The Minnesota Wild defeated the Dallas Stars by a 4-2 final score in Game 5. With this, the Wild now have a 3-2 series lead over the Stars and need only one more win to advance to the second round.
A former Montreal Canadiens first-round pick certainly played a role in the Wild's overtime winner, as Michael McCarron scored the game-winning goal for Minnesota.
At the 7:47 mark of the third period, McCarron gave the Wild a 3-1 lead with a nice goal. After skating hard to get a loose puck, the former Canadiens forward beat Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger five-hole.
With this clutch performance, McCarron now has two goals and a plus-1 rating in five games for the Wild this postseason. The former Canadiens forward has proven to be a nice addition to the Wild's roster, and this big moment in Game 5 only proves that.
McCarron was selected by the Canadiens in the first round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft with the 25th overall pick. In 69 games over three seasons with the Habs, McCarron had two goals, six assists, eight points, 110 penalty minutes, and 185 hits.
The 2025-26 season for the New Jersey Devils is in the books, and the time has come to shift our attention from what’s going on on the ice to off the ice.
New general manager Sunny Mehta has plenty of business to handle this summer as he inherits a talented, but flawed roster from Tom Fitzgerald. The Devils have several restricted free agents that need to be addressed, and in the first part of our annual series where we profile the pending RFAs and UFAs on the roster, we will begin with Arseny Gritsyuk.
Who is Arseny Gritsyuk?
Arseny Gritsyuk is a 25 year old winger who was drafted in the 5th round way back in 2019. The former 129th overall selection was one of Ray Shero’s final draft picks as an NHL general manager.
Like many Russian prospects before him, Gritsyuk continued his development in his homeland, playing for clubs such as Omskie Yastreby, Izhevsk Izhstal Ustinov, and Novokuznetsk Metallurg before winding up with Omsk Avangard of the KHL for three seasons. While there, he represented the Russian Olympic Committee in the Olympics in 2022, winning a silver medal. He would play two more seasons with SKA St. Petersburg before finally making his way to the NHL prior to the 2025-26 season. He scored 68 goals and added 84 assists in 216 KHL games over five seasons.
Gritsyuk is represented by agent Shumi Babaev of the Shumi Agency. According to PuckPedia, he has 4 other NHL clients aside from Gritsyuk, with the most notable ones being Penguins winger Yegor Chinakhov and Avalanche center (and former Devils draft selection) Zakhar Bardakov among them.
What has Gritsyuk done as a Devil?
Gritsyuk has only played one season in New Jersey, but its safe to say he’s made a good first impression and he’s someone Devils fans want to see more of moving forward.
Gritsyuk started out this season on the Devils fourth line, but with his responsible two-way play, high hockey IQ, and a sometimes lethal shot, he gradually earned more ice time. He eventually settled into a third line role for the majority of the season and earned ice time on the second power play unit.
After tallying a few assists over his first few NHL games, Gritsyuk scored his first career NHL goal in the Devils 4-1 win over the Wild back on October 22. And it was a snipe.
Unfortunately for Gritsyuk, he was like many Devils players this season who just went ice cold offensively in the middle of the campaign. He did rebound post-Olympic break with 4 goals and 4 assists before a shoulder injury ended his season. All in all, he finished his rookie campaign with 13 goals and 18 assists in 66 games. His 31 points placed him 13th among all rookies, and while he won’t win the Calder Trophy, he may wind up earning a few down ballot votes as recognition for the campaign he had.
Now that the season is in the rear-view mirror though and looking back on it, I think there’s a lot to like when it comes to Gritsyuk’s game. He’s a much better defensive forward than I think anyone could’ve hoped for. He’s a good skater. He gets in there on the forecheck. And of course, he has one of the better shots on the team.
He also now has a season’s worth of NHL experience under his belt, which is key. We know what his floor is. He can carve out a role as a defensively responsible bottom six winger who can drive offense. But I think he’s versatile enough as a player where he could play anywhere in the lineup and not look out of place. He got some time with Jack Hughes post-Olympics and looked fine, but I could see him fitting in with Nico Hischier as his wingman as well. Chris alluded to this when he said Gritsyuk deserved a bigger role, and I think one could argue he was just as good as Timo Meier or Dawson Mercer were this past season, if not better.
Gritsyuk’s ELC concluded at the end of this Devils season. He will have arbitration rights as a pending RFA, assuming the Devils qualify him (spoiler alert: they will). The Devils will maintain his NHL rights until he becomes eligible for UFA following the 2027-28 season.
What will Gritsyuk do going forward?
This is a difficult question to answer, as there are a lot of unknowns moving forward.
We don’t know if Sheldon Keefe will be back as the coach, nor do we know who Sunny Mehta is planning on keeping from the roster he inherited. We also don’t know how Mehta will value Gritsyuk, as we just have the one NHL season under his belt to go off of. And even assuming Gritsyuk is back, what will his role be? Will he be shoehorned into the Top Six? Will he continue his third line role alongside Cody Glass? Can he earn more time on the power play unit?
That said, I could see Gritsyuk being better in his second full NHL season now that he’s been around the league once. He’s now familiar with the speed at which the NHL game is played. He knows he’ll have to get stronger to get to those tougher areas of the ice more consistently. The defensive game is already there for him, but the next step for him as a goal scorer will be picking up on those little nuances and creating separation to get his shot off.
I don’t know what his ceiling will ultimately be as an NHL player, but I do think he has the potential to be a Top-Six caliber winger who scores 20-25 goals a season and contributes around 50 points.
Who are Gritsyuk’s comparables and what is his value?
My natural inclination was to compare Gritsyuk’s rookie NHL season to the rookie season of other players who played multiple seasons in Russia and debuted in their 20s. But I also don’t think you can really compare Gritsyuk to Kirill Kaprizov or Artemi Panarin. Both of them had significantly better rookie campaigns than Gritsyuk did, and both have stood the test of time as elite-level NHL wingers. I’d be thrilled if Gritsyuk was half the offensive force that they are.
The next player that came to mind was a former Devils draft pick out of Belarus that we should all be familiar with in Yegor Sharangovich. But it’s another imperfect comparison.
Yes, they do share some similarities as players. Sharangovich is a little taller but they have similar frames as players. They both possess what can be termed a lethal shot. And when their shot is going well, they can pump in goals as a reliable source of secondary offense.
But I view Gritsyuk as more of a complete two-way forward, despite Sharangovich regularly seeing time on a penalty killing unit. I also view Sharangovich as a player who almost has to be shooting well above expected to have positive value in your lineup. Calgary gave him 5 years and $5.75M after a 31 goal season where he shot over 17%, but he has struggled enough the last two years where that contract doesn’t look like the greatest investment after the fact.
Part of why I bring up Sharangovich as a potential comp though is the contract he signed in between that deal and the $2M AAV for 2 year deal he signed out of his ELC. As a 25 year old, he signed a $3.10M AAV deal for 2 years shortly after being traded to Calgary in 2023. Sharangovich would’ve been eligible for UFA at the end of that deal but Calgary moved to sign him to an extension after his career year and buy out five UFA years. I do think that $3.10M AAV is in line with Gritsyuk’s production at that age, and even accounting for the growing cap ceiling and inflation, it makes his AFP analytics projection of $3.55M for 2 years on a bridge seem reasonable.
I did struggle to come up with other comparables for Gritsyuk though, so I decided to reach out to Chris and see what he thought and he threw out a few interesting names. He noted that Gritsyuk had similar scoring rates to Alex Tuch and Adrian Kempe at the same age. Both of those players obviously had far more NHL experience through their age 25 season than Gritsyuk does, but they also both found another level and developed into top line scoring wingers. He also mentioned Jake DeBrusk, but that would be the opposite end of the spectrum as he’s never really proven to be anything more than a 20-ish goal, 40-ish point winger.
After tallying 52 points with the Golden Knights in 18-19. Tuch signed a long-term deal for $4.75M AAV over 7 years. That deal has proven to be an exceptional value as he has three 30+ goal seasons in Buffalo and is set up nicely to cash in as THE premier free agent of this year’s class on July 1.
Kempe is finishing up 4 year deal worth $5.5M AAV that he signed after his breakout season in 21-22 when he scored 35 goals with the Kings. He has since signed a new deal with the Kings to bypass free agency, extending for $10.63M AAV over the next 8 seasons.
DeBrusk signed a series of bridge deals with the Bruins, beginning with a 2-year, $3.68M AAV deal after a 35 point campaign in 2019-20. He followed that up with another 2-year deal, this time for $4M. DeBrusk cashed in on a long-term deal with the Vancouver Canucks when he hit free agency in 2024.
I’ve rattled off a bunch of names, but I don’t think there’s a perfect comp unfortunately. His fellow countrymen in Panarin and Kaprizov are simply better players, and just because guys like Tuch and Kempe have similar scoring rates doesn’t mean they’re similar players. But I did want to cover a wide base of guys with similar numbers and what they ultimately received.
What would I do with Gritsyuk and what do I think the Devils will do?
According to AFP analytics, Gritsyuk is projected for either a 2-year bridge deal worth $3.55M AAV or a 5-year longer-term deal worth $6.58M AAV.
On the surface, both of those projections might seem a little high given Gritsyuk’s lack of experience. But I’m also still operating of the mindset that yesterday’s prices should be today’s prices and that’s not the case. The cap is continuing to increase and contracts that might’ve been good 2 years ago might not be today. I can’t blame Gritsyuk for looking to cash in when athletes only get so many opportunities to do so. The proverbial pie is getting bigger and he wants his fair slice of it.
I’m not sure I love the idea of a long-term deal though given his relatively small track record. Especially at a time where the Devils simply don’t have a ton of salary cap flexibility. I’m not saying they should get rid of Gritsyuk but the cap is something to consider, especially if he doesn’t take those next steps in his development. And I think if I were Gritsyuk, I wouldn’t want to sign long-term yet if I think I have much more to give as a player.
I think the approach that might make the most sense for now is something similar to what the Flames did with Sharangovich. A bridge that locks in his AAV for the next two years, and if he has a good season in 2026-27, we can talk about a longer-term deal next summer when we have a better idea of who the player is.
We don’t know how Sunny Mehta will manage the salary cap, but I can’t imagine that he’s going to be on board with paying so many guys market rate like Fitzgerald did before him. Then again, given the aforementioned salary cap situation, Mehta might be content to get Gritsyuk locked in at as low an AAV as possible for the next two seasons while money is tight and worry about 2028 when it gets here. Especially if he has any grandeurs of completing the Hughes triforce next summer or trying to land another big fish on top of a potential Nico Hischier extension.
I do wonder if one potential option that makes sense for the Devils is to try to meet Gritsyuk somewhere in the middle with a 3 or 4 year deal in the $5.5M AAV range that buys out one year or two of his UFA years. The reason I bring that up is because we’re seeing more and more players sign shorter-term deals. Not only does it keep pressure on the team to put a winner around them, but it gives the player an opportunity to test the market again sooner at a time where the salary cap ceiling is exploding. Gritsyuk could sign a 4 year deal this summer and still be in a position to sign a long-term deal when he’s 29 and there’s a larger body of work and more proof of concept with him. Like I said, I don’t think it makes a ton of sense for Gritsyuk to want to max out on term right now.
With cap space at a premium though, I think the most likely move is a bridge. My contract prediction is 2 years at $3.5M AAV.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - APRIL 28: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his game winning overtime goal against the Buffalo Sabres in Game Five of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on April 28, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. Boston won, 2-1. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
After a pummeling on home ice in Game 4, Bruins fans headed into last night’s elimination game in Buffalo hoping for, if nothing else, some pride, some effort, and a team that would show up, rather than go out with a whimper.
They got that and more, as the Bruins recovered from an early one-goal deficit to beat Buffalo, 2-1, via a David Pastrnak breakaway goal midway through overtime.
The goal was Pastrnak’s second of the series and the second playoff OT goal of his career.
Jeremy Swayman was the reason the Bruins even had a kick at the can in OT, as he made 28 saves, including eight in the third period and four in OT, to earn the win.
Elias Lindholm scored the other goal for the B’s, a game-tying goal 9:24 into the second period.
This was a tightly played game throughout, a completely different showing from Game 4, as the Bruins still struggled with Buffalo’s forecheck at times but managed to not completely implode in their own zone.
Buffalo started the scoring 3:35 into the game, with Rasmus Dahlin finishing a beautiful Jason Zucker pass on the power play to make it 1-0 Sabres.
That would remain the score until 9:24 into the second period, when Lindholm collected a loose puck in the slot and beat Alex Lyon with the ol’ “turn and shoot” to make it a 1-1 game.
Swayman played a huge role in keeping the game tied through the rest of the second and third periods, making a number of big stop — including this doorstep save on Tage Thompson.
Pastrnak did an excellent job avoiding going offside, staying on by THISMUCH:
Bruins win, 2-1!
Game notes
The lopsidedness of Game 4 was always a bit of an outlier, but the Bruins deserve a lot of credit for a bounce-back effort on Tuesday. It would have been relatively easy to let your standards slip after a deflating home loss, but the Bruins showed up.
We’ve been saying “I’m not sure how sustainable this is” all season, but tonight’s game followed a season-long formula for the Bruins: take your chances when they come and hope Swayman can come up big when called upon. This wasn’t a “Bruins have no business being in it, Swayman stole the game” night, but he made some huge saves to both keep it a one-goal game and to keep the game tied down the stretch.
Looking at the screenshot above, you can see that the linesman is about 15 feet behind that play, so I give him credit for calling that onside live. I’m not sure how you make that judgment at full speed. Very fast eyeballs.
Marat Khusnutdinov, who had a very solid game overall, played a huge role in Pastrnak’s OT winner. His decision to attack Peyton Krebs as he crossed the blue line not only caused the turnover that led to the goal, but prevented what looked like it would have been a hashmarks-in breakaway for Buffalo, as you could see where Krebs was looking with the puck.
The Bruins briefly had a “did we win?” moment earlier in OT, when Sean Kuraly poked the puck out from Lyon and into the net. The whistle technically didn’t go until after the puck went in, but the referees ruled that the play was dead. It looks like it ended up being the right call, but it was close.
The giveaways stat is always kind of a toss-up, but the NHL’s scorekeepers credit the B’s with having one fewer giveaway than Buffalo (21 vs. 22). The B’s also outhit the Sabres 43-27 and won the face-off battle handily, 60%-40%.
The Bruins came up empty on the power play again tonight, going 0-for-3. That included a pretty big opportunity five minutes into the third period, but all’s well that ends well, I guess.
Sturm leaned heavily on Pavel Zacha and Pastrnak tonight, with the Czechs skating 24:19 and 25:15, respectively. Those totals were second and third highest among all skaters on the B’s, only behind Charlie McAvoy’s 26:24.
The NHL announced after the game that Friday’s Game 6 will begin at 7:30 at TD Garden.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - FEBRUARY 25: Tyson Foerster #71 of the Philadelphia Flyers battles for the puck along the boards against Erik Karlsson #65 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Wells Fargo Center on February 25, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Philadelphia Flyers (3-2) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (2-3) in Game 6 of the best of seven series
When: 7:30 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NBC Sports Philadelphia, nationally on TNT and truTV, streaming on HBO Max
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins need to win tonight in order to extend the series to a winner-takes-all Game 7, which would take place Saturday in Pittsburgh at a time to be determined.
Opponent Track: The Flyers are looking to snap their losing streak after dropping two straight. The home team is still one win away from earning the chance to take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.
Hidden Stat: Just 12 percent of NHL teams that have gone down 0-3 in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup playoff series have gone on to force a Game 6.
Series results of a best-of-7 series in Stanley Cup playoff history where a team took a 3-0 series lead:
🏒 131 won in 4 games 🏒 58 won in 5 games 🏒 16 won in 6 games 🏒 6 won in Game 7 🏒 4 lost the series pic.twitter.com/iZQ3Qqe5pD
Travis Konecny – Christian Dvorak – Porter Martone
Denver Barkey – Trevor Zegras – Owen Tippett
Alex Bump – Noah Cates – Tyson Foerster
Luke Glendening – Sean Couturier – Garnet Hathaway
DEFENSEMEN
Travis Sanheim / Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York / Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler / Emil Andrae
Goalies: Dan Vladar and Samuel Ersson
Potential scratches: Matvei Michkov (?), Oliver Bonk (?), Helge Grans, David Jiricek, Garrett Wilson, Nikita Grebenkin, Oscar Eklind, Noah Juulsen, Hunter McDonald, Jacob Gaucher, Carl Grundstrom, Aleksei Kolosov, Carson Bjarnason
Defenseman Emil Andrae, who missed time after suffering an injury in Game 1, returned to the third pairing in Game 5 in place of Noah Juulsen.
The Flyers scratched Matvei Michkov ahead of Game 5 in favor of Alex Bump, who celebrated his return to the lineup by scoring one of Philadelphia’s two goals.
If Michkov draws back into the lineup tonight, it sounds like it won’t be in place of Tyson Foerster, who has been held without a point this series. Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said Tuesday the Flyers would “try to stick with” Foerster.
“It’s just not him; we’ve got some other guys there that we need a little bit more from,” Tocchet said Tuesday. “But it is tough, hitting the wall, to be able to play at that pace and all that sort of stuff, maybe he has hit the wall a little bit. But 24 hours or 36 hours off, reset your brain, all that stuff can do wonders for the guy.”
There could still be some changes coming to the lineup. Tocchet said the Flyers have been discussing potentially slotting 21-year-old Oliver Bonk, who has one game of regular-season experience at the NHL level, in for Game 6.
When asked if Pens’ ability to adjust to the Flyers’ defense in Games 4 and 5 had impacted his game plan going forward, Tocchet said his emphasis ahead of Game 6 would be not on changing his team’s structure but on encouraging players’ “determination” to get the puck.
“They’ve adjusted. I’ve got to give their staff and their players credit. But there’s some stuff there that we’re not doing, that we can expose them,” Tocchet said Tuesday about the Pens. “And I’m not going to get into that part, but there’s a lot of skating and wanting the puck. There’s got to be a little bit more want and determination, and you’ll get pucks.
“I don’t think, me personally, it’s X and O’s. I think it’s determination, on some of these players, to wanting that puck.”
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
Elmer Soderblom – Ben Kindel – Anthony Mantha
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kris Letang
Ryan Shea / Ilya Solovyov
Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner
Potential Scratches: Connor Clifton, Justin Brazeau, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Jack St. Ivany, Sergei Murashov
IR: Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones (season-ending shoulder surgery)
The Penguins canceled practice Tuesday, so the first look at any changes to the lineup will come before tonight’s game.
Elmer Soderblom’s goal on Monday seems like a good indication he’ll be back in the lineup for Game 6, which could mean Justin Brazeau will remain out.
Another positive in Game 5 was the Penguins’ fourth line. Goalscorer Connor Dewar, when asked Monday whether he felt the momentum in the series had shifted, answered: “We’re just fighting to stay together. Every win is a few more days together, so that’s the way I’m thinking about it.”
Connor Dewar after Game 5 win: “We’re just fighting to stay together. Every win is a few more days together.”
He scored his second goal in as many games. Said the Penguins are playing faster and more direct with their season on the line.
From Pens PR: Arturs Silovs is the first Penguins goaltender since Frank Pietrangelo in 1991 to win his first two playoff starts while facing elimination both times.
Kris Letang also joined Silovs in history as the first defenseman since 1971 to score back-to-back Stanley Cup playoff game winners when his team was facing elimination, per Pens PR.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 22: Travis Konecny #a11 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins exchange words after their match in Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Flyers defeated the Penguins 5-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
Are you hyped for Game 6 tonight? How’s this for a stat on the Penguins’ resilience? The Penguins have already beaten the odds by forcing a Game 6 after trailing the Flyers 3-0. Eighty-seven percent of NHL teams in that position never make it that far. While Pittsburgh still faces a steep climb, the pressure has shifted to Philadelphia as the Penguins try to become just the fifth team in league history to complete a comeback from a 0-3 deficit. [PensBurgh]
The Penguins’ power play remains unfinished and inconsistent, with coaches and players still trying to build chemistry and improve execution despite having a strong group of talent on the ice. [Trib Live]
Former Penguins forward Dominik Uher (there’s a ‘Remember a guy.’) has signed a two-year contract with Lowen Frankfurt of Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga. [Trib Live]
Unlike the Penguins’ chaotic 2012 comeback attempt against the Flyers, this year’s team needs sharper starts and early leads to have a real chance of completing the monumental feat. [Trib Live]
Veterans Kris Letang and Sidney Crosby have recently helped drive Pittsburgh’s push, with Letang scoring consecutive game-winning goals (even if one was a stroke of luck) and Crosby contributing key offense and late-game leadership. [Penguins]
Pittsburgh’s fourth line of Connor Dewar, Blake Lizotte, and Noel Acciari has rediscovered its chemistry after injuries disrupted the trio late in the season. [Penguins]
News and notes from around the NHL…
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini, and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov have been named the finalists for the 2025-26 Ted Lindsay Award. [Sportsnet]
Fans in attendance at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center joined together to finish the pregame rendition of “O Canada” before Game 5 on Tuesday night after anthem singer Cami Clune’s microphone cut out. [NHL]
There is still no definitive timetable for Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman’s return to the lineup after he left the team March 25 for personal reasons. However, all signs indicate that the 35-year-old is making steady progress toward that eventual return. [NHL]
In the NHL playoffs Tuesday night, the two trailing teams won to extend their series, while Minnesota broke the 2-2 tie to pull ahead of Dallas, 3-2. But before that, a bit of Islanders fodder…
Islanders News
In the latest Islanders Anxiety, Dan and Mike talk about the Bridgeport finale, some extra season thoughts, upcoming schedule and more. [LHH]
They also reference this, a must-read sign-off from Michael Fornabaio, who covered so much Sound Tigers history and kept us entertained the whole time. Really missed his coverage the last several seasons. You can’t properly cover minor pro hockey without a Slap Shot sense of humor, and he had that in spades. [MFornabaio]
Two of the bigger holes this past season — the season-ending injuries to Kyle Palmieri and Alex Romanov — will theoretically fill themselves with their returns. But coming back from major injuries is not always a straight line. [Post]
Simon Holmstrom, Emil Heineman and Mat Barzal will represent their countries at the World Championship. [THN]
The Islanders will host the next All-Star Game, and of course Gary Bettman says travel to the arena and parking is improving and great. [Newsday]
NHL Playoffs
The Bruins extend their series in Buffalo with a dramatic OT win on a David Pastrnak breakaway where he just barely stayed(?) on side. [NHL]
The Oilers woke up and dominated the Ducks, extending that series at 3-2. [NHL]
And Kirill Kaprizov picked up three points as the Wild pushed the Stars to the brink in Dallas. [NHL]
Remembering John Garrett, goalie, good guy and longtime Canucks announcer. [Sportsnet]
With mouth-breathing attention seekers like Paul Bissonnette saying Brady Tkachuk is as good as gone this summer, rumors will persist until the Senators captain’s next extension. [Sportsnet]
Bruce Cassidy appeared on TNT to reflect on getting fired by Vegas with eight games left. [Sportsnet]
Tonight, someone will take a 3-2 lead in the Lightning-Canadiens series, while the Penguins will look to make the Flyers reaaaly uncomfortable in their effort to erase the 0-3 deficit.
Pittsburgh Penguins (41-25-16, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (43-27-12, in the Metropolitan Division)
Philadelphia; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Flyers -121, Penguins +101; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Flyers lead series 3-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia Flyers host the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 3-2 lead in the series. The teams meet Monday for the 10th time this season. The Penguins won the last matchup 3-2.
Philadelphia has a 15-11-5 record in Metropolitan Division play and a 43-27-12 record overall. The Flyers have a +one scoring differential, with 240 total goals scored and 239 conceded.
Pittsburgh is 15-7-9 against the Metropolitan Division and 41-25-16 overall. The Penguins have a 43-8-9 record when scoring three or more goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Trevor Zegras has scored 26 goals with 41 assists for the Flyers. Porter Martone has five goals and five assists over the past 10 games.
Anthony Mantha has 33 goals and 31 assists for the Penguins. Bryan Rust has scored three goals with two assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Flyers: 7-3-0, averaging 3.6 goals, 5.8 assists, 5.3 penalties and 13 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
Penguins: 4-6-0, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.8 assists, five penalties and 13.5 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game.
INJURIES: Flyers: Rodrigo Abols: out (ankle), Nikita Grebenkin: out (upper body).
Penguins: Filip Hallander: out (leg), Caleb Jones: out for season (shoulder).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Utah Mammoth (43-33-6, in the Central Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EDT
LINE: Golden Knights -165, Mammoth +139; over/under is 6
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Series tied 2-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights host the Utah Mammoth in game five of the first round of the NHL Playoffs with the series tied 2-2. The teams meet Monday for the eighth time this season. The Golden Knights won the previous matchup 5-4 in overtime. Brett Howden scored two goals in the win.
Vegas has a 39-26-17 record overall and a 21-13-9 record on its home ice. The Golden Knights have a +22 scoring differential, with 264 total goals scored and 242 conceded.
Utah has a 22-18-3 record on the road and a 43-33-6 record overall. The Mammoth have a 43-11-1 record in games they score three or more goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Eichel has 27 goals and 63 assists for the Golden Knights. Mark Stone has seven goals and three assists over the last 10 games.
Dylan Guenther has 39 goals and 34 assists for the Mammoth. Nick Schmaltz has scored six goals and added three assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 7-2-1, averaging 3.6 goals, 6.2 assists, 3.2 penalties and 6.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game.
Mammoth: 5-4-1, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.6 assists, 3.8 penalties and 7.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: William Karlsson: out (lower body).
Mammoth: Barrett Hayton: out (upper-body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — David Pastrnak scored on a breakaway 9:14 into overtime, and the Boston Bruins avoided elimination with a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series on Tuesday night.
Catching Buffalo on a line change, Hampus Lindholm fed a pass up the right boards to find Pastrnak in stride just as he crossed the blue line. Driving in alone on net a step ahead of Buffalo’s Mattias Samuelsson, Pastrnak faked cutting across the front and nearly lost his balance before slipping the puck inside the right post.
The series shifts back to Boston for Game 6 on Thursday night, with Buffalo still seeking to clinch its first playoff series victory since eliminating the New York Rangers in six games of a 2007 second-round series. The Sabres are in the playoffs for only the third time since, and after snapping an NHL record 14-season playoff drought this year.
Elias Lindholm also scored for Boston which overcame a 1-0 deficit. Jeremy Swayman stopped 25 shots, including foiling Jason Zucker set up in front 3:30 into the extra period.
Rasmus Dahlin scored for Buffalo and Alex Lyon stopped 27 shots.
WILD 4, STARS 2
DALLAS ((AP) — Matt Boldy scored the tiebreaking power-play goal in the final minute of the second period, after having one taken away late in the first, and Minnesota beat DallasQ for a 3-2 lead in their first-round Western Conference series.
Kirill Kaprizov scored an empty-net goal with two minutes left and had two assists, while Mats Zuccarello scored in his return from a three-game absence with an upper-body injury for the Wild. Michael McCarron also had a third-period goal.
The Wild go home for Game 6 on Thursday with a chance to advance to the second round for the first time since 2015. They have lost their last nine playoff series, including to Dallas in 2016 and 2023
OILERS 4, DUCKS 1
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Leon Draisaitl scored a pair of goals and Evan Bouchard chipped in with three assists as Edmonton staved off elimination by beating Anaheim.
The Oilers now trail the best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series 3-2 with game 6 on Thursday night in Anaheim.
Vasily Podkolzin and Zach Hyman also scored for the Oilers who had previously allowed six separate leads to slip away in the first four games of the series.
Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had a pair of assists. Edmonton is now 18-3 when scoring first in a game when facing elimination.
Alex Killorn scored for the Ducks.
Connor Ingram made 29 stops for Edmonton, while Ville Husso recorded 10 saves for Anaheim after coming in to relieve Lukas Dostal, who allowed three goals on nine shots.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Leon Draisaitl scored a pair of goals and Evan Bouchard chipped in with three assists as the Edmonton Oilers staved off elimination by beating the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 on Tuesday night.
The Oilers now trail the best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series 3-2 with game 6 on Thursday night in Anaheim.
Vasily Podkolzin and Zach Hyman also scored for the Oilers who had previously allowed six separate leads to slip away in the first four games of the series.
Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had a pair of assists. Edmonton is now 18-3 when scoring first in a game when facing elimination.
Alex Killorn scored for the Ducks.
Connor Ingram made 29 stops for Edmonton, while Ville Husso recorded 10 saves for Anaheim after coming in to relieve Lukas Dostal, who allowed three goals on nine shots.
For the fifth straight game the Oilers struck first, scoring on the game’s first shot just 2:22 into the contest as Podkolzin beat Dostal high for his second of the postseason.
Edmonton took a 2-0 lead 8:33 into the opening period as a point shot was deflected twice, the second time through Dostal’s legs by Hyman.
The Oilers took a 3-0 lead just 1:14 later as Draisaitl tipped Bouchard's point shot in for his second of the playoffs. That spelled an early end of the night for Dostal.
Anaheim got on the board on the power play 8:26 into the second period as Mason McTavish dropped it back to Killorn, who extended his points streak to four games with his third goal of the playoffs.
Edmonton responded with a power-play goal a couple of minutes later on a one-timer by Draisaitl, who tied Wayne Gretzky for the most postseason power-play goals in franchise history at 23.
Edmonton has played the most playoff games of any NHL team since 2022 with 80, two more than the Florida Panthers, who beat the Oilers in the last two Stanley Cup finals before failing to qualify this season.
Playing in his 80th career playoff game, Bouchard collected his 88th point, moving into a tie for third place for players through 80 games with Brian Leetch, behind only Bobby Orr (92) and Paul Coffey (92).
McDavid (63 points) passed Adam Oates for the second-most points in NHL history when trailing in a playoff series. Only Gretzky (80) has more.
During their crucial Game 5 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, the Pittsburgh Penguins were finally able to start getting to their game, which started back in Game 4. And a big part of their game is their ability to roll four lines and three pairings all throughout the game.
In this one, every player logged at least 10 minutes and 50 seconds of ice time as well as 17 shifts.
Well, every player except for defenseman Ilya Solovyov, that is.
The 25-year-old blueliner also logged just seven minutes and 33 seconds of ice time during Game 4, when he took the place of Connor Clifton in the lineup on the Penguins' third pairing next to Ryan Shea.
However, Penguins' head coach Dan Muse clarified to Pittsburgh reporters Tuesday that the decision to roll with five defensemen for much of Game 5 wasn't necessarily reflective of Solovyov's play, but, rather, the demands of the game they were playing in.
"I think every game's going to be a little bit different," Muse said. "I think we have some guys on our back end that are capable of logging big minutes. These have been very tight games - they're do-or-die - and we have some guys, too, that are playing high minutes right now and that are able to do that. When you have that, it might limit the minutes of somebody else like 'Solo,' but I think he's done a good job there within the minutes that he's played.
"Whether you play six, seven minutes, or you're playing 15 minutes - or whatever it might be - you've got to make the most of the minutes that you're given, and I think the d-men are doing that right now."
The 6-foot-3, 208-pound defenseman from Belarus is playing in his first NHL post-season. Solovyov has been solid enough defensively for the Penguins in these two games against the Flyers, but his footspeed is, potentially, a bit of a concern against a fast team like the Flyers, especially late in in these tight-checking games when the general pace of the game intensifies.
In 14 games with Pittsburgh during the regular season, he registered five assists, 10 penalty minutes, and was a plus-1. Between the Calgary Flames, Avalanche, and Penguins, he has a goal and 12 points in 45 career NHL games and has averaged 13 minutes and 46 seconds of ice time per game.
John Garrett, beloved hockey broadcaster and former NHL goalie, died at the age of 74, the Canucks announced Tuesday.
Garrett was part of the Sportsnet broadcast team that was working the first-round playoff series between the Golden Knights and Mammoth. The Canadian sports network syndicated ESPN’s broadcast of Monday night’s game.
“It is with profound sadness we share the news of the sudden passing of John Garrett, a beloved colleague, friend, and one of the most familiar voices in Canadian hockey,” Sportsnet said in a statement. “‘Cheech’ was a legend. His warmth, [humor], and genuine love for the game endeared him to fans and colleagues alike. He brought insight, authenticity, and heart to every broadcast.
John Garrett of the Hartford Whalers circa 1980 in New York, New York. Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty
“He will be remembered not only for his remarkable career, but for the kindness and joy he shared with everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. John will be missed immensely. Our deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones.”
Garrett was the 38th overall pick by the Blues in the 1971 NHL Draft and spent six seasons in the NHL, playing for the Hartford Whalers, Quebec Nordiques and Canucks.
He finished his NHL career with a 68-91-37 record with a 3.47 goals-against average and .866 save percentage.
Garrett was named to the NHL All-Star Game in 1983, which was held at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island.
Garrett’s playing career also took him to the now-defunct World Hockey Association, where he spent six seasons, appearing with the Minnesota Fighting Stars, Toronto Toros, Birmingham Bulls and New England Whalers.
After he hung up his skates, Garrett moved into broadcasting as a color commentator on “Hockey Night in Canada” in 1986. He later joined Sportsnet in 1998.
Fans cheer as broadcaster John Garrett waves to fans during the Vancouver Canucks NHL game against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena April 8, 2023 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. NHLI via Getty Images
During that time, he worked as a color analyst on Oilers and Flames broadcasts before becoming part of the Canucks’ broadcasting team. The 2022-23 season marked his final one in the broadcast booth for the Canucks. He spent the past three seasons on national telecasts.
“On behalf of the Aquilini family and everyone at Canucks Sports & Entertainment, we are devastated by this loss,” Michael Doyle, president, business operations for the Canucks, said. “John meant so much to this organization and to our fans. He brought an unmistakable energy, humour, and authenticity to every broadcast, and had a way of making people feel connected to our team and to each other.
“He will be deeply missed, not only for what he did, but for who he was.”
Apr 28, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) looks to move the puck past Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) during the first period in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
DALLAS — Matt Boldy scored the tiebreaking power-play goal in the final minute of the second period, after having one taken away late in the first, and the Minnesota Wild beat the Dallas Stars 4-2 on Tuesday night for a 3-2 lead in their first-round Western Conference series.
Kirill Kaprizov scored an empty-net goal with two minutes left and had two assists, while Mats Zuccarello scored in his return from a three-game absence with an upper-body injury for the Wild. Michael McCarron also had a third-period goal.
The Wild go home for Game 6 on Thursday with a chance to advance to the second round for the first time since 2015. They have lost their last nine playoff series, including to Dallas in 2016 and 2023.
Jason Robertson had a goal with 3:21 left — after also scoring goals in each of the first four games — and assisted on Miro Heiskanen’s one-timer on a power play for the Stars, who made the Western Conference final each of the past three seasons.
Wild rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt had 20 saves, 11 in the third period.
Boldy, who had two goals in Game 1 and the overtime winner in Game 4 on a deflection Saturday, scored on a shot from the top of the circle to the left of goalie Jake Oettinger for a 2-1 lead with 32 seconds left in the second period.
Oettinger stopped 24 shots, including a sprawling save before the end of the second period.
There were only 13 seconds left in the first period when Boldy knocked the puck through on a power play. Dallas won its challenge for goalie interference, with replay showing Boldy made contact on his second-effort shot.
That was the third time in two games Boldy put a puck in the net that wasn’t a goal, but he still has four goals this postseason after 42 in the regular season. In Game 4, he had a goal waved off in regulation because of goalie interference, and another discounted in overtime because he made a kicking motion at the puck.
Zuccarello hadn’t played since having three assists in the Wild’s 6-1 winto open the series, when he also took an elbow to the head.
He had a quick impact in his return, scoring 3:51 in to the game after Kaprizov gathered the rebound of his initial up-close shot off Oettinger then slid the puck over the top of the crease to Zuccarello on the other side of net.
The Stars tied the game five minutes later when Heiskanen shot a one-timer from about 50 feet through the center of the ice.
The Minnesota Wild (2-2) welcomed back Mats Zuccarello and Yakov Trenin against the Dallas Stars (2-2) for Game 5 after their injuries.
Unfortunately for the Wild, one of their top defensemen blocked a shot in the second period and did not return.
Under two minutes into the second period, Jonas Brodin took a shot from Mikko Rantanen off the skate and was laboring.
Brodin, 32, skated off and then went down the tunnel. He did not return for the rest of the second period and is not on the ice for the third period.
The Wild have Matt Kiersted, Daemon Hunt and Jeff Petry in the wings. If Brodin can’t go for Game 6, Hunt seems like the most plausible option.
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That sentiment was echoed by head coach Dan Muse as well during training camp and throughout the regular season.
"He's gained some really good experiences in his career so far, and he's obviously still a relatively young guy," Muse said of Šilovs earlier this season. "I think those things, they seem to all kind of stack up. To have that [AHL Calder Cup run] that he had last year, and then to have the playoffs before, and then you also look at some of the different experiences that he's had in international play... you look at it and see he's not that old.
"He's got all these things already, and you own those now. You own those experiences, and you carry them with you."
And, through two playoff games in which the Penguins have faced elimination, he sure has carried that with him.
After making the post-season for the first time in four years, the Penguins went down 3-0 in their first-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers with Stuart Skinner between the pipes. Although Skinner - a veteran who has been to two Stanley Cup Finals with the Edmonton Oilers - hadn't really done anything to contribute to his team's deficit in the series, Muse made the bold decision to change goaltenders for Game 4 with Pittsburgh's season on the line.
Well, it worked. Šilovs entered Game 4 and stopped 28 of 30 Flyers' shots on goal, and he followed that up with an 18-for-20 performance in a 3-2 Game 5 win on Monday for the Penguins. Through two games, he has a .920 save percentage and, like Skinner in the first three games, has made several key saves on odd-man breaks and high-danger shots from Philadelphia.
This is in pretty stark contrast to the stretch run of the regular season, when Šilovs went 8-5-0 with a pedestrian .871 save percentage in his 13 appearances following the Olympic break. Many were questioning the decision to turn to Šilovs in Game 4 because of his struggles nearing the end of the regular season.
But, as he has always done, Šilovs has found a way to lock in and elevate when the stakes are the absolute highest - and that's something he revels in.
"Just the atmosphere to play," Šilovs said. "It's meaningful hockey. Everyone goes their hardest. You know you're playing for something, and you know there's an ultimate goal to do something, and it's fun to play, to be a part of it."
The sentiment from his coach regarding Šilovs's big-game prowess hasn't changed since his words earlier this season, either.
"Having those experiences, I think, definitely helps. Both of our guys have had a lot of big-game experience at different points and at different levels, so you have that," Muse said. "But, then, I also think with [Šilovs], it's just that he's a really competitive guy. I think he's somebody who just, naturally, he loves the big moments, he loves big games. So, I think that's just a little bit of who he is as a person."
Šilovs's teammates are pretty confident in their 25-year-old rookie netminder, too, who led the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks to a Calder Cup Championship last season with a .931 save percentage and performed well in the NHL playoffs for the Canucks two seasons ago.
"He's been making huge saves," veteran forward Bryan Rust said. "He's been calm back there making saves, the same thing he's been doing all year - coming to work every day, working hard, smile on his face."
The most impressive thing about Šilovs's first two games, too, is the situation he walked into. It's one thing to sub in due to injury, like he did against the Nashville Predators in the first round in 2024, closing out the series with a shutout and then giving Vancouver a chance through seven games against the high-octane offense of the Oilers in the second round.
But to come in when his team is down 3-0, quite literally in need of a win to survive? And not just a win, but four wins in a row? That kind of pressure can fold some goaltenders, especially ones as generally inexperienced as Silovs.
That's not happening here. His experience and performances in the NHL and AHL playoffs - as well as his international resume - show a proven track record of success in high-pressure environments, and he continues to make big saves when the Penguins are in dire need of them.
"Amazing," three-time Stanley Cup winner Kris Letang said. "Obviously, he comes up big. [Philadelphia] got really quality looks, and a couple breakaways in the last game, too, and he is pretty composed back there.
"It's tough to come in and face them for three games. You have to come in and do the job. I thought he played well."
Of course, there is still a lot of runway left in this series. The Penguins have made it 3-2, but that means they still need to survive two more elimination games in order to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive and move on to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the next round.
They are taking it one day, one game at a time, and they see this situation as an opportunity. And having two goaltenders they are able to rely on if things start to get a bit dicey is something that no one takes for granted.
Apr 25, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs (37) celebrates win with teammates against the Philadelphia Flyers in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
Captain Sidney Crosby thinks Šilovs has done an excellent job handling that responsibility.
"We have confidence in both guys. I mean, they've proven it throughout the season," Sidney Crosby said. "I think Arty's done a great job when they've applied pressure, and when we've made mistakes, he's been there to bail us out. That's gonna happen. You're not going to play a perfect game, and you're going to have to rely on your goalie to make those saves. You don't want to make him work too hard, and I think for the most part, we've done a pretty good job of that.
"We're always trying to make his job a little easier, and when we haven't, he's made some great saves and shown a lot of poise."
As for Šilovs? He's just enjoying the opportunity, taking it in stride, and using the emotions of playing in these must-win games as fuel to put his best game on the ice.
"It's an exciting opportunity," Šilovs said. "I think playing in the playoffs is the most fun you could ever have, and we've been waiting for a whole season to get to this point. So, just enjoying every minute of it."
