8 mins agoVancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller scored a huge game-winning goal in Thursday's 3-2 victory against Edmonton, finding the back of the net with only 33 seconds left in regulation. Vancouver fell behind twice on home ice in the game, but Miller's late heroics gave the team a 3-2 series lead. It was only fitting that it came from him, as 2023-24 has been a massive year for Miller. After posting his first 100-point campaign during the regular season with 37 goals and 66 assists, Miller is tied with Brock Boeser for most playoff points on the Canucks roster. The first-year All-Star has managed 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 11 playoff postseason appearances.Source: ESPN
18 mins agoEdmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl extended his postseason-opening point streak to 10 games with an assist in Thursday's Game 5 loss to the Canucks. Draisaitl and Vincent Desharnais linked up early in the game to help Evander Kane on the scoreboard. Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky were previously the only players in Oilers history to open a postseason with a scoring streak of at least 10 games. Messier owns the franchise record with a 14-game run from 1988. Edmonton needs to stave off elimination in Game 6 on Saturday for Draisaitl to have a chance of matching the record. The German star has averaged over a point per game in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, recording eight goals and 13 assists across 10 outings.Source: ESPN
28 mins agoVancouver Canucks winger Ilya Mikheyev missed Thursday's Game 5 against Edmonton with an undisclosed injury. Initially, he was believed to be a healthy scratch for the game, but Sportsnet's Dan Murphy has reported that the Russian winger is actually "banged up." Mikheyev has had a rough time in the 2024 postseason, going scoreless with 11 shots on goal in 10 games and carrying a minus-four rating. His lack of form has also negatively impacted Elias Pettersson, who has spent a lot of time skating with Mikheyev. Pettersson was paired with Elias Lindholm and Nils Hoglander on Thursday. He notched an assist as the Canucks moved one win away from the Conference Finals with a 3-2 victory.Source: Sportsnet
35 mins agoCarolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho led the charge in Game 6 against the Rangers on Thursday, but his efforts weren't enough as the team got dumped out of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 5-3 defeat. Aho recorded a power-play helper when Seth Jarvis scored early in the second period, and he put the Hurricanes 3-1 up in the middle of the frame. However, the Rangers roared back with four third-period goals, meaning Aho's 2024 postseason ends with 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 11 games. He can be happy about his contributions after also enjoying a career year with 89 points (36 goals, 53 assists) in 78 games during the regular season. With him turning only 27 in the summer, Aho looks set to be a top-tier fantasy asset for years to come.Source: ESPN
44 mins agoNew York Rangers forward Jack Roslovic put a stop to a four-game point drought with two assists in Thursday's 5-3 win over the Hurricanes. Both helpers came in the third period when Roslovic's linemate, Chris Kreider, scored a hat trick to help the Rangers clinch the series. Roslovic has had a good postseason riding next to Kreider and Mika Zibanejad on the first line. He has totaled seven points (two goals, five assists) in 10 games. The former Blue Jacket also features on the second power-play unit, and his two goals have come with the man advantage.Source: ESPN
50 mins agoNew York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin had his fourth multi-point outing of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Thursday, posting two assists in a 5-3 win over Carolina, which sent Peter Laviolette's team into the Eastern Conference Finals. After going scoreless in the previous two games and amassing a minus-five rating, Panarin played a big role in a series-clinching win with an even-strength assist and a power-play helper. The latter came when the Rangers tied the game at three with eight minutes left in regulation. Overall, five of Panarin's 11 points in these playoffs have come with the man advantage. He sits on four goals and seven assists through 10 games.Source: ESPN
56 mins agoNew York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider popped up with three big goals on Thursday against Carolina, helping the team clinch the second-round series with a 5-3 win. He joined Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky as the third player to score a hat trick in a single period for the Rangers in a playoff game. Additionally, Kreider became the sixth player in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to score a natural hat trick which included the series-clinching goal. The Rangers were 3-1 down entering the third period before Kreider took the team on his back and registered his first career playoff hat trick. The Rangers' all-time leader in postseason goals has lit the lamp seven times in 10 playoff games this year, adding three assists.Source: ESPN
16 hours agoBoston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (upper body) hopes to return from a two-game absence on Friday against Florida. He was a full participant in Thursday's practice. Officially, the team continues to consider Marchand as day-to-day, but he worked on the first power-play unit during Thursday's practice session, which is a good sign regarding his potential comeback. The Bruins captain is the team's joint top-scorer in the playoffs with 10 points, boasting three goals and seven assists.Source: Conor Ryan
16 hours agoCarolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce (lower body) will miss a ninth consecutive game on Thursday against the Rangers. He was back in practice on Wednesday but isn't yet ready to play. Pesce has been out for three weeks with a lower-body injury since getting hurt in Game 2 against the Islanders in the first round of the playoffs. Tony DeAngelo has covered for him in the lineup. The former Ranger has posted two assists with seven hits and four blocks in the second-round series.Source: Cory Lavalette
16 hours agoEdmonton Oilers forward Adam Henrique (ankle) will remain out for Thursday's Game 5 against Vancouver, but he is close to returning, according to head coach Kris Knoblauch. Henrique has been out for three of the last four games while dealing with an ankle injury. He has totaled two points (one goal, one assist) in six playoff games this year. Connor Brown has filled the open spot in the lineup, but the 30-year-old winger has only played limited minutes on the fourth line and hasn't yet registered any points in the series against the Canucks.Source: Brendan Batchelor
17 hours agoEdmonton Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard will maintain his spot between the sticks for Thursday's Game 5 against Vancouver. He makes a second consecutive start after replacing Stuart Skinner in Game 4. Pickard made his first career Stanley Cup Playoffs start on Tuesday and impressed by saving 19 of 21 shots in a 3-2 win. The 32-year-old will likely have a busier night at the office on Thursday, as the Canucks are on home ice and desperate to win with the series tied at two.Source: Mark Spector
17 hours agoVancouver Canucks defenseman Carson Soucy will be back in the lineup on Thursday against Edmonton after serving a one-game suspension. The physical blue-liner missed Tuesday's 3-2 loss to Edmonton after being slapped with a suspension for cross-checking Oilers captain Connor McDavid to the face in Game 3 of the series. Soucy will be back on the second defensive pairing with Tyler Myers. He has posted four assists in nine postseason appearances with nine blocks and 27 hits.Source: Brendan Batchelor
17 hours agoVancouver Canucks right wing Vasily Podkolzin is projected to make his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut in Game 5 against the Oilers on Thursday. He skated on the fourth line Thursday morning. Podkolzin had a disappointing regular-season campaign with zero goals and two assists in 19 outings. The 22-year-old did much better in the minors, notching 28 points (15 goals, 13 assists) in 44 games. The Canucks are making multiple changes to the lineup on Thursday, with Linus Karlsson, Sam Lafferty, and Ilya Mikheyev sitting as healthy scratches. Podkolzin is penciled in to skate with Nils Aman and Phillip Di Giuseppe, who's missed two games for personal reasons.Source: Brendan Batchelor
17 hours agoVancouver Canucks left wing Nils Hoglander will re-enter the lineup on Thursday against Edmonton. He's been a healthy scratch for the last two games but gets a fresh opportunity. Hoglander is poised for a top-six role, replacing Ilya Mikheyev, who will land in the press box after going scoreless in all 10 playoff games this year. With him on zero goals and one assist, things haven't gone great for Hoglander either in the postseason. But he will get a big chance to impress on Thursday, playing next to Elias Lindholm and Elias Pettersson.Source: Brendan Batchelor
23 hours agoDallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski enjoyed a two-point outing against the Avalanche in Wednesday's 5-3 loss. He scored his first postseason goal of the year and picked up a power-play assist. Pavelski is ranked fourth all-time among American skaters in playoff points in the NHL, but the veteran has been off his game in 2024. He had managed just one point in 11 games before Wednesday's contest. With Roope Hintz (upper body) and Tyler Seguin (undisclosed) battling injuries, Pavelski must do much more for Dallas to survive in the playoffs.Source: ESPN