NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: May 24, 2026, 11:50 AM ET

Playoff Race Heats Up as Conference Finals Shift

The NHL playoffs delivered dramatic swings across both conference finals heading into the weekend. Colorado faces a must-win Game 3 trailing 0-2 after losing 3-1 in Game, with Avalanche coach Jared Bednar acknowledging his team had chances to extend its 1-0 lead before the Golden Knights pulled away through disciplined forechecking and special-teams execution. Across the Eastern Conference, the Montreal Canadiens stunned the Carolina Hurricanes with a dominant Game 1 showing that Jaccob Slavin openly admitted was his responsibility after a defensive breakdown, evening the series at 1-1 as both clubs head to Montreal for Game. The Hurricanes' road woes now weigh heavily on the analytics models, with Sports Line's prediction engine flagging Montreal as the stronger side for Saturday's matchup, while expert consensus on the Western slate favors Vegas in Game 3 despite Colorado's home-ice advantage. Four teams remain alive with several legitimate Conn Smythe candidates emerging across both series, and goalie confidence ratings point to marginal advantages for Vegas and Montreal heading into the decisive midweek stretch.

International Hockey Shocks and Dominance

On the world stage, the ice hockey championships produced two memorable results. Latvia upset the defending champion United States 4-2 as Sandis Vilmanis scored two empty-net goals to cap a gritty defensive performance, handing the Americans their third loss of the tournament. Canada, meanwhile, extended its perfect run to 5-0 with a 3-1 victory over Slovenia, building on Mark Scheifele's three-goal outburst from Thursday that included a 29-second overtime winner against Norway in a 6-5 thriller. The two results bookend the top of the standings, with Canada looking poised for a deep run and the U.S. scrambling to shore up a roster that looked dominant on paper.

Memorial Cup and PWHL Action

Down in the junior ranks, the Everett Silvertips opened the Memorial Cup with a 5-3 victory over the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, with right wing Jesse Heslop scoring to help the WHL champions get off to a strong start in Kelowna. Over in the PWHL, Montreal Victoire captured their first league title with a 4-0 shutout in Game 4 of the Walter Cup Finals, powered by Abby Roque's two goals. The victory caps a remarkable inaugural season for the expansion franchise. Meanwhile, the league moved on from Seattle Torrent coach Steve O'Rourke after the expansion team finished last in its first campaign, and Meghan Duggan left the NHL to take over as general manager of the Hamilton PWHL franchise, filling one of the league's final two expansion GM vacancies alongside Troy Ryan's shift to San Jose.

Transactions, Collectibles, and Betting Markets

Off the ice, the transaction wire stayed busy. The Washington Capitals re-signed defenseman Timothy Liljegren to a two-year, $6.5 million deal, while the Buffalo Sabres rewarded Lindy Ruff with a two-year extension after he ended a 14-year playoff drought. Anaheim's Troy Terry is slated for hip surgery that could jeopardize his availability at the start of next season. In the collectibles world, an autographed 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie card sold for $540,000 including buyer's premium, setting a record for the most ever spent on an autographed hockey card. On the betting front, Draft Kings promoted $100 in instant bonus bets for first $5 wagers on NHL action Sunday, while Bet MGM offered $1,500 in bonus bets for first-bet losses on Saturday's playoff slate, with similar promos running through the weekend on both CBS Sports and Draft Kings platforms targeting the Avs-Knights and Canes-Canadiens matchups.