Avalanche Sweep Kings in First Round

Cale Makar (UMass) and Devon Toews (Quinnipiac) both scored goals, and the visiting Colorado Avalanche topped the Los Angeles Kings, 5-1, on Sunday in Game Four of their 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round series. The Avalanche swept the best-of-seven Western Conference series in four games. 

Makar tallied two goals and one assist for three points over the four games, including the game-winning goal on Sunday, while also recording a plus-five plus/minus rating and 15 shots on goal. He now has 87 points in 83 career NHL postseason outings since making his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in 2019.  Colorado outshot Los Angeles, 32-25, in the clinching contest, and also won 35 of 65 faceoffs in all.

Sunday's game also marked the final outing in the 20-year NHL career of Los Angeles captain Anže Kopitar, who retires as the Kings' all-time leading scorer with 1,316 regular-season points. A 14-time 20-goal scorer, he also led LA to its first-ever Stanley Cup championships, in 2012 and 2014.

Wild Tie Series With Dallas

Matt Boldy (Boston College) tipped home a shot in the final minute of overtime to give the Minnesota Wild a 3-2 win over the visiting Dallas Stars last night in their first-round 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff series. The best-of-seven NHL Western Conference matchup is now tied at two games apiece.

Brock Faber (Minnesota) scored the Wild's first goal, and also assisted on the tying goal late in regulation along with Nico Sturm (Clarkson). Jake Oettinger (Boston University) made 40 saves in goal for Dallas. Game Five is Tuesday night in Texas.

 

Montreal Takes Back Series Lead Over Tampa Bay

Lane Hutson (Boston University) scored on a slapshot just over two minutes into overtime Friday night to give the host Montreal Canadiens a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Montreal now leads the best-of-seven series, two games to one.

Jakub Dobes (Ohio State) made 15 saves in net for the Canadiens, who are seeking their first NHL playoff series win since 2021. Jake Guentzel (Omaha) assisted on Tampa Bay's first goal of the night. All three games of this series so far have been decided in OT.

Game Four is scheduled for Sunday night in Montreal. 

Sabres Take Back Series Lead Over Bruins

Alex Tuch (Boston College) notched the game-winning goal early in the third period, and Alex Lyon (Yale) made 24 saves in net to boost the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins last night at TD Garden in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Buffalo now leads the best-of seven Eastern Conference series, two games to one.

Charlie McAvoy (Boston University) assisted on the lone goal for the Bruins, who have never led in this series. The Sabres rebounded to win Game One in Buffalo, while Boston held on to win Game Two. Game Four is Sunday in Boston (2 p.m. ET).

Ducks Even Series with Oilers

Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) scored two goals and set up another, and Alex Killorn (Harvard) had a goal and two assists as the Anaheim Ducks topped the Edmonton Oilers, 6-4, last night in the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

The Western Conference first-round best-of-seven series is now tied at one game apiece. Zach Hyman (Michigan) had a goal for the Oilers, who are two-time defending Western Conference champions. 

Game Four is Friday in California. Edmonton triumphed, 4-3, in Game One on Monday night in Alberta.

Yales Tabs Alumnus Hamilton as Head Coach

Yale University has turned to one of its own behind the bench, as former Bulldog forward Jeff Hamilton has been named as the Ivy League school's new men's hockey head coach. He succeeds Joe Howe, who served as interim head coach last year following the retirement of longtime head coach and Yale alumnus Keith Allain.

Hamilton, 48, returns to Yale after coaching with the Connecticut Jr. Rangers and Mid Fairfield Rangers programs from 2017 to 2024. He is also the owner of 203 Sports Group, a youth athletic development group.

A native of Englewood, Ohio, Hamilton was a three-time 20-goal scorer at Yale after prepping at Avon Old Farms. In 127 career collegiate games with the Bulldogs from 1996 to 2001, he tallied 80 goals and 94 assists for 174 points, and earned All-America accolades three times. He also led Yale to an ECAC regular-season title and an NCAA tournament berth in 1998, was a two-time Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist, and remains the top scorer in school history.

An undrafted free agent, Hamilton went on to play in 157 NHL regular-season games with the New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs from 2003 to 2009, collecting 32-45—77 points. He also recorded 131-139—270 points in 292 American Hockey League regular-season appearances with Bridgeport, Hartford, and Albany, and also played professionally in Finland, Russia and Switzerland while earning a bronze medal with the United States at the 2004 IIHF World Championship. 

NCAA Skaters Stars in NHL Playoff Openers

The NHL's 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs got underway this weekend, with several former NCAA players playing key roles in Game One first-round victories.

•  Jackson Blake (North Dakota) had two assists as Carolina topped Ottawa, 2-0.

• Matt Boldy (Boston College) scored two goals and set up another as Minnesota routed host Dallas, 6-1.

• Porter Martone (Michigan State) notched his first career NHL playoff goal, the game-winner in Philadelphia's 3-2 victory at Pittsburgh.

• Logan O'Connor (Denver) scored the game-winner in Colorado's 2-1 triumph over Los Angeles, assisted by Jack Drury (Harvard).

• • Cole Caufield (Wisconsin) notched two assists, both on the power play, and Jakub Dobeš (Ohio State) made 20 saves in Montreal's 4-3 overtime win at Tampa Bay.

• Tage Thompson (UConn) scored two goals and added an assist as Buffalo rebounded for a 4-3 victory over Boston.

• Nic Dowd (St. Cloud State) collected the game-winner as Vegas outlasted Utah, 4-2.

The eighth series, between Anaheim and Edmonton, gets underway tonight.