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Nhl Playoffs

All articles tagged with #nhl playoffs

Knights face lineup questions as Karlsson is out; McCarron re-signs in Minnesota, Clang moves to Rögle
sports2 months ago

Knights face lineup questions as Karlsson is out; McCarron re-signs in Minnesota, Clang moves to Rögle

Vegas coach John Tortorella won’t reveal his Game 6 lineup, weighing veteran Brandon Saad vs. Reilly Smith as William Karlsson’s season-ending injury forces role changes, with Hertl expected to shoulder a primary scoring load and one of Saad/Smith joining Colton Sissons’ wing on the third line; Smith’s playoff action was limited in the opening series, and Saad has two assists. In other moves, Minnesota re-signed Michael McCarron to a six-year, $3.33M AAV contract amid interest from Vancouver and Nashville, while Ducks goalie prospect Calle Clang signed with Rögle BK in the SHL after years in the Ducks/San Diego system. The moves highlight continued player movement and strategic depth as teams eye the coming season and the playoffs.

Heavyweight Showdown: Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights for the Stanley Cup
sports2 months ago

Heavyweight Showdown: Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights for the Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup Final opens with a marquee matchup between the top seeds Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights. Carolina’s 12-1 playoff run has been powered by depth scoring and standout goaltending from Frederik Andersen, while Vegas leverages a defensive, Tortorella-influenced style and the scoring punch of Mitch Marner, who leads the postseason with 21 points (7 goals, 14 assists). Tim Rohan provides the series preview as both teams chase the Cup.

Vegas Golden Knights defy the odds, reach the Stanley Cup Final with 39 wins
sports3 months ago

Vegas Golden Knights defy the odds, reach the Stanley Cup Final with 39 wins

The Vegas Golden Knights stunned many by advancing to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final with just 39 wins (39-26-17, 95 points), fewer than several teams that missed the playoffs. Their path was aided by a heavy reliance on overtime losses for points and by winning a weak Pacific Division after firing head coach Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season. Teams with more wins, like the Oilers (41) and Ducks (43), missed the postseason due to their point totals, while Capitals (43 wins) also failed to reach the playoffs in the stronger Eastern Conference. The East–West gap drew comment from players such as Alex Ovechkin. Vegas closed the regular season 7-0-1 and went 12-4 in the playoffs to reach the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.

Vegas stages stunning rally to take 3-0 series lead in West Final
sports3 months ago

Vegas stages stunning rally to take 3-0 series lead in West Final

Tomáš Hertl scored the go-ahead goal at 8:21 of the third period as the Vegas Golden Knights erased a 3-0 deficit to beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-3, moving within one win of the Stanley Cup Final and taking a 3-0 series lead in the Western Conference Final; Stone, Karlsson, Kolesar and Howden contributed offensively, while Colorado got a goal from Drury and saw Makar return as MacKinnon played through a knee injury, with Carter Hart making 32 saves and Scott Wedgewood 18; a pregame tribute honored Kyle Busch.

Golden Knights Rally to Take 3-0 Series Lead in West Final
sports3 months ago

Golden Knights Rally to Take 3-0 Series Lead in West Final

The Vegas Golden Knights erased a three-goal deficit to beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final, taking a 3-0 series lead at T-Mobile Arena; after Colorado went ahead 3-0, Vegas answered with goals from Stone, Karlsson, and Kolesar, plus a third‑period game-winner from Hertl and an empty-netter by Howden, while Carter Hart made 32 saves.

Golden Knights Open West Final in Colorado vs. Avalanche
sports3 months ago

Golden Knights Open West Final in Colorado vs. Avalanche

VGK travel to Ball Arena for Game 1 of the Western Conference Final vs. Colorado on May 20 at 5 p.m. PT (ESPN), with a 4 p.m. watch party at Lee’s Family Forum. Vegas reached this round by sweeping Anaheim in six, while Colorado won the Presidents’ Trophy and beat the Kings and Wild to advance. Key performers include Mitch Marner with 18 playoff points for Vegas, Pavel Dorofeyev with nine goals, Jack Eichel with 14 assists, and Brett Howden’s three short-handed goals (eight total). Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon leads their playoff scoring with 13 points. The Knights must start fast and stay disciplined to slow Colorado’s rush, in a series that marks Vegas’s second West Final appearance since 2018 and Colorado’s momentum toward another Cup run.

Brunson's 38-point eruption pushes Knicks past Cavs in OT for Game 1
sports3 months ago

Brunson's 38-point eruption pushes Knicks past Cavs in OT for Game 1

Jalen Brunson poured in 38 points, including 15 in the fourth, as the New York Knicks erased a 22-point deficit to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals; Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 29 while James Harden struggled, fueling the comeback. The piece also notes NHL updates with Carolina’s dominant sweep and the looming West final between Vegas and Colorado, plus a World Cup spotlight on Mohamed Salah as Egypt eyes its first group-stage run since 1990s era relevance.

Avalanche must shoulder the load without Cale Makar
sports3 months ago

Avalanche must shoulder the load without Cale Makar

With Cale Makar’s health uncertain for the Western Conference Finals, the Avalanche must lean on depth defensemen and a 20-man roster to carry the load as he weighs return versus possible surgery and a July contract extension; Bednar says there’s no clear update yet, but players like Devon Toews, Sam Malinski, Brent Kulak, and Brent Burns are stepping up to keep Colorado in the race for another Cup.

Canadiens seize momentum, derail Sabres in Game 5
sports3 months ago

Canadiens seize momentum, derail Sabres in Game 5

Buffalo opened with a 3-2 lead after the first period, but Montreal answered with five straight goals to pull away and win 6-3 in Game 5. The Sabres' struggles in the faceoff circle, particularly in the second period, allowed the Canadiens to control play, and Tage Thompson added a costly cross-check penalty. Luukkonen was pulled to start the third period in favor of Alex Lyon, and Buffalo heads to Game 6 with Lyon likely to start again as they try to extend the series.

Ruff bets on rest, not rehearsal, as Sabres face elimination in Montreal
sports3 months ago

Ruff bets on rest, not rehearsal, as Sabres face elimination in Montreal

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff skipped Friday practice and sent players to meet at the airport for a must-win Game 6 in Montreal, a high-risk move aimed at keeping pressure off and avoiding panic. With Montreal having controlled much of the series and top forwards struggling, Ruff is expected to shuffle lines (notably deploying Benson/Helenius/Doan and other middle-six tweaks) while Alex Lyon is anticipated to start in goal as Buffalo hunts for a spark and a path to survival.

Wild's win-now gamble meets harsh playoff reality
sports3 months ago

Wild's win-now gamble meets harsh playoff reality

The Minnesota Wild’s win-now season—built around Kaprizov, Boldy and the addition of Quinn Hughes—ended in a five-game playoff defeat to the Colorado Avalanche, with injuries to Eriksson Ek and Brodin exposing depth and center deficiencies. The setback underscores the need for a major offseason reshaping—upgrading at center, weighing veteran moves and Kaprizov’s future, and balancing prospects with a push to finally contend for a Stanley Cup.