NHL Hockey 24 Hours

Last updated: April 21, 2026, 8:30 PM ET

NHL Playoff Action & Standings Shifts

The Carolina Hurricanes secured a marathon victory in the opening round, needing the second overtime period before Jordan Martinook converted the winner past Linus Ullmark, following an earlier sequence where a potential game-winning goal was overturned and Martinook was denied on a penalty shot. Elsewhere in the East, the Philadelphia Flyers established a 2-0 series lead propelled by 19-year-old Porter Martone, who made history by scoring in each of his first two playoff contests for the franchise. In contrast, the Dallas Stars managed to equalize their Western Conference quarterfinal series, bouncing back from initial playoff miscues to defeat the Minnesota Wild 4-2 on Monday night, despite the ongoing absence of top-line center Roope Hintz, who remained home in Texas as the team traveled for the next matchup.

Pacific Division & League Personnel Changes

The Edmonton Oilers kicked off their first-round series with a narrow 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks, a contest where Leon Draisaitl immediately impacted his return by registering two points in the Game 1 victory, sealed late in the third period by a Kasperi Kapanen goal with 1:54 remaining to seize the initial lead. Separately, off the ice, new New Jersey Devils General Manager Sunny Mehta pledged adherence to the process during his introduction Tuesday, emphasizing trust in organizational structure as the path toward building a true title contender, though he offered no immediate tactical specifics regarding roster construction.