May 25, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov could not give his team a lift in his second postseason start of the year on Saturday against the Florida Panthers, allowing six goals on 28 shots in a 6-2 defeat. The Russian netminder performed admirably through the first two periods, giving up only one goal on 15 shots, but the Panthers torched him in the third. This was Kochetkov's third overall appearance in the playoffs, and he now holds a 3.60 goals-against average with a .855 save percentage. Given how things worked out on Saturday, it seems likely that Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour will return to Frederik Andersen on Monday as the team attempts to avoid a sweep in the Eastern Conference Finals.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 25, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis scored a late power-play goal in Saturday's 6-2 loss to the Florida Panthers. The defending Stanley Cup champions were already leading by five in the third period when Jarvis scored with his only shot on goal. The 23-year-old made a quick return to the scoresheet after his five-game point streak ended in Game 2 against the Panthers. He leads the Hurricanes with 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 13 games this postseason, averaging 3.2 hits per game. While Jarvis has been on a roll in the playoffs, the team needs even more from him, as the Hurricanes face elimination in Monday's Game 4.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 25, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven returned to the score sheet in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Florida Panthers on Saturday night, registering a goal and an assist on the power play. Stankoven's fourth marker of the playoffs tied the game at one with 5:09 remaining in the second period, but Florida ran away with the victory after opening the third frame with five unanswered goals. Stankoven had gone four games without a point and six games without recording a goal. The 22-year-old has struggled with consistency on the offensive end, but a total of seven points (four goals, three assists) in 13 games makes him Carolina's fourth-highest scoring forward this postseason.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 25, 2025
Florida Panthers center Jesper Boqvist stepped up big time for the team in Saturday's Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes, notching three points with one goal and two assists in a 6-2 win. Replacing Sam Reinhart (lower body) in the lineup and playing for the first time in four games, Boqvist felt right at home on the first line, tying Aleksander Barkov for the game high with a plus-four rating. He also threw his body around a bit to record three hits. Reinhart's caliber makes him a tough player to replace, but Boqvist has impressed with his recent performances, tallying two goals and three assists in his last three appearances. The Swedish forward found his scoring touch after starting the postseason with a seven-game stretch without any points.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 25, 2025
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov scored two goals and registered an assist in Saturday's big 6-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. The Panthers captain was outstanding throughout the contest, finishing with a plus-four rating. Following a couple of quiet outings in Round 2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Barkov has quickly regained his scoring touch, compiling a four-game point streak. The three-point outburst on Saturday night made him Florida's top scorer for these playoffs. Barkov has notched 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in as many games. He has done plenty of the dirty work as well, recording 16 blocks and 37 hits.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 25, 2025
Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola (upper body) is not expected to miss any time after getting hurt in Saturday's Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes. "We think he's gonna be okay," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice told reporters postgame. Mikkola has become a key contributor in the Eastern Conference Finals, registering a three-game point streak. He netted two goals in Saturday's 6-2 win, pushing his tally to five points (three goals, two assists) through 15 games this postseason. Additionally, Mikkola has averaged 2.7 hits per game in the playoffs, making his presence felt at both ends of the ice.
--Taavi PailkSource: David Dwork
May 24, 2025
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse will not face supplementary discipline for his slash that injured Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz (lower body) in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Friday night. Nurse received a two-minute penalty for the incident during the game. The officials reviewed it to determine if it warranted a major penalty but opted to keep it as a minor. Averaging over 24 minutes of ice time, Nurse has been a busy man in the playoffs, recording five points (two goals, three assists), 30 shots, 29 blocks, and 33 hits.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
May 24, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi is set to return to the lineup for Saturday's Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Florida Panthers. The Finnish forward missed his first postseason game of the year when he was a healthy scratch on Thursday for Game 2 of the series. Mark Jankowski entered the lineup in his place. On Saturday, Kotkaniemi is expected to take Jack Roslovic's spot as the second-line center. Kotkaniemi has been relatively quiet in these playoffs, failing to score on 15 shots and recording three assists in 11 appearances.
--Taavi PailkSource: Renaud Lavoie
May 24, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker (undisclosed) has been labeled a game-time decision for Saturday's tilt against the Florida Panthers. The 30-year-old sustained an undisclosed injury in Thursday's Game 2 defeat, logging only 9:52 of action. However, Walker took part in the morning skate and seems to be ready to play. In the playoffs, Walker has made 12 appearances, scoring one goal and three points, while racking up 16 blocks and 16 hits. If Walker experiences a setback and cannot play Saturday night, the Hurricanes will probably use Alexander Nikishin as his replacement.
--Taavi PailkSource: Cory Lavalette
May 24, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (undisclosed) missed the morning skate and is not expected to be in the lineup on Saturday against the Florida Panthers. He will remain out for a fourth consecutive game. Scott Morrow has started the Eastern Conference Finals as Chatfield's replacement in the lineup. The 22-year-old rookie has yet to score any points, recording three shots and one block with a minus-three rating. Given that Morrow has averaged only 11:21 of ice time, it's unlikely he will play a significant role in Saturday's game.
--Taavi PailkSource: Cory Lavalette
May 24, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov will be the starter for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Florida Panthers on Saturday night. Frederik Andersen has struggled in the series, allowing nine goals on 36 shots, and Kochetkov will take over the crease on Saturday. This will be his second postseason start of the year. Kochetkov picked up a 5-4 double-overtime win against the New Jersey Devils in Round 1. He has registered a 2.57 goals-against average and a .891 save percentage in the playoffs. Over 47 regular-season appearances, Kochetkov produced a 27-16-3 record. It has been a solid year for the Russian netminder, but he faces a huge challenge on Saturday, taking on a Panthers team that has averaged close to four goals per game in the postseason (3.93) and appears full of confidence.
--Taavi PailkSource: Cory Lavalette
May 24, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: Michael Russo
May 24, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 24, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 24, 2025
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.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
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