-2 OT)
2001: Win vs. Washington Capitals (4-3)
2009: Loss vs. Philadelphia Flyers (3-0)
2014: Loss vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (4-3 OT)
2016: Win vs. New York Rangers (6-3)
Notable Penguins Performances On This Day
April 23, 1991 - Hall of Famer Mark Recchi factored in all three Pittsburgh goals, scoring a game-tying goal in the first, and set up both goals in the third period for a 3-1 win.
April 23, 1992 - Franchise icon Mario Lemieux had six points, thanks to three goals and three assists in a 6-4 win over the Capitals.
April 23, 1997 - Ian Moran collected his only career multi-point playoff game with a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win over the Flyers.
April 23, 2016 - Bryan Rust recorded his first two-goal playoff game, adding an assist for three points in a 6-3 win over the Rangers. That night was only his fourth career playoff game.
Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.
After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines, provide updates on the rest of the night's NHL slate and read your opinions.
On tonight's show, Emma Lingan and Andrew McInnis react to the Washington Capitals beating the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 to take a 2-0 first-round series lead. They also take a look around the NHL, including the return of Gabriel Landeskog to the Colorado Avalanche's lineup.
Ottawa Senators prospect Luke Ellinas scored in overtime of game seven to win the series for Kitchener and complete a reverse sweep of the Kitchener Rangers. It is the first OHL reverse sweep since the Guelph Storm achieved the same feat during the 2019 playoffs.
Windsor blasted through Kitchener in the first three games of the series, quickly establishing a 3-0 lead. Things seemed hopeless for Kitchener, seeing as a reverse sweep is such a rare occurrence. For context, they are just the sixth team to come back from a 3-0 deficit in OHL history.
Ellinas, whom the Senators drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, has been a key contributor for Kitchener throughout the playoffs. He is tied for the team lead in goals (6) and points (13).
It can be argued that Ellinas started and finished the comeback since he scored all three goals in Kitchener's 3-0 win in game four as well as the overtime winner in game seven.
Another player who played a huge role in Kitchener's win is Clarkson University commit Jackson Parsons, whose .919 save percentage and 2.12 goals-against average lead all goalies in the playoffs after two rounds.
The comeback is another feather in the already well-endowed hat of Rangers' Head Coach Jussi Ahokas, who was awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy, which is given to the OHL's Coach of the Year.
The Rangers return to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2018 when they narrowly lost to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. This time around, they will face the London Knights, who have yet to drop a single game this postseason.
The Rangers were one of only a handful of teams to defeat London multiple times during the regular season. That said, they did lose the six-game season series against the Knights 4-2.
The Knights will be well-rested going into the series, having played eight games compared to the 12 the Rangers have played. When the series kicks off on Friday, London will not have played in over a week.
Kitchener will enter the series feeling incredibly confident after completing the comeback. While they won't be as well-rested as London, they will not have had the opportunity to develop any rust either.
If they take even a game off of the 2024 OHL Champions, they will have done better than any other team to play the Knights so far in the postseason. Puck drop for game one of the Western Conference Finals will take place at 7:00 p.m. at Canada Life Place.
The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled seven players from the Henderson Silver Knights to form their playoff taxi squad.
The Silver Knights fell short of making the Calder Cup Playoffs this season, allowing the Golden Knights to recall seven players to form a taxi squad, who will serve as extra players available if the Golden Knights are ravaged by injuries.
The taxi squad is made up of four forwards: Cal Burke, Tanner Laczynski, Raphael Lavoie, and MatyĂĄĹĄ Ĺ apovaliv, two defensemen: Dysin Mayo and Robert Hagg and goaltender Carl Lindbom.
Burke, Laczynski and Lavoie have all played several games with the Golden Knights this season, mostly playing in fourth-line roles. The Golden Knights have Jonas Rondbjerg, Alexander Holtz, and Tanner Pearson currently serving as healthy scratches, leaving a lengthy list of players standing in their way.
Sapovaliv is one of the Golden Knights' top prospects who completed his rookie season in the AHL this year, scoring 11 goals and 19 points in 71 games. The 21-year-old is known for his defensively responsible game but has not made his NHL debut yet.
Mayo and Hagg are veteran defensemen who can step into the lineup and provide stability if need be. With Kaedan Korczak and Ben Hutton serving as healthy scratches, it's unlikely that Mayo and Hagg will be needed.
Lindbom, like Sapovaliv, completed his rookie season in the AHL. He played in 36 games, posting a .912 SV% and a 2.65 GAA, shaping up to possibly be the future netminder for the Golden Knights.
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On Wednesday morning, following the Ottawa Senatorsâ tough 3-2 overtime loss in Toronto, winger Drake Batherson stepped in front of the media in Ottawa and took full responsibility for his role in the Maple Leafs' game-winning goal.
"You live and you learn," Batherson told the media. "I mean, you make a mistake and you learn from it, and sometimes it's the hard way. And obviously, it costs us the game. So, you live and you learn but like I say, you get to move on to the next one. But I definitely wish I could have that one back, to say the least.
"The best thing you do is come out tomorrow and try to make a difference."
While Batherson taking accountability is both appropriate and admirable, in reality, there was more than one contributor to the series of unfortunate events.
Prior to the game-winning goal, Batherson carried the puck up the left wing as the Senators entered the Leafs' zone. He attempted a soft backhand pass to the middle, trying to connect with Dylan Cozens, but Simon Benoit easily intercepted the pass and rushed up ice. It could have been a disaster, but not because it led to an odd-man rush. It didn't. Toronto made a line change on the rush, so it was a relatively harmless 2-on-4.
The Senators, however, were also in the process of changing their D on the fly. When Batherson lost the puck, Tyler Kleven and Nikolas Matinpalo were heading off, and as Thomas Chabot and Nick Jensen jumped on, Ottawa even briefly had too many men on the ice. Matinpalo made it off, but Kleven didnât. Because of the turnover, Jensen had to return to the bench, while Kleven scrambled to get back into the play.
That confusion allowed Benoit, who isnât exactly Cale Makar, to gain the Ottawa blue line with little resistance. Still, it was just a 2-on-4. That play never should have resulted in a shot, let alone a high-quality scoring chance.
Cozens had a chance to defend against Domi but overcommitted on a soft stick check and missed. Batherson also whiffed completely on his attempt to recover. Both players could have ended the threat with even the lightest body contact.
Chabot should have been in a perfect position to provide an extra layer of protection, but instead made a critical mistake by backing in far too deep when Domi was the only threat.
Chabot then tried to block the shot, but only ended up helping to screen Sens goalie Linus Ullmark, while giving Domi a clean shooting lane. Benoit was also there to help with the screen and probably could have been slowed down by Kleven, who had no one else to cover.
For Sens fans, the goal may have been the hardest pill to swallow since Chris Kunitzâs double-overtime winner in the 2017 Eastern Conference Final â a goal that, coincidentally, came from almost the same spot on the ice.
Batherson deserves some serious blame for the winning goal, no question. But he doesnât need to carry it all â there was more than enough blame to go around.
For the first time in what feels like a while, the Philadelphia Flyers have a strong contingent of young talent featuring for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL Calder Cup playoffs.
The Phantoms, who kick off Game 1 of their Calder Cup run against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night, have had an infusion of exciting prospects in recent weeks with hockey seasons elsewhere coming to a close.
So, while the Flyers themselves missed the playoffs, they have several potential future stars drawing attention to themselves this spring.
With that said, Iâve identified five Flyers prospects, in particular, worth watching and becoming more familiar with during the Phantomsâ Calder Cup run.
No. 5: Emil Andrae, LHD
Flyers fans became very familiar with Emil Andrae throughout the 2024-25 NHL season. After a four-game cameo last season, Andrae impressed again in training camp, and despite not making the Flyersâ initial roster, ended up playing a significant amount of minutes at the NHL level for the first time.
In 42 NHL games, Andrae finished with one goal, six assists, and seven points. And despite the unimpressive scoring relative to his skillset, the 23-year-old controlled the run of play more often than not.
The Flyers presumably re-assigned Andrae to the Phantoms on April 18 with the intention of giving him more reps in meaningful, intense games. He has three goals, 13 assists, and 16 points in 25 AHL games this season, and the longer his seasons, the better off heâll be as an NHL regular down the line.
With his rock-solid play in the NHL and hard work to get there, Andrae could position himself nicely to make the Flyers outright next season with a strong finish to the season.
No. 4: Helge Grans, RHD
In a contract year, Helge Grans is finally showing some signs of life as a pro player again.
Acquired by the Flyers from the Los Angeles Kings, Grans was once one of the most enticing defense prospects in the world due to his alluring combination of size, skating, and passing abilities.
Going into the 2020 draft, Grans was ranked 19th overall by EliteProspects, who gave his skating a 6.5 grade out of 9 and passing a 7.0 out of 9.
The 6-foot-3 Swede scored 24 points in 56 games in his first season in the AHL with the Ontario Reign, but in the next two seasons between the Reign and the Phantoms, scored a combined three goals, 14 assists, and 17 points in 105 games.
Grans sought to pursue an NHL roster spot this season, and although he, like Andrae, didnât get the call immediately, he still ended up making his NHL debut for the Flyers, filling in for an injured Jamie Drysdale.
Overall, Grans played six NHL games this year, earning his first NHL point in his first NHL game with an assist against the Colorado Avalanche.
And despite playing limited minutes, the former second-round pick played quite well for the Flyers in a contract year.
According to MoneyPuck, Grans led all Flyers defensemen in 5-on-5 on-ice expected goals percentage with 55.8% of the share.
A pending RFA, Gransâs development could prove to be a revelation for the Flyers heading into next season.
Flyers GM Danny Briere revealed in his end-of-season press conference that Rasmus Ristolainen, a fellow right-shot defensemen, could miss the start of the season, which may open the door for Grans to make a name for himself going forward.
As far as the Calder Cup playoffs go, Grans was benched for a game by head coach Ian Laperriere last season, so this postseason campaign will be an opportunity to prove himself in more ways than one.
Grans has a career-high eight goals and 23 total points in 66 games with the Phantoms this season.
No. 3: Nikita Grebenkin, LW
Nikita Grebenkin may have only been with the Flyers for 30 minutes this season, but I have a feeling heâll spend more time with them than that at some point next season.
In 11 games with the Phantoms, the former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect has produced three goals, four assists, and seven points, giving him a total of 12 goals, 16 assists, and 28 points in 40 AHL games between the Phantoms and Toronto Marlies this season.
Grebenkin did play seven NHL games for the Maple Leafs earlier this season, but failed to record a point whilst playing in a limited role.
It might be a while before Grebenkin becomes a full-time NHLer, but his bubbly personality, size, aggressiveness, hands, and shooting and passing skills are sure to make him a Flyers fan favorite in due time.
When he makes his Calder Cup playoffs debut, Grebenkin will be playing postseason hockey for just the second time as a pro; Grebenkin played 23 Gagarin Cup (KHL) playoff games for Metallurg Magnitogorsk last season, scoring three goals and three assists.
No. 2: Jett Luchanko, C
Expectations should probably be tempered for Jett Luchanko over the next few weeks, but Iâd be remiss to exclude him from this list of Flyers prospects.
Between the Flyers, the Phantoms, the Guelph Storm, and World Junior Championships, Luchanko has played at four different levels of competition this season.
The Flyers' top 2024 NHL Draft selection joined up with the Phantoms in recent weeks and has since played in nine games, recording no goals and three assists.
Luchanko's future, as far as next season goes, is totally uncertain, but a nice finish to a whirlwind season can help give the Flyers a better idea of what to do with him next season.
The 18-year-old's offensive game, particularly in the end-product department, has not taken off quite as fast as many would have hoped, but there is still plenty of time. Itâs entirely plausible that Luchanko may need another four or five seasons to become an NHL regular, as the Flyers are most concerned with identifying his peak and helping him get there.
But he wonât get there without stringing together strong AHL seasons, which makes this playoff run all the more important.
No. 1: Alex Bump, W
All eyes are on newly-signed Flyers prospect Alex Bump heading into the Calder Cup playoffs.
Joining the Phantoms on an amateur tryout offer, Bump made his pro debut on April 18, earning an assist. In his encore, one day later, Bump added a goal and an assist, giving him three points in two AHL games.
Another thing to chew on: in two games with the 21-year-old in the lineup, the Phantoms are undefeated and have out-scored opponents 11-6.
Bump just won the NCAA championship two weeks ago, jumped right into the lineup, and immediately started playing at a high level.
There is a reality where Bump is on the Flyersâ opening night roster next season, so, for all intents and purposes, these next few games in the AHL can be considered an early audition for that.
Carolina Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky revealed Wednesday on a Zoom call with local media, that new defenseman Alexander Nikishin has not yet technically signed his contract with the team.
ESPN's Emily Kaplan had first reported during Sunday's game that Nikishin hadn't yet been signed by the Canes, stating that he had instead been granted permission from the NHL to allow him to practice with the team.
According to Tulsky, while Nikishin isn't signed, he has agreed to terms on a deal and there also isn't any real concern over getting that contract finalized.
"I expect that we will sign the deal any day now.," Tulsky said. "We're just working through some things. If we felt like we needed him on the ice in the next game, we'd get the contract in and have him ready to go. There's nothing that's getting in the way of him being able to play for us."
The biggest holdup is the fact that if the team wants him to get games in the AHL at any point this season, he'd only be able to if he signed a PTO with the Chicago Wolves. Therefore, signing his NHL contact would bar him from having that option.
"When we sign the contract, he won't be able to play in the AHL any more," Tulsky said. "He'd be restricted to NHL games, so we're trying to keep our options open by holding off for now."
It's a fairly unique situation to have a deal pretty much done, but not quite technically signed, and it probably also didn't help fans that the Hurricanes' social team put out a graphic that said 'Signed' in regards to Nikishin (although they probably just assumed the same as everyone else too. I mean, even I thought he was officially signed).
But worry not, Alexander Nikishin is going to be a Carolina Hurricane.
It's just that the front office is dancing around some legalities and loopholes to keep as many options as they can open, and it was important for them to still get him to Raleigh as quickly as possible to maximize the time they have to integrate him into the team, system and culture.
"[Nikishin] has a ton of ability, but it's a big transition for him," Tulsky said. "Every time he gets a chance to skate with the team, meet with the coaches, that helps him be ready to get on the ice and help the team. I think it's a great learning experience for him. The time he's getting around the team is helping him integrate and make sure he's ready to go when we need him."
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The Calder Cup Playoffs are going to begin on Wednesday night for the Rockford IceHogs. They will skate against one of their biggest rivals, the Chicago Wolves.
When the puck drops for Game One at the Allstate Arena, a good number of Chicago Blackhawks prospects will be working on their game while also trying to win in the AHL's playoff tournament.
The AHL is the NHL's top developmental league, which means that these players will be going up against stiff competition. There is a lot to learn in a league like this, especially when the stakes are high.
Not every one of these prospects is a guarantee to play in every game, but they should all see some time throughout. These are the 11 players that the Blackhawks will have the most interest in seeing how they do:
AJ Spellacy
On Wednesday, another reinforcement was given to the Rockford IceHogs in the form of AJ Spellacy. Spellacy just finished his third season with the Windsor Spitfires after being drafted by the Blackhawks in the third round (72nd overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Spellacy dealt with an injury while with Windsor during the OHL Playoffs, but he still managed to have three points in five games. Now, he is ready to try and make an impact in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Aidan Thompson
After Aidan Thompson's season came to an end at the University of Denver, the Blackhawks made sure to get him signed up right away. His breakout season as the captain of Denver included 21 goals and 34 assists for 55 points in 44 games.
Samuel Savoie
Sam Savoie is a depth forward who provides leadership and grit. Chicago selected Savoie in the third round (81st overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft.
In 72 games for Rockford, he scored 7 goals and 15 assists for 22 points. He plays a game that should translate to the playoffs, where the ice gets smaller and things get more physical.
Gavin Hayes
Gavin Hayes, a former third-round pick (66th overall), is a young forward looking to take a step offensively in the coming years. He only had 5 goals and 10 assists for 15 points in 50 Rockford games this year, so he'd like to get going in the playoffs. For being a rookie, he has handled himself well, but he knows that there is another level that he can get to. An experience like this is good for him.
Marek Vanacker
The Blackhawks added Marek Vanacker to Rockford earlier this week. Like Spellacy, Vanacker was just eliminated from the OHL playoffs as a member of the Brantford Bulldogs. He was just heating up as the postseason went along, so jumping right into the Calder Cup Playoffs is perfect for him.
Kevin Korchinski
Kevin Korchinski was the AHL All-Star Game MVP, so his experience in this league is there. He has also played a ton of games in the NHL for being so young.
Korchinski was allowed to develop in the AHL for most of this season. However, he did get 16 NHL games where he had one goal and one assist. The offense will come in the NHL for him, but being reliable defensively is taking some time for him. That is normal for a young offensive defenseman.
Of every blue-liner on the team, he has the potential to change a series the most offensively. The Blackhawks have high hopes for Korchinski so he will be heavily watched as long as Rockford stays in it.
Ethan Del Mastro
Ethan Del Mastro played a fair number of games with the Chicago Blackhawks and proved he can be a valuable part of an NHL teamâs defense. With a little more development, he could be a great shutdown guy on a good team.
Artyom Levshunov
Artyom Levshunov, after spending the first three quarters of the season in Rockford, finished the year with the Blackhawks. Once Chicagoâs season in the NHL ended, they sent him back to the IceHogs for a Calder Cup run.
Of every player on the roster, the 2024 second overall pick could make the most noise with his skills. This is Levshunovâs first chance at playing under the bright lights on a professional level, which should be great for his development.
Nolan Allan
Nolan Allan had games where he was Chicagoâs best defensive defenseman. Seeing the impact he makes during the Calder Cup Playoffs could be a glimpse into his future as a pro defenseman.
Taige Harding
The Chicago Blackhawks signed Taige Harding right when his great season at Providence College ended. He is a defenseman that they selected in the third round (91st overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft.
In 37 games with Providence, Harding had 2 goals and 12 assists for 14 points. That's not a bad total for a guy focused on playing well in his own end. In 3 games to end Rockford's regular season, Harding had three assists. We'll see how his game translates to the playoffs, where things get harder. He seems to be built for this.
Drew Commesso
The Chicago Blackhawks know that Spencer Knight is the goalie of their future. Arvid Soderblom has the inside track to be the backup for a while based on his 2024-25 season. If Drew Commesso wants to have a role in the NHL, he needs to keep playing well in the AHL.
It starts for him in this series with the IceHogs against the Wolves. Being a second-round pick (46th overall) in 2020, he has the pedigree to be a good goaltender at the NHL level.
Commesso made his NHL debut in 2024-25, but it only lasted for one start and one relief appearance. Playing well in the Calder Cup Playoffs this spring could get him an NHL look again next year.
As the Battle of Ontario shifts to Ottawa for Games 3 and 4, the Toronto Maple Leafs want to keep their foot on the gas. Their new-look fourth line of Steven Lorentz, Scott Laughton, and Calle Jarnkrok, especially.
The trio has been one of the strong points for Toronto throughout the series. According to NaturalStatTrick, at five-on-five, Lorentz, Laughton, and Jarnkrok have attempted more shots than their opponents, 14-12, and have an expected goals-for percentage of 50.38, the second-best among Maple Leafs lines in the series.
They even assisted in starting the series on a positive note, with Laughton and Jarnkrok tallying the two assists on Oliver Ekman-Larsson's goal.
"We're on the same page right now, and that's what makes it easy to go out there," Lorentz said on Wednesday.
"We're not always going to be in the O-zone. Sometimes we get to match up and we're against their top lines, and we're very comfortable out there doing that. I think we're all confident in our defensive abilities, and we kind of know where each other are going to be, and we've created that chemistry.
"It's nice going out there, and you don't feel nervous like you're on your heels. We can kind of take it to those lines and kind of hem them in the offensive zone as well."
What's most intriguing about this fourth line is that head coach Craig Berube is deploying it like a third line.
Max Domi's line with Nick Robertson and Bobby McMann combined for 34:41 in Game 2 against the Senators, while Laughton's line combined for 35:18, nearly a minute more. They've played the second-most minutes among Toronto's lines at five-on-five during the series, according to NaturalStatTrick.
Berube also started the fourth line for Game 2 against the Senators. He did the same with the St. Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup Finals, where he iced his fourth line of Alexander Steen, Ivan Barbashev, and Oskar Sundqvist at the start of three of the seven games in the series.
"I think it's highly important. You need everybody in playoffs. You need everybody to do the job," Berube said on Wednesday.
"In 2019, our fourth line was very effective for us. Not only defensively and matchups and doing things like that, but they scored goals, and they scored big goals. and you need that in playoffs. Laughton's line has been very good for a while now, and going to keep using them."
It's not the first time Lorentz has started during the playoffs. In Lorentz's first postseason in the NHL, Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour would throw his fourth line out for the beginning of the game.
"I's not always power on power, line one on line one. It's the checking guys that you want to get the energy and the crowd going in the building. It might just take a big hit on the first shift," Lorentz said.
"That's a tactical game that the coaches play. Our line, we've been comfortable. It doesn't matter what line we see. We went out there just ready at puck drop to be able to go out and make an impact."
Throughout the first two games of Toronto's series against Ottawa, Lorentz, Laughton, and Jarnkrok have averaged more time on ice than McMann, Domi, and Robertson. Whether that'll continue with the series shifting to Ottawa remains to be seen.
But it's a positive sign that Berube can rely on a line aside from the Maple Leafs' top-six in the postseason. It'll only get tougher from here on out with Game 3 going down in Ottawa on Thursday night.
"Weâve been pretty good," Jarnkrok said. "Working hard out there. Working for each other, trying to help the team as best as we can."
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The LA Kings host the Edmonton Oilers face-off for game two of their first round series following thriller in series-opener
The Oilers and Kings came together for a thrilling game one that Edmonton almost came back from a four goal deficit but were staved off by a late game winner from LA centre Philip Danault.
Edmonton will look to come back and respond with a road win to even up the series while LA looks to take a commanding 2-0 lead.
For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 18-5 record on our last 23 picks, including a 5-0 record on Sunday for the Maple Leafs-Senators game one picks.
All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.
Edmonton Oilers vs Los Angeles Kings Best Bets:
Oilers Over 2.5 goals (-146)
Oilers ML (+106)
Trevor Moore Over 0.5 points (+138)
It's been a while since the Oilers have had a full unit with Leon Draisaitl, Trent Frederic, Zach Hyman and Jake Walman all returning from injuries for game one.
It was evident through the first period, where the Kings took advantage of a discombobulated Oilers team that had lines playing together for the first time in game action since early April.
LA scored two quick goals that kept Edmonton behind early and then continued to add with two more in the second period but once everything start to click things looked scary for the Kings.
Edmonton started to receive production from all four forward lines with Connor McDavid and top line winger, Zach Hyman, both getting on the board. Second-line centre Leon Draisaitl also added a goal as well as third- and fourth-line forwards Mattias Janmark, Trent Frederic and Jeff Skinner all contributing for the Oilers' second goal.
Things started to click and the Kings weren't ready for it and I expect a similar result on Wednesday. LA has not had much tape to watch on these units and likely can't gameplan accordingly. The Oilers pierced hot goaltender Darcy Kuemper for five goals and I expect them to do it again.
LA will likely respond to the Oilers offence and I expect it to come from a surprising source in Trevor Moore. The third-line winger helped Danault get on the board and the favor should be returned especially with Moore's goal drought reaching seven games.
Danault is hot with five points over his last five games and should stay that way thanks to Stuart Skinner allowing four or more goals in three of his last five starts.
By now, most Sharks fans have likely heard the news on Alexander Georgiev. But if you havenât, hereâs the deal â he wonât be back in San Jose.
Georgiev confirmed at locker cleanout that he and GM Mike Grier had talked, and the team wonât be offering him an extension. That makes him a UFA this summer.
The plan moving forward is to give more starts to Yaroslav Askarov. At this point in his development, he needs consistent NHL action. The Sharks believe he has the potential to be a high-end starter and a big part of their future.
Of course, Grier will still need to find a backup. Expect it to be a veteran â someone who can support Askarov on and off the ice while helping him adjust to a heavier workload.
There havenât been any names linked to San Jose just yet, but thatâll change as we get closer to the draft and free agency.
As for Georgiev, heâll hit the open market looking for a starting or tandem role somewhere else. If nothing comes together in the NHL, thereâs always the option of heading back to the KHL.
This is a big development for the Washington Capitals. The big forward has a lot of scoring in his stick. The reported injury is a skate cut on his foot and he looks like he is moving without much issue.
Aliaksei Protas is on the ice before #ALLCAPS skate once again. Appears to be doing more. Normal jersey. So, progress. (H/t @MonSportsNet photog Greg Abernathy.) pic.twitter.com/Fyei1TO2mb
The thirty goal scorer isnât wearing a non-contact jersey any longer so technically he could play tonight but since they won the first game, I suspect that he will sit this one out as an abundance of caution. If they are expecting to have a long playoff run, it would be smart to play it safe. Plus, why make a change when youâre winning?
Game 2 is a must-win for the Canadiens. The Capitals offense will only get better with Protas in there and presumably they would have him for the road game. If the Capitals get up 2-0 in the series, it will be nearly impossible for Montreal to overcome. Nothing is impossible but the word improbable comes to mind.
I think the way that Protas gets in there is with a Canadiensâ win. Until then, why not give him maximum time to heal and feel even better. I believe that is what will happen. This is the fun part about playoff hockey. Thereâs always a lot of different storylines.
While the Montreal Canadiens were one goal away from winning game one of their first-round series against the Washington Capitals, the D.C. outfit outrageously dominated when it came to scoring chances.
Only one Montreal line had the upper hand on Washingtonâs combinationsâthe top one. The unit formed by Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky has carried its dominating play into the playoffs, having 11 scoring chances while only surrendering three to the Caps.
It was much more difficult for the three other lines. Washington dominated the Josh Anderson, Christian Dvorak, and Brendan Gallagher trio 3-1, edged the Emil Heineman, Jake Evans, and Joel Armia combination 3-2, and obliterated the Patrik Laine, Alex Newhook, and Ivan Demidov line 10-1.
Should the Canadiens play the first frame of game two like they played the last 10 minutes of game 1, these numbers would probably be much better. If the Habs adjust their forecheck and can put the puck where they need it to be in the Capitalsâ zone to apply pressure, the numbers will improve, at least for the Dvorak and Evans lines.
However, that wonât fix the Newhook combination issue, since the forecheck isnât exactly their forte. In an ideal world, they would need to start with the puck already in the Washington zone, which is easier said than done. Changing on the fly while maintaining puck possession in the offensive zone is no small feat, and Newhook doesnât have shining faceoff numbers. On Monday night, he only won two of his eight faceoffs.
â Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) April 14, 2025
Perhaps the answer is to delegate another center to win the draw with orders to retreat to the bench once that mission has been accomplished, like Dvorak does when Martin St-Louis starts overtime with Suzuki, a blueliner, and him. Once puck possession is established, he retreats to the bench, and Caufield jumps on the ice. It could be one way to shield the unit, but thatâs easier said than done.
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