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Nathan MacKinnon Joins Exclusive List With Another Three-Point Performance
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon notched one goal and two assists in Tuesday's 5-2 Game 2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. He recorded two points on the power play, including his goal. The 2024 MVP became only the sixth player in the past 40 years to post three consecutive three-point games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. MacKinnon has truly come to life after recording only one point through his first three playoff outings. With six games played, MacKinnon boasts four goals and six assists. This could be a highly productive series for the Avalanche superstar, as Minnesota's defense is struggling badly, allowing 14 goals in two games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Maple Leafs Win Draft Lottery
The Toronto Maple Leafs won the NHL draft lottery on Tuesday night, putting the team in pole position to select highly-rated forward Gavin McKenna with the first pick, ESPN's Greg Wyshynski reports. McKenna, who will turn 19 in December, has long been considered a generational talent. He will enter the draft after finishing as the Big Ten top scorer with Penn State, amassing 51 points (15 goals, 38 assists) in 35 appearances. Adding him to the mix should give a big boost to the Maple Leafs, who ended up at the bottom of the Atlantic Division in 2025-26. Toronto is selecting first in the draft for the third time in franchise history, following 2016 (Auston Matthews) and 1985 (Wendel Clark).
Source: Greg Wyshynski
Source: Greg Wyshynski
Radko Gudas to Remain Sidelined Wednesday
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (lower body) won't play in Game 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, Derek Lee of The Hockey News reports. The Czech veteran will sit out a seventh consecutive contest. However, Gudas has resumed skating, and Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville expects him to return to action "at some point in this series." Due to Gudas' lingering lower-body injury, Drew Helleson has become a regular in the lineup. Yet he hasn't earned much trust from Quenneville, averaging just 8:30 of ice time in the playoffs.
Source: Derek Lee
Source: Derek Lee
Sam Carrick Upgraded to Day-to-Day
Buffalo Sabres center Sam Carrick (arm) has been upgraded to day-to-day, head coach Lindy Ruff revealed on Tuesday. Carrick practiced on Tuesday and could be an option to make his 2026 postseason debut in Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday. Initially, Carrick was believed not to be an option for Round 2 due to an arm injury sustained in a fight with New York Islanders forward Anders Lee on March 31. Carrick could be a useful addition to the Sabres' lineup, having recorded five goals, one assist, and 20 hits in 13 regular-season outings with the team.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Noah Cates Considered Day-to-Day
Philadelphia Flyers center Noah Cates (lower body) is day-to-day, Jackie Spiegel of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Cates was hurt in Monday's overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes and was seen holding a walking boot for his right foot after the game. Another absence up front would be a bitter blow for the Flyers, who have already been without Owen Tippett (undisclosed) at the start of the series. Tippett is also considered day-to-day ahead of Game 3 on Thursday. Cates has been among Philadelphia's highest scorers in the playoffs, with four points (one goal, three assists) in eight games. He finished the regular season with a career-high 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) in 82 outings.
Source: Jackie Spiegel
Source: Jackie Spiegel
Alexander Nikishin Cleared to Play in Game 3 Against Flyers
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin (concussion) has been cleared to return to the lineup, Kurt Dusterberg of NHL.com reports. He will be an option to play in Game 3 against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. Nikishin missed the first two games of the series due to a concussion sustained in a matchup with Ottawa on April 25. Mike Reilly has played in Nikishin's place, making a positive impact with two assists in two games. Nikishin has yet to score any points this postseason after having 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 81 regular-season contests.
Source: Kurt Dusterberg
Source: Kurt Dusterberg
Josh Manson Expected to Remain Out Tuesday
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson (upper body) is expected to miss a third consecutive game on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild, Tracey Myers of NHL.com reports. The veteran continues to nurse an upper-body injury sustained during Colorado's first-round matchup against the Los Angeles Kings. Nick Blankenburg has played in Manson's absence, but the Avalanche may have different plans for Tuesday night. The team brought up Jack Ahcan from the minors ahead of Game 2, and he could get a chance to play. Ahcan had a great year in the AHL this season, ranking second among defensemen with 50 points (11 goals, 39 assists) in 61 games.
Source: Tracey Myers
Source: Tracey Myers
Filip Gustavsson Starting Game 2 Against Avalanche
Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson will make his 2026 postseason debut in Game 2 against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night. Wild head coach John Hynes has decided to make a change in the blue paint after seeing Jesper Wallstedt allow eight goals in a 9-6 loss to Colorado on Sunday. Gustavsson had more starts than Wallstedt during the regular season, but he lost his starting spot for the playoffs due to poor late-season form. The 27-year-old allowed four or more goals in five of his last six regular-season starts. Overall, Gustavsson posted a 28-15-6 record, a 2.69 goals-against average, a .904 save percentage, and four shutouts. He won his only meeting with the Avalanche 5-2 on Feb. 26.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Victor Hedman Reveals Reason for Absence
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (personal) revealed on Tuesday that he missed the end of the season to focus on his mental health. The Lightning captain didn't play in the playoffs and sat out the final 15 regular-season games. "I've always believed that being a leader means doing what's best for the team," Hedman said in a social media statement. "In this case, it also meant doing what was necessary to take care of myself, so I can be the best player, teammate, husband and father I expect to be." In his statement, Hedman noted he's "in a much better place today." Hedman played in a career-low 33 games in 2025-26, posting 17 points (one goal, 16 assists). This was the first season of Hedman's four-year, $32 million contract.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Jackson LaCombe Sets New Record With Another Assist
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe continued his debut postseason campaign with another productive outing on Monday night against the Vegas Golden Knights, recording an assist in a 3-1 loss. He set up Mikael Granlund for the game-tying tally in the third period, but the Golden Knights quickly responded with a controversial Ivan Barbashev goal, and Anaheim couldn't recover from a second deficit. It was a record-setting performance for LaCombe, who became the fastest player in franchise history to reach 10 postseason points. With one goal and nine assists in seven games, the 25-year-old has also tied a league record for the fewest games needed by a defenseman to register 10 career playoff points.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mikael Granlund Continues Postseason Success With Third Goal
Anaheim Ducks forward Mikael Granlund scored his third goal of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs in Monday's 3-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Finnish forward tied the game 13:57 into the third period, giving him seven points in seven games this postseason. Last season, Granlund amassed a career-high 10 playoff points with the Dallas Stars and has a good chance to set a new scoring record for the second consecutive year. However, three of his seven points, including two goals, have come on the power play, and among the remaining teams, Vegas has the strongest penalty kill at 95.8 percent.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mitchell Marner Notches Two Points in Series-Opening Win
Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitchell Marner tallied a goal and an assist as the team kicked off its second-round series against the Anaheim Ducks with a 3-1 victory on Monday night. Marner's work helped Brett Howden open the scoring early in the second period, and the former Maple Leaf wrapped up Vegas' fourth consecutive win in the playoffs with an empty-net goal. Marner has produced three goals and four assists during the Golden Knights' winning run. Seven games into the postseason, he has been scoreless only once, sitting on nine points (three goals, six assists). Marner has been Vegas' leading scorer alongside Jack Eichel. In Game 2 against the Ducks, Marner will seek his first five-game playoff point streak since 2023.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Taylor Hall Makes History With Overtime Winner
Carolina Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall sent fans into raptures with the game-winning goal in Monday's 3-2 overtime victory against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Hurricanes had to rally from a 2-0 deficit to keep a perfect playoff record. Hall established a new franchise record with a six-game postseason-opening point streak. The 2018 MVP has turned back the clock, amassing nine points (three goals, six assists) in six games this postseason. Another major milestone is on the horizon for Hall, as he can match the fourth-longest playoff point streak in Hurricanes history in Game 3 on Thursday.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Nikolaj Ehlers Collects Two Points in Comeback Win
Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers had a big role in Monday's 3-2 comeback win against the Philadelphia Flyers, finishing with a goal and an assist. With Carolina 2-0 down on home ice in Game 2 of the second-round series, Ehlers scored a power-play goal and assisted Seth Jarvis on the game-tying goal during even-strength play. Then Taylor Hall completed the comeback in overtime. This was Ehlers' fifth multi-point game in 50 career playoff outings. Postseason hockey hasn't suited him well, and his numbers aren't looking great this year either. In five appearances, Ehlers has recorded one goal and two assists. Game 3 presents Ehlers with a chance to score multiple points in consecutive playoff games for the first time in his 11-year NHL career.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Cale Makar Good to Go for Game 2 Against Wild
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (undisclosed) will play in Game 2 against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now reports. In the series opener, Makar was injured early in the game and missed most of the first period. However, he finished the game and had a big impact, scoring two goals and adding an assist in a 9-6 victory. After a slow start in the playoffs, Makar has put together a three-game point streak. Overall, he has notched four goals and one assist in five games. On Tuesday, he will aim to record his first four-game postseason point streak since the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Source: Aarif Deen
Source: Aarif Deen
