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The Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed Evgeni Malkin to a one-year contract extension through the 2026-27 season worth $5.5 million AAV, keeping a franchise icon for another year after a storied 20-year career.
Colorado Avalanche sit at 3-0 in the Western Conference Final after a 5-3 Game 3 loss, with Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin nursing lower-body injuries and no firm updates ahead of Game 4. MacKinnon, who leads the Avs with 15 postseason points, played through the injury, while Nichushkin exited early. Vegas, buoyed by depth, reportedly got a reassuring update on Cole Smith from coach John Tortorella, keeping him in the lineup as they seek a sweep. Game 4 is Tuesday at 9:00 PM ET at T-Mobile Arena, a must-win for Colorado to extend the series.
Andrei Svechnikov scored 14:06 into overtime to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-2 overtime win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 3 of the 2026 Eastern Conference Final, lifting Carolina to a 2-1 series lead. The game featured first-period goals from Gostisbehere and Hall, a late-second-period equalizer by Hutson and Caufield, and a tight, low-shot total with Frederik Andersen stopping 11 of 13 shots. Carolina extended its streak of first-goal wins in this playoff run, and Svechnikov earned his first career playoff OT goal.
Vegas erased a 3-0 deficit to beat Colorado 5-3 in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, continuing a stunning collapse by the Avalanche after a dynamite start and a 3-0 lead. The piece highlights three takeaways: Colorado opened strong and led 3-0, Vegas surged in the second with a key turnover and momentum swing, and Colorado’s collapse—coupled with Nathan MacKinnon getting hobbled—sealed the Knights’ timely comeback.
Colorado has fallen into a 3-0 hole in the Western Conference Final against Vegas, with the Knights getting sharper goaltending and Colorado hampered by injuries to key stars (MacKinnon, Nichushkin, Makar) and limited offense from players like Necas and Nelson; despite similar shot shares, Colorado hasn’t converted chances and needs a major breakout from its lineup and better goaltending to avoid a historic comeback by Vegas.
Carolina sticks with its lineup for Game 3 in Montreal, betting on continued offense from Nikolaj Ehlers and Eric Robinson and a tight road defense, with Frederik Andersen starting in goal as the Hurricanes push to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Final.
Max Domi is out indefinitely for the Toronto Maple Leafs due to complications from an undisclosed surgery addressing an undisclosed issue he played through last season, with re-evaluation at the start of training camp. He appeared in 80 games last year, posted 36 points, and the health concern—and his two remaining years on a four-year, $3.75 million cap-hit contract—adds uncertainty to his role under GM John Chayka next season.
Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon was injured blocking a shot in Game 3 and may not be at full strength as the Avalanche trail the Golden Knights 3-0 in the Western Final; even if he plays, Colorado faces a near-impossible comeback given the 0-49 all-time mark for teams down 0-3 in a best-of-7 series.
Colorado jumped to a 3-0 lead behind goals from Landeskog, Kadri and Drury, but Vegas stormed back with goals from Stone, Karlsson, Kolesar and Hertl to tie 3-3, then Howden iced a 5-3 win with an empty-net goal in the third. The victory gives Vegas a 2-1 edge in the Western Conference Final, and Colorado heads to Game 4 on the road on Tuesday.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice, including a 3:29 into overtime, lifting the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final and tying the series at 1-1. Eric Robinson also scored for Carolina, while Josh Anderson struck twice for Montreal. The series shifts to Canada for Game 3.
Carolina Hurricanes finally landed a true top-line driver in Nikolaj Ehlers, who signed as a free agent and posted 26 goals in the regular season, then became indispensable in the playoffs as the Canes chase a deeper run, after a failed flirtation with Mikko Rantanen; his impact, alongside rising scorers like Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, gives Carolina a renewed path to competing with the league’s top teams.
Colorado Avalanche's playoff run is hanging by a thread with star defenseman Cale Makar out with a shoulder injury, leaving them vulnerable as Vegas took a 2-0 series lead (4-2 in Game 1 and 3-1 in Game 2), with crease and goaltending questions compounding Colorado's struggling stretch.
The Vegas Golden Knights announced activations for Games 3 and 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Colorado Avalanche, featuring fan events outside T-Mobile Arena, a new all-game pregame show, gold battle towels for attendees, morning practices open to the public, and official road watch parties. The team also promotes the VGK Locals Menu concessions, the Official VGK Mobile App with ticket drops, and the NHL Bracket Challenge, while all seven games will be broadcast on ESPN with extensive TV, radio, and digital coverage.
Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice, including the overtime winner, as the Hurricanes beat the Canadiens 3-2 to knot the Eastern Conference Final at 1-1; Eric Robinson opened the scoring for Carolina, Montreal tied it late on Josh Anderson’s goal, and Frederik Andersen made 10 saves on 12 shots.
Carolina Hurricanes are not expected to change their lineup for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final against Montreal, with Frederik Andersen in net and a forward group of Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis, Hall-Stankoven-Blake, Ehlers-Staal-Martinook, and Carrier-Jankowski-Robinson; defense pairs Slavin-Chatfield, Miller-Walker, Gostisbehere-Nikishin; scratches: Deslauriers, Kochetkov, Kotkaniemi, Reilly. The team aims to tighten defense after Game 1’s six goals against and to generate more offense from their top line.