NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: May 25, 2026, 2:54 AM ET

Western Conference Finals

Colorado's playoff hopes hang by a thread after the Avalanche fell to a 3-1 loss in Game 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights, surrendering a 1-0 lead in a game that coach Jared Bednar said offered multiple chances to extend the advantage. The series is now 0-2 for Colorado, and analysts flagged Cale Makar's injury status as a looming factor heading into Friday's contest, with Sports Line's model offering a same-game parlay pick for Vegas. On the betting front, Draft Kings and Bet MGM both rolled out $100 and $1,500 bonus offers targeting the Avalanche-Golden Knights matchup across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Eastern Conference Finals

The Hurricanes and Canadiens have traded blows through the first two games of their Eastern Conference finals series, which stands tied at 1-1 heading to Montreal. Carolina's Jaccob Slavin shouldered responsibility for the Hurricanes' defensive breakdown in Game 1, conceding that his play essentially handed the Canadiens the opening victory. Montreal answered with a dominant first-game performance, described by ESPN as a "road warrior" showing that put the Habs in commanding position. The Canadiens now sit seven wins from the Stanley Cup, buoyed by contributions up and down the lineup, and Sports Line's model revealed its picks for Game 2 on Saturday. Expert panels have weighed in on both the Avs-Knights and Canes-Canadiens matchups, offering series outlooks as the penultimate round advances.

Memorial Cup

The Memorial Cup produced drama on both sides of the weekend slate. The Everett Silvertips, fresh off winning the WHL championship, opened the tournament with a 5-3 win over the Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Saturday, with right wing Jesse Heslop contributing a goal. One day later, Chicoutimi staged an overtime comeback, with Liam Lefebvre scoring his second goal of the game at 5:28 of OT to edge the host Kelowna Rockets 3-2 and claim a pivotal victory in front of the home crowd.

World Championship

Team Canada continues to roll through the IIHF World Championship with perfect form, improving to 5-0 on Friday with a 3-1 victory over Slovenia. Captain Macklin Celebrini scored and Sidney Crosby added his seventh assist of the tournament as Canada beat Slovakia 5-1 on Sunday, fueled by a four-goal burst in the final period. The run extended to five straight wins, but the defending champions stumbled when Latvia upset the United States 4-2, with Sandis Vilmanis scoring two empty-net goals to hand the Americans their third loss of the tournament.

Off the Ice

The PWHL made two significant roster moves on Friday, filling its final expansion GM spots with Meghan Duggan taking the Hamilton job and Troy Ryan leaving Toronto for San Jose. Meanwhile, Steve O'Rourke was dismissed as coach of the Seattle Torrent after the expansion team finished last in its inaugural season. In the collecting world, an autographed 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie card sold for $540,000 at Fanatics Collect's May Premier Auction, marking the highest price ever paid for an autographed hockey card.

Four teams remain alive in the postseason, with several legitimate Conn Smythe candidates emerging from the semifinal round. Goalie confidence ratings and X factors for each of the final four clubs are now under scrutiny as the second round of playoff action begins Wednesday, with Colorado, Vegas, Montreal, and Carolina all facing questions about goaltending depth and offensive consistency heading into the next stretch.