BUFFALO, NEW YORK - APRIL 19: Elias Lindholm #28 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his goal with teammates Nikita Zadorov #91 and David Pastrnak #88 in the third period against the Buffalo Sabres in Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on April 19, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Ben Ludeman/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Game 3 is upon us, folks!
TD Garden should be jumping tonight, with the Bruins coming home from Buffalo with a split and playing their first home playoff game in a couple of years.
The Bruins were an excellent team on home ice this season, so here’s to hoping that continues.
If the B’s can make things start to snowball for the Sabres, some doubt/desperation may creep in for the relatively inexperienced (in the playoffs, that is) team.
Of course, those things are likely just talking points from people like me, as the Sabres remain a good team, one that hasn’t really played its best 60 minutes yet.
The Kings are coming off a 2-1 overtime loss that saw them go down 2-0 in the series. The Kings and Avalanche did not score until the 13th minute of the 3rd period, where Artemi Panarin scored his 2nd playoff goal. But the Avalanche tied it minutes after and won in overtime to get their 2nd win. The Kings have limited the Avalanche to just 2 goals per game, but they need to start scoring at 5-on-5, as their only 2 goals have come from Panarin and on the power play.
Projected Kings Lines
Here are the projected lines for the Kings in Game 3:
Artemi Panarin - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe
Trevor Moore - Quinton Byfield - Alex Laferriere
Joel Armia - Scott Laughton - Andrei Kuzmenko
Jeff Malott - Samuel Helenius - Jared Wright
Mikey Anderson - Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke
Brian Dumoulin - Cody Ceci
Anton Forsberg
Darcy Kuemper
Projected Avalanche Lines
Here are the projected lines for the Avalanche in Game 3:
Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas
Parker Kelly - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin
Gabriel Landeskog - Nazem Kadri - Nicolas Roy
Joel Kiviranta - Jack Drury - Logan O'Connor
Devon Toews - Cale Makar
Brett Kulak - Sam Malinski
Josh Manson - Brent Burns
Scott Wedgewood
Mackenzie Blackwood
Injuries and Line Changes
The Avalanche are expected to have the same lineup in the first 2 games. Kings forward Andrei Kuzmenko could play for the first time since February 25 after he has missed the last 25 games after getting surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Jared Wright has been moved to the 4th line.
Key Factors
A major factor for both teams in this series has been the goaltending. Both Forsberg and Wedgewood have played very well for their teams, with Forsberg posting a .941 SV% and a 1.90 goals-against average. Wedgewood has posted a .960 SV% and a 0.94 goals against average. Both teams are getting strong goaltending.
For the Kings, goaltending and defence have seemingly not been the problem; rather, it is the offence that has been the problem in this series. Only 1 player has scored for the Kings, and both of those goals were on the power play.
The Kings have not scored at even strength throughout this series, and if they want to change the series' outlook, they will need to do so. Panarin leading the team with 2 points is something the Kings seriously need to change, and they need to be better offensively, or they will not be in the playoffs for much longer.
Game 3 is in Los Angeles and starts at 10:00 P.M Eastern time.
The Montreal Canadiens return north of the border to host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday, April 24.
My Canadiens vs. Lightning predictions and NHL picks point to another closely contested matchup, with Cole Caufield expected to drive the offense more as a playmaker than relying solely on his usual scoring touch.
UPDATE: Added prediction for who will win.
Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3 prediction
Who will win Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3?
Montreal: After splitting the games in Tampa Bay and letting Game 2 slip out of their grasp late in the third, the Habs will return to the Bell Centre and pick up a win. They're 3-0-2 in their last five against the Lightning.
Lightning vs Canadiens best bet: Cole Caufield Over 0.5 assists (+130)
Fortunately, Caufield and his overshadowed vision have produced three assists in the meantime. Tampa's game plan to limit his scoring opportunities has created an abundance of passing options for the winger.
With Tampa suppressing his scoring opportunities, it's opened passing lanes and high-danger chances for his linemates (see Juraj Slafkovsky's Game 1 hat trick). At plus odds, I'm banking on a Caufield helper in Game 3.
Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3 same-game parlay
Many may be surprised Lane Hutson blocked 137 shots in his sophomore season. While his offensive numbers may be better suited for a flashy stat or a viral tweet, he's stepped up big in his own zone as Noah Dobson remains sidelined.
Hutson played over 32 minutes in Game 2, blocked two shots, and ranks third in the NHL in blocked shots over the last calendar month. He's a workhorse at both ends of the ice.
Both games in this series thus far have needed extra time, and the Montreal Canadiens have covered the puck line in five straight against Tampa — with four of them coming within the last month.
More convincingly, they've covered the PL in 10 of Jakub Dobes' last 11 starts.
Lightning vs Canadiens SGP
Cole Caufield Over 0.5 assists
Lane Hutson Over 1.5 blocked shots
Canadiens +1.5
Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3 goal scorer pick
Josh Anderson (+450)
Josh Anderson has scored in three of his last four playoff games against Tampa, including in both games in this series and dating back to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.
He's scored in three of his last four and had his highest single-game shot total since March 3 in Game 2. I'm all over this at a whopping +450.
Three of the last five meetings between these teams have required extra time, including both playoff games thus far. Find more NHL betting trends for Lightning vs. Canadiens.
How to watch Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3
Location
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
Date
Friday, April 24, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet, TNT
Lightning vs Canadiens latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Steve Yzerman addressed the Detroit Red Wings' 2025-26 season and how it ended with the club missing the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs for a 10th consecutive year.
Yzerman has been general manager of the team since April 19, 2019. Head coach Todd McLellan was also at the news conference at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, April 23.
The Wings finished the season 41-31-10, for 92 points, seven points back of the team in the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Wings looked like they were going to be one of the teams inside the playoff picture when, in late January, they had a 12-point cushion. But as games grew more intense, the Wings wilted. They went 9-15-5 from Jan. 25 on, the fourth-worst record in the NHL over that span. They won only two of their last eight games, and were eliminated on April 11 in a loss at home that left fans booing the team.
The Wings finished their season on April 15, losing 8-1 at the Florida Panthers in a game that left McLellan so frustrated he only talked for 44 seconds afterward, and said that everybody involved should be embarrassed.
Here are key points from the news conference.
How to improve
Yzerman had this to say when asked what needs to change: "The most obvious would be we need better players. We need to improve specifically in certain areas. We can talk about goal scoring, we need to improve in that area, particularly five-on-five. But collectively, if you're watching the playoffs – and I'm assuming and I'm hoping our players are – to play with the intensity and determination needed to be successful to make the playoffs and get there. But ultimately, it's incumbent upon me and my staff to improve the team."
Seven years later
Yzerman on his work since he was named GM: "Knowing full well seven years ago, I knew what I signed up for, I knew what the job, the task at hand was. And so when exactly we were going to be, are going to be a playoff team, I could never pinpoint that.
"To sit here today and say everything's going perfectly according to plan, no. There's a lot of things I'm pleased about within the organization. And areas that I'm not happy, disappointed, things that we need to have done better. We sit here today, a week after the end of the regular season, and see how the season unfolded. I think we're all kind of emotional about this, and need to take a little time to analyze it, and not forget about some of the positive things that are going on here. And then try to address how we move forward."
On the last game
McLellan expanded on his unhappiness with the last game. "I think my lack of words spoke for how I felt at that moment. Listening to the players after and talking to them, they weren't pleased, they were embarrassed with that outing. It's something we have to change in our organization. Every night is important, every day is important. Obviously not happy with the way things ended throughout the season. To cap it off with that was very disappointing. My complimenting Florida was a different way of saying I was disappointed in our players."
On relationship with ownership
Yzerman said he spoke with team owner Christopher Ilitch a few days ago.
"He and the entire ownership of the Illich family are very disappointed with the way the season played out," Yzerman said. "He continues to be extremely supportive of what we're trying to do here. We intend to have further conversations about our team and our organization in the very near future.
"I don't think I'm just going to sit and hope for the best. As an organization, I'm very disappointed how this season played out."
It's been almost three months since Barry Trotz unexpectedly announced he'd be retiring as the general manager of the Nashville Predators, with the search commencing immediately.
Owner Bill Haslam said that the team wants to have a new GM by draft day in late June, but is not hard-set on that deadline.
With the Predators missing the playoffs and officially in the offseason, finding a new GM remains the key focus for this franchise.
NHL insiders Elliotte Friedman and Frank Seravalli threw out a handful of names on Thursday that they believe are being heavily considered for the leading position in Nashville's front office.
Both agreed that Florida Panthers assistant general manager Brett Peterson, Edmonton Oilers assistant general manager Bill Scott and former New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald are candidates that "stand out."
Brett Peterson, Panthers Assistant GM
Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) is handed the Stanley Cup from Gary Bettman, the NHL Commissioner, after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Peterson has been with the Panthers since 2020, joining the organization with general manager Bill Zito and is the first Black assistant GM in NHL history. Their efforts led Florida to three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances from 2023 to 2025 and back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025.
He also served as the general manager for Team USA at the 2024 IIHF World Championships and returns to the role for the 2026 World Championships.
Peterson served as an assistant GM during the 2025 tournament, where the Americans won their first Gold Medal since 1933.
Bill Scott, Oilers Assistant GM
Scott has been with the Oilers organization since 2010, serving as the general manager of Edmonton's AHL affiliate in some capacity until 2018. From 2014 to 2022, he bounced between Edmonton's assistant GM and director of hockey operations.
He has held the role full-time since 2022. Scott has been part of one of the longest rebuilds in recent memory, seeing the Oilers land four No. 1 overall picks from 2010 to 2015, including Connor McDavid in 2015.
In that stretch, the Oilers have picked up other valuable assets, including Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, Zach Hyman and more, that have helped Edmonton to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances in 2024 and 2025.
Tom Fitzgerald, Former Devils GM
NJ Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald. Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Fitzgerald has been involved in NHL operations since 2007, joining the Pittsburgh Penguins as their Director of Player Development and being promoted to Assistant General Manager.
In his second year with the Penguins, he'd win a Stanley Cup in 2009.
In 2015, he was hired as the New Jersey Devils' assistant general manager and AHL affiliate general manager. Fitzgerald was in the Devils front office when they drafted Nico Heischer first overall in 2017 and Jack Hughes first overall in 2019.
During the 2019-20 season, he also served as an assistant coach and Executive VP of Hockey Operations before being promoted to General Manager following Ray Shero's firing.
During his time as GM in New Jersey, the Devils made the playoffs twice in 2023 and 2025, losing to the Hurricanes in the second round and the first round, respectively. He also served as an assistant GM for Team USA in the 4-Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Fitzgerald was fired by the Devils in April. New Jersey finished 13th in the Eastern Conference, 11 points outside of a playoff spot with a 42-37-3 record.
If the name sounds familiar to Predators fans, Fitzgerald was the Predators' first captain and played for the team for four seasons from 1998 to 2002.
Scott White, Stars Assistant GM
According to Friedman, the Dallas Stars gave permission for assistant GM Scott White to speak to Nashville and Toronto.
White has been with the Stars organization since 2005, coming on as the Iowa Stars' Director of Hockey Operations. He has been the AHL affiliate since 2009, and this is the first year White has served as Dallas' assistant GM full-time.
White first moved into the Stars Assistant GM role back in 2016 after serving as the Director of Hockey Operations.
During his time with the organization, the Stars have risen to become one of the best teams in the NHL, making an appearance in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. In 2014, the Texas Stars won the Calder Cup and in 2018 finished as runner-up.
The Philadelphia Flyers only turned to Noah Juulsen due to injury, but the veteran journeyman has responded in an encouraging way despite coming into a tough spot cold.
Juulsen, 29, has now played just four career playoff games, including Games 2 and 3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins this week.
The former first-round pick played in just 52 games for the Flyers this season, and only 10 of the team's final 26 games of the regular season. Emil Andrae had established himself next to Nick Seeler on the team's third defense pair, and that was a big portion of the team's post-Olympic turnaround.
On Wednesday night, in his second game replacing the injured Andrae, Juulsen recorded two primary assists--one on Rasmus Ristolainen's first playoff goal to make it 2-1, and one on Seeler's first playoff goal to make it 3-2--helping the Flyers put the Penguins against the wall with a commanding 3-0 series lead.
The pair of assists were the first two playoff points of Juulsen's career, and Seeler's goal stood as the game-winner. Overall, a massive impact from a forgotten depth player.
"It's great. You know what you're gonna get from Juuls. He's a competitor. He's a great defensive defenseman," Seeler said of his defense partner after the game. "He's in the right position. It's nice to see him get on the board with a couple nice assists, really good plays. And I enjoy playing with him."
Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet, who had Juulsen with him on the Vancouver Canucks for the previous three seasons, was equally impressed with the rugged defender's impact and professionalism throughout the season.
It's a common theme throughout the roster that permeates from one player to the next. Juulsen's experience and locker room presence were driving factors that ultimately led him to a reunion with Tocchet on the Flyers.
"When you're in the playoffs, if you're going to go far, you're gonna use people. The one thing with Noah or Emil, when they don't play, they're out there working hard, practicing and not complaining getting ready for their moment," Tocchet said.
"Juuls was ready for it, and a couple assists, I think he played really well. . . like, these guys, they're ready, and they're part of the team. That's what I love about them."
The Flyers needed all of Juulsen's 2:10 of shorthanded ice time with the Penguins on the receiving end of five power play opportunities.
Erik Karlsson did convert one for Pittsburgh, but any more than that could have turned the tide for the Penguins. Juulsen, goalie Dan Vladar, and many of the other vets stood tall and led the way.
Given the volatile nature of the series and the rivalry at hand, it is perfectly plausible that Juulsen remains in the lineup even when Andrae returns, and he's earned his place.
Through three games against the Penguins, the Flyers have allowed just one goal at 5-on-5, and the team's identity of having a suffocating neutral zone defense plays right up Juulsen's alley.
Lassi Thomson bet on himself last summer, but it is fair to assume that he would not have bet on being in the position he was in on Monday night: playing in game two of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
When the Ottawa Senators announced on June 15, 2025, that they had signed Lassi Thomson to a one-year, two-way contract, it was fair to wonder why.
It was not a matter of asking, “Why would an organization want to add a then-24-year-old right-shot defenceman?” Not when every organization in the league is looking to add inexpensive and relatively young right-shot defensive depth.
Travis Green talks about the Game 2 loss and looks ahead to Game 3 back in Ottawa Thursday night.
It was simply a matter of asking, “Why would Lassi Thomson want to return to the Senators’ organization?”
Drafted out of the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL, Thomson was the 19th overall selection of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Senators. The Finnish import product was coming off a strong offensive campaign in which he tallied 17 goals and 41 points in 63 games.
Thomson would return to Finland the following season to play for Ilves in the Liiga, and once his loan to Ilves ended, he arrived for training camp with Ottawa in 2020.
The defenceman would play parts of the next four seasons in the Senators’ organization, even getting into 18 games for the Senators as an AHL recall. In September of 2023, however, it appeared that Thomson’s time with the organization was over. Unable to crack the Senators’ blue line after training camp and the preseason, the Finnish defenceman needed to clear waivers to be returned to the team’s AHL affiliate in Belleville.
The Anaheim Ducks claimed Thomson off waivers on October 8, 2023, but he would never appear in a game for them. When they subsequently tried to put him through waivers to send him to their AHL affiliate the following day, the Senators re-claimed Thomson and sent him to Belleville.
On a relatively weak Belleville team, Thomson had the worst offensive year since playing professionally in North America, compiling just six goals and 21 points in 67 games.
That performance and the offseason awareness that the Senators had Artem Zub, the recently acquired Nick Jensen, Travis Hamonic, and depth pieces like Nikolas Matinpalo and Jacob Bernard-Docker in their midst, there simply was very little opportunity for Thomson to crack Ottawa’s lineup.
Thomson looked overseas for an opportunity to reestablish himself, eventually signing with the Malmö Redhawks of the SHL.
It turned out to be a smart play, as no defenceman in the Swedish league scored more than Thomson’s 17 goals. He finished the season eighth in scoring by a defenceman, recording 29 points in 50 games.
At the conclusion of his season, the Senators came calling.
“We had a lot of talks over the summer with (management) and the coaches,” Thomson explained. “We saw an opportunity to get a couple of games in, and it was a good opportunity. Obviously, with (the Senators) making the playoffs, the (roster) was kind of settled. But I wanted to come here, have a good year, have that confidence in myself, and maybe get the chance (to play).”
Making the decision to leave Sweden, where he was enjoying success, was not easy.
“Of course it was tough,” Thomson stated while describing the decision he had to make. “Obviously, I liked playing in Europe. It was close to home, but like everything else, it was still a bit different.
“I was obviously playing good, but obviously, I've been (in Ottawa), and I know the hockey here. Everybody wants to play in the NHL. I'm still 25 years old, and kind of young. So I think I'm not losing anything by just coming over here to try, and I wanted another chance for this.”
After training camp, however, Thomson was returned to his familiar Belleville, where he simply waited for his chance.
As injuries began to mount and other defencemen were recalled, Thomson continued to focus on his game, hoping that one day the call would be his.
“Obviously, it is kind of frustrating seeing your teammates from Belleville are getting called up, and you're not getting that chance,” admitted Thomson. “But obviously, you have to try to think about it the other way and try to be positive than worry if (a recall) is going to be coming or if it's not coming.
“So, I tried not to get too frustrated. I will say, I just tried to enjoy the hockey. That was the biggest thing for me this year. Just come here and enjoy the hockey. Whatever is going to happen, it's gonna happen. Maybe everybody stays healthy, and you're not going to get a chance. So, I just try to be happy and positive around the other guys. I think it's been working.”
So, Thomson kept his head up and played hard, turning in what was arguably his best and most complete season on this side of the pond. In 55 games with Belleville, Thomson had 14 goals and 25 points while registering a positive plus-minus rating (+1) on a team that gave up the second-highest number of goals (262) in the AHL.
Eventually, it was Thomson’s turn to get a recall and play his first game.
Unfortunately, seven shifts into his first game since November 22, 2022, Thomson sustained a lower-body injury when a New York Ranger fell on his leg. Four minutes and 25 seconds into his NHL return, the defenceman’s night was done.
“I was pretty down after that,” described Thomson. “Mentally, just finally getting that chance and then getting hurt right away. It wasn't fun.”
No one could have blamed Thomson for thinking that the game at Madison Square Garden could have been his last. With other defencemen being close to returning from their own respective injuries and the uncertainty of when he would be available to play again, the possibility that he would not have another chance this season felt very real.
Having the presence of a fellow Finnish defenceman and friend in Nik Matinpalo, certainly helped Thomson.
“It helps a lot (having Matinpalo here),” Thomson laughed while looking at his friend and stallmate. “Obviously, it's always fun to have another Finnish guy. It just helps a lot of things. When you're off the ice, you have somebody else. You’re living at the hotel, so it's great to have somebody who's living there and just kind of help take care of you a little bit more. So, he’s been unbelievable.”
With the help of the team’s trainers, Thomson described the next few days as “weird”, but he recovered quickly enough and dressed in the lineup five days later.
Thomson would go on to play in 11 games for the Senators down the stretch, contributing three assists. In the 141 five-on-five minutes that Thomson played, the team would generate 52.31 percent of the shots (CF%), 55.65 percent of the shots on goal (SF%), 66.67 percent of the total goals (GF%), and 60.19 percent of the expected goals (xGF%).
To Thomson’s credit, he played well in the limited and sheltered third-pairing minutes that were afforded to him. And more importantly, he demonstrated to the coaching staff that he could be an option for them in the postseason, if needed.
The Senators continued to be beset by injuries on the blue line heading into their first-round matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes, and there was some discussion over which defenceman should play on the Senators’ third pairing to open the postseason.
Thanks to his handedness and physicality, the veteran Dennis Gilbert was called upon. But when Artem Zub sustained a lower-body injury while hitting Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis in game one and left the game, it opened the door for Thomson to enter the lineup.
No player wants to see one of their teammates get hurt to create an opportunity, but playing in an NHL playoff game is something that Thomson has dreamed about.
“(Playing in a game), it's pretty awesome,” Thomson said. “This is the point where you want to be, and that's why I came over here, to play in these games. It's pretty unreal.”
Thomson’s career took a few detours, but now he is playing in meaningful hockey games where scouts and other front offices from other franchises are watching.
As a 25-year-old on an expiring contract who has played in fewer than 80 career NHL games, Thomson is slated to become an unrestricted Group VI free agent this summer. Thomson has grown and matured a lot over the past two seasons.
Though he'll serve as a black ace on Thursday night, the way that Lassi Thomson has stepped into the Senators’ lineup and contributed, he looks poised to sign another NHL contract this summer.
Graeme Nichols The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
Apr 20, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jordan Martinook (48) scores the game winner in the second overtime against the Ottawa Senators in game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | James Guillory-Imagn Images
Canada’s Capital City lights up for hockey tonight as the Carolina Hurricanes roll into town and face off against Ottawa in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.
You have to wonder if the Senators are feeling like Carolina did three years ago the first time they played the Florida Panthers. They have gotten outstanding goaltending from Linus Ullmark, they got a game to multiple overtimes including having the good fortune of having a goal disallowed. Yet the squad on the other side was a little bit tougher, a little bit luckier, and got goaltending that was just a hair better. Oh, and the other side is also just a little bit deeper.
The NHL really was lucky that the Hurricanes won on Monday night to where the offside call that wiped out the original game winning goal was more of a funny side story instead of the main talking point. It doesn’t take too long to search on YouTube to find experts breaking down the call and realizing that someone in the league control room decided that they could definitively see something that was about as subjective as it gets. It’s a credit to this team the Hurricanes were eventually able to get a goal that couldn’t be turned over.
So now how does that linger for the Senators? Their first full team skate was this morning after getting back into Ottawa just before the sun came up Tuesday Morning. Coach Travis Green is clearly trying to maximize rest, especially as the ranks continue to be depleted. On Wednesday he still didn’t have an update on when their first pairing defenseman Artem Zub would resume skating let along return to action. Another defenseman Tyler Klevin was on the ice in a regular jersey and he will be in tonight. Any help would be appreciated as three defensemen played at or near 40 minutes on Monday, while two still only played about 15 minutes of a 94 minute game. It tells you the level of trust the team has, and mirrors what the defensive corps was looking like for Carolina by the end of the playoffs last year. Heres what Ottawa skated with this morning:
The extra day off had to have helped, but right after getting that extra day the schedule shifts to another grind. The two teams will play tonight then turn around and play a 3 PM tilt on Saturday. Should Ottawa take one, there will be no extra day before Game 5 as the teams will immediately head back to Raleigh for a game Monday night.
On the Canes’ side there was an optional skate this morning with most in attendance, but there’s really no reason to expect any line or pairing changes as everyone was a full participant in the Wednesday practice before flying up to Ottawa. The minutes distribution was a lot more balanced for the Hurricanes, with just a ten minute range on the defense and a twelve minute range for the forwards. Clearly the fact that Carolina practiced at all on Wednesday means coach Rod Brind’Amour feels good with where his team is at.
Speaking of feeling good with where things are, signs are pointing to Andersen making a third straight start tonight—something that Brind’Amour all but confirmed in his availability. It’s tough to pull the Dane from the net considering he’s only let in two shots of the 61 he’s faced. What was especially encouraging was that after he let in his first tough goal of the series—you can see by his reaction from the normally stoic goaltender he knew it—he was able to put it behind him and kept the Senators off the board despite them pushing hard throughout the rest of the game.
That said at some point Brandon Bussi is likely going to see action. In speaking to Rod Brind’Amour before Game 2, even after the great performance, Brind’Amour told Adam Gold the goal was to get Bussi into one of the Ottawa games. Now you can see the logic: the extra day off would work to where you use Andersen again, then you likely see Bussi for Game 4 as that’s like playing a back-to-back with the early start time. Then Game 5 probably goes back to Andersen unless he really struggles.
So throw all the cliches out there, but there’s no denying the Hurricanes can put an absolute hammer lock on the series if they can go into Ottawa and beat the Senators who will likely be throwing everything they can to get their first win before the series gets out of reach.
If you aren’t in Canada’s Capital tonight to see the game, here’s how you can catch the action:
Time: 7:30 PM
TV: A reminder that you get both a National and Local call of tonight’s game. TBS (yes TBS not TNT) has the national broadcast with Alex Faust—normally doing play-by-play for the Rangers so he will be familiar with the Canes—doing play-by-play and Jennifer Botterill & Colby Armstrong handling color. They will be on site, by the way. For FanDuel Sports Net in the Carolinas, Mike Maniscalco will handle play-by-play alongside Tripp Tracy doing color. Hanna Yates and Shane Willis will provide off-ice reports.
Streaming:HBO Max will have the game for National folks, FanDuel Sports Network App for fans in the Carolinas. A very important note—the NHL Power Play feature isn’t available on ESPN during the playoffs, so the only way to hear Mike and Tripp on the TV will be through the FanDuel app.
Radio: The pregame on 99.9 The Fan starts at 6PM and runs for 60 minutes in the playoffs. At 7PM the Hurricanes Radio Network (consisting of 99.9, 730 The Game in Charlotte, ESPN New Bern 107.5/1490, and ESPN Greenville 107.5/1570) picks up the FDSN feed. You can also stream the call on the Hurricanes app.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid downplayed getting banged up in Game 2 of the Edmonton Oilers’ first-round series against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night.
McDavid’s lower right leg appeared to buckle when he collided early in the second period with teammate Mattias Ekholm, who was attempting to check Anaheim’s Ian Moore. McDavid left the bench briefly but returned not long after, testing his ankle in the process.
“I just rolled up on it a little bit," McDavid said after the 4-2 loss that evened the series. “It’s fine.”
McDavid has not registered a point in either of the first two games. He also had a turnover after resuming play, when his weak backhand attempt was picked off by Alex Killorn on the way to a shorthanded goal for the Ducks.
“Just a little bit of a miscommunication,” McDavid said.
Game 3 is Friday night at Anaheim.
Coach Kris Knoblauch said McDavid is putting a lot of pressure on himself.
“He wants the team to do well," Knoblauch said. "He’s a leader and usually when we have success, he’s a big part of that. There’ve been stretches during the season that he hasn’t been the best player, nights where he hasn’t been outstanding. That doesn’t happen very often, and I’m certain that he’s going to find his game.”
Edmonton's power play, which led the NHL at 30.6% during the regular season, is 0 for 6 so far in the playoffs.
“We’ve got to find a way to score,” McDavid said, calling the power play still a work in progress. "We haven’t ran our normal routes and had our normal looks for some time. It’s not just a light switch, so we’re working at it.”
For Carolina Hurricanes rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin, the second taste of playoff hockey has felt very different than the first.
Just under a year ago, the highly touted Russian blueliner made his NHL debut in the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs in Game 5 against the Washington Capitals and he would appear in three more games that postseason.
There were certainly flashes in the pan for Nikishin during that span, namely a game-winning assist in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final, but it was clear that for the then 23-year-old, who had spent his entire career playing in Russia, there still was a lot to learn about the North American game.
"I don't know if there was a tougher spot to throw a kid in," said Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour.
The Hurricanes play a pretty demanding system that has a lot of nuances to it.
So getting tossed into that on the biggest stage, against the toughest opponents and without a full grasp of the language was certainly no easy task.
"The way we play is hard for even NHL veterans to get used to," said Carolina general manager Eric Tulsky. "So someone coming over from a different league that sort of overall defends in a different way, it was a big adjustment."
Now, however, the talented defenseman has a full year of NHL hockey under his belt as he enters his second postseason stint and for Nikishin, that experience is making all the difference.
"It's different," Nikishin told The Hockey News. "I play last season, my first game, in playoffs and it's a different speed than the KHL. Also, for two months and a half, I didn't play a game. But right now, I play whole season and it's been big experience."
Nikishin has spent a full season learning and adapting to not only the Hurricanes' systems, but also the speed of the NHL, English, teammate tendencies and so much more.
He's gained a comfort level that wasn't initially there and that's allowed him to earn more and more trust from the coaching staff.
"Right now, I know what I need to do on the ice," Nikishin said.
Offensively, Nikishin was as advertised for the Hurricanes.
The Russian set the team record for both goals (11) and points (33) in a season by a rookie blueliner and also earned a spot quarterbacking the team's second power play unit.
And if there were such things as tertiary assists, he'd already have two points this postseason thanks to a pair of plays he made in Game 1.
Nikishin has also lived up to his trademark "Boom" nickname, delivering some of the team's biggest hits of the year and ending the season fifth overall on the team with a total of 132.
The Hurricanes elected to primarily pair him alongside their other top offensive blueliner in Shayne Gostisbehere and the two were a pretty dynamic duo for Carolina at even strength, especially so in the offensive zone.
The two defensemen combined for 24 goals and 83 points on the year and as you would expect, they had a significantly higher scoring rate than the team's other two pairs at 5v5, while still not conceding very much against either.
"I like playing with him," Nikishin said on Gostisbehere. "He loves playing in the offensive zone and he can make a great pass for open lane. I understand what he wants and he helps me too in the offensive zone. Many times we speak what we do in the d-zone too."
Nikishin also said that there's a big comfort level playing with Gostisbehere, which is an importance that can't be overstated for a rookie.
"Niki's obviously a physical presence and he's got a blistering shot," Gostisbehere said. "He's been a great addition and he fits seamlessly too and has really helped us."
While the offensive side of Nikishin's game was never in question, the one area of the game where he still has room to grow though is defensively.
Brind'Amour has talked extensively throughout the year on how he feels Nikishin is just "scratching the surface" when it comes to his overall playing ability and that primarily has to do with him still learning the nuances about defending at the NHL level.
But from his NHL debut to today, it's been like night and day.
In that first playoff experience, Nikishin had no idea where he was even supposed to be on the ice, often looking lost in his own end. He just wasn't prepared for the speed and intensity of the NHL playoffs, and especially so against a team like the Florida Panthers that year.
But that's not the case this year.
"My focus was on D-zone," Nikishin said on the main area of his game he worked on this year. "It's number one here."
"From where he was in Game 1 to now, you can see that he's getting a lot more accustomed to the way we ask people to gap up and close out," Tulsky said. "He understands that when a player turns up, he's got to go with him and close him down. That's getting more and more instinctive for him and as that happens, it becomes easier, more natural and faster. He's just getting more and more effective with time."
The Carolina Hurricanes have Stanley Cup aspirations and usually a team like that doesn't have time to get rookies up to speed.
So it's a testament to both Nikishin's talent and growth that he's already positioned himself into a dependable member of the blueline on a true Cup favorite and as Brind'Amour has said, his potential feels incredibly high.
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The Los Angeles Kings currently find themselves down 2-0 to the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The season is essentially on the line for the Kings in game three, as falling down 3-0 to the President's Trophy winner's would be a next to impossible hole to get out of.
Although they've struggled on home ice this season, the Kings will hopefully get a jolt to their system as they head home to play in front of their fans.
This season, the Kings went 15-17-9 at Crypto.com Arena, which is night and day compared to 2024-25 when they were the best team in the league at home.
Last season, the Kings finished sixth place in the entire National Hockey League, in large part to dominant play on home ice. L.A. finished 31-6-4 at home, which was the best record of any team in the NHL.
Although this season has been the complete opposite for the silver and black, the Kings must find a way to get back to their winning ways at home in order to save their season.
With that being said, it will be no easy task as the Kings are 2-8 in their last 10 games against the Avalanche at home. With that being said, one of those victories came last season in a 5-4 game on April 12th.
So just over one-year later, Anze Kopitar and the Kings have the chance to get another home win over a tremendous Avs team.
Hopefully the home ice advantage fuels the Kings offence and allows more than just Artemi Panarin to find the back of the net, as the Russian star has both of L.A.'s only two goals in this series.
The season could very well be on the line tonight at 10:00 PM ET as the Kings continue to try and break through and finally breakthrough against the Avalanche.
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On April 23, 1993, Teemu Selanne scored his first career playoff hat trick, a moment that reflected the explosive scoring ability he had already showcased during one of the most remarkable rookie seasons in NHL history.
Selanne’s arrival with the Winnipeg Jets in 1992–93 immediately changed the franchise. Nicknamed the “Finnish Flash,” he took the league by storm, scoring 76 goals and adding 56 assists for 132 points.
His 76 goals remain the NHL rookie record, surpassing marks set decades earlier and still standing as one of the most impressive single season achievements in hockey history. He also popularized his iconic goal celebration, pretending to shoot a glove into the air, which became one of the most recognizable celebrations of the era.
During his time in Winnipeg, Selanne was the centerpiece of the Jets’ offense. Between 1992 and 1996, he consistently produced at an elite level, forming a dynamic partnership with fellow Finnish star Teppo Numminen and giving the Jets a much needed offensive identity. Despite financial challenges and roster limitations, Selanne helped keep the team competitive and electrified fans with his speed and scoring touch.
After his Winnipeg years, Selanne went on to build a Hall of Fame career, most notably with the Anaheim Ducks. He became the face of the franchise and played a key role in their 2007 Stanley Cup.
Over his long career, he scored 684 goals and recorded 1,457 points, earning numerous accolades including the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year and multiple All-Star selections. Selanne was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest goal scorers in NHL history.
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The Colorado Avalanche have a chance to take a firm grasp on their first-round series against the team from the city of fallen angels.
Some would argue the Kings have been surprisingly good so far this series, but tonight they hope to walk away with something to show for their efforts.
The Avalanche won both games at home, but it took some doing, and the victories came on contributions from (mainly) the depth pieces of their lineup.
Is tonight the night the Avalanche stunts their star power, or will the LA Kings make good on an upset where the ocean meets the sand?
Colorado Avalanche: 2-0
The Opponent: Los Angeles Kings (0-2)
Time: 8:00 p.m. MT
Watch: Altitude, Altitude+, TNT
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
A lot has been made of the Avalanche “playing the Kings game” in games one and two, but it should come as no surprise that this Avalanche team is committed to stout support and defensive structure.
The Avalanche is perfectly fine with playing low-scoring, tight-checking games. Nathan MacKinnon said so much after the game one victory, stating, “We pride ourselves on our defensive ability. I know that might surprise some people.”
Nonetheless, it’s possible to stay committed defensively and achieve more goals.
I have three keys to a Colorado Avalanche victory:
Score first.
Martin Necas must ‘shoot-first.’
Stay out of the penalty box.
The sit-back-and-wait approach only works against the Avalanche when they don’t have a lead, especially in a game where LA should be more desperate than in games one and two.
Martin Necas’ pass to Gabe Landeskog on Colorado’s tying goal in game two was a thing of beauty, but I want him to log a minimum of 3 SOG in the first period.
He has turned down too many great looks, given his shooting ability.
The Avalanche have a large share of the expected goals in this series, and that advantage is amplified in 5-on-5 situations.
LA has two goals in the series, both from Artemi Panarin and both on the power play.
Stay out of the box, and LA might stay off the scoresheet.
The Kings have satisfied key number one in both games this series, but haven’t secured number two.
If they had, we’d be having a much different conversation ahead of game three.
Both goalies have arguably been the best players on their sides, and if LA wants to win this game or a series, they will have to humanize Scott Wedgewood, who is on fire to start the playoffs.
Nearly two months ago, four of the Nashville Predators' depth pieces were dealt off at the NHL trade deadline for little to nothing.
Michael McCarron (Minnesota), Michael Bunting (Dallas), Cole Smith (Vegas) and Nick Blankenburg (Colorado) were all traded in March for a collective four draft picks and defenseman Christoffer Sedoff.
While Nashville narrowly missed the playoffs, all four players who were traded are part of squads playing in the postseason.
However, not all playoff teams are created equal.
McCarron, who was acquired for his size and presence in the bottom six, has been a massive piece to the Wild's playoff plan. He has averaged 15:24 minutes of ice time over three games and scored his first career playoff goal in Game 3 on Wednesday.
Smith has had a similar experience in Vegas, averaging 11:07 minutes of ice time over two games and recording his first career playoff point, via a primary assist on a Colton Sissions goal, in Game 2.
Their impact on their new teams is almost expected, as it's identical to what it was in Nashville. Both are giving their new teams a boost in the bottom six and are built for a more aggressive and intense pace in the playoffs.
The pair may have earned themselves extensions as both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. McCarron is wrapping up a 2-year, $1.8 million contract and Smith is at the end of a 2-year, $2 million contract.
The same cannot be said for the other two.
At the end of March, Bunting suffered an upper-body injury, missing six straight games before playing the Stars' final two games of the regular season. Despite his return, Bunting has been scratched for all three of Dallas' playoff games.
Mar 29, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Stars left wing Michael Bunting (58) battles for position against Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
In Nashville, Bunting was a major boost on the third line, recording 31 points in 61 games. His production has slowed immensely since joining the Stars, logging just two points in 13 games.
Blankenburg has been in a similar position, scratched from Games 1 and 2 of the Colorado Avalanche's series against the Los Angeles Kings.
He played in 12 of Colorado's 18 remaining regular-season games, healthy-scratched in six games. Logging 21 points in 49 games with the Predators this season, Blankenburg has just three points in 12 games.
It's likely the pair will be going into the free agency market this summer. Bunting is at the end of a 3-year, $13.5 million contract and Blankenburg is finishing a 2-year, $1.55 million contract.
Apr 22, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) celebrates his game winning goal during the second overtime period in game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Matt Krohn/Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Wyatt Johnston scored on a power-play deflection at 12:10 of the second overtime to give the Dallas Stars a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild for a 2-1 lead in the first-round series.
Matt Duchene tied it for Dallas on a power play midway through the third period, seconds after his backcheck on Matt Boldy averted a short-handed goal that would’ve put Minnesota up by two.
After the Wild failed to convert two overtime power plays, finishing 1 for 7 with the man advantage, the Stars took advantage of their opportunity after Danila Yurov’s delay-of-game penalty. Miro Heiskanen’s shot was knocked in by Johnston for his third goal in three games — and his sixth winning goal in four career postseasons.
“It’s kind of a little blurry, but just trying to get to the net and just trying to get my stick on the puck,” said Johnston, who had a career-high 45 goals during the regular season.
The game ended at 12:54 a.m.
Radek Faksa had a close-range chance in the second overtime he poked behind Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt, but the puck skidded straight across the crease.
Wallstedt polished off the first Stars’ power play by snapping his glove around Mikko Rantanen’s shot and smothering Esa Lindell’s bad-angle attempt. Johnston then spoiled a brilliant 32-save performance by Wallstedt with his deflection.
“We definitely played well enough to win,” Wallstedt said. “It’s small margins. It’s a ‘D’ shot that double tips and hits twice and goes over my shoulder. Yeah, it’s bounces, but that’s what it is.”
Seconds after the audible thump from Stars goalie Jake Oettinger’s blocker save on Brock Faber’s slap shot, the Wild had another prime opportunity to win it in the first overtime when Quinn Hughes drew a tripping penalty on Sam Steel. But even with Faksa playing most of that penalty kill without a stick, the Wild failed to generate much pressure. Jamie Benn’s holding penalty on Nick Foligno gave them another try to crack Oettinger, who finished with 28 saves.
“I had my head down, looking out of one eye, just like, ’Good Lord, get through this,’” Duchene said.
The Wild killed four penalties between Rantanen’s power play tip-in just 1:25 into the game and Duchene’s crowd-quieting snap shot that slipped between defenseman Jared Spurgeon and the near post. That included 40 seconds of a 5-on-3 after Boldy’s delay-of-game penalty late in the second period.
As soon as he left the box, Spurgeon saw an opening to start a rush that Michael McCarron finished with his first goal in the NHL playoffs to give the Wild a 3-2 lead.
Jason Robertson scored after a slick stretch pass by Duchene to put the Stars up 2-0 in the first period.
Marcus Johansson scored on a power play to start the rally less than five minutes later, and Joel Eriksson Ek had the tying goal in the second after a brilliant setup by Boldy. The U.S. Olympian, who had a career-high 42 goals during the regular season, weaved through four Stars skaters and drew a crowd behind the net before zipping the puck back into the slot for Eriksson Ek to knock in.
Entering these playoffs, the winner of Game 3 after a split of the first two games in a best-of-seven went on to win the series nearly two-thirds of the time (245 of 369) in NHL history.
The Wild, who have not advanced in the postseason since 2015, fell on the flip side of that ratio in each of their last three appearances. They won Game 3 to go up 2-1 on Vegas last year, on Dallas in 2023 and on St. Louis in 2022, before being eliminated with three straight losses every time.
This was the third time in Wild history they reached double overtime, including a 3-2 win at Dallas in Game 1 of their first-round series with the Stars in 2023.
The Wild, who have a 4-14 series record in their underwhelming playoff history, have lost 17 of their last 23 postseason home games.
“Whether we won tonight or lost tonight, this series isn’t over,” Hughes said. “It’s a really good hockey game. We had our looks. They had their looks. Just leave it at that.”
