Samwise NHL & Hockey Newsletter
Friday, April 24, 2026
Flyers Push Penguins to Brink with 5-2 Game 3 Win
The Philadelphia Flyers moved within one win of eliminating the Pittsburgh Penguins, taking a 3-0 series lead with a 5-2 Game 3 victory Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Trevor Zegras scored and added an assist, while Rasmus Ristolainen and Nick Seeler scored during a three-goal second period that put the game out of reach. Goaltender Dan Vladar shook off an early injury scare to remain in net and secure the win. It was Philadelphia’s first home playoff game in eight years. Evgeni Malkin scored early for Pittsburgh, but the Penguins generated little sustained pressure after that. The Flyers can advance to the second round in Game 4 Saturday.
Sources: NHL.com, NBC Sports
Johnston’s Double-OT Deflection Lifts Stars Over Wild in Game 3
Wyatt Johnston deflected home a shot 12:10 into double overtime to give the Dallas Stars a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild in Game 3 Tuesday at Grand Casino Arena, pushing Dallas to a 2-1 series lead in the Western Conference First Round. Minnesota held a 3-2 third-period advantage following goals from Marcus Johansson, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Michael McCarron, before Matt Duchene knotted the score at 3-3 on a power-play goal with 9:42 remaining. Dallas converted three of eight power-play chances in a decisive edge through the marathon contest. Johnston has two goals through three playoff games. Game 4 is Friday in Minnesota.
Sources: NHL.com, NBC Sports
Gauthier Scores Twice as Ducks End Nine-Year Playoff Win Drought
Cutter Gauthier scored twice, including the go-ahead goal with 4:52 left in regulation, as the Anaheim Ducks snapped a nine-year playoff victory drought with a 6-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 Wednesday at Rogers Place. Alex Killorn added a goal and two assists, while Ryan Poehling scored twice, sealing the result with an empty-netter. Goaltender Lukas Dostal made 33 saves for his first career postseason win. Leon Draisaitl scored and assisted for Edmonton, which had won Game 1 in Draisaitl’s return from a lower-body injury. The series is tied 1-1, with Game 3 scheduled for Friday night in Anaheim.
Avalanche Rout Kings in Game 3, One Win from First-Round Sweep
Gabriel Landeskog, Cale Makar, Arturri Lehkonen, and Brock Nelson each scored as the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 Thursday at Crypto.com Arena in Game 3, taking a commanding 3-0 first-round series lead. Makar’s second-period goal gave Colorado a lead it would not relinquish. The Avalanche, who captured the Presidents’ Trophy during the regular season, have surrendered just five goals across three games. Colorado can eliminate the Kings and advance to the second round in Game 4 Sunday in Los Angeles. No NHL team has ever recovered from a 3-0 first-round deficit to win a series.
Sources: Bleacher Report, NHL.com
Sabres Take 2-1 Series Lead over Bruins with Third-Period Surge
Bowen Byram, Alex Tuch, and Noah Ostlund each scored to propel the Buffalo Sabres past the Boston Bruins 3-1 in Game 3 Thursday at TD Garden, giving Buffalo a 2-1 Eastern Conference First Round series lead. Tuch’s goal four minutes into the third period broke a 1-1 tie and proved decisive. Ostlund played his first game since sustaining an upper-body injury March 25, adding an empty-net goal in the final minutes. Goaltender Alex Lyon made 24 saves for Buffalo, including a key penalty-shot stop. Tanner Jeannot scored for Boston. The Sabres, making a long-awaited playoff return, now control the series. Game 4 is Saturday at TD Garden.
Sources: NHL.com, Boston.com
Draisaitl Returns from LTIR While Norris Sidelined for Ottawa
Leon Draisaitl returned to the Edmonton Oilers lineup for Game 1 of their first-round series against Anaheim after being activated from long-term injured reserve, ending a 14-game absence caused by a lower-body injury sustained March 14. The German superstar recorded two assists in Edmonton’s 4-3 opening-game victory before the Oilers dropped Game 2 by a 6-4 margin. In Ottawa, Senators center Josh Norris was ruled day-to-day and sat out Game 3 against Carolina, dealing another blow to a team already trailing 0-2 in its series. Both developments reflect the injury attrition that shapes playoff rosters as the first round intensifies.
Hurricanes Lead Senators 3-0; Three First-Round Series on Brink of Sweep
The Carolina Hurricanes took a 3-0 first-round series lead with a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators in Game 3 Thursday at Canadian Tire Centre. Jackson Blake scored the decisive goal at 17:29 of the second period, and goaltender Frederik Andersen made 21 saves. Drake Batherson had equalized for Ottawa. With Carolina now one win from advancing, three teams stand at 3-0 in their respective first-round matchups: Carolina over Ottawa, Philadelphia over Pittsburgh, and Colorado over Los Angeles. Carolina can complete the sweep in Game 4 Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, with the prospect of three simultaneous series sweeps defining the opening weekend of the 2026 playoffs.
Stanley Cup Playoffs — First Round
Eastern Conference
Philadelphia Flyers vs Pittsburgh Penguins — Flyers lead 3–0
Carolina Hurricanes vs Ottawa Senators — Hurricanes lead 3–0
Buffalo Sabres vs Boston Bruins — Sabres lead 2–1
Montreal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning — Series tied 1–1
Western Conference
Colorado Avalanche vs Los Angeles Kings — Avalanche lead 3–0
Dallas Stars vs Minnesota Wild — Stars lead 2–1
Vegas Golden Knights vs Utah Mammoth — Series tied 1–1
Edmonton Oilers vs Anaheim Ducks — Series tied 1–1
Curated by JD · samwise.agency