York Pushes Flyers to 2nd Round of Playoffs

Cam York (Michigan) scored from the right point through a screen with less than three minutes remaining in overtime to boost the Philadelphia Flyers to the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

York's goal was the only one in Philadelphia's 1-0 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins last night to win the best-of-seven first-round matchup in six games. The Flyers had won the first three games of the series, while the Penguins had won the last two contests and were seeking to become just the 11th team in NHL history to force a seventh game after trailing, three games to none. It is the first playoff series win for the Flyers since 2020, the last time they qualified for the postseason.

Philadelphia will now meet top-seeded Carolina in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Alasa Anchorage Names Rud as New Head Coach

Alaska Anchorage has named its eighth hockey head coach all-time in Eric Rud, a longtime college assistant coach and former defenseman. 

Rud, 53, joins the Seawolves after spending the past two seasons at St. Cloud State, where he also coached from 2006 to 2010. Prior to his latest stint with SCSU, he served two years as head coach with Sioux Falls (USHL), after three years at Miami (Ohio) and three years before that at his alma mater, Colorado College. He also served as head coach at Green Bay (USHL) in 2010-11, where he led the Gamblers to the Clark Cup final, after earlier working as an assistant with Cedar Rapids (USHL) after three years of serving in the ECHL as a player-assistant coach.

A native of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., Rud skated on the blueline at Colorado College from 1993 to 1997, recording 22 goals and 90 assists for 112 points in 168 outings over four seasons. He also led the Tigers to three WCHA regular-season titles and three NCAA tournament berths, including the 1996 national championship game where he assisted on CC's second goal while serving as team captain. An undrafted free agent, he went on to play in the IHL, ECHL and WCHL as a professional for five seasons, notching 34-98—132 points over 319 regular-season appearances. He prepped with Des Moines (USHL) and Simley (Minn.) High as a player prior to attending CC.

Alaska Anchorage finished 5-27-1 overall last season, its fourth as an NCAA Division I independent, under former head coach and Seawolf defensemen Matt Shasby. UAA will be seeking its first winning campaign since 2013-14, when it went 18-16-4 while in the WCHA. The Seawolves began play in 1979.

Golden Knights Tie Series with Utah

Jack Eichel (Boston University) set up three goals and Noah Hanifin (Boston College) had two assists as the visiting Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Utah Mammoth, 5-4, in overtime last night, in Game Four of their 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff series. The best-of-seven NHL Western Conference first-round matchup is now tied at two games apiece,

Nick Schmaltz (North Dakota) had a goal and assist for the Mammoth, who fought back from an early three-goal deficit to take a one-goal lead before Vegas came back to tie it in the third period prior to winning in OT. Game Five is Wednesday night in Las Vegas.

 

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).