NHL Hockey 24 Hours

Last updated: May 24, 2026, 2:51 AM ET

Playoff Push: Western Conference Finals

The Colorado Avalanche regretted blown chances in a 3-1 Game 2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights after leading 1-0, with coach Jared Bednar conceding his team failed to capitalize on several scoring opportunities before the Golden Knights pulled ahead. That defeat followed a dominant first period from Vegas that shifted momentum in the series, which now stands level at 1-1 with the puck dropping again in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference finals also returned to even as the Carolina Hurricanes headed to Montreal trailing 1-0 in the series after absorbing a Game 1 defeat that left defenseman Jaccob Slavin openly criticizing his own performance. Slavin admitted he handed the Canadiens the game after the Hurricanes committed an uncharacteristic defensive meltdown that Montreal exploited ruthlessly.

Canadiens Build Momentum

Montreal is now seven wins away from the Stanley Cup after compiling a resilient playoff run built on contributions up and down the lineup. The Canadiens dominated Game 1 with a well-rounded attack that overwhelmed Carolina, and oddsmakers have taken notice. Sports Line's model released its picks for Saturday's Game, backing Montreal's depth as a decisive factor against a Hurricanes team still searching for answers after a shaky opening night. The Hurricanes' series loss capped a troubling trend in the East, where the top seed has surrendered early leads in consecutive rounds.

International Hockey: World Championship

At the IIHF World Championship, Latvia stunned the United States 4-2 as defenseman Sandis Vilmanis buried two empty-net goals to hand the defending champions their third loss of the tournament. The upset deepened a chaotic stretch for a U.S. squad that entered the event as a clear favorite. Canada, by contrast, extended its perfect record to 5-0 with a 3-1 victory over Slovenia, maintaining firm control atop the group standings as the tournament enters its decisive phase.

Memorial Cup Opens

In junior hockey, the Everett Silvertips opened the Memorial Cup with a 5-3 win over the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in Kelowna, British Columbia, with right wing Jesse Heslop finding the net in the first round for a team coming off its Western Hockey League championship. The Silvertips will look to build on that momentum against a stacked field as the annual summer showcase gets underway.

Collectibles

Away from the rink, the hockey memorabilia market reached a new milestone when an autographed 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie card fetched $540,000 including buyer's premium at Fanatics Collect's May Premier Auction, setting a record for the most ever spent on a signed hockey card.