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Dylan Guenther scored one of many Mammoth’s 4 targets to raise them to a win within the first-ever playoff recreation within the state of Utah simply hours after NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman introduced that the 2027 Uncover NHL Winter Traditional will happen in Salt Lake Metropolis on New 12 months’s Eve.
* With assist from their younger stars Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson, the Geese scored seven targets in a playoff recreation for the primary time in franchise historical past and took a 2-1 collection lead over the Oilers.
* Lane Hutson turned the seventh-youngest defenseman in Stanley Cup Playoffs historical past to play extra time hero because the Canadiens broke their collection impasse in entrance of an electrical crowd at Bell Centre.
* A 3-game Saturday within the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs incorporates a tripleheader on TNT that sees the Senators and Penguins each try to maintain their Second Spherical hopes alive once they face the Hurricanes and Flyers, respectively, whereas the Stars look to push the Wild to the brink.
MAMMOTH WIN FIRST-EVER PLAYOFF HOME GAME, TAKE 2-1 SERIES LEADThe celebration of postseason hockey in Utah started earlier than puck drop with a helicopter flyover and continued by way of the evening as Dylan Guenther (1-0—1) factored on one in all his crew’s 4 targets to assist the Mammoth earn a win of their first-ever playoff dwelling recreation and take a 2-1 collection lead in entrance of an ecstatic crowd at Delta Middle. Utah turned the sixth franchise that has debuted because the Nineteen Nineties or later to win their first-ever Stanley Cup Playoffs dwelling recreation.
* Guenther turned the fourth participant within the NHL’s growth period (since 1967-68) to attain in a franchise’s first dwelling regular-season and playoff recreation, following Mark Messier (Oct. 13, 1979 & April 11, 1980 w/ EDM), Ray Cullen (Oct. 21, 1967 & April 9, 1968 w/ MNS) and Larry Keenan (Oct. 11, 1967 & April 10, 1968 w/ STL).
* Forward of the competition Friday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman introduced that the 2027 Uncover NHL Winter Traditional between the Mammoth and Avalanche will happen on Dec. 31, 2026 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake Metropolis. Utah proprietor Ryan Smith stated that followers can count on a “weekend of full programming of occasions — sports activities, live shows, actions — that will probably be fairly particular.”
DUCKS YOUTH DELIVER FOR HOME FANS, EARN WIN AND TAKE 2-1 SERIES LEADIn a collection that noticed comeback wins within the first two contests, the Geese saved the development going with their come-from-behind victory in Sport 3 that noticed Beckett Sennecke (1-0—1) web his first profession playoff objective, Leo Carlsson (1-1—2) rating the winner and Jackson LaCombe (1-1—2) match an NHL benchmark. Anaheim scored seven targets in a playoff recreation for the primary time in franchise historical past and earned its twenty eighth comeback win of the season (common season & playoffs), which matched 2013-14 for his or her second most in a marketing campaign, behind solely 2014-15 (30).
* Sennecke turned the third rookie in Geese historical past to attain a go-ahead objective within the third interval of a playoff recreation. He joined Dustin Penner (Sport 4 of 2007 SCF & Sport 1 of 2007 CQF) and Andrew Ebbett (Sport 2 of 2009 CQF).
* Carlsson (21 years, 119 days) turned the third-youngest participant in Geese historical past to attain a game-winning objective within the playoffs, behind Stanislav Chistov (19 years, 362 days in Sport 3 of 2003 CQF) and Ryan Getzlaf (20 years, 362 days in Sport 2 of 2006 CSF).
* LaCombe boosted his 2026 postseason totals to 1-5—6 (3 GP) and have become the third defenseman in Geese historical past to search out the rating sheet in every of his first three playoff video games with the franchise, following Ryan Whitney (4 GP in 2009) and J.J. Daigneault (3 GP in 1997). He additionally turned the third Geese blueliner with consecutive multi-point playoff outings, becoming a member of Chris Pronger (2 GP in 2009 & 2007) and Daigneault (2 GP in 1997).
* Anaheim took a 2-1 lead in a best-of-seven collection for the primary time because the 2015 Convention Finals versus Chicago. The win was additionally the 123rd of Joel Quenneville’s Stanley Cup Playoffs profession, which tied Al Arbour (123) for second place in NHL historical past amongst head coaches behind Scotty Bowman (223).
HUTSON’S OVERTIME HEROICS LIFT CANADIENS TO 2-1 SERIES LEADLane Hutson performed the function of extra time hero Friday as he scored the winner and lifted the Canadiens to a 2-1 collection lead within the First Spherical in entrance of a raucous crowd at Bell Centre. Hutson turned the third Canadiens defenseman to attain a playoff extra time objective prior to now 25 years, becoming a member of Jeff Petry (Sport 1 of 2020 SCQ) and P.Ok. Subban (Sport 1 of 2014 R2), in addition to the youngest American blueliner in Stanley Cup Playoffs historical past to take action at 22 years, 69 days.
* Montreal completed the common season tied with Anaheim for the League lead in comeback wins (26) and that development has continued into the First Spherical with the membership incomes each of its victories in come-from-behind trend. This marks the second time prior to now 15 years that the Canadiens have earned a number of comeback wins in a playoff collection, following the 2015 First Spherical (3 GP vs. OTT).
* The Canadiens and Lightning have required extra time for all three contests to this point within the First Spherical, with defensemen netting the winners in Sport 2 and three. The one groups to play extra consecutive extra time video games in a single collection are Phoenix-Chicago (Sport 1-5 in 2012 CQF), Montreal-Toronto (Sport 1-5 in 1951 SCF) and Carolina-Nashville (Sport 3-6 in 2021 R1).
CROWDS COALESCE ACROSS EVERY CITY IN 2026 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFSThe NHL has formally performed in each metropolis collaborating within the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the full of life and electrical ambiance from followers persevering with final evening in Utah for the state’s first-ever playoff recreation, in Montreal for a rematch of the 2021 Stanley Cup Last towards Tampa Bay and in Anaheim for its first postseason motion on dwelling ice since 2018.
QUICK CLICKS
* Canadiens legend Yvan Cournoyer carries torch into Bell Centre for Sport 3* Youppi presents Cole Caufield’s dad Canadiens hats earlier than Sport 3 of Jap 1st Spherical* Evgeni Malkin hoping to increase Penguins‘ season, return in ’26-27* Celebrities, sports activities stars cheer on groups throughout Stanley Cup playoffs* Wednesday’s Penguins–Flyers match most-watched non-Sport 7, Spherical 1 recreation in TNT historical past
HURRICANES, FLYERS HAVE TAKEN DIFFERENT PATHS TO 3-0 SERIES LEAD
Two collection are on the road at this time however the groups seeking to advance took drastically totally different paths so far. Sebastian Aho and the Hurricanes spent your entire season in a playoff spot – together with three-quarters of it sitting atop the Metropolitan Division – and completed because the No. 2-ranked crew in your entire NHL. Alternatively, Trevor Zegras and the Flyers fell out of the playoff bracket Jan. 13 and didn’t bounce again in till April 5, with 5 video games left of their season. Philadelphia shared the League lead in wins after the Olympic break and overcame a standings deficit of 9 factors simply to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* The Flyers and Hurricanes would arrange their first ever head-to-head playoff collection in the event that they each advance. Philadelphia is vying for its first best-of-seven sweep in additional than 30 years (1995 CSF vs. NYR) and fourth general, whereas the Hurricanes search their second (2019 R2 vs. NYI).
* The Senators face a 3-0 collection deficit within the First Spherical for the second straight postseason and are 10-17 all-time in potential elimination video games, whereas Claude Giroux faces that situation for the sixth time in his profession following the 2025 First Spherical (w/ OTT), 2022 Second Spherical (w/ FLA), 2016 First Spherical (w/ PHI), 2011 Convention Semifinals (w/ PHI) and 2010 Convention Semifinals (w/ PHI) – he gained Sport 4 and prevented elimination in 2025, 2016 and 2010. Giroux and the Flyers went on to defeat the Bruins in that 2010 collection and set up one in all simply 4 cases in NHL historical past of a crew overcoming a 3-0 collection deficit to win. Giroux now goals to hitch Mike Richards (2014 R1 w/ LAK & 2010 CSF w/ PHI) because the second participant in League historical past to beat a 3-0 collection deficit to win twice. Of notice, Jeff Carter performed for each the 2014 Kings and 2010 Flyers however missed the 2010 Convention Semifinals as a result of harm.
* Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will look to assist the Penguins survive a possible elimination contest for the primary time since Sport 7 of the 2017 Convention Finals en path to their most up-to-date Stanley Cup. Crosby and Malkin personal a profession document of 10-12 in these contests and may tie Kevin Stevens (11-4) for the second-most wins by a Penguins skater when going through elimination behind solely Jaromir Jagr (14-9).
* Did You Know? Flyers forwards Porter Martone and Trevor Zegras had been NHLShop.com’s top-selling participant jerseys through the first week of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Because the begin of the postseason, gross sales of Martone jerseys have elevated 1,714%.
WILD AIM TO TIE SERIES VERSUS STARS, ROBERTSON LOOKS TO EXTEND HIS STREAKThe Stars personal a 2-1 collection lead because of a double-overtime victory in Sport 3 and are 13-13 all-time in that situation throughout a best-of-seven collection, whereas the Wild are 2-6 all-time when going through a 2-1 deficit in a best-of-seven. Jason Robertson, who logged three factors in Sport 3, can be a part of Steve Payne (4 GP in 1981) because the second participant in Stars/North Stars historical past to attain in every of the crew’s first 4 video games to start out a postseason. Discover extra notes on this contest and the remainder of Saturday’s three-game slate in #NHLStats: Reside Updates.
NHL PODCAST WEEKLY ROUNDUP* NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers (April 23): Bruce Cassidy Would Fairly be Teaching
* La Tasse de Café LNH (April 23): Pas de quartier entre les Canadiens et le Lightning!
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (April 22): CBJ HC Rick Bowness on What Comes Subsequent
* NHL @TheRink (April 22): Craig Button & Mike Zeisberger be a part of; SCP 1st Spherical, NJD Hires Mehta
* By no means Offside with Julie and Cat (April 21): Michael Misa & Sam Dickinson be a part of; Feeling 19
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (April 20): Dave Hodge on Playoffs & What he’s Seeing Round NHL
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