Sam Reinhart Out on Saturday
Source: Michael Russo
Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart (lower body) will miss Saturday's Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes. The 29-year-old logged only a handful of minutes in Game 2 before leaving after sustaining an injury from a hit by Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho. Reinhart's absence gives a fresh opportunity for Jesper Boqvist to make an impression on the first line. He has started the Conference Finals as a healthy scratch but spent some time on the top line in Round 2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Boqvist has recorded one goal and one assist in nine playoff games this year.Jake Walman Notches an Assist in Game 2 Win
Source: ESPN
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Jake Walman recorded an even-strength assist in Friday's 3-0 win against the Dallas Stars in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. He had the secondary assist when Connor Brown completed the scoring 16:36 into the second period. This marked only the second assist and the third postseason point for Walman. He enjoyed a career year during the regular season with 40 points (seven goals, 33 assists) in 65 appearances. This included eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 15 games with the Oilers since his move from the San Jose Sharks. However, Walman's productivity on the offensive end has nosedived during the postseason, as he has been limited to a third-pairing role at the back.Connor McDavid Logs 20th Postseason Point Friday
Source: ESPN
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid collected an assist on a Brett Kulak goal in Friday's 3-0 win over the Dallas Stars, making him the fourth player in NHL history to record 20-plus points in four consecutive postseasons. The Oilers captain joined Sergei Fedorov, Mike Bossy, and Bryan Trottier on the special list. Almost all of his points this postseason have come through assists, as McDavid has been limited to just three goals with 51 attempts on the net. It has been a frustrating time for him in front of the goal, although McDavid has still been highly impactful for the Oilers, sharing the scoring lead in the playoffs with teammate Leon Draisaitl and Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen.Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Records Second Consecutive Multi-Point Outing
Source: ESPN
Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins finished Friday's 3-0 win over the Dallas Stars with two points, scoring the game-winning goal on the power play and setting up Connor Brown for his fifth goal of the postseason. After going scoreless in each of the last two games against the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 2, Nugent-Hopkins has bounced back in a big way. He has opened the Conference Finals with back-to-back multi-point efforts, scoring a power-play goal in each contest. His improved scoring rate has made Nugent-Hopkins a point-per-game player for the playoffs, as he now boasts five goals and eight assists through 13 outings.Evan Bouchard Registers Two Assists in Friday's Win
Source: ESPN
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard had his sixth multi-point performance of the postseason Friday night, delivering a pair of assists in a 3-0 win over the Dallas Stars. He set up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for a power-play goal, which turned out to be the game-winning tally, and assisted Brett Kulak on his first postseason marker. Additionally, Bouchard recorded three blocks while logging 23:33 of ice time. It has been another prolific playoff campaign for Bouchard, but he has yet to register points in more than two consecutive games. He will try to change that in Sunday's Game 3 against the Stars. Across 13 postseason outings, Bouchard has produced five goals and 15 points while blocking 18 shots.Stuart Skinner Records Third Shutout in Four Games
Source: ESPN
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner stopped 25 shots to record his third shutout in four starts during Friday's 3-0 victory over the Dallas Stars. The 26-year-old became the ninth goaltender in NHL history to secure a shutout in each of his first three wins in a single postseason. Overall, Skinner now has four playoff shutouts with the Oilers, ranking him second on the franchise's all-time list behind Curtis Joseph (5). It has been a strange postseason campaign for Skinner, who has been very impressive in his three wins but has struggled badly in his four other starts. This has resulted in a 3-4 record for him, while Skinner has logged a 2.90 goals-against average and a .890 save percentage.Roope Hintz Injured in Game 2 Against Oilers
Source: ESPN
Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (lower body) could not finish Friday's 3-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. He was injured in the third period when Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse slashed Hintz during a battle in front of the Edmonton net. The Finnish star, who has tallied 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 15 postseason appearances, left the ice without putting any weight on his left leg. Nurse received a minor penalty for slashing after officials reviewed the incident for a possible major penalty. Wyatt Johnston is likely to move up in the lineup if Hintz can't play in Sunday's Game 3, with Oscar Back set to rejoin the lineup to fill the open spot.Islanders Hire Mathieu Darche as General Manager
Source: NHL.com
The New York Islanders have appointed Mathieu Darche as the general manager and executive vice president of the team. He will succeed Lou Lamoriello, whose contract was not renewed for the upcoming season. Darche will move to New York after spending several years with the Tampa Bay Lightning organization as an assistant manager and director of hockey operations. He won the Stanley Cup with the team in 2020 and 2021. Under Lamoriello, the Islanders qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs five times in seven years but did not win any series in the last four seasons. The team missed the postseason in 2024-25, finishing with a 35-35-12 record. Darche has a busy summer ahead, as the Islanders have several pending free agents and hold the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft.Sean Walker Questionable for Saturday
Source: Eric Engels
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker (undisclosed) may not be available for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Florida Panthers on Saturday. He was injured in Thursday's Game 2, logging under 10 minutes of action. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour described Walker as "a little iffy" for Saturday's game. The 30-year-old has logged 16 blocks and 16 hits in 12 playoff outings this year, contributing one goal and two assists on the offensive end. Jalen Chatfield (undisclosed) is close to a return and might be Walker's replacement in the lineup for Game 3. At the same time, Alexander Nikishin is another option for Brind'Amour, who needs to tighten up the defense after watching his team allow five goals in each of the first two games in the series.Seth Jarvis "Fine" for Saturday's Game 3
Source: Eric Engels
Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis (undisclosed) looks to have avoided serious injury and is expected to be in the lineup on Saturday against the Florida Panthers. Jarvis was hurt in Thursday's Game 2 of the series, but Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour told reporters on Friday that he will be "fine" for Saturday's action. This is great news for Carolina, as Jarvis has been the team's top scorer this postseason with 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in as many games. The 23-year-old was riding a five-game point streak before the entire Hurricanes offense was shut down in Thursday's 5-0 defeat.Jake Oettinger Looks to Stay Hot Friday
Source: ESPN
Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger has started back-to-back series with winning efforts and will hope to maintain his recent hot form in Friday's Game 2 against the Edmonton Oilers. In Wednesday's series opener, a 6-3 win for the Stars, Oettinger stopped 24 of 27 pucks to earn his fourth victory in five starts. He wasn't quite at his best but got the job done. In the process, Oettinger extended his home winning streak in the playoffs to seven games. It was only the second time during the streak that he allowed more than two goals. With Oettinger on a roll at the American Airlines Center, Connor McDavid and his gang have to come up with something special on Friday night to tie the series. Oettinger boasts a 9-5 overall record for the postseason and has allowed 2.51 goals with a .917 save percentage.Stuart Skinner Starts Game 2 Friday
Source: Tony Brar
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner will make a fifth consecutive start in Friday's Game 2 against the Dallas Stars. The 26-year-old had a rough start in the series, allowing five goals on 27 shots in a 6-3 defeat on Wednesday. Skinner's performances have been inconsistent throughout the postseason, and his play took a downturn after he finished the previous series against the Vegas Golden Knights with two consecutive shutouts. He will take a 2-4 record into Friday's game, while sporting a 3.39 goals-against average and a .872 save percentage. Olivier Rodrigue will continue to serve as the backup goalie, with Calvin Pickard (undisclosed) still on the mend.Connor Brown Good to Go Friday
Source: Tony Brar
Edmonton Oilers right wing Connor Brown (undisclosed) is expected to be in the lineup Friday night against the Dallas Stars. The veteran forward appears to be a bit banged up at the moment, missing practices and Friday's morning skate. Nevertheless, he will continue to skate on the third line in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. In Game 1, Brown logged 13:48 of ice time, including 2:48 of short-handed action. He blocked two shots in the contest but did not register any other stats. The 31-year-old has gone scoreless in four of the last five games, amassing seven points (four goals, three assists) in 12 playoff appearances overall.Sergei Bobrovsky Posts Historic Shutout Thursday
Source: ESPN
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky shut out the Carolina Hurricanes with 17 saves in Thursday's 5-0 win. He earned his third shutout of the postseason, setting a franchise record for the most in a single playoff campaign. Bobrovsky coughed up 13 goals in the first three games against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 2, but he has suddenly appeared like a different player since then. Thursday's contest marked Bobrovsky's sixth consecutive start with two or fewer goals allowed. He has given up only one goal per game during that stretch. With Bobrovsky in top form, the Panthers look unbeatable and are now only two wins away from their third consecutive Stanley Cup Finals. Bobrovsky has a 10-4 record for the postseason with a 2.13 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.Aaron Ekblad Logs Two Assists in Game 2 Win
Source: ESPN
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad finished Thursday's 5-0 thumping of the Carolina Hurricanes with two assists, three blocks, one hit, and a plus-two rating. His efforts led to an even-strength goal for Sam Bennett late in the second period, and Ekblad collected a power-play assist when Aleksander Barkov wrapped up the scoring in the third. The blue line has made a major contribution on the attacking end for Florida this postseason, with Ekblad being the team's leading scorer among defensemen. He has averaged nearly a point per game through 10 outings, registering three goals and six assists. This marks his best-ever offensive output in the postseason, and Ekblad hasn't forgotten about his defensive responsibilities, blocking 11 shots and delivering 25 hits.