NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×Last updated: May 25, 2026, 8:58 AM ET
Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Eastern Conference finals espn.com shift to Montreal with the series knotted at 1-1 after the Canadiens rebounded from Game 1 with a dominant 4-1 victory on Saturday. Captain Nick Suzuki and rookie Lane Hutson each recorded multi-point performances, while goaltender Jake Allen turned aside 32 shots to even the series. Jaccob Slavin shouldered blame espn.com for the Hurricanes' defensive breakdowns in Game, acknowledging his struggles contributed to Carolina's uncharacteristic mistakes. The Western Conference finals espn.com saw Vegas take a 2-0 series lead after 3-1 victory espn.com on Friday where the Avalanche lamented missed opportunities despite outshooting the Golden Knights 38-29. Cale Makar's injury status remained questionable heading into Game, limiting Colorado's defensive mobility against a Vegas team that has now won six of seven playoff home games.
World Championship Results
Team Canada improved to 5-0 espn.com at the ice hockey world championship with a 5-1 rout of Slovakia on Sunday, capped by four third-period goals espn.com that showcased their depth beyond NHL stars. Captain Macklin Celebrini scored his second goal of the tournament while Sidney Crosby added his seventh assist espn.com, continuing his playmaking form alongside Connor McDavid and Nathan Mac Kinnon. The United States suffered a stunning 4-2 upset espn.com to Latvia on Saturday as Sandis Vilmanis scored two empty-net goals espn.com in the final minutes, marking the defending champions' third loss and raising questions about their medal contention. Canada's perfect start espn.com has them atop Group A with 15 points, while the Americans sit fourth with eight points through five games in Prague.
Memorial Cup Tournament
The Chicoutimi Sagueneens espn.com on Sunday night, with Liam Lefebvre scoring his second goal of the game 5:28 into the extra session to complete a dramatic comeback victory. The host Rockets dropped to 0-2 espn.com in the four-team tournament after leading 2-0 early in the second period, as Chicoutimi's power play converted twice in the final frame. WHL champion Everett opened with a 5-3 win espn.com over Chicoutimi on Saturday, with Jesse Heslop's goal supporting a balanced attack that saw eight different Silvertips reach the scoresheet. The tournament format has the four teams playing round-robin before Monday's semifinals, with the winner advancing to face the London Knights for the Canadian junior championship.
PWHL Front Office Changes
The Seattle Torrent parted ways espn.com with head coach Steve O'Rourke after the expansion team finished last in the inaugural PWHL standings with just nine wins in 24 games. Seattle's decision comes espn.com as the league prepares for its expansion draft and free agency period, with general manager decisions pending on several veteran players. Meghan Duggan left the NHL front office espn.com to become general manager of the Hamilton PWHL franchise, joining Troy Ryan who departed Toronto to lead the San Jose expansion team. Both appointments fill the final two openings espn.com as the six-team league prepares for its second season with expanded rosters and increased salary caps following a successful inaugural campaign that averaged 7,200 fans per game.
Hockey Memorabilia
An autographed 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie card sold for $540,000 espn.com including buyer's premium at Fanatics Collect's May Premier Auction, establishing a new record for hockey card transactions. The PSA 9 graded card espn.com features Gretzky's signature in blue ink and represents one of fewer than 100 known copies in such condition from the iconic rookie set. This sale surpasses previous records espn.com by over $100,000, reflecting continued growth in hockey memorabilia values as the hobby attracts new collectors following recent Stanley Cup victories by popular franchises.