RADIO
Lane Hutson Struggles in Game 4 Loss
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson finished Wednesday's 4-0 defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes with a minus-three rating. He was limited to one SOG and had one hit in 21:04 of ice time. Hutson has been a scoring machine throughout the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but he has managed only one point in the Conference Finals -- a power-play goal in Game 3. With Montreal now facing elimination in Game 5 on Friday night, the team needs a big performance from its star players, including Hutson. He has been on the score sheet in each of the Canadiens' two prior elimination games this year, posting assists in Game 7s against Tampa Bay and Buffalo. Overall, Hutson has 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) in 18 postseason games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Logan Stankoven Nets Eighth Postseason Goal
Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven potted the third goal in Wednesday's dominant 4-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals was effectively decided within three minutes late in the first period, when Carolina scored three times. Stankoven capped the goal-scoring flurry with his eighth marker of the postseason. Since Round 2, Stankoven's scoring rate has plummeted, yet he remains among the best goal-scorers in the 2026 playoffs. He's also recorded one assist in 12 games, meshing extremely well with Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake on the second line.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Sebastian Aho Pots Game-Winner on Power Play
Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho scored the game-winning goal in Wednesday's 4-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. He opened the scoring on the power play at the 14:59 mark in the first period. With his 11th career postseason power-play goal, Aho established a new franchise record. It was Aho's first goal with the man advantage in this year's playoffs. He has failed to meet his high standards throughout the postseason, settling for six points (four goals, two assists) in 12 games. But the Hurricanes have shared around the offense well and now need just one more win to reach the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Nikolaj Ehlers Tallies Two Helpers in Impressive Road Win
Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers dished out two assists as the team beat the Montreal Canadiens on the road 4-0 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday night. This marks Ehlers' second multi-point outing of the series -- he scored twice in Game 2. Ehlers has made a significant impact against Montreal, recovering from a poor start to the postseason. He entered the Eastern Conference Finals with only two goals and two assists in eight games. In his 11-year NHL career, Ehlers has never recorded multiple points in consecutive playoff games -- a feat he could achieve in Friday's Game 5.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Shayne Gostisbehere Records Two Assists in Game 4 Win
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere posted two assists in a 4-0 victory against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Late in the first period, the Hurricanes scored three times in 2:47, with Gostisbehere picking up a power-play assist and an even-strength helper. The 33-year-old has now been on the score sheet in back-to-back games. Carolina will hope it's a sign that Gostisbehere is heating up. While he averaged nearly a point per game in the regular season, Gostisbehere has only five points (one goal, four assists) in 12 playoff outings. Before Games 3 and 4 against Montreal, he had finished nine of 10 contests scoreless.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Frederik Andersen Establishes Hurricanes New Postseason Shutout Record
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen recorded an 18-save shutout in Wednesday's 4-0 road victory over the Montreal Canadiens. The Danish veteran was rock-solid throughout the contest and now owns the Hurricanes' postseason record with five shutouts. Three of those shutouts have come this year, as Andersen has dropped only one of 12 playoff starts. He holds a 1.44 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage. You need an in-form goalie to win the Stanley Cup, and Carolina certainly has one. The team is just one win away from returning to the Finals for the first time since 2006.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Martin Necas Collects an Assist in Game 4 Loss to Golden Knights
Colorado Avalanche right wing Martin Necas finished Tuesday's 2-1 season-ending loss to the Vegas Golden Knights with an assist. The Avalanche once again struggled to generate offense against Vegas, but finally made a breakthrough late in the third period. Necas and Nazem Kadri set up Gabriel Landeskog for a late consolation goal. It was a strong campaign for Necas, who averaged a point per game in the playoffs after posting a career-high 100 points (38 goals, 62 assists) in 78 regular-season contests. He found a way to elevate his play, an encouraging sign for Colorado, as Necas' eight-year, $92 million contract extension will take effect next season.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Gabriel Landeskog Scores Only Avalanche Goal in Season-Ending Loss
Colorado Avalanche winger Gabriel Landeskog scored the team's only goal in Tuesday's 2-1 season-ending loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Avalanche captain ended Carter Hart's shutout bid with 2:03 remaining in regulation. Landeskog finished the Conference Finals with three goals in four games, but many of his teammates struggled, leaving Colorado as the seventh No. 1 seed in history to be swept in a playoff series. In 13 postseason appearances, Landeskog recorded 11 points (six goals, five assists). Compared with the regular season, where he had 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in 60 outings, the Swedish veteran took his offensive production to a new level.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Carter Hart Finishes Series-Clincher With 20 Saves
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart made 20 saves in Tuesday's series-clinching 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. He fell just 2:03 short of becoming the third active netminder to record a shutout in a victory that has given a team a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals. On Tuesday night, Hart picked up his sixth consecutive win. He's been in phenomenal form during the hot streak, producing a .948 save percentage. Over his last 11 outings, Hart has allowed more than two goals only twice. This has helped him to a 12-4 postseason record, and he has registered a 2.22 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Dylan Coghlan Continues Unlikely Success Story
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Dylan Coghlan assisted Cole Smith on the game-winning goal in Tuesday's series-clinching 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Coghlan has unexpectedly emerged as an important part of Vegas' blue line. After making only three regular-season appearances, he was inserted into the lineup midway through the second-round matchup with Anaheim and has kept his place since. The 28-year-old collected his first career playoff points in the Conference Finals, recording one goal and two assists in four games. Now, Coghlan will get a chance to make an impact in the Stanley Cup Finals and looks to have a strong case to remain in the lineup, even when Jeremy Lauzon (upper body) is cleared to return.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
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
