RADIO
Sebastian Aho Picks Up an Assist in Series-Opening Loss
Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho delivered one assist in Thursday's 6-2 Game 1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Finals. Coming off an 11-day break, the Hurricanes' top line showed no rust at the start of the game as Aho and Andrei Svechnikov set up Seth Jarvis for the opening goal. However, eight minutes later, the Hurricanes were already down 3-1 and couldn't avoid their first postseason loss of the year. Despite the team's dominance, Aho has not been very productive in the playoffs. He has five points (three goals, two assists) in nine games, going scoreless five times. Based on what we saw in Game 1, Carolina will be in major trouble in the series if the team's top centerman can't improve his offensive production.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Seth Jarvis Needs 33 Seconds to Score in Game 1 Loss
Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis scored only his second postseason goal of the year on Thursday, opening the scoring 33 seconds into Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens. This is the third-fastest postseason goal in franchise history. Unfortunately for Jarvis and the Hurricanes, Montreal answered with four goals in the first period and won 6-2. While Carolina cruised into the Conference Finals with back-to-back sweeps, Jarvis has not had much fun in these playoffs. He has been limited to five points (two goals, three assists) in nine games. The Canadiens look ready to go toe-to-toe with Carolina, so Jarvis' improved play would be a welcome boost to the team.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jaccob Slavin Struggles in Game 1 Against Canadiens
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin had a nightmare in Thursday's Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens, finishing a 6-2 home loss with a minus-four rating. He was on the ice for three of Montreal's four first-period goals. "Personally, I think I handed them the game," Slavin said postgame. "I've got to be better." This was only the second time the 11-year veteran finished a game at minus-three or worse. Slavin is widely regarded as one of the best defensive defensemen in the NHL and holds a plus-175 rating through 784 career regular-season games. He is plus-40 in 95 playoff outings. For this postseason, Slavin had an even rating before Thursday's game. He's averaged 2.11 blocks per game, but his offensive output has been limited to one assist in nine contests.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jakub Dobes Sharp in Game 1 Victory
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes kicked off the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes with a strong performance, recording 25 saves with a .926 save percentage in a 6-2 win. Seth Jarvis beat Dobes with just 33 seconds played in the first period, but he rebounded well from the early setback. Montreal's offense, which erupted for four first-period goals, also played a major role in the series opener. Dobes is now 9-6 this postseason -- only 10 rookie netminders have had more wins in a playoff year. The 24-year-old holds a 2.48 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Cole Caufield Bags Two Points in Impressive Road Win
Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield posted his third multi-point game of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Thursday, tallying a goal and an assist in a 6-2 road win over the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes scored just 33 seconds into the game, but Caufield answered right back at the 1:00 mark. He later assisted Juraj Slafkovsky on Montreal's fifth goal in the third period. This game saw Caufield notch twice as many even-strength points as he had in all previous postseason games combined. The Hurricanes have allowed only two power-play goals in the playoffs, so Caufield's even-strength play will be critical for Montreal in the Conference Finals. After a huge 51-goal, 88-point regular season, Caufield has struggled to generate offense in the postseason. With 15 games played, he has contributed five goals and six assists.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Juraj Slafkovsky Opens Conference Finals With Three-Point Performance
Montreal Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky made his mark with two goals and one assist in a 6-2 Game 1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. He set up Cole Caufield in the first period and produced two third-period goals, including an empty-netter. Finally, Slafkovsky didn't need the power play to make an impact. Entering Thursday's action, the 22-year-old had only one even-strength point this postseason. With Carolina's penalty kill at 95.2%, getting Slafkovsky to score at even strength is huge for Montreal. He has tallied six goals and six assists in 15 games during the team's playoff run.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Nick Suzuki Notches Three Assists in Game 1 Win Over Hurricanes
Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki collected three assists in Thursday's big 6-2 road win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. He had his first helper just a minute into the game and added two more in the final frame. This was a historic outing for Suzuki, who now holds the longest postseason-opening road point streak in franchise history at nine games. The Canadiens captain will have a chance to match the league record in Game 2. With Suzuki picking up points for fun on the road, he has taken over the postseason scoring lead on his team, bagging 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 15 games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Alex Tuch Hopes to Remain in Buffalo
Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch hopes to stay with the team, Heather Engel of NHL.com reports. Tuch is a pending unrestricted free agent and is likely to have several suitors if he hits the open market. The 30-year-old has been eligible to sign an extension with Buffalo since last summer, but talks on a new deal haven't progressed yet. In 2025-25, Tuch was second on his team in goals (33) and third in points (66) in 79 regular-season games. However, he hit a wall during the playoffs, going scoreless in the entire seven-game Round 2 series against Montreal. Tuch finished the postseason with seven points (three goals, four assists) in 13 games. He's still in his prime at 30 years old and should be good for 60-70 points again next season.
Source: Heather Engel
Source: Heather Engel
Sidney Crosby Wants to Play for "as Many Years as Possible"
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby is not thinking about retirement after his 21st NHL campaign, Josh Yohe of the Athletic reports. "I definitely want to keep playing for as many years as possible," Crosby told Yohe. He even said it "would be nice" to play for five more years. Crosby has a contract with the Penguins through the 2027 offseason. When it ends, he's ready to take one-year deals to give the team more flexibility in building the roster. Crosby will turn 39 a couple of months before the 2026-27 season kicks off. His game has aged exceptionally well, as he averaged 1.09 points this season, keeping him among the NHL's most productive players.
Source: Josh Yohe
Source: Josh Yohe
Troy Terry Could Miss Start of Next Season Due to Hip Surgery
Anaheim Ducks right wing Troy Terry (hip) might not be available at the start of the next season. On Thursday, the team announced that Terry needs surgery to repair chronic hip impingement. Terry regularly skipped morning skates during the postseason, and now we know why. Impressively, the 28-year-old was still among Anaheim's top scorers, with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 12 games. In the regular season, Terry posted his fifth consecutive 50-point campaign, scoring 19 goals and delivering 38 assists in 61 outings. At the start of the calendar year, he had a couple of stints on the sidelines due to upper-body injuries.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Arber Xhekaj Scratched for Game 1 of Eastern Conference Finals
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj will be a healthy scratch on Thursday for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, Sportsnet's Eric Engels reports. Xhekaj played in all seven games in Round 2 against Buffalo, even scoring a goal in Game 6. But he is expected to make way for Jayden Struble on Thursday. Struble was a regular in the lineup at the start of the postseason but didn't get a look in Round 2. He has recorded 21 hits, three SOG, and a plus-three rating in seven playoff games but is still looking for his first point. The 24-year-old has averaged 10:46 of ice time, limiting his opportunities to make an impact on the offensive end.
Source: Eric Engels
Source: Eric Engels
Jakub Dobes Seeks More Success Against Hurricanes
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes went an impressive 3-0-0 against the Carolina Hurricanes during the regular season, giving his team hope of staying competitive in the Eastern Conference Finals. Dobes' first start of 2026 was a 7-5 road win over Carolina, and he collected two more victories against them in a space of five days in late March. The 24-year-old produced a 2.67 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage in the matchup during the regular season. In the playoffs, Dobes has yet to lose back-to-back starts, going 8-6 through the first two rounds. For some reason, he tends to play better on the road, winning six of eight away outings.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Frederik Andersen Looks to Stay Undefeated Thursday
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen will put his perfect 8-0 record on the line in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. The Danish veteran has been exceptional in these playoffs, allowing only 1.12 goals and producing a .950 save percentage with two shutouts. He has helped the Hurricanes to back-to-back sweeps and can become only the ninth goaltender in NHL history to record a nine-game winning streak during the postseason. However, to reach the special achievement, Andersen must perform much better against Montreal than he did in the regular season. He dropped both of his starts against them, posting a .806 save percentage.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Valeri Nichushkin Ends Scoring Slump in Game 1 Loss
Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin scored the team's first goal in Wednesday's 4-2 home loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. He got the Avalanche on the board with 5:53 played in the third period. At the 17:39 mark, Gabriel Landeskog made it a one-goal game on the power play, but Colorado's offensive surge came clearly too late. Nichushkin has had a disappointing postseason. Before Wednesday night, he had gone three consecutive games without a point, and overall, the Russian forward has made an offensive impact in only three of Colorado's 10 games. Having contributed just two goals and two assists so far, Nichushkin has plenty of room to step up his game.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Nathan MacKinnon Extends Point Streak With an Assist
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon took his point streak to seven games with an assist in a 4-2 Game 1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. MacKinnon entered the series with an incredible six-game goal streak. While he couldn't light the lamp with three attempts on the net, MacKinnon still extended his point streak late in the game when Gabriel Landeskog scored a power-play goal. MacKinnon has been a scoring machine yet again in the playoffs, posting 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 10 games. His play is directly tied to the team's success, and MacKinnon can't afford to drop a level right now, especially with Cale Makar (undisclosed) out of the lineup.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
