NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: May 21, 2026, 8:54 AM ET

Playoff Push: Western Conference Finals Open

The Stanley Cup playoffs entered their penultimate round on Wednesday with the Golden Knights defeating the Avalanche 4-2 in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, handing Colorado its first home-ice loss of the postseason. Denver had cruised through its first two rounds as the top-seeded team, but star defenseman Cale Makar sat out the opener with an upper-body injury, a blow that reshaped the series opening. Dylan Coghlan scored his first playoff goal to ignite Vegas, while Carter Hart turned aside 36 shots for the Knights. The Avalanche's absence of their marquee blueliner left Colorado looking like a different team against the league's most dangerous offensive attack. Vegas also faces an awkward situation after the NHL fined coach John Tortorella $100,000 and stripped the franchise of a second-round pick for avoiding media obligations after its previous series win. Multiple teams are now waiting to interview Bruce Cassidy, but Vegas has not granted permission for any club to talk with him as of Tuesday, adding another layer of uncertainty around the Knights' coaching future. Meanwhile, Colorado has yet to lose on its home ice in the current Stanley Cup playoff run, but the 4-2 loss raised questions about how the Avs will adapt without Makar in the lineup.

Eastern Conference Finals Set After Historic Sabres Send-Off

Across the East, the Canadiens and Hurricanes are set to clash in their conference final after Montreal eliminated Buffalo 3-2 in overtime on Monday, with Alex Newhook scoring his second Game 7-winning goal of the postseason. The Sabres bowed out after a historic campaign that ended a league-leading 14-year postseason drought, and despite the loss, the team received a standing ovation and vowed its renaissance was just the beginning. Coach Lindy Ruff was rewarded with a two-year extension after guiding Buffalo back to the playoffs, though forward Alex Tuch, who struggled badly in the second round, will hit free agency this summer with his agent saying the disappointing performance won't impact his next contract. On the ice against Montreal, Tuch essentially disappeared while Mitch Marner dominated the second round for Toronto, per ESPN's roundup of round winners and losers. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, will have gone 11 full days without a game before Thursday's opener against Montreal — the longest layoff since 1919 — after sweeping their first two playoff series as noted in ESPN's analysis of the series matchup. Sports Line NHL analyst Scott Erskine flagged the Hurricanes-Canadiens matchup as a marquee Eastern Conference final, with the puck set to drop Thursday.

PWHL Crown and Global Hockey Action

In professional women's hockey, the Montreal Victoire clinched their first PWHL championship with a 4-0 shutout of the Ottawa Charge in Game 4 of the Walter Cup Finals, powered by Abby Roque's two goals. The league also completed its four-team expansion by adding San Jose as its 12th franchise, moving into California for the first time. Over at the IIHF World Championship in Switzerland, Canada continued its dominant run with a 5-1 rout of Denmark on Monday, during which Sidney Crosby recorded four assists and the team scored five goals in the final period. Macklin Celebrini added a two-goal, one-assist performance in Canada's 6-0 blanking of Italy, while the United States beat Germany 4-3 in a shootout on Wednesday with Ryan Leonard scoring the decisive penalty. Hungary also posted a 5-0 shutout of Britain, a first-time newcomer to the top division. In an off-ice auction surprise, a ring given to Herb Brooks following the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" Olympic triumph recently sold for $549,000 at Heritage Auctions.

Roster Moves and Offseason Outlook

Off the ice, the Washington Capitals re-signed defenseman Timothy Liljegren to a two-year, $6.5 million deal, while the rebuilding Vancouver Canucks parted ways with first-year coach Adam Foote after a 25-49-8 record, along with three assistants. New Devils general manager Sunny Mehta cleared the way for Sheldon Keefe to return as head coach after conducting a full organizational review. On the free-agent front, Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes said he is "definitely open" to a contract extension beginning July, though teammate Filip Gustavsson will undergo offseason hip surgery that could put his training camp availability in question. Looking further ahead, ESPN's offseason blueprint examines the key free agency plans for Minnesota and other clubs heading into 2026-27, while prospect watch pieces profile Gavin McKenna's path to becoming the expected No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft.