May 10, 2025
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews registered two assists in Friday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers, helping Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly on the scoreboard. It was his third multi-point game of the postseason. Matthews averages more than a point per game in the playoffs but has experienced barren luck in front of the goal. He has lit the lamp only two times with 32 shots on goal, scoring one even-strength goal in nine outings. However, despite only two goals from Matthews, Toronto has one of the most potent offenses in the postseason, which bodes well for the team's chances of making a deep run.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 10, 2025
Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares potted two goals in Friday's 5-4 overtime defeat in Game 3 against the Florida Panthers. He recorded Toronto's second and third goals of the game, capitalizing on a power-play opportunity for his second marker. Tavares' productive night ended a four-game point drought. The former Maple Leafs captain hit a wall after getting off to a great start in these playoffs, collecting five points through the first four games in the first-round series against the Ottawa Senators. Getting Tavares to fire regularly would certainly give Toronto a lift on the team's quest to reach the Conference Finals for only the second time this century. Tavares boasts seven points (five goals, two assists) in nine games for the postseason.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 10, 2025
Florida Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues played his part in Friday's 5-4 overtime victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs with two assists. He got an opportunity on the top line and made an immediate impact, helping Aleksander Barkov score with 7:38 elapsed in the first period. Early in the second period, Rodrigues recorded his second helper on Sam Reinhart's third goal of the postseason. Entering Game 3, Rodrigues had tallied only one point in these playoffs, an assist in the first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. His productivity is sure to rise if he sticks with Barkov and Reinhart, Florida's leading scorers from the regular season.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 10, 2025
Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand was on target in overtime, propelling the team to a 5-4 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night. The Panthers were in danger of dropping a third consecutive game in the series, but Marchand stepped up with a crucial goal 15:27 into the extra frame. He netted his second goal in these playoffs and now has eight points in as many games. All but one of Marchand's points have come in the last five games. The former Bruin has been a menace to the Maple Leafs throughout his career and has made an impressive start against them in another playoff series. Following Friday's win, Marchand now has 33 career postseason points (12 goals, 21 assists) in 31 games against Toronto, tying Henri Richard for the third most in NHL history.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 10, 2025
Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers led the offense in Friday's 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars, scoring twice and providing one power-play assist. He became the second Danish player in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to record three points in a playoff game, joining Lars Eller. Ehlers was buzzing all night, registering seven of the team's 24 shots on goal. After missing the start of the postseason, Ehlers has started to build momentum, posting two goals and two assists in four games. Winnipeg's attack has received a significant boost with his return, as Ehlers averages 4.25 shots per game.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 10, 2025
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck recorded his fourth career postseason shutout in Friday's 4-0 victory against the Dallas Stars. It marks his first playoff shutout since 2021. This was a superb defensive effort all around from the Jets, as they limited Dallas to only 21 shots on goal. As he has failed to match his regular-season form, Hellebuyck's play in these playoffs has come under scrutiny, but Friday's performance was the perfect response. He improved to 5-4 and will head into Game 3 with a 3.32 goals-against average and a .854 save percentage.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 9, 2025
New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller is recovering from upper-body surgery. According to Mollie Walker of The New York Post, Miller sustained the ailment toward the end of the 2024-25 season. He attempted to rehab the injury but ultimately decided that surgery was his best option. The 25-year-old is expected to make a full recovery and be healthy around the start of next season. It remains to be seen if Miller will kick off the campaign as a member of the Rangers, as he is set for restricted free agency this summer, reaching the end of a two-year, $7.7 million deal. Miller has proven himself to be a tenacious two-way force in the NHL, recording 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists), 110 shots, 110 blocks, and 107 hits in 74 appearances this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: Mollie Walker
May 9, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes center Mark Jankowski (undisclosed) skated on Friday and could be an option for Saturday's Game 3 against the Washington Capitals. "I know he's close, that's for sure," Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour told reporters on Friday, per Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site. Jankowski has registered one assist, four shots, three blocks, and two hits in three postseason appearances. If Jankowski returns on Saturday, he will likely replace Jack Roslovic in the lineup. Roslovic took Jankowski's spot for Thursday's Game 2 against Washington but had little impact, recording one shot on goal in 14:40 of ice time.
--Taavi PailkSource: Walt Ruff
May 9, 2025
Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (personal) took part in Friday's optional practice. He returned to the team after missing Thursday's Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes to deal with a personal matter. Mitchell Gibson served as Logan Thompson's backup in the contest. Lindgren is poised to take over the duties on Saturday night. With Thompson in top form, Lindgren has seen his ice time in the postseason limited to just 6:37. Nonetheless, he remains a reliable option for Washington, having finished the regular season with a 20-14-3 record.
--Taavi PailkSource: Tom Gulitti
May 9, 2025
Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev (undisclosed) will join the team for its trip to Edmonton to continue the second-round series against the Oilers. The Russian forward has missed three games due to an undisclosed injury but could be ready to rejoin the action on Saturday night in Game 3. "He has a chance for tomorrow with the news we got today. So that's encouraging," Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy said on Friday. Dorofeyev skated on the first line before being hurt, recording one goal and one assist in five playoff appearances. He has established himself as a significant threat in front of the net, tallying a team-leading 35 goals in 82 regular-season appearances.
--Taavi PailkSource: SinBin.vegas
May 9, 2025
Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (knee) will miss his 40th consecutive game on Friday against the Winnipeg Jets. The star blue-liner returned to practice before the start of the playoffs but is still not ready for game action. Heiskanen would be a significant addition to the Stars defense, considering he recorded 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) and 85 blocks in 50 regular-season appearances. However, the team has performed well without him so far in the postseason, and there is no point in rushing him back. Codi Ceci, Thomas Harley, and Esa Lindell have each averaged over 23 minutes of ice time in the playoffs and will continue to handle the heavy lifting on the backend in Friday's game.
--Taavi PailkSource: Ken Wiebe
May 9, 2025
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey (upper body) looks ready to return to the lineup for Friday's Game 2 against the Dallas Stars. Following the morning skate, Jets head coach Scott Arniel said Morrissey will "probably" play. He was labeled a game-time call on Thursday. Morrissey will rejoin Dylan DeMelo on the first defensive pairing and is set to reclaim his spot on the top power-play unit, bumping Neal Pionk down to the second. In seven playoff appearances this year, Morrissey has recorded three assists, 11 shots, 10 blocks, and 15 hits.
--Taavi PailkSource: Ken Wiebe
May 9, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere scored the team's only goal on the power play in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals. He scored in the middle of the third frame to make it a one-goal game, but the Hurricanes could not muster any more offense for the rest of the way. Shayne Gostisbehere was kept off the score sheet in Game 1 against the Capitals, but he has been a solid contributor for Carolina throughout the postseason. With seven games played, Shayne Gostisbehere has recorded five points (two goals, three assists). He has collected most of his points (4) with the man advantage. The Capitals have a 71.4 percent penalty kill in the playoffs, placing Gostisbehere in a good position to make an impact in the second-round series.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 9, 2025
Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson registered a goal and an assist in Thursday's 3-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. After seeing Game 1 of the series go into overtime, the two teams once again played out a tightly contested affair. Wilson secured the win for Washington with an empty-net goal with exactly a minute remaining in regulation. He also factored in the game-winning goal, picking up a power-play assist on John Carlson's first goal of this postseason. After the game, Wilson was highly praised by his teammates for his performance. "Obviously he set the tone," Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said. "He's our leader. He plays smart. He plays physical. Scored a big goal." Wilson has been Washington's second-highest scorer in these playoffs, posting seven points (three goals, four assists) in as many games.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
May 9, 2025
Vegas Golden Knights winger Victor Olofsson was outstanding with a three-point performance in Thursday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers. He finished the contest with two power-play goals and an even-strength assist. Olofsson has been Pavel Dorofeyev's (undisclosed) replacement in the lineup and has started to make noise. The power-play specialist boasts two goals and one assist with the man advantage over the past three games. He is now on four points (two goals, two assists) for the playoffs with six appearances. The big performance on Thursday night has surely secured Olofsson a spot in the lineup, even if Pavel Dorofeyev is available to return for Game 3 on Saturday.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
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