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Roope Hintz to Miss at Least Two More Games
Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (lower body) will be unavailable for at least two more games, Dan Rosen of NHL.com reports. He will sit out Monday's Game 2 against the Minnesota Wild and isn't expected to be in the lineup for Wednesday's Game 3 either. Hintz last played on March 6 and isn't even skating on his own yet, which suggests he isn't close to returning. In Hintz's absence, Justin Hryckowian has gotten an opportunity on the first line at the start of the postseason. In Game 1, Hryckowian failed to register any attempts on the net but led his team with six hits in 13:00 of ice time.
Source: Dan Rosen
Source: Dan Rosen
Ross Johnston Won't Play in Game 1 Against Oilers
Anaheim Ducks left wing Ross Johnston (lower body) isn't available for Game 1 against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night, Derek Van Diest of NHL.com reports. Due to a lower-body injury, Johnston hasn't seen any action for close to six weeks. He was initially ruled out for 2-4 weeks. While Johnston's recovery has taken longer than expected, Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville believes he will play against Edmonton at some point during the first-round series. Johnston's return would beef up the Ducks' lineup, as he registered a team-high 192 hits in the regular season. Offensively, he contributed three goals and 11 assists in 64 games.
Source: Derek Van Diest
Source: Derek Van Diest
Artem Zub Considered a Game-Time Decision Monday
Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub (undisclosed) will be a game-time decision on Monday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The versatile blue-liner sustained an undisclosed injury in the series opener on Saturday, and it's unclear whether he will feel well enough to play. Following the morning skate, Senators head coach Travis Green told reporters that Zub's availability will be determined after the pregame warmups. If Zub is out, Nikolas Matinpalo is set to have a larger role as a member of the top four. Lassi Thomson would step into the lineup as his replacement.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Tyler Kleven Remains Out Monday
Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven (upper body) won't play in Monday's Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes. He has been out for eight straight games after taking a puck to the face in a contest against Buffalo on April 2. The encouraging news for Ottawa is that Kleven skated wearing a regular jersey on Monday morning. This suggests he will be an option later in the series. In the meantime, Dennis Gilbert will skate on the third defensive pairing. He logged 8:26 of action in Game 1, recording one block, four hits, and four penalty minutes.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Jason Dickinson a Game-Time Call Monday
Edmonton Oilers center Jason Dickinson (leg) is a game-time decision for Monday's tilt against the Anaheim Ducks, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. The 30-year-old sustained a leg injury late in the regular season and has missed three games. However, Dickinson was cleared for practice on Sunday and appears likely to return Monday night. If he's ready, Dickinson is expected to skate on the third line alongside Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jack Roslovic. That line could find offensive success in a situation where the Ducks' defense must focus much of its attention on stopping Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl (lower-body). Dickinson has recorded nine points (five goals, four assists) in 40 career playoff appearances.
Source: Emily Kaplan
Source: Emily Kaplan
Leon Draisaitl Expected to Return Monday
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (lower body) is expected to return to action on Monday against the Anaheim Ducks, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. On Monday morning, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Draisaitl was a game-time call. The star forward has been out for 14 games with a lower-body injury. But he looks good to go for Game 1 against the Ducks after the team activated Draisaitl from long-term Injured Reserve ahead of Monday's contest. Draisaitl's return to the lineup will be a major boost for the Oilers, as he's averaged 1.47 points per game in 96 career postseason appearances -- only four players have a higher scoring rate in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.
Source: Emily Kaplan
Source: Emily Kaplan
Logan Cooley Scores Mammoth's First-Ever Playoff Goal
Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley became the franchise's first-ever playoff goal-scorer in Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Mammoth enjoyed a strong start in Vegas, and Cooley put the visitors up with 11 ticks left in the opening frame. Having also factored on Utah's first-ever regular-season goal, Cooley is now one of only six players in NHL history to contribute to a franchise's first regular-season and playoff goal. Cooley's team is a clear underdog in the matchup against the Golden Knights, so he'll need to stay productive throughout the series for the Mammoth to have a chance of surviving the first round.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
David Pastrnak Finishes Game 1 Loss With Three Points
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak opened his 2026 postseason campaign with a three-point effort in Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. With two assists, Pastrnak helped Boston build a 2-0 lead, but the Sabres responded with four unanswered goals in the third period. Pastrnak also had a power-play goal in the final seconds. Combined with the regular season, Pastrnak has now produced four goals and five assists in five meetings with the Sabres this term. Buffalo doesn't seem to have answers for him, but the Czechia star will need more support from his teammates for Boston to get past the opening round.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Tage Thompson Bags Three Points in Postseason Debut
Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson made a big impact in his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut on Sunday against the Boston Bruins, registering three points in a 4-3 win. The Olympic champion led Buffalo's comeback charge in the third period, tying the game at two with a pair of goals. He also had an assist on Alex Tuch's empty-net goal, becoming only the second player in franchise history to pick up three points in their postseason debut. At the same time, Thompson matched Buffalo's record for most points scored in a playoff period. This could be a special series for Thompson, who was one of only 10 players with at least 40 goals and 40 assists during the regular season.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jake Guentzel Records Three Assists Sunday
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel contributed on offense with three assists in Sunday's 4-3 overtime defeat against the Montreal Canadiens. He helped Darren Raddysh bag a power-play goal and set up Brandon Hagel twice, with his second goal also coming on the power play. Guentzel became the second player in Lightning history to record a hat trick of assists in a playoff opener. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, the 31-year-old star forward also had a negative impact in the game. With 21 seconds remaining in regulation, Guentzel received a high-sticking penalty, and Montreal scored on the ensuing power play early in overtime. In total, there were five power-play goals in this contest, so it appears special teams will play a crucial role in this matchup.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Juraj Slafkovsky Nets Unique Hat Trick in Playoff Opener
Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky led his team to Game 1 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, contributing three power-play goals in a 4-3 overtime win. The 22-year-old became only the 12th player in NHL history to record a playoff hat trick consisting solely of power-play goals. Additionally, he's now the third Montreal player to complete a three-goal game in the postseason with an overtime winner. Slafkovsky, Slovakia's Olympic star, seems to thrive on big occasions, and it's a matchup that has brought him success throughout the campaign. In four regular-season meetings with the Lightning, Slafkovsky tallied four goals and three assists.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Charle-Edouard D'Astous Hurt in Game 1 Loss
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Charle-Edouard D'Astous (undisclosed) exited Sunday's Game 1 loss against the Montreal Canadiens midway through the second period, Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports. The 27-year-old rookie couldn't finish the contest after drawing a charging penalty from Canadiens forward Josh Anderson. With Tampa Bay's blue line battling all sorts of injuries, D'Astous has stepped up this season, recording 29 points (six goals, 23 assists), 80 SOG, 74 blocks, and 96 hits in 70 regular-season games. In an ideal world, the Lightning would love to get Victor Hedman (personal) back in the lineup for Game 2, but Declan Carlile is the likely replacement for D'Astous if needed.
Source: Eduardo A. Encina
Source: Eduardo A. Encina
Leon Draisaitl Could Be Ready for Game 1 Against Ducks
Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (lower body) could return to action on Monday night against the Anaheim Ducks, Derek Van Diest of NHL reports. The German superstar didn't play in the final 14 regular-season games due to a lower-body injury. "The way the Edmonton Oilers forward was skating in practice Sunday seemed to indicate he'll be in the lineup for Game 1," Van Diest writes. It was initially feared that Draisaitl would not be healthy for the start of the playoffs. However, he's had a week's worth of practices under his belt and seems to have a strong chance to return on Monday. In two regular-season contests against the Ducks, Draisaitl recorded four assists.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Artem Zub Uncertain for Game 2
Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub (undisclosed) is questionable for Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. The Russian veteran suffered an undisclosed injury in Saturday's series opener. According to Graeme Nichols of The Hockey News, Senators head coach Travis Green didn't have an update on Zub when he spoke to reporters on Sunday. Zub's absence would be a significant blow for Ottawa, as he's had a career year in 2025-26. Across 81 regular-season outings, Zub picked up 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) and had 120 blocks. He also finished with a team-best plus-22 rating. Lassi Thomson is the likeliest candidate to step in for Zub should he be unable to go,
Source: Graeme Nichols
Source: Graeme Nichols
Karel Vejmelka Makes Playoff Debut Sunday
Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka will start on Sunday in Game 1 against the Vegas Golden Knights, Brogan Houston of the Deseret News reports. This will be Vejmelka's first career game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He enters the postseason after a good regular-season campaign. Vejmelka had the second-most wins among all goalies, finishing with a 38-20-3 record. In addition, he registered a 2.75 goals-against average, a .897 save percentage, and two shutouts. Vejmelka's last shutout came against the Golden Knights on March 19 in a 4-0 win. He went 2-1-0 in this matchup during the regular season, allowing only five goals on 95 SOG.
Source: Brogan Houston
Source: Brogan Houston
