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Cole Smith Scores Series-Clincher Tuesday Night
Vegas Golden Knights left wing Cole Smith will go down in history as the player whose goal sent the team into the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals. In Game 4 against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night, Smith put Vegas 2-0 up at the 14:15 mark in the third period. The 30-year-old became the sixth undrafted player in the 21st century to score a series-clinching goal that has earned a team a Stanley Cup Finals spot. Smith also popped up with a pair of goals in Round 2 against Utah. Before Tuesday night, he had gone nine consecutive games without a point. Still, the fourth-liner has made a mark during Vegas' playoff run, posting five points (three goals, two assists) and 44 hits in 16 games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mark Stone Nets Another Goal as Golden Knights Finish Off Avalanche
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone opened the scoring in Tuesday's series-clinching 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche. He gave Vegas the lead just 4:42 into the game, with defensemen Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore recording the assists. After missing the first two games of the series, Stone made a massive impact as the Golden Knights swept Colorado. In two outings, he had two goals and one assist. The Golden Knights captain has been on the score sheet in each of his last four appearances and is close to averaging a point per game in the playoffs. Stone has tallied five goals and five assists through 11 games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Claude Giroux Planning to Return for 20th NHL Campaign
Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux is ready to continue his NHL career, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports. "I was told Monday that the 38-year-old forward, an unrestricted free agent on July 1, has decided he wants to come back and play another season," LeBrun wrote in The Athletic. Giroux has spent four seasons in Ottawa and played on a one-year, $2 million deal in 2025-26. The Senators received decent value for their money, as Giroux ranked second on the team with a plus-20 rating and had 49 points (14 goals, 35 assists) in 82 games. Midway through next season, Giroux will turn 39, but he looks capable of flirting with another 50-point campaign, whether in Ottawa or elsewhere.
Source: Pierre LeBrun
Source: Pierre LeBrun
Carter Hart Aiming for Sixth Consecutive Win Tuesday
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart will look to extend his winning streak to six games on Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. He hasn't suffered any defeats since Game 5 of the second-round matchup with the Anaheim Ducks, allowing more than two goals just once. Thanks to this hot streak, Hart boasts an impressive 11-4 postseason record. He has allowed 2.30 goals with a .923 save percentage. Before facing Vegas, the Avalanche averaged 4.11 goals in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but Hart has limited Nathan MacKinnon's crew to just 2.00 goals per game.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Evgeni Malkin Inks New One-Year Deal With Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin will remain with the team for one more year. The veteran star was headed for unrestricted free agency before agreeing to a one-year, $5.5 million deal with Pittsburgh. According to TSN's Chris Johnston, Malkin's new contract includes several bonuses, including $1 million if the Penguins make the playoffs. The deal has a maximum value of $9 million. Malkin is coming off a contract with a $6.1 million cap hit. In 2025-26, Malkin averaged at least a point per game for the first time in three seasons. He finished with 19 goals and 42 assists in 56 games. Unfortunately, health issues meant Malkin struggled to stay in the lineup, but he proved he's still a difference-maker on offense near age 40.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
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
