All articles tagged with #stanley cup playoffs
Carolina blanked Montreal 4-0 to move within a victory of the Stanley Cup Final, with Aho, Staal and Stankoven scoring in a 2:47 span of the first period and Frederik Andersen making 18 saves for the shutout; Andrei Svechnikov added an empty-netter as the Hurricanes dominated 43-18 in shots, setting up Game 5 in North Carolina.
Colorado enters as the team to beat in the West with elite five-on-five offense, depth, and goaltending; Vegas can still threaten if Mark Stone returns and the big trio of Eichel, Marner and Stone clicks, but Colorado’s superior depth and standout defense (Makar, Toews) make the matchup daunting and likely favor the Avalanche.
The Anaheim Ducks were eliminated in Game 6 of the Western Conference Second Round, falling 5-1 to the Vegas Golden Knights, as Vegas advances to the West Final; Anaheim’s sputtering offense, a dormant power play, and goaltending gaps—along with postseason inexperience—were key factors in their exit.
Montreal beat Buffalo 6-3 in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead and keep the possibility of a home-clinching game alive. Rookie Jakub Dobeš overcame a rough start to stop 32 of 35, steadying the Habs as they struck for three goals in the second period. The Suzuki–Caufield–Slafkovský line finally supplied five-on-five offense, with Caufield scoring and Slafkovský collecting three assists, while Demidov and Evans added goals. Buffalo shuffled between Luukkonen and Lyon, with Lyon likely to start Game 6; Buffalo’s top line has been quiet, giving Montreal’s hot line the edge and forcing the Sabres to respond to avoid elimination.
Andersen has been the playoff difference for the Hurricanes, going 8-0 with a 1.12 GAA and .950 save percentage through eight games as Carolina swept Ottawa and Philadelphia to reach the Eastern Conference Final, where they’ll face the Canadiens–Sabres winner, with coach Brind’Amour praising his locked-in play and Carolina’s relentless forecheck.
Colorado Avalanche dominated the Minnesota Wild 5-2 to take a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, using depth, speed and strong special-teams play to counter Minnesota’s physical game. MacKinnon and Makar were pivotal, while the Wild’s goaltending and penalty-kill struggled, underscoring Colorado’s superior depth and hinting the series may be slipping away for Minnesota.
Buffalo, the Atlantic Division’s No. 1 seed, hosts Montreal in the Eastern Conference Second Round after beating Boston; Buffalo leans on scorers like Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson with goalie Alex Lyon, while Montreal counters with Jakub Dobes and rising defenseman Lane Hutson. Montreal owns a playoff-face-off edge (55.6%), and Buffalo’s power play was 4.2% in Round 1 (though it showed improvement as the series progressed). Expect a tight, pace‑driven series decided by goaltending and puck battles, with Game 1 in Buffalo setting the tone.
Colorado’s Cale Makar returned after an early hit and scored two third-period goals as the Avalanche rallied to beat Minnesota 9-6 in Game 1, taking a 1-0 series lead in a chaotic, high-scoring affair that kept the pace fast and open.
Vegas Golden Knights announce limited public on-sale for the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs (vs. Anaheim Ducks), with single-game tickets going on sale May 2 at 2 p.m. PT; a Round 2 Strip option offers all-four-home-games access at a discount, refunds will be issued for unused games, and additional ticketing options include season-ticket memberships, event suites, and group tickets, with dates/times for the series to be announced later.
Edmonton captain Connor McDavid played through a fracture in his foot/ankle during the first-round series against Anaheim, finishing with one goal and six points and a minus-8 over six games as his speed was limited; he started the playoffs injured after a collision and missed practices, with teammates like Leon Draisaitl also operating at less than 100%. Edmonton was outscored 26-21 and eliminated in six games, heightening offseason urgency and questions about McDavid’s future beyond the two remaining years of his contract.
The Carolina Hurricanes return Nikolaj Ehlers to the lineup for Round 2 vs. the Philadelphia Flyers, while Alexander Nikishin remains in concussion protocol and may not play. Frederik Andersen is expected to start in goal. If Nikishin isn’t cleared, Mike Reilly could slot in. Projected forward lines feature Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis, Hall-Stankoven-Blake, Ehlers-Staal-Martinook, and Carrier-Jankowski-Robinson, with Slavin-Chatfield and Miller-Walker on defense. Gostisbehere paired with Nikishin or Reilly as the third pairing, depending on Nikishin’s fate. Jordan Staal is handling many power-play faceoffs. Scratches include Deslauriers, Kotkaniemi, Kochetkov, and Reilly. Hurricanes host the Flyers tonight in Raleigh as Round 2 opens.
The Minnesota Wild defeated the Dallas Stars 5-2 in Game 6 to end Dallas’s run in the Western Conference First Round, after a 2-1 series lead. Dallas struggled with a prolonged even-strength scoring drought, limited depth beyond Robertson and Johnston, and an injury to Roope Hintz, all amid fatigue from extensive playoff play and a compressed Olympic schedule.
The NHL announced that the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round series between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Carolina Hurricanes will begin May 2 in Raleigh. Game 1 is set for 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast exclusively on ABC in the U.S.; in Canada, the game will air on Sportsnet and TVA Sports. The complete second-round schedule will be announced when available.
Carolina Hurricanes will face the Philadelphia Flyers in Round 2 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, starting in Raleigh with Eastern Conference home-ice. The Canes went 3-0-1 against Philly this season, with every game decided in overtime or a shootout, and this marks the first playoff meeting between the Hurricanes (Whalers) and Flyers. The Flyers eliminated the Penguins in six games in Round 1; Round 2 dates will be announced soon and tickets are already on sale.
Matt Boldy scored the tiebreaking power-play goal late in the second period as the Minnesota Wild defeated the Dallas Stars 4-2 in Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead in the series. Kirill Kaprizov added an empty-netter with two minutes left and Mats Zuccarello returned with a goal, while Michael McCarron also scored for Minnesota and Jesper Wallstedt stopped 20 shots. Dallas tied the game on a Miro Heiskanen one-timer after a Jason Robertson score late in the third, but the Wild head home for Game 6 with a chance to clinch their first playoff series since 2015.