Samwise NHL & Hockey Newsletter
Friday, May 8, 2026
Hurricanes Dominate Flyers in Game 3, Move Within One Win of Conference Finals
The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 on Thursday in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Second Round series, taking a commanding 3-0 series lead and moving within one victory of the Conference Finals. Jordan Staal opened the scoring with a first-period power-play goal, and Jalen Chatfield added a shorthanded marker in the second period. Andrei Svechnikov scored his first playoff goal of the postseason, and Nikolaj Ehlers added a breakaway goal in the third. Frederik Andersen made 18 saves as the Hurricanes, now 7-0 in the 2026 playoffs, have outscored opponents 27-11 this postseason. Game 4 is Saturday in Philadelphia.
Sources: NHL.com
Brind'Amour: Unbeaten Hurricanes Still Have “Another Level to Find”
Despite a perfect 7-0 record in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday that his team has further to climb. After Carolina’s 4-1 Game 3 win in Philadelphia, Brind’Amour told reporters: “There’s another level we’re going to have to find.” He pointed specifically to the power play, which ranked fourth in the NHL during the regular season at 24.9 percent but has dropped to 12th among the remaining playoff teams. The Hurricanes swept Ottawa in the first round and have dominated Philadelphia, outscoring opponents 27-11 across the postseason.
Sources: WRAL.com
Sabres Control Game 1 Over Canadiens in Historic Second-Round Return
The Buffalo Sabres opened their Eastern Conference Second Round series with a convincing 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday at KeyBank Center, their first second-round appearance since 2007. Josh Doan gave Buffalo an early lead and finished with a goal and an assist, while Ryan McLeod also recorded a goal and an assist. Bowen Byram added a power-play goal, and goaltender Alex Lyon made 26 saves. Nick Suzuki and Kirby Dach replied for Montreal, but the Sabres controlled the game throughout. The Canadiens, who advanced past Tampa Bay on just nine shots in Game 7, now face a high-scoring Buffalo offense. Game 2 is Friday in Buffalo.
Sources: NHL.com
Ducks Even Series With Golden Knights on Road Win at T-Mobile Arena
The Anaheim Ducks evened their Western Conference Second Round series at one game apiece on Wednesday, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1 at T-Mobile Arena. Goaltender Lukas Dostal made 21 saves in just his second career playoff start as Anaheim answered a Game 1 loss by the identical score. Vegas received six power-play opportunities on the night, including a 5-on-3 advantage, but the Ducks killed all six penalties. Anaheim went scoreless on their five man-advantage chances in return. The series now shifts to Honda Center in Anaheim for Games 3 and 4. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday evening.
Sources: NHL.com
Second-Round Scorecard: Two Teams Dominant, Two Series All Square
The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs second round has two series with heavy favorites in command and two others tightly contested. Carolina leads Philadelphia 3-0 and needs one win to reach the Eastern Conference Final. Colorado holds a 2-0 advantage over Minnesota after wins of 9-6 and 5-2. In the Eastern Conference, Buffalo took a 1-0 series lead over Montreal with a 4-2 Game 1 victory on Wednesday, their first second-round game in nearly two decades. The Western Conference’s other series has Anaheim and Vegas tied 1-1. Game 2 of the Buffalo-Montreal series and Game 3 of the Anaheim-Vegas series are both scheduled for Friday.
Sources: NHL.com
Penguins Begin Offseason With Dewar, Solovyov Extensions
The Pittsburgh Penguins began their 2026 offseason on Wednesday by re-signing forward Connor Dewar to a two-year contract extension carrying an average annual value of $2.25 million, and locking up defenseman Ilya Solovyov to a one-year deal. Dewar, 26, turned in the best season of his career in 2025-26, setting personal bests with 14 goals, 16 assists, 30 points and a plus-16 rating. He also scored two goals during Pittsburgh’s six-game first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia. General Manager Kyle Dubas called both signings a priority for the club. The Penguins, eliminated in the first round, hold the 12th pick in the 2026 draft.
Sources: TSN
Kazakhstan Win IIHF Division I Group A Gold, Earn Promotion to Top World Championship
Kazakhstan claimed gold at the 2026 IIHF Division I Group A World Championship on Friday, concluding the six-nation tournament in Sosnowiec, Poland with a first-place finish. Kazakhstan topped the standings with 11 points, securing promotion to the 2027 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship and returning the nation to the top tier of international hockey. Poland, Ukraine, and France each finished with seven points but could not claim top spot. Japan ended fifth with two points, while Lithuania finished sixth and was relegated to Division II Group A. The main 2026 IIHF World Championship begins in Switzerland on May 15.
Sources: IIHF.com
Stanley Cup Playoffs 2026
Eastern Conference — First Round
Hurricanes def. Senators — 4–0
Flyers def. Penguins — 4–2
Sabres def. Bruins — 4–2
Canadiens def. Lightning — 4–3
Eastern Conference — Second Round
Hurricanes vs. Flyers — Hurricanes lead 3–0
Sabres vs. Canadiens — Sabres lead 1–0
Western Conference — First Round
Avalanche def. Kings — 4–0
Wild def. Stars — Series completed
Golden Knights def. Mammoth — 4–2
Ducks def. Oilers — 4–2
Western Conference — Second Round
Avalanche vs. Wild — Avalanche lead 2–0
Golden Knights vs. Ducks — Series tied 1–1
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.