In the end, it came down to more than just money for Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet.

The Canucks said they were prepared to make Tocchet the team’s highest-paid coach ever on a long-term extension, but the 61-year-old declined that offer on Tuesday, citing personal reasons.

As team president Jim Rutherford pointed out when he spoke to the local media on Tuesday afternoon, the Canucks have not historically been a team that hangs onto its coaches for long periods of time — even before the carousel started spinning at breakneck speed throughout the NHL over the last few years. 

Until last week, Rutherford was confident that Tocchet would return. He said Tuesday he hadn’t put much thought into a candidate list yet but expected his phone to start ringing imminently.

While he won two Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh with Mike Sullivan, who became available on Monday, Rutherford said the former assistant to John Tortorella with the Canucks is aiming to stay out east, so he’s not an option to return.

And while the goal is to get the Canucks back into contention — and convince Quinn Hughes there’s plenty of reason to stick around — extensive NHL experience is not necessarily a prerequisite for the Vancouver job.

“They have to understand that playing in Vancouver, travel can be tough at times,” Rutherford said. “Can they manage the schedule when we practise, when we travel, all those things? You have to have some experience. You have to have leadership qualities. You have to have a good structure and system that the players can lean to when they're not playing well. Those will be some of the things that we're going to look for.”

Here are two names that Rutherford said are up for consideration and some others who could fit that script.

Peter Laviolette

The 60-year-old is on the market after a brutal season with the New York Rangers. But he won a Cup under Rutherford with the Carolina Hurricanes back in 2006, so the familiarity is there.

Laviolette has spent most of his coaching career on the East Coast, but he also worked in Nashville. Would the Massachusetts native consider the white-hot spotlight of a Canadian market for the first time in his career?

Coach Rick Tocchet Explains Why He's Leaving The Vancouver CanucksVancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet decided not to return to the team for next season.

Manny Malhotra

In his first year behind the bench with the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks, Malhotra served up the hottest streak in the history of any Vancouver team affiliate down the stretch and now has his team into the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs.

A seventh-overall pick in the 1998 NHL draft who established a reputation as a responsible two-way center and faceoff ace, Malhotra played 159 of his 991 career NHL games with the Canucks. 

Malhotra also has seven years of experience as an NHL coach — three seasons under Travis Green in Vancouver, and four under Sheldon Keefe in Toronto. 

“Based on the job he did (in Abbotsford) and the experience he has in the league, he will certainly be on the short list,” Rutherford said.

Jeremy Colliton

Abbotsford’s previous bench boss is also young, articulate and collected 205 games of NHL experience with the Chicago Blackhawks when he was elevated after Joel Quenneville’s shock firing in 2018.

Looking for more opportunity at the NHL level, he signed on as Keefe’s assistant with the New Jersey Devils for 2024-25 — which means his season ended on Tuesday night.

Organizations usually won’t stand in the way of assistants interviewing for head-coaching jobs. Could Colliton return to the West Coast? And could that Devils connection possibly help untangle the knotty Hughes brothers situation that now lingers in the background of every organizational decision?

Rikard Gronborg

After guiding Sweden to back-to-back gold medals at the 2017 and 2018 World Championships, Gronborg had major momentum to become the first Swede with an NHL head-coaching job. But it didn’t happen.

Gronborg went to Switzerland, then Finland, and Anders Sorensen earned the honor when the Blackhawks tapped him as the interim replacement for Luke Richardson earlier this season.

The Canucks have had a strong Swedish connection for decades. With Patrik Allvin overseeing a crucial mission to get Elias Pettersson back to being his best self, Gronborg could help. Before joining the Canucks, Pettersson was part of that gold-winning 2018 squad at worlds.

How Bad Can It Get For The Vancouver Canucks?Imagine you’re a Vancouver Canucks fan at the end of the 2023-24 season. 

David Carle

Let’s be clear: this is a massive long shot. 

The two-time world junior gold medalist with Team USA and two-time Frozen Four champ with the University of Denver has a sparkling resume. But the 35-year-old has made it clear he’s not looking to leave the Pioneers unless it’s for an exceptional opportunity. That means solid compensation, stability for his young family and a real chance to win. 

Carle is already rumored to have turned down the Blackhawks. Even though he was born in Alaska and might appreciate the rugged geography around Vancouver, the scrutiny and criticism that comes with playing in a Canadian market is probably not especially appealing.

Two other NCAA coaches are currently carrying some buzz for NHL jobs: Pat Ferschweiler from the Frozen Four-champion Western Michigan Broncos and two-time Cup winner Jay Pandolfo, who coaches Canucks prospects Tom Willander and Aiden Celebrini in the strong Boston University program.

Jessica Campbell

When Rutherford arrived in Vancouver late in 2021, he quickly broke down gender barriers by hiring Emilie Castonguay and Cammi Granato as assistant GMs. Both are still with the team, and the Canucks’ player development and scouting has improved under Granato’s watch.

So don’t rule out the possibility that Rutherford could bring in the NHL’s first woman coach — especially after seeing Campbell work her magic against his team as an assistant with the Seattle Kraken this season.

The Kraken are also coach-hunting after cutting ties with Dan Bylsma, so that could be a more natural fit. But don’t rule out the prospect of Campbell interviewing in Vancouver.

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Heartbreak. One word to describe Game 5's emotions for the Minnesota Wild. A game that they played very well in, ends in total heartbreak. 

"There's highs and lows always, and we're a couple inches away from this game being over," Wild defenseman Brock Faber said. 

In a 2-1 game in the third period that Marc-Andre Fleury led the Wild on the ice for with Filip Gustavsson going down with a sickness, the Wild were able to tie the game off the stick of Matt Boldy. 

It was Boldy's fifth goal of the playoffs which puts him in a tie with Kirill Kaprizov, Nathan MacKinnon and Andrei Svechnikov for the NHL's playoff lead in goals. 

With 1:20 left on the clock in the third period of a 2-2 game, Ryan Hartman entered the zone before taking it hard to the net to beat Adin Hill. Hartman went from his backhand to his forehand and chipped it over Hill's glove after it hit his own leg and in. 

RYAN HARTMAN GIVES MINNESOTA THE LEAD WITH 1 MINUTE LEFT AND HITS THE RUNNING MAN CELLY 🏃‍♂️‍➡️ pic.twitter.com/ONEe2bTETX

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 30, 2025

The NHL decided to review it for a kicking motion. After a long review, it was determined to be a good goal. 

During the review by the NHL for a kicking motion, the Vegas Golden Knights had all the time in the world to see if there was anything they could challenge. 

There was. 

Wild forward Gustav Nyquist was offsides. After review the play was called back for offsides and the game went into overtime. 

Vegas went on to win it in overtime just under five minutes in. 

Ryan Hartman's potential game-winner comes off the board after a successful Vegas offside challenge#mnwild | #VegasBornpic.twitter.com/LBBTxfdaQJ

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) April 30, 2025

"Inches, right?" Fleury said on the turn of events. 

There isn't much to say after a game like this but the Wild held their heads high knowing they have played five great games in this series. They have dropped two straight in overtime after taking a 2-1 series lead after three games. 

When asked about breaking down the game-winning goal by Vegas, Wild head coach John Hynes didn't want to throw anyone under the bus. 

"Yeah, I thought we battled hard tonight," Hynes said. "It was a tight game but it's all about moving on to Game 6 now."

A lot of the time when the fourth line is on the ice for Minnesota, the third defense pair is also on the ice at the same time. It was Justin Brazeau and Yakov Trenin's fourth shift each since the second period. 

It started when Marco Rossi was out-battled along the boards by Tanner Pearson. The puck rimmed up the wall to Nicolas Hague who sent it back down to Pearson. Hague was defended by Brazeau who went for the hit instead of going for the puck or trying to deflect it.

Zach Bogosian then mishandled the puck on the boards when Hague sent it down to Pearson. 

Pearson regathered the puck, with neither Bogosian or Rossi on him, and sent it to the slot where Brett Howden was somehow left all alone. 

Trenin was covering the far point where Alex Pietrangelo was standing. Jon Merrill, who entered the lineup because the Wild did not trust Zeev Buium in overtime in Game 4 and gave him zero shifts, was standing at the high circles covering no one. 

BRETT HOWDEN OVERTIME WINNER 🤩

VEGAS TAKES THIS ONE IN @ENERGIZER OT AND ARE ONE WIN AWAY FROM ADVANCING! #StanleyCuppic.twitter.com/MjK2GuNPNJ

— NHL (@NHL) April 30, 2025

Howden fired a shot and beat Fleury on the glove side. And just like that, the Wild are now down 3-2 in the series. 

"We're feeling good. We're confident in our game," Boldy said after the game. "We know that we play the right way, we can beat this team. I think we've just got to kind of put that one behind us and stay positive. Take the good, fix the bad and kind of just keep our energy up. I think that's the biggest thing. You can't be deflated. It's a series. You go back home, you use our fans, you try to win that game, then anything happens in Game 7."

The Wild will head back home for a 6:30 start for Game 6 on Thursday. And as Faber said after the game, this thing is far from over.

"This thing is far from over. They still got to beat us. We're going to be ready for war on Thursday."

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' Minnesota Wild page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.

Wild Related News

Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury Sets NHL Playoff Goaltending RecordIn a 2-1 game after the second period in Game 5, Marc-Andre Fleury led the Wild on the ice for the third period.  Wild Backup Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury Returns To The Net Against Golden Knights, Loses In OvertimeLAS VEGAS -- Minnesota backup goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury returned the ice at T-Mobile Arena to oppose the Golden Knights, as Wild starting goalie Filip Gustavsson didn't return to the game due to illness, per the team. Wild Sticking With Gustav Nyquist, Freddy Gaudreau Despite ProductionGeneral box scores can be tricky when it comes to evaluating a player's performance. Stats like goals, assists and shots can tell a story whether or not a guy is producing. Whereas, plus-minus, block shots and hits are general box score stats that point to a guy being good defensively or not. 

The Utah Hockey Club experiences leak where new name is revealed

The Utah Hockey Club had news leak on Wednesday that they may have not been ready for. As they are taking their time with the announcement of what the new name will be for their franchise, their YouTube page gave fans an early look whether it was intended or not. 

Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) on XUtah Hockey Club’s official YouTube page now shows UtahMammoth 🦣

The team has not yet commented on the leak but all signs point to it being true. We can expect a full brand roll out in the next few days for what we now know is the Utah Mammoth. 

More NHL:Where Will Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet Go Next? 

The NHL has seen several changes around the league in terms of new teams like the Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights joining recently as expansion teams. Betting odds were at one point posted for what the future name will be so if you can find it anywhere, this is obviously a must-bet opportunity.

In their inaugural 2024–25 NHL season, the Utah Hockey Club finished with a 38–31–13 record, placing 6th in the Central Division and missing the playoffs by a narrow margin. 

Utah has a 1.5 per cent chance of winning the NHL Draft lottery and may have a chance to draft Boston College centre James Hagens, who is listed with +410 odds to go first overall.

More NHL: Stars' Hintz, Oilers' Nugent-Hopkins Headline Playoff Players Due for Bounce Back Performances

They could also opt to go with the new consensus top pick in Erie Otters defenceman Matthew Schaefer. He would fall under the bet of a defenceman to go first overall at -158 and could be a great addition to Utah's blueline. 

Utah showed resilience throughout this season, with standout performances from Clayton Keller, who led with 89 points, and goalie Karel Vejmelka, who finished with a 26-22-8 record along with a solid 2.58 goals against average. 

Despite a promising 89-point campaign, Utah fell short of a wild-card spot, ending their season with a 6–1 loss to the St. Louis Blues, who secured the final playoff berth.

Recent news regarding the New York Rangers focused on who would become their next coach following their recent firing of Peter Laviolette. 

The latest speculation has Mike Sullivan joining the Blueshirts after recently parting ways with the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

As for potential player trade candidates, Chris Kreider seems the most likely to be moved. The 34-year-old left winger has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million and a 15-team no-trade list. 

Center Mika Zibanejad was mentioned in trade rumors, but moving him would be difficult. He has more term left on his contract than Kreider (five years) and a larger average annual value ($8 million). Zibanejad also has a full no-movement clause. 

Nevertheless, Zibanejad recently told the New York Post's Mollie Walker that he's aware his disappointing performance this season puts his tenure with the Rangers at a crossroads. He was also unhappy with how management handled what Walker called “certain business” this season, perhaps alluding to the departures of Jacob Trouba and Barclay Goodrow since last June. 

Regarding his clause, Zibanejad said he knows what his contract says. 

“Both parties agreed to it, and like I said, I think I earned it,” he told Walker. “Until it's time to adjust it, I have no plans of going anywhere. I've invested a lot of years here.”

Still, Walker wondered if GM Chris Drury might meet with Zibanejad to discuss adjusting his no-move clause. 

Turning to the Boston Bruins, there was recent conjecture over whether they might make Jeremy Swayman a trade candidate. The 26-year-old goaltender is their only high-priced player lacking no-trade protection for next season. 

It was suggested the Bruins might peddle Swayman to free up cap space. However, that move seems unlikely, coming less than a year after re-signing him to his eight-year extension. Besides, there is no suitable replacement within their system or available in the trade and free-agent market.

Joonas Korpisalo is the more likely candidate if the Bruins move a goaltender. RG.Org's James Murphy reports sources claim his agent, Markus Lehto, told management that his client would welcome a trade if they don't intend to give him more starts next season. 

Korpisalo, 31, was acquired from the Ottawa Senators last June in exchange for Linus Ullmark. He's signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $4 million, with the Bruins carrying $3 million and the Senators $1 million. 

Murphy indicated Lehto was unavailable for comment, and no formal trade request was made to the Bruins. Nevertheless, his situation could be worth monitoring. The limited goalie options in this summer's trade and free-agent markets could make him enticing for clubs seeking depth between the pipes for next season. 

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick Luca Marrelli tied a record last night for the Oshawa Generals. One that has stood for 59 years. 

In last night's double OT win against the Barrie Colts, Luca Marrelli had a pair of assists, which put him in the record books for an Oshawa defenseman. 

Marrelli moved into a tie with NHL Legend and all-time great Bobby Orr for the most playoff assists by a defenseman in Oshawa history. Orr set his record from 1963 to 1966, and only a few players have even come close to it since. 

Orr played in 29 playoff games for the Generals and had 32 assists. Marrelli has played in 42 games and has 32 assists. Marrelli's next assist will move him into first among all defenseman for assists in a playoff career. He'll have at least five more games to do it unless something bad happens for Oshawa and they lose a 3-0 lead. 

Luca Marrelli has played four seasons with the Oshawa Generals and signed an ELC with Columbus back in December of 2024. His Generals are up 3-0 in their series against Barrie in the conference finals and will most likely play the London Knights, who are also up 3-0 in their series. 

Marrelli could still join the Cleveland Monsters after the OHL Finals, but should the Generals win the OHL Finals, they would then play in the 2025 Memorial Cup. The Memorial Cup wouldn't end until late May should they advance through the tournament.  

Luca Marrelli should be a Cleveland Monster next year, though. He'll turn 20 on October 5th of this year. 

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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2025 NHL Draft Lottery Odds/Date Set The NHL has announced that the NHL Draft Lottery will be on May 5th at the NHL Network’s Secaucus, N.J., studio.  Cleveland Monsters Advance Set To Face Laval Rockets In Second RoundThe Columbus Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, have advanced to the second round of the AHL playoffs. Zach Werenski Nominated For Norris TrophyColumbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has officially been named a finalist for the 2025 James Norris Memorial Trophy.

The Carolina Hurricanes eliminated the New Jersey Devils in five games Tuesday night at Lenovo Center thanks to a 5-4 double overtime win.

As always following the conclusion of a series, the two teams met at center ice for the ceremonial handshake line, a show of respect between the clubs.

But it was an even more special moment for the Canes as they finally got to drop the masks with a few long-time teammates, but most notably Brett Pesce.

It was valiant effort from the veteran blueliner, who logged an average of 26:43 of ice time per game due to New Jersey's injury issues and, in that time, he had 18 blocks, three points and had a +3 5v5 goal differential.

It was the kind of game one would expect out of Pesce, having watched him for nine seasons in Carolina.

The 2013 third-round pick was a big part of the Hurricanes' organization for so many years and is still a very much beloved figure even though he left in free agency this summer.

And you could tell how much his old teammates still love him as he went down the handshake line, embracing so many of the Hurricanes players.

Our first #HockeyHandshakes of the #StanleyCup Playoffs. 🤝

Still the best tradition in sports. pic.twitter.com/2RWUx91ZRe

— NHL (@NHL) April 30, 2025

"There's a lot of respect there both ways," said Sebastian Aho, who shared an elongated moment with Pesce. "He's our brother. We played here together for so many years. He's a really good friend of mine and obviously a great competitor and, in my opinion, one of the better players to play against. It was definitely kind of an emotional handshake, but it just showed we have a lot of respect for each other."

"That was one of the most unique handshake lines that I've ever been in because there was just so many guys that were Hurricanes," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "It was nice to see them and actually be able to hug them. Hated them for the 10-day stretch here, but they were big parts of building what we've got going here. So that was kind of interesting."

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Be sure to check out the Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub for all postseason stories! 

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In a 2-1 game after the second period in Game 5, Marc-Andre Fleury led the Wild on the ice for the third period. 

Starting goaltender Filip Gustavsson played the first two periods but was sick. So, Fleury had to replace him for the third period and played the rest of the game. 

Fleury, 40, has now seen action in 18 total playoffs in his career. This has now moved him past Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy (17 playoffs) for the most total Stanley Cup Playoff years by a goalie in NHL history.

"He's a Hall of Famer for a reason," Wild head coach John Hynes said on Fleury coming in cold. "I think he was prepared to be able to go in and he did a great job for us."

After the Fleury came in, the Wild protected him by not a single shot until the 13:43 mark and only three in the third period alone. Vegas forward Brett Howden was able to beat Fleury in overtime to end the game after a defensive zone collapse by the fourth line and third d-pair. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' Minnesota Wild page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.

Wild Related News

Wild Sticking With Gustav Nyquist, Freddy Gaudreau Despite ProductionGeneral box scores can be tricky when it comes to evaluating a player's performance. Stats like goals, assists and shots can tell a story whether or not a guy is producing. Whereas, plus-minus, block shots and hits are general box score stats that point to a guy being good defensively or not.  Wild Backup Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury Returns To The Net Against Golden Knights, Loses In OvertimeLAS VEGAS -- Minnesota backup goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury returned the ice at T-Mobile Arena to oppose the Golden Knights, as Wild starting goalie Filip Gustavsson didn't return to the game due to illness, per the team.

The NHL announced on Tuesday that the 2025 Draft Lottery will be held on Monday, May 5. A time for the event has yet to be announced, but it will be aired on both ESPN in the United States and Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada.

Report: Anaheim Ducks Interview Joel Quenneville for Head Coaching Vacancy (Updated)

The Anaheim Ducks finished the 2024-25 season with a 35-27-10 record (80 points), which was good enough for 25th in the NHL standings and now have the eighth-best odds to win Monday’s draft lottery.

Lottery odds are determined by the reverse order of the standings. There will be two lottery draws on Monday, one for the first overall pick and one for the second. A single team can only move up a maximum of ten spots with a lottery win.

Odds of Winning the First Overall Pick:

• San Jose Sharks (25.5%)
• Chicago Blackhawks (13.5%)
• Nashville Predators (11.5%)
• Philadelphia Flyers (9.5%)
• Boston Bruins (8.5%)
• Seattle Kraken (7.5%)
• Buffalo Sabres (6.5%)
• Anaheim Ducks (6%)
• Pittsburgh Penguins (5%)
• New York Islanders (3.5%)
• New York Rangers (3%)

Anaheim Ducks Pick Odds:

1. 6%
2. 6.2%
3. 0.2%
4. 0%
5. 0%
6. 0%
7. 0%
8. 54.4%
9. 30%
10. 3.2%

This will mark the seventh consecutive season the Ducks have finished in the bottom ten of the NHL standings and the seventh consecutive season they have earned a top-ten pick.

This will be the 17th year in the 31-year history of the franchise in which they’ve selected in the top ten of the draft. They have never selected first overall or eighth overall.

As of today, the consensus top two prospects set as the prizes of the 2025 NHL Draft are defenseman Matthew Schaefer from the Erie Otters of the OHL and forward Michael Misa from the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. Forwards James Hagens from Boston College of the NCAA and Porter Martone from the Brampton Steelheads of the OHL are the consensus challengers to Schaefer and Misa.

The Ducks have one of the deepest prospect pools with one of the highest ceilings in the NHL. Most of their highest-profile prospects have already made the jump to the NHL and are making an impact.

The Ducks’ prospect/U23 pool doesn’t have a glaring weakness in terms of either stylistic or positional need. They are deep and potent at every position, so they have the luxury of truly approaching this draft to select the “best player available,” a concept NHL general managers and scouts preach, but history indicates is rarely practiced.

The 2025 NHL Draft will be the first non-covid decentralized draft. Teams will be making selections from their individual “war rooms” in their own desired locations, but the event will still be televised as normal, and invited players will still get the opportunity to walk across the stage and wear the jersey of their new team.

Former Duck Dumoulin Proves Reliable for Devils

OC Sports & Entertainment Announce $1 Billion Transformation of Honda Center

The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled goaltender Spencer Martin from the Chicago Wolves, it was announced Tuesday. 

Martin joins the Hurricanes as goaltender Frederik Andersen deals with an injury. 

A product of Oakville, Ont., Martin is in his first full season in the Hurricanes organization, having split time between the NHL and AHL this year. In nine NHL appearances, he went 3-4-1 along with a 3.89 GAA and a .846 SP. Over 31 AHL games, Martin posted much better numbers, collecting a record of 20-8-2 as well as a 2.34 GAA and a .909 SP. 

Martin also appeared in two playoff games with the Wolves, going 0-2 while posting a 2.78 GAA and a .900 SP, with the team ending their season after being swept by the Rockford IceHogs. 

Drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the third round of the 2013 NHL Draft, Martin has made 66 career NHL regular season appearances with the Avalanche, Hurricanes, the Vancouver Canucks and the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

With Martin being recalled to the NHL, he will likely serve as Pyotr Kochetkov's backup until Andersen is ready to return to the team. Having been listed as day to day, Andersen should be back soon but until then Martin adds a safety net for the team. 

As Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot fired a shot from the point in the second period of Game 5, Anthony Stolarz did his best to track the puck. But he couldn't see anything until it was too late.

"That's playoff hockey right there," the goaltender said, following Toronto's 4-0 loss that forces a Game 6 in Ottawa.

Indeed, Stolarz is correct. The playoffs are all about goals within the crease and through screens. Unfortunately for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tuesday night didn't go their way in that area, with the Senators making life difficult in front of Stolarz.

On Chabot's goal specifically, you could argue that Claude Giroux interfered with Mitch Marner, who was en route to the point to block the shot. Marner not arriving in time allowed the Ottawa defenseman more time to pick his spot, and the rest is history.

Thomas Chabot scores pic.twitter.com/VLrZBV8qDM

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 30, 2025

"I’m just trying to get to the point. Kind of tough," Marner said of the play.

The 31-year-old's save percentage is currently in free-fall, going from a .926 through the first three games of the series, to an .842 through Toronto's last two games. Five of Ottawa's 14 goals have come off of point shots.

Following the game, though, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube listed several reasons for the Senators' success from the point. He didn't blame Stolarz, but said that the players in front of him can do more.

'I Don't Think There's Any Panic': "Maple Leafs Miss Another Series-Closing Opportunity in Frightening Déjà Vu'It was that familiar feeling of tension that Toronto Maple Leafs fans at Scotiabank Arena have felt before. The crowd went silent when Dylan Cozens finished off a 2-on-1 opportunity to give the Ottawa Senators a 2-0 lead midway through the third period in Game 5. Reality set in, when Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk scored empty-net goals to defeat Toronto 4-0 and force a Game 6 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Thursday.

"I thought that shot tonight, he couldn't see it. So, first of all, we could do a better job off that faceoff," Berube said. "We've got to have a block there, or we've got to have guys clearing out in front of the net so we can see the puck. One of the two."

If you were looking for Joseph Woll to enter the series in Game 6, this quote pretty much shuts that narrative down.

Berube is still confident in Stolarz. The coach alluded to it before Game 5, saying he's only focused on Stolarz playing. "I don’t think there’s any reason to change right now," he said.

‘Don’t Think There’s Any Reason To Change’: Why The Maple Leafs Are Sticking With Anthony Stolarz In Goal Following His Worst Game Of The SeasonDespite a shaky start in Ottawa for Game 4, the Toronto Maple Leafs are sticking with goaltender Anthony Stolarz in the blue paint for Game 5 on Tuesday. Head coach Craig Berube confirmed pre-game that the 31-year-old will once again get the start as the Leafs look to eliminate the Ottawa Senators in Game 5 of their first-round series.

And there's a reason for that.

For the most part, Stolarz hasn't allowed many egregious goals (aside from his first of the series). His save percentage has dipped significantly over the last two games, but Toronto has also limited Ottawa to 38 shots in that span.

When Toronto needed a save, though, Stolarz gave it to them.

big slot stop from Stolarz pic.twitter.com/wB7hBi08zl

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 30, 2025

The Senators are doing what the Maple Leafs did well at the beginning of the series: making life difficult on the goaltender. Following Tuesday's loss, several Maple Leafs players said they will get more bodies in front of Linus Ullmark in Game 6.

"I thought at times and stretches throughout the game, could’ve done a better job getting more guys to the net and making it a little bit tougher on him," Auston Matthews said Tuesday night.

"This time of year, it’s greasy goals. It’s not the prettiest of things, so that’s the way you got to approach it."

'It's Hard For Him': Why David Kampf Hasn't Been Able To Get Into Any Maple Leafs Playoff Games Against SenatorsToronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube was so impressed with the way his team finished the regular season that he kept his lineup mostly intact. Unfortunately, for David Kampf, it's kept the defensive forward on the sidelines and he will miss his fifth consecutive playoff game as a healthy scratch.

If the Maple Leafs want to exit the Battle of Ontario victorious, they'll need to do the work which gave them the 3-0 series lead in the first place.

Simon Benoit made headlines for setting up Max Domi, who scored in overtime in Game 2. That goal came with tons of bodies in front of Ullmark. As did Benoit's overtime-winner in Ottawa a few nights later in Game 3.

Toronto will attempt to rewrite the narrative on Thursday with Game 6, and it appears they'll be doing so with Stolarz behind them in the net.

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After a day off on Monday, the Montreal Canadiens were back at practice on Tuesday in readiness for Wednesday night’s game five against the Washington Capitals. Patrik Laine was back at practice wearing a regular jersey, indicating he might be nearing a return to play. When Martin St-Louis spoke to the press after the skate, he said Laine was still considered day-to-day but would be travelling to Washington, just like Alexander Carrier, who is also day-to-day. However, the bench boss wasn’t sure if Samuel Montembeault would make the trip.

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The Canadiens did not call up anyone from the Laval Rocket, so if Alexandre Carrier is not ready to go, Jayden Struble will reintegrate the lineup. Given how shaken up he looked after the Tom Wilson hit, I would be shocked to see Carrier play.

The uncertainty about Montembeault making the trip kind of settles the question of who will likely start for the Canadiens. Jakub Dobes should be back in the net for a second consecutive game. The youngster surrendered three goals on 24 shots on Sunday night, ending his day at the office with a .875 save percentage, and looked good aside from a costly hesitation on the game's first goal. 

Jakub Dobeš glove save #goalies#GoHabsGo#NHLPlayoffs#NHL#Hockey#IceHockeyhttps://t.co/2NEpgdNCR3

— Andrew Remedios (@AndrewF31) April 28, 2025

As for the Capitals, it’s clear that Logan Thompson will once again be in the net, since he led his team to the first three wins against the Canadiens. In four games, he has a 2.54 GAA and a .912 SP.

It would be surprising to see Patrik Laine back in the lineup. The Finnish sniper’s most significant selling point is his ability to score on the power play, but it hasn’t been the case since the start of the playoffs. Furthermore, the newly formed first power play unit featuring Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, and Lane Hutson was the most significant threat on the ice for the Habs on Sunday night and must remain together.

Of course, Laine could always be put on the second unit, but does his five-on-five play warrant inserting him in the lineup instead of Oliver Kapanen, who was centering a line between Joel Armia and Emil Heineman in game four? I’m not entirely sure.

So far in the series, Hutson leads all Montreal players with five points in four games, followed by Caufield with four, while Suzuki and Slafkovsky only have two. If the Canadiens hope to remain alive, they’ll need an improved offensive contribution across the board.

Meanwhile, Dylan Strome, Anthony Beauvillier, and Alexander Ovechkin lead the hosts with seven, five, and four points, respectively. The Caps’ captain didn’t skate on Tuesday, but that was nothing to write home about as he was taking a maintenance day. Meanwhile, Aliaksei Protas was a full participant at practice and even took contact. Washington didn’t do line rushes, so it’s impossible to know where he would slot in for now.

The game is set for 7:00 PM and it’s a do or die tilt for the Habs who are on the brink of elimination. Should the Canadiens lose, it would be David Savard’s last career game, chances are that will be used as motivation by the Habs.

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If doubt has started to creep into the minds of the Maple Leafs after blowing a second chance at advancing to the second round, then the opposite is occurring with Ottawa Senators following a 4-0 win in Game 5.

They are starting to believe.

It wasn’t long ago that the Senators were down 0-3 in what had been a mostly one-sided Bludgeoning of Ontario. Now, after back-to-back wins with their season on the line, they are one win away from forcing a Game 7.

“I’ve always said, you’re never out of it,” said Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. “And for us tonight, it was nothing other than winning Game 5. There was no other thought about any other games in the series.”

It was after being down 0-3 when Tkachuk said the series was far from over. Teams had come back after being down 0-3, he said. He even brought up the Boston Red Sox's 2004 comeback against the New York Yankees as proof.

"It's been done before," he said, "and I believe that it can happen again."

Down 3-0 To Leafs, Ottawa Senators' Brady Tkachuk Brings Up Red Sox's Reverse Sweep In 2004The Ottawa Senators trail the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0 after losing in overtime Thursday night.

More and more, it is starting to feel that way.

Maybe it is because the Leafs have a history of choking. Or that the Senators are finally getting bounces — and the saves — that they weren't getting in the first three games.

Either way you look at it, the pressure is no longer on Ottawa. Suddenly, it's shifted to Toronto.

“Whenever you lose two in a row, it’s not a good feeling,” said Tkachuk, who had a goal and assist in Game 5. “We lost three and it’s a shitty feeling.”

These Maple Leafs Were Supposed To Be Different, But In Game 5, It Was More Of The SameAnyone who has watched the Toronto Maple Leafs over the past decade has seen Game 5 of the Battle of Ontario so many times.

The Senators, meanwhile, have momentum on their side. And really nothing to lose. Whether they force a Game 7 or lose in Game 6, they’ve made a series out of what looked like it was going to be sweep.

“It can change fast,” Senators coach Travis Green said of the momentum swings of the series. “You can feel great about yourself; feel shitty about yourself as well.”

That pretty much describes how the Leafs must be feeling these days.

They did not want this series to be going to Game 6. Had their once-scorching power play not gone stone cold, this would have already been over.

But now, with Game 6 back in Ottawa, all bets are off.

"Well, I expect pure insanity, that’s for sure," said Tkachuk. "Our mindset right now is that these are do-or-die games."

The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Join The Conversation As Senators Beat Leafs In Game 5Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

LAS VEGAS -- Brett Howden scored his third goal of the playoffs 4:05 into overtime to lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild, and a 3-2 series lead in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs.L

Howden beat former Golden Knight and current Wild backup goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who replaced starter Filip Gustavsson to start the third period.

Howden recorded his second game-winning goal of the series and matched the most in a single series by a Golden Knights skater.

"Pearson centered — they score! Brett Howden! A hero again!"

"3-2 in overtime! Brett Howden gives the Knights a 3-2 series lead!"

🎙 @Dan_DUva

Howden makes it back to back overtime goals for Vegas as the Knights move within one game of advancing. pic.twitter.com/q1bsRI3o7H

— Golden Knights Radio (@VGKRadioNetwork) April 30, 2025

Vegas kept Minnesota from earning a third win in the series, as the Wild held a 2-1 series lead after winning Game 3 in Saint Paul.

Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday in Minnesota, at 6:30 pm Central Time.

Adin Hill made 20 saves for the Golden Knights.

Gustavsson stopped 23 shots for Minnesota, while Fluery made six saves in relief.

The Golden Knights opened the scoring when William Karlsson scored a short-handed goal just before the midway point of the first period. Jack Eichel intercepted a pass in the defensive zone and took the puck to the other end before sending it to new linemate Karlsson, who was there for the one-time tap to give Vegas a 1-0 lead.

It wouldn't take long for Minnesota to respond, though, as Kirill Kaprizov notched his fifth goal of the series 13 seconds later when he one-timed Mats Zuccarello's pass to knot the game at 1-all.

Mark Stone scored his first goal of the postseason later in the period when Eichel once again picked off a pass to create a turnover and carry it into Vegas' zone. Eichel sent the puck to the top of the slot, where Stone blasted a shot past Gustavsson, giving the Knights a one-goal lead once again.

After a scoreless second period, the Wild got their equalizer when Matt Boldy scored with 3:31 left in the game.

Minnesota winger Ryan Hartman scored what appeared to be the go-ahead goal with 1:15 left, but a coach's challenge overturned the goal when it was determined the Wild were offside.

"I think once they got that goal and tied it 2-2, I thought we reset pretty well and played well third," Stone said. "It was a great challenge by (assistant coach) Dave (Rogowski), a critical point of the game. We either got a minute and 15 seconds left to try and tie the game, but he saw it right away and gets a challenge.

"Once you get into the locker room, we feel comfortable again. We got a great start to overtime, started forechecking, started making plays, get pucks to the net, (Tanner Pearson) makes an incredible play, draws two guys to him and (Howden) finds the soft spot to end it."

Photos you can hear 🔊 #ExpressiveMarkStonepic.twitter.com/nGwIofuFn7

— y-Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 30, 2025

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The NHL has officially announced the start times for postseason games set to take place on May 1st.

This includes Game 6 between the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, which the Avalanche forced with their 4-0 win on Saturday, April 26th.

Per NHL Public Relations:

"The start time for Game 6 of the First Round series between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche has been set for 9:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 1, in Denver. The game will be televised on TBS in the U.S. In Canada, the game will be on SNE, SN360, and TVA Sports."

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For Colorado and Dallas residents, the start time is 7:30 p.m. MT/8:30 p.m. CT. The games will also be televised on the usual local broadcasts: Altitude for Colorado and Victory+ for Dallas.

The Stars currently lead the series 3-2, following a 6-2 win in Dallas.

Find all of the most up-to-date information on each series across the league here:

2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs 1st round schedule | NHL.comDates, times, broadcast info, results from all 8 best-of-7 series

Edmonton’s Mattias Janmark pushed the Kings to the brink of playoff elimination, scoring off a rebound early in the third period to give the Oilers a 3-1 win in Game 5 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff at Crypto.com Arena. The Oilers, who lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, can end the Kings’ season for a fourth straight season with another victory.

“It's hard right now. Obviously everybody's frustrated,” captain Anze Kopitar said. “But we’ve got to put it behind us. We’ve got to go win a game on the road, and that's what we're going to focus on.”

Janmark’s goal marked the fourth time in five games the Kings have given up a game-tying or go-ahead score in the final 13 minutes of regulation. It was also the third consecutive come-from-behind win for the Oilers, the first time they’ve done that in the franchise’s playoff history.

Evander Kane had Edmonton’s first goal while the lone Kings’ score came from Andrei Kuzmenko, both in the second period. The Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins closed out the scoring with an empty-net goal in final minute.

The final score wasn’t a true reflection of the game, which the Oilers dominated.

“They were stronger,” said Kings coach Jim Hiller, whose teams lost in regulation for just the seventh time in 44 home games this season, including the playoffs. “They beat us in every area except for the specialty teams. They were just better in every way ... we can't look to one part of our game and think that was acceptable.”

Well, except for goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who was brilliant, and deserved a far better fate after turning back 43 shots. He’s faced 93 in the last two games but the Kings have scored just four times behind him.

“Darcy was stellar tonight, as he's been the whole season,” Kopitar said. “He gave us a chance.”

The Oilers were stronger during the opening 20 minutes during which they took the first 11 shots, building a 19-4 advantage for the period. But Kuemper, who on Monday was named one of three finalists for the Vezina Trophy, proved why, leaving Edmonton with nothing to show for all that effort.

That allowed Kuzmenko to put the Kings in front 3:33 into the second period. The winger parked himself in front of the net and was shielding Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard when he reached out to redirect a pass from Kopitar near the blue line. The goal, the Kings’ eighth power-play score of the series, came eight seconds after Darnell Nurse went off for tripping. It also marked the fourth time in five games that the Kings scored first.

Kopitar's assist was his seventh in five games while Adrian Kempe, who also assisted on the goal, has six.

However the lead lasted less than three minutes before Kane tied it on a wrist shot from the high slot. That goal came seven seconds after the Kings killed off a tripping penalty to Drew Doughty.

Read more:Kings fall to Oilers in a Game 4 shutout, moving to the brink of elimination

Edmonton then went in front to stay 7:12 into the final period when Janmark scored off the rebound of a shot by former King Viktor Arvidsson that Kuemper had pushed out to his stick side, not knowing that Janmark was perched just inside the circle.

Now the Kings fly to Edmonton on Wednesday knowing that a season in which they tied franchise regular-season records for wins (48) and points (105) may not have more than 60 minutes left. A win, though, would bring them back home for a winner-take-all seventh game on home ice, where the Kings had the best regular-season record in the NHL.

“We've proven we're a pretty good hockey team,” Hiller said. “So you're a pretty good hockey team, go there and take it back. Because they just took it away from us.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.