Samwise NHL & Hockey Newsletter
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Golden Knights Sweep Avalanche, Advance to Stanley Cup Final
Mark Stone scored on a breakaway and Cole Smith added a redirect as the Vegas Golden Knights swept the Colorado Avalanche with a 2-1 win in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final on Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena, advancing to the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in franchise history. Carter Hart made 20 saves to hold off Gabriel Landeskog's 6-on-5 goal with 2:03 remaining. The victory was Vegas's sixth straight, while Colorado became the fifth Presidents' Trophy winner in NHL history to be swept in the playoffs. The Golden Knights will face either the Carolina Hurricanes or Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final.
Sources: NHL.com
Hutson Takes Blame for Costly Turnover as Hurricanes Lead Canadiens 2‑1
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson took responsibility Wednesday for the overtime turnover that gave the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-2 Game 3 win in the Eastern Conference Final on Monday. At 6:13 of overtime, Hutson retrieved a dump-in and floated a lateral pass that Andrei Svechnikov intercepted in the neutral zone, scoring 12 seconds later at 14:06 for the winning goal. Carolina has won two consecutive overtime games to take a 2-1 series lead. “It would be nice to be up 2-1, but we're not because of me,” Hutson said. Goaltender Jakub Dobes made 36 saves. Game 4 is tonight at Bell Centre.
Sources: NHL.com
Malkin Re-Signs With Penguins for 21st Season on 1-Year, $5.5 Million Deal
Evgeni Malkin will play a 21st NHL season with the Pittsburgh Penguins after signing a one-year, $5.5 million contract on Tuesday, avoiding unrestricted free agency. The deal includes a $3 million signing bonus, a $2.5 million salary, and a full no-movement clause giving the 39-year-old center control over any future movement. Malkin, who turns 40 on July 31, can also earn performance bonuses tied to games played and Pittsburgh's playoff performance. The signing keeps the Penguins' veteran core of Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Kris Letang together for at least one more season.
Sources: ESPN
USA and Canada Set for IIHF World Championship Quarterfinal Rematch Thursday
The United States secured a quarterfinal showdown with Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland on Tuesday by defeating Austria 4-1 in their final preliminary-round game. Matthew Tkachuk, Connor Clifton, Ryan Ufko, and Paul Cotter scored for Team USA, with goaltender Devin Cooley stopping 25 shots. Canada advanced behind Sidney Crosby, who leads all players with nine assists in the tournament, and Macklin Celebrini, who has five goals and six assists. The quarterfinal on Thursday rematches the Olympic gold medal game from the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games, where the United States defeated Canada for gold.
Sources: Team Canada / Olympic.ca
Carter Hart's Brilliance Carries Golden Knights to Third Stanley Cup Final
Carter Hart's sustained brilliance in net powered the Vegas Golden Knights to their sweep of the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final. The Golden Knights goaltender turned aside 118 shots across the four games for a .944 series save percentage and extended his personal win streak to six, the longest in franchise history. Colorado went nearly 12 minutes without a shot in the second period of Tuesday's decisive 2-1 Game 4, with Hart thwarting the Presidents' Trophy winners until Gabriel Landeskog scored with 2:03 remaining on a 6-on-5 goal. Vegas now heads to the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in nine years.
Sources: Las Vegas Sun
Injuries to MacKinnon, Makar and Nichushkin Undermined Avalanche in Western Final
The Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche were eliminated in a four-game sweep by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final, with three significant injuries compounding their difficulties. Defenseman Cale Makar missed Games 1 and 2 with an upper-body injury, Nathan MacKinnon was limited after blocking a shot with his right leg in Game 3, and Valeri Nichushkin did not dress for Game 4 due to a lower-body injury. Colorado compiled a league-best 121 points in the regular season. The sweep made the Avalanche the fifth Presidents' Trophy winner in NHL history to be eliminated without winning a series game.
Sources: Jefferson City News-Tribune
Memorial Cup 2026: Top Prospects Iginla and Reid Star in Kelowna
The 2026 Memorial Cup is underway in Kelowna, British Columbia, with several top NHL draft prospects drawing attention ahead of June's entry draft. Tij Iginla of the host Kelowna Rockets, selected sixth overall by the Utah Mammoth in 2024, leads the tournament's highest-drafted players after recording 41 goals and 49 assists for 90 points in 48 regular-season games. The Kitchener Rangers, who carry 12 NHL prospects, the most of any team in the tournament, are led by defenseman Cameron Reid, drafted 21st overall by Nashville in 2025. Iginla and Reid previously combined for Canada at the 2026 World Juniors, where they won bronze.
Sources: TSN
Stanley Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference Final
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Montreal Canadiens — Hurricanes lead 2–1 (Game 4 tonight)
Western Conference Final
Vegas Golden Knights def. Colorado Avalanche 4–0 — Golden Knights advance to Cup Final
Stanley Cup Final
Vegas Golden Knights vs. TBD (Hurricanes or Canadiens) — Series begins after Eastern Final concludes
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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