Samwise NHL & Hockey Newsletter
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Avalanche 5, Wild 2: Blackwood Shines in First Start as Colorado Takes Commanding 3-1 Series Lead
Colorado made a bold goaltending switch for Game 4, starting Mackenzie Blackwood for the first time since April 14 after pulling Scott Wedgewood during the Game 3 loss. The move paid off as Blackwood backstopped a decisive victory. Five different Avalanche players found the scoresheet, with Ross Colton and Parker Kelly each scoring their first goals of the postseason in the third period. Nathan MacKinnon took a puck to the face late in the second period but returned for the third to help seal the win. Colorado can close out the series in Game 5 on May 13.
Ducks 4, Golden Knights 3: Sennecke Power-Play Breakthrough Levels Series at 2-2
Anaheim ended an 0-for-11 power-play drought in emphatic fashion as Beckett Sennecke and Alex Killorn scored man-advantage goals to lead the Ducks past Vegas. Sennecke opened the scoring at 8:43 of the first period, and Killorn added the eventual game-winner at 17:58 of the second. Mikael Granlund and Ian Moore also tallied for Anaheim. Lukas Dostal stopped 18 shots. Pavel Dorofeyev, Brett Howden, and Tomas Hertl scored for the Golden Knights, who played without injured captain Mark Stone. The series shifts back to Vegas tied at two games apiece with Game 5 tonight.
Sources: NHL.com
Canadiens 6, Sabres 2: Newhook Scores Twice Again as Montreal Takes 2-1 Series Lead
Alex Newhook scored twice for the second consecutive game as Montreal pulled away with four unanswered goals to seize control of the series. Cole Caufield converted on the power play, and Juraj Slafkovsky deflected a Lane Hutson slap shot for another man-advantage marker. Zachary Bolduc and Kirby Dach rounded out the scoring for the Canadiens. Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin provided the Buffalo goals, but the Sabres could not keep pace after falling behind. Montreal hosts Game 4 tonight at 7 p.m. ET looking to take a commanding 3-1 series advantage heading back to Buffalo.
Sources: NHL.com
Hurricanes Make History: Carolina Becomes First Team Since 1987 to Sweep Opening Two Playoff Rounds
The Carolina Hurricanes completed a sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 4, capped by Jackson Blake’s winner, to improve their postseason record to a perfect 8-0. Carolina previously swept the Ottawa Senators in the first round and has now become the first team to sweep its opening two best-of-seven playoff rounds since the format was established in 1987. The last team to begin a postseason 8-0 was the 1985 Edmonton Oilers. Rod Brind’Amour’s squad now awaits the winner of the Canadiens-Sabres series in the Eastern Conference Final with extended rest.
Sources: ESPN, The Hockey Writers
Golden Knights Captain Mark Stone Misses Game 4 With Lower-Body Injury
Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone sat out Game 4 against Anaheim after sustaining a lower-body injury late in the first period of Game 3. Brandon Saad drew into the lineup as his replacement. Stone had been a driving force in the Vegas postseason, recording three goals and four assists for seven points in nine playoff games before the injury. His absence was felt as the Golden Knights fell 4-3 to the Ducks, allowing the series to be tied at 2-2. Stone’s availability for Game 5 tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET in Vegas remains uncertain as the team has not provided a timeline for his return.
Sources: NHL.com, NBC Sports
MacKinnon Takes Puck to Face, Returns to Help Avalanche Seal Game 4 Victory
Nathan MacKinnon gave Colorado a scare in Game 4 when he took a puck directly to the face late in the second period against Minnesota. The star center left the ice immediately and headed to the locker room for evaluation. MacKinnon returned for the start of the third period, however, and helped the Avalanche close out a 5-2 win that gave them a commanding 3-1 series lead. Colorado scored three third-period goals with MacKinnon back in the lineup, including markers from Ross Colton and Parker Kelly. The Avalanche can advance to the Western Conference Final with a Game 5 win on May 13.
Sources: ESPN
Sennecke Joins Crosby in Exclusive Under-21 Playoff Scoring Club
Anaheim rookie Beckett Sennecke has scored in three consecutive playoff games, joining Sidney Crosby in 2007 as the only players under 21 to accomplish the feat in the 21st century. The 20-year-old scored a power-play goal in Game 4 against Vegas, breaking Anaheim’s 0-for-11 drought on the man advantage in the series. Sennecke has emerged as a legitimate offensive threat for the Ducks in their second-round matchup with the Golden Knights, providing a spark that helped Anaheim claw back from a 2-0 series deficit to even things at 2-2. Game 5 is tonight in Vegas at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Sources: NHL.com
Stanley Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference — Second Round
Canadiens vs Sabres — Canadiens lead 2–1
Eastern Conference — Conference Final
Hurricanes (8–0) — Awaiting opponent
Western Conference — Second Round
Avalanche vs Wild — Avalanche lead 3–1
Golden Knights vs Ducks — Series tied 2–2
Curated by JD · samwise.agency