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Mackenzie Blackwood in Net for Game 4 Against Golden Knights
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood will start Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. Scott Wedgewood has struggled against Vegas, recording a .877 save percentage, prompting Colorado to make a change in goal with elimination looming. Blackwood has seen action in three playoff games, posting a 1-0 record, a 3.20 goals-against average, and a .872 save percentage. He lost his lone start 3-2 in overtime against Vegas during the regular season, finishing with a .897 save percentage after facing 29 SOG.
Source: Emily Kaplan
Source: Emily Kaplan
Valeri Nichushkin a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin (lower body) is a game-time decision against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. The Russian forward sustained a lower-body injury in Game 3 and did not participate in Tuesday's optional morning skate. Nathan MacKinnon (lower body) also sat out the morning skate but is expected to play. Having Nichushkin available would be a further boost for the Avalanche, who face elimination on Tuesday night. He has one goal in three games in the series, though Nichushkin has been quiet for much of the postseason. In 12 outings, he has recorded four points (two goals, two assists). Joel Kiviranta will likely enter the lineup if Nichushkin is ultimately ruled out.
Source: Emily Kaplan
Source: Emily Kaplan
Nathan MacKinnon Will Suit Up Tuesday
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (lower body) will play in Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. After suffering a lower-body injury, MacKinnon was used sparingly in the third period of Game 3, and it was initially unclear whether he would be available for Game 4. According to Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, the star forward felt much better on Tuesday morning and is expected to play in all situations. MacKinnon leads the Avalanche with seven goals and 15 points in 12 postseason games. He has gone scoreless only once in his last nine appearances.
Source: Emily Kaplan
Source: Emily Kaplan
Ivan Demidov Contributes an Assist in Losing Effort
Montreal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov finished Monday's 3-2 overtime loss in Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes with an assist. He helped Mike Matheson score Montreal's first goal of the game. Demidov registered his second point of the series after being among the goal-scorers in Montreal's big 6-2 Game 1 victory. Throughout the playoffs, Demidov has primarily made an impact on the power play, but each of his last two points has come at even strength. He has nine points (three goals, six assists) in 17 games. One more point would tie the young Russian for the fifth-most playoff points by a rookie in franchise history. Demidov will have at least two games to reach that mark, starting with Game 4 on Wednesday.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Lane Hutson Records Power-Play Goal in Game 3 Loss
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson returned to the score sheet in Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday, scoring a power-play goal in a 3-2 overtime defeat. Hutson's goal sent the game into overtime, where Montreal suffered a second consecutive loss. It was a painful ending for the team, but the Canadiens will take some joy in knowing Hutson collected his first point of the series. He's played a key role throughout the postseason, recording 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) in 17 games. However, two-thirds of Hutson's points (10) have come on the power play, and Montreal is facing a team with a 93.5% penalty-kill rate in the Eastern Conference Finals, making it tougher for him to generate offense.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Frederik Andersen Enjoys Another Easy Night at the Office in Game 3
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen faced only 13 shots on goal as the team defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in overtime on Monday. After being lit up in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Andersen has come back strongly with back-to-back 3-2 overtime wins. He's been getting a lot of help from the team, as Carolina has limited Montreal to 25 shots on goal over the last two games. On Monday night, the Canadiens didn't record a single SOG over the final 24 minutes of action. The Hurricanes' suffocating defense is making Andersen's job a piece of cake. He's now 10-1 in the playoffs, with a 1.56 goals-against average, a .923 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Shayne Gostisbehere Scores First Postseason Goal
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere celebrated his first goal of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday, giving his team a 1-0 lead en route to a 3-2 overtime victory against the Montreal Canadiens. While Gostisbehere was nearly a point-per-game player during the regular season, his offensive production has been lacking in the playoffs. He's managed only three points (one goal, two assists) in 11 outings. Gostisbehere has been held pointless nine times. A few other key performers have also struggled to make an impact in the postseason, yet the Hurricanes still find themselves only two wins away from the Stanley Cup Finals.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Taylor Hall Ends Four-Game Goal Drought
Carolina Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall picked up his first point in the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday, scoring the team's second goal in a 3-2 overtime victory against the Montreal Canadiens. Hall has been Carolina's leading scorer in the playoffs, but the Canadiens had done a good job defensively against him prior to Game 3. Before ending a four-game goal drought and registering seven SOG, Hall had managed only two attempts on the net in the series. The former MVP is enjoying the best postseason of his career, having tallied 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 11 contests.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Andrei Svechnikov Scores Game 3 Winner in Overtime
Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov scored the winning goal in Monday's 3-2 overtime victory in Game 3 against the Montreal Canadiens. Carolina blew two leads in the contest but eventually secured a win, giving the team a 2-1 series lead. This was only the second goal of the postseason for Svechnikov, who produced a career-high 31 goals and 70 points in 79 regular-season games. In 11 playoff outings, he has been limited to five points. Svechnikov has a lot more scoring potential, and it could be only a matter of time before he finds the same level of consistency on the offensive end that he showed during the regular season.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Nathan MacKinnon, Valeri Nichushkin Uncertain for Game 4
Colorado Avalanche forwards Nathan MacKinnon (lower body) and Valeri Nichushkin (lower body) are uncertain for Tuesday's Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights, Derek Van Diest of NHL.com reports. Both players suffered lower-body injuries in Game 3. "I don't have any updates," Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said on Monday. "Those guys are getting treatments, they're getting evaluated. It could be tomorrow morning before we know, it could be game time before we know, so we'll just plan for all scenarios." Losing MacKinnon from the lineup would be particularly bad for Colorado. He leads the team with seven goals and 15 points in 12 postseason games. MacKinnon ranks sixth all-time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a scoring average of 1.31 points per game.
Source: Derek Van Diest
Source: Derek Van Diest
Oliver Kapanen Sitting as Healthy Scratch Monday
Montreal Canadiens forward Oliver Kapanen will be a healthy scratch for Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night. During the regular season, Kapanen finished third among rookies with 22 goals and had 37 points in 82 contests. But the 22-year-old has failed to replicate that form in the playoffs, going scoreless in all seven appearances. Kapanen will be replaced in the lineup by Joe Veleno, who has been a healthy scratch in each of the last three games. Veleno has one assist in six postseason outings. He will add more muscle to the lineup and provide a strong option at the faceoff dot -- Veleno has won 63.6% of his draws in the playoffs.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Max Domi Out Indefinitely Due to Offseason Surgery Complications
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi (undisclosed) is out indefinitely due to complications from offseason surgery, ESPN's Kristen Shilton reports. Domi played through an undisclosed ailment this season, missing only two games, but the surgery complications leave his status for the start of 2026-27 uncertain. The team will re-evaluate him ahead of training camp in the fall. This season, Domi had a mediocre campaign, recording 12 goals and 36 points. He finished with a career-worst minus-29 rating. Domi is halfway through a four-year, $15 million contract.
Source: Kristen Shilton
Source: Kristen Shilton
Devon Toews Logs Two Assists In Game 3 Defeat
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews was the team's only skater to finish Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights with multiple points. He recorded two assists, including a short-handed helper, as the Avalanche jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Shockingly, they couldn't hold the lead and now face elimination in Game 4 on Tuesday. With Cale Makar back in action, Toews' workload on the blue line decreased, but he still logged over 23 minutes of ice time. With 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 12 games, Toews has been among the league's most productive defensemen in the 2026 playoffs. He has also racked up 15 blocks while generating 15 SOG.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Brett Howden Nets 10th Postseason Goal
Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden wrapped up Sunday's 5-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche with an empty-net goal, giving him 10 goals for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Howden joined teammate Pavel Dorofeyev at the top of the postseason goal-scoring charts. He has lit the lamp in three of the last four contests and hasn't gone without a goal in two consecutive outings since failing to score in the first three postseason games. Howden's productive playoff run has included two assists in 15 games. The 28-year-old has looked very sharp and, even with Mark Stone back, continued to hold a top-six role in Sunday's game, which is positive for his fantasy outlook.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mitchell Marner Delivers Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitchell Marner recorded two assists as the team turned a 3-0 deficit into a 5-3 win in Game 3 against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night. Vegas fell into a three-goal hole in the first period, but Marner's playmaking helped the team make it a one-goal game after only four minutes in the second frame. They added three more goals to grab a 3-0 series lead. The Golden Knights are on the cusp of returning to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2023, and Marner has had a huge role in their postseason success. He boasts 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in 15 games, making him only the sixth active player to reach 20 career playoff points with one franchise in 15 or fewer games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
