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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
Brett Howden Pots Another Goal in Game 1 Win Against Avalanche
Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden continued his special playoff run with another goal in a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night. He put the visitors up 3-0 early in the third period, and Howden's ninth goal of the postseason proved to be the game-winner. Howden, who found the back of the net just 13 times during the regular season, has become only the sixth player in NHL history to record a six-game road goal streak in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In 13 playoff games, Howden has also contributed two assists. With Howden in top form, the Golden Knights might be just fine without Mark Stone (lower body) in the Western Conference Finals. The 28-year-old has failed to score just twice in the last 10 games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Tomas Hertl Extends Point Streak to Four Games
Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl extended his point streak to four games with an assist in Wednesday's 4-2 Game 1 win against the Colorado Avalanche. Alongside Mitchell Marner, Hertl set up Pavel Dorofeyev's power-play goal late in the second period. With that, Hertl has power-play points in three straight games. The Czechia veteran has been in the backseat for most of the postseason but has come alive in recent games. Hertl has notched seven points (two goals, five assists) in 13 playoff outings, with five of the points coming during his current four-game hot streak.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Pavel Dorofeyev Scores in Fourth Straight Outing
Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev scored a power-play goal in Wednesday's 4-2 Game 1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche, extending his goal streak to four games. The Russian forward has demonstrated elite goal-scoring ability in the playoffs and is looking at a handsome payday in the offseason as a restricted free agent. He leads the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 10 goals in 13 games. Dorofeyev is the fifth player in Vegas history to reach double-digit goals in a single postseason. He has also collected a pair of assists as the partner of Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev on the first line.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Carter Hart Records Third Consecutive Win
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart had 36 saves as the team opened the Western Conference Finals against the Colorado Avalanche with a 4-2 road win on Wednesday. The 27-year-old netminder played a perfect game through the first two periods and finished with a .947 save percentage. Combined with the regular season, Hart has now won 20 of his 31 starts for Vegas. In the playoffs, he has posted a 9-4 record, a 2.35 goals-against average, and a .920 save percentage. Game 2 against Colorado will give Hart an opportunity to record his second four-game winning streak in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Capitals Re-Sign Timothy Liljegren to Two-Year Extension
Washington Capitals defenseman Timothy Liljegren has landed a two-year contract extension. He will be paid $6.5 million over the next two seasons. Liljegren, who celebrated his 27th birthday in April, joined the Capitals from San Jose at the trade deadline. In Washington, the Swedish native made only four appearances, but he could have a significant role in 2026-27. The Capitals have lost a key piece on the back end with John Carlson moving to Washington, and Rasmus Sandin (knee) won't be available at the start of the season. In 311 career games across three teams, Liljegren has recorded 93 points (21 goals, 72 assists), 369 SOG, 482 blocks, and 399 hits.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jiri Kulich Aims to Return Next Season
Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich (ear) is aiming for a comeback in 2026-27. This season, the 22-year-old made only 12 appearances after a blood clot in his ear cut his campaign short. "I'm just so grateful how this organization treated me, and they were helping me every single day," Kulich said on Tuesday. "They even allowed me to see some experts, so I think everything's going the right way, and looking forward for next season." Kulich was a first-round pick in 2022 and has shown promise in the NHL. Through his first 75 career games, the Czechia native has recorded 29 points (18 goals, 11 assists), 155 SOG, and 50 hits.
Source: Sabres.com
Source: Sabres.com
Jeremy Lauzon Not Expected to Play Wednesday
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (upper body) will miss Wednesday's Game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche, Jesse Granger of The Athletic reports. On Wednesday morning, Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella told reporters there were no updates on the team's injuries. Lauzon missed the entire second-round matchup with Anaheim after taking a puck to the head in Game 6 against Utah on May 1. His absence has allowed Dylan Coghlan to cement a spot in the lineup, but he hasn't made a fantasy impact. Coghlan has gone scoreless in four appearances, with five SOG, four blocks, and six hits.
Source: Jesse Granger
Source: Jesse Granger
Mark Stone Likely to Remain Out Wednesday
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (lower body) isn't expected to be in the lineup for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. According to Jesse Granger of The Athletic, Stone skated with Vegas' scratches on Wednesday morning. It was his first time skating with the team since he suffered a lower-body injury in Game 3 against Anaheim. However, he's not quite ready to return to action yet. Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella mentioned there are no updates on Vegas' injuries. With Stone out, Brandon Saad has played in three consecutive games, while William Karlsson's role has grown.
Source: Jesse Granger
Source: Jesse Granger
Scott Wedgewood Starting Western Conference Finals for Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood will start Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. The 33-year-old lost his starting spot to Mackenzie Blackwood in the second round against Minnesota, but he's getting a new opportunity to re-establish himself as the No. 1. A week ago, Wedgewood helped Colorado close out the series against Minnesota with an impressive relief effort. While Wedgewood had a bumpy ride in Round 2, his overall numbers are strong in the postseason. He holds a 7-1 record with a 2.21 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage. In the regular season, Wedgewood won both of his starts against Vegas, though he gave up over three goals per game (3.38) and had a poor .854 save percentage.
Source: Emily Kaplan
Source: Emily Kaplan
Sam Malinski Set to Return Wednesday
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski (upper body) is on track to return to the lineup on Wednesday night in Game 1 against the Vegas Golden Knights, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. He missed the last two games of the second-round series against Minnesota due to an upper-body injury. Malinski's return on Wednesday is a major boost for the Avalanche, who will be without Cale Makar (undisclosed). As a result, Malinski could take on additional duties on the blue line. Devon Toews and Brent Burns might also see more action without Makar, especially on the power play.
Source: Emily Kaplan
Source: Emily Kaplan
Artturi Lehkonen Expected to Play Wednesday Night
Colorado Avalanche winger Artturi Lehkonen (upper body) is expected to be available for Game 1 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. The Finnish forward has missed two games due to an upper-body injury. However, Lehkonen returned to practice with a regular jersey on Tuesday, indicating that he's ready to rejoin the lineup. Lehkonen is a player who can make an impact in all situations and has bagged six points (three goals, three assists) in seven postseason outings. He is slated to grab a second-line role and will also strengthen the second power-play unit.
Source: Emily Kaplan
Source: Emily Kaplan
Cale Makar Will Miss Game 1 Against Golden Knights
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (undisclosed) won't be available for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. He is considered day-to-day. According to Kaplan, Makar is dealing with several health issues. The two-time Norris Trophy winner was on the ice Wednesday morning, but he's missed several practices since Colorado's second-round matchup against Minnesota ended a week ago. With the Avalanche's blue line banged up, Jack Ahcan has played in back-to-back games and is set to remain in the lineup Wednesday night. However, he is expected to have a limited role.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Mattias Samuelsson Picks Up an Assist in Season-Ending Loss
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson collected an assist in Monday's 3-2 Game 7 defeat in overtime to the Montreal Canadiens. 13:19 into the second period, Samuelsson initially celebrated scoring a goal, but he had to settle for an assist when it was determined that the puck went into the Canadiens' net off a deflection by Jordan Greenway. Alex Newhook's overtime goal delivered a cruel end to the campaign for the Sabres, but Samuelsson should enter the offseason in high spirits. He had a breakout year in 2025-26, with 41 points (13 goals, 28 assists) in 78 games, proving he can be much more than a shutdown defenseman. Across his first five NHL campaigns, Samuelsson had managed only 43 points (seven goals, 36 assists).
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
