NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: April 22, 2026, 5:30 AM ET

Stanley Cup Playoff First Round Shakes Out

The opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs saw several dramatic turnarounds and key performances across the league over the last three days, setting the stage for tense series . In the Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied for a crucial 3-2 overtime victory on Tuesday, snapping a four-game home playoff losing streak and knotting their series with the Montreal Canadiens at one game apiece after surrendering Game 1 at home. That initial loss followed a costly effort where Coach Jon Cooper cited "stupidity" regarding penalties that ultimately led to the setback, which included a Game 1 overtime winner from 22-year-old Juraj Slafkovsky who completed his first playoff hat trick.

Across the Eastern bracket, the Boston Bruins secured a decisive Game 2 win after allowing a late two-goal lead to slip away in Sunday's opener; the Bruins established control early in the second contest, netting four goals within the first 41 minutes while netminder Jeremy Swayman turned away 34 shots to level their series. Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes needed double overtime to finally prevail after a potential winning goal was overturned and a penalty shot attempt was denied in the first extra session; Jordan Martinook finally delivered the deciding goal past Linus Ullmark at 13:53 of the second overtime period. Elsewhere, 19-year-old Porter Martone made franchise history by scoring in each of his first two playoff appearances, helping the Philadelphia Flyers take a 2-0 series advantage.

Western Conference Tightens & Incident on Ice

In the Western Conference quarterfinals, the Dallas Stars learned from their Game 1 struggles to earn a 4-2 victory against the Minnesota Wild on Monday, tying their series at 1-1. Despite the crucial win, Dallas remains without injured top-line center Roope Hintz, who stayed behind in Texas as the team traveled to face the Wild, leaving a significant offensive void. The Colorado Avalanche, seeded first, kicked off their series with a Game 1 win over the Kings, sealed partly by Logan O'Connor, who scored his first goal in nearly a year to help secure the victory. A notable incident occurred Tuesday night during the Kings-Avalanche matchup when Los Angeles interim coach D.J. Smith was struck by flying debris after a pane of glass behind the bench shattered during Game 2.

The Edmonton Oilers also began their first round with a Monday victory, where Leon Draisaitl returned from a lower-body injury suffered in mid-March to register two points in the 4-3 opener against the Anaheim Ducks. Kasperi Kapanen sealed the 4-3 final by scoring with just 1:54 remaining in the third period, providing the margin of victory in the game Draisaitl rejoined the lineup. The Vegas Golden Knights continued their strong form under new leadership, rallying with three third-period goals on Sunday to defeat the Mammoth 4-2 in Game, maintaining their regulation loss-free streak since Coach John Tortorella took command last month.

Offseason Personnel & League Outlook

Away from the immediate playoff action, new New Jersey Devils General Manager Sunny Mehta addressed the media, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the team-building "process" rather than immediately divulging specific roster plans aimed at constructing a championship contender. Separately, the Washington Capitals are awaiting a final decision from captain Alex Ovechkin regarding his return for a potential 22nd NHL season, with team management stating they are prepared for either outcome. Furthermore, the league's ongoing postseason has prompted media analysis, including a ranking of the top 50 players expected to make the most impact this spring, alongside unique fan guides drawing parallels between the intensity of the NHL playoffs and [*WWEtraditions. The Buffalo Sabres, after securing a "special" playoff win, acknowledged the need to immediately refocus heading into Game 2.