Canadiens Take Lead over Sabres, Ducks Tie Vegas

Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) tallied three assists as the Anaheim Ducks tied their Stanley Cup Playoff series with a 4-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night. The best-of-seven Western Conference matchup is now tied at two games apiece, with Game Five set for Tuesday night in Las Vegas. Alex Killorn (Harvard) notched a goal and an assist for the Ducks, while Jack Eichel (Boston University) set up two goals for the Golden Knights.

In the Eastern Conference, the host Montreal Canadiens took a two game to one lead with a 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Game Three of their series on Sunday. Alex Newhook (Boston College) notched his second two-goal game of the series for the Canadiens, who also got two points apiece from Cole Caufield (Wisconsin) and Lane Hutson (Boston University), plus 26 saves in net from Jakub Dobes (Ohio State). Tage Thompson (UConn) scored a goal and added an assist for the Sabres, who got 32 stops from Alex Lyon (Yale). Game Four is Tuesday in Montreal.

 

Two More NHL Western Playoff Series End

Troy Terry (Denver) and Chris Kreider (Boston College) each scored a goal and set up two others, and Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) notched a goal and an assist as the host Anaheim Ducks eliminated the Edmonton Oilers from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 5-2 victory last night. Anaheim won the best-of-seven Western Conference series, four games to two, its first postseason series victory since 2017, ousting an Oilers club that had won the NHL's Western Conference the last two seasons. Edmonton's Zach Hyman (Michigan) had a goal disallowed for a kicking motion in the second period. The Ducks will now face the winner of the Utah-Vegas series in the conference semifinals.

The Minnesota Wild won their first Stanley Cup Playoff series since 2015 as Quinn Hughes (Michigan) recorded two goals and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the visiting Dallas Stars on Thursday. Minnesota won the best-of-seven Western Conference series, four games to two, and will now take on top-seeded Colorado in the second round. Matt Boldy (Boston College) sealed the win yesterday with two empty-net goals for the Wild, while Jake Oettinger (Boston University) made 16 saves for the Stars.

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.

BC's Kreider Dealt to Ducks

Chris Kreider (Boston College) is finished playing for the New York Rangers. The veteran left wing waived his no-trade clause today, and has been dealt to the Anaheim Ducks after spending the last 12 full NHL seasons in Manhattan. New York received center Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round draft pick in return.

Kreider, 34, who was drafted 19th overall by the Rangers in 2009, has tallied 326 goals and 256 assists for 582 points in 883 career NHL regular-season games, all with the Rangers. He tallied a career-high 52 goals in 2021-22. He has also recorded 48-28—76 points in 123 Stanley Cup Playoff contests, and helped New York to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.

A 6-foot-3, 230-pound native of Boxford, Mass., Kreider was a Hockey East All-Rookie Team and Hockey East Second Team selection in his three years at Boston College, where he helped the Eagles to both the 2010 and 2012 NCAA titles. He tallied 50-43—93 points in 114 career college games, and also recorded 10 power-play goals, 10 game-winning goals, and four short-handed goals with BC. 

In international play, he represented the U.S. at the 2010, 2011 and 2018 IIHF World Championships, and at the 2010 and 2011 IIHF World Junior Championships, winning gold at the 2010 WJC.

WMU's Washe, Bump Make Pro Debuts

Fresh off a national championship, former Western Michigan skaters Tim Washe and Alex Bump have already embarked on their professional careers. 

Washe, 23, from Detroit, signed as a free agent with the NHL's Anaheim Ducks following WMU's 6-2 win over Boston University on April 12, and went scoreless in two regular-season games. His 2024-25 campaign is completed, as the Ducks did not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He recorded career highs of 16 goals and 22 assists for 38 points in 42 games for WMU this season, while helping the Broncos to their first-ever NCHC regular-season crown, their first-ever Penrose Cup as NCHC playoff champions, and their first-ever NCAA title. In five years at WMU, Washe finished with 28-46—74 points in 171 games.   

Bump, 21, from Prior Lake, Minn., led the Broncos in scoring this season with 23-24—47 points in 42 outings, and finished his two-year college career with 37-46—83 points in 80 appearances. He then signed with the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, who drafted him 133rd overall in 2022, and was assigned to Lehigh Valley (AHL). He tallied his first career pro point for the Phantoms with an assist against Cleveland on April 18, and followed that up a day later with another assist and his first pro goal in a game at Hershey. Lehigh Valley is now slated to face Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

BC's Dumoulin Dealt to Devils

Two-time Stanley Cup champion and native New Englander Brian Dumoulin (Boston College) is headed back east.

The veteran NHL defenseman from Biddeford, Maine was acquired by the New Jersey Devils today from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for prospect Herman Traff and a conditional second-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft. The Ducks will also retain 50 percent of Dumoulin's salary for the rest of the 2024-25 campaign.

Dumoulin, 33, tallied two goals and 14 assists for 16 points in 61 games with Anaheim this season, after skating last winter with the Seattle Kraken. He spent the previous eight years with the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning Stanley Cup titles with them in 2016 and 2017. In 687 career regular-season NHL outings, he has tallied 27-144—171 points, to go along with 4-21—25 points in 81 career Stanley Cup Playoff outings.

The first Maine native to have his name inscribed on the Stanley Cup, the 6-foot-4, 214-pound Dumoulin was drafted 51st overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2009 before later having his rights dealt to Pittsburgh. After playing junior hockey with the EJHL's New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs, he spent three seasons with Boston College, recording 11-71—82 points in 123 appearances with BC and earning two All-America selections while helping the Eagles to NCAA championships in 2010 and 2012.

MSU's Miller Wins Final NHL Home Start

Longtime NHL goaltender Ryan Miller (Michigan State) won the final home game of his professional career.

The East Lansing, Mich. native, who will retire as an active player at the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, made 23 saves on Saturday to backstop the Anaheim Ducks to a 6-2 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Kings. The win raised Anaheim's record to 16-29-7, although the Ducks have already been eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention.

Miller, 40, is now 391-289-87 with a 2.64 goals-against average and 44 shutouts in his NHL career, which began in 2002-03 with Buffalo. After splitting his first four pro campaigns between the Sabres and their minor-league affiliate in Rochester (AHL), he moved up to the NHL for good in 2006-07, and later went on to also play for St. Louis and Vancouver. 

In Feb. 2010, Miller guided the United States to a silver medal at the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, before winning the Vezina Trophy later that year as the NHL's best goaltender after recording 41 regular-season wins. He leads all American-born NHL goaltenders in career wins, and was 28-27 in 57 career Stanley Cup playoff outings with a 2.52 GAA and three shutouts.

Drafted 138th overall by the Sabres in 1999 after starring in juniors for the Soo Indians (NAHL), with whom he won 52 games over two seasons, the 6-foot-2 Miller went on to play three seasons at Michigan State (1999-2002). A two-time First Team All-America selection, he went 73-19-12 with a 1.54 GAA in 106 career appearances with the Spartans, and still holds the NCAA record with 26 career shutouts. He also won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey's top player in 2001, the last netminder to date to claim that particular trophy, and also helped MSU to the NCAA Frozen Four that season.

BU's Zegras Makes NHL Debut

On the day that America celebrated the 41st anniversary of the "Miracle on Ice" and the third anniversary of "The Deke", a recent World Junior Championship gold medalist and tournament leading scorer from the U.S. made his NHL debut.

Former NCAA forward Trevor Zegras (Boston University) suited up for the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night and finished with two shots on goal and a plus-one rating in just over 13 minutes of ice time in a 4-3 loss to the host Arizona Coyotes. The Ducks squandered a 3-0 lead they had built into the second period.

Zegras, 19, led all players in the 2021 World Juniors in scoring with seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in seven games, as the U.S. won the gold medal. He had four goals and nine points in eight outings for San Diego (AHL) in his first professional action following the WJC, before being summoned to Anaheim.

Zegras, from Bedford, N.Y., spent the 2019-20 season with BU, notching 11-25—36 points and a team-high 43 penalty minutes in 33 contests in his lone collegiate campaign,  He was selected ninth overall by Anaheim in the 2019 NHL Draft after prepping with the U.S. National Team Development Program in Michigan.

MSU's Petry Scores Twice in Montreal Win

Michigan got upstaged by Michigan State on Tuesday night in Montreal.

Andrew Cogliano (Michigan) scored the game’s first goal for the Anaheim Ducks while extending his consecutive games played streak to 738 NHL games, but it was all Montreal after that. The Canadiens tallied five unanswered goals, two of them by defenseman Jeff Petry (Michigan State),  en route to a 5-0 victory at the Bell Centre.

Petry, from Ann Arbor, Mich. now has seven goals on the season, tying his NHL career high recorded in 2013-14 with the Edmonton Oilers. He collected nine goals in three NCAA seasons at MSU (2007-2010), according to hockeydb.com.

The games played streak by Toronto native Cogliano, who scored 36 goals in two years at Michigan (2005-2007), is the fifth-longest streak in NHL history. He passed current St. Louis Blues blueliner Jay Bouwmeester, who played in 737 consecutive NHL contests from 2002 to 2014 with Florida, Calgary and St. Louis.

New Jersey's Palmieri Re-Signs with Devils

New Jersey native Kyle Palmieri (Notre Dame) has signed a new contract with the New Jersey Devils, whom he led with 57 points last season. The Montvale, N.J. and St. Peter’s Prep product has inked a five-year, $23.25 million deal with the Devils, whom he also led with 30 goals in 2015-16, tying him for the team lead with Adam Henrique.

A restricted free agent, Palmieri had filed for salary arbitration earlier this week, according to NJ.com. He was traded from the Anaheim Ducks to New Jersey last year in exchange for the 41st selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Born in Smithtown, N.Y., Palmieri played one season at Notre Dame, tallying nine goals and eight assists for 17 points in 33 NCAA games with the Fighting Irish in 2009-10, after being drafted 26th overall by Anaheim in 2009. He had skated for the U.S. National Team Development Program after starring at St. Peter’s Prep, and before enrolling at Notre Dame. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound forward turned pro in 2010-11 with Syracuse (AHL), and also made his NHL debut with Anaheim that same season, scoring once in 10 games.

In 280 NHL regular-season outings with the Ducks and Devils, Palmieri, 25, has collected 73-73—146 points and 129 penalty minutes. He has posted 7-5—12 totals in 33 Stanley Cup playoff outings, all with Anaheim, via hockeydb.com. His goal, assist and point totals last season with New Jersey were all NHL career-highs, as were his 82 appearances and 39 penalty minutes.

Ducks Extend Kesler's Contract

The Anaheim Ducks signed forward Ryan Kesler (Ohio State) to a six-year contract extension yesterday. The Livonia, Mich. native tallied 20 goals and 27 assists for 47 points last season in 81 NHL regular-season contests, and then added 7-6—13 points in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games as the Ducks fell one game short of the Stanley Cup Final.

Kesler, who spent two years with the U.S. National Team Development Program before enrolling at OSU, posted 11-20—31 points in his lone NCAA campaign with the Buckeyes in 2002-03. He turned pro the following season after being drafted 23^rd overall that summer by the Vancouver Canucks, with whom he spent 10 seasons and came within a game of a Stanley Cup championship in 2011.

He also prepped with Manitoba (AHL) before becoming a full-time NHL player, and joined Anaheim last summer in a trade that included Vancouver's 3rd round choice in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Kesler, who has also skated for the United States in two Winter Olympic Games, where he earned a silver medal in 2010, has put up 202-238—440 points and 669 penalty minutes in 736 NHL regular-season outings. He also has 19-32—51 points in 73 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances, per NHL.com.

Blackhawks Back in Stanley Cup Final

A California-Florida Stanley Cup Final will have to wait at least another season.

 

Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) scored the game's first two goals, and Duncan Keith (Michigan State) recorded two assists as the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the host Anaheim Ducks, 5-3, in Game 7 of the Western Conference Final at the Honda Center. The Hawks won the series, four games to three, after rebounding from a three games-to-two deficit.

 

Chicago, which stayed alive by winning Game 6 at home on Wednesday, raced out to a 4-0 lead in the second period on Saturday before Ryan Kesler (Ohio State) notched Anaheim's first goal. The Ducks would get within 4-2 in the final frame before the two squads exchanged power-play scores for the final tally. Anaheim outshot Chicago, 38-26.

The Hawks, who claimed the NHL crown in both 2010 and 2013, will open the 2015 Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday at the Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning (8 p.m., NBC). The two teams split a pair of meetings during the regular season.

Ducks Push Blackhawks to Brink

The Chicago Blackhawks' Stanley Cup Playoff overtime winning streak is over, and their 2014-15 campaign is now also one game away from ending.

Matt Beleskey's goal 45 seconds into sudden death on Monday night boosted the Anaheim Ducks to a 5-4 victory over the Blackhawks at the Honda Center. The Ducks now lead the best-of-seven NHL Western Conference Final, three games to two.

Anaheim raced out to a 3-0 lead early in the first period, the second goal coming from Ryan Kesler (Ohio State) on a deflection. The Blackhawks closed to within 3-2 by the end of the second stanza, with Patrick Sharp (Vermont) setting up both scores, before Anaheim regained the two-goal lead in the third period.

Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) then scored twice in a 72-second span late in the final frame to send the contest into overtime, where Beleskey ended it by putting home a rebound from Kesler.

Chicago had won all four extra-time contests it had played this spring, all in multiple OTs, including its two wins so far in this series. Both teams had 28 shots on goal Monday, and both went 0-for-2 on the power play.

The Blackhawks will try to stay alive at home on Wednesday night at the United Center in Game 6.

Blackhawks Tie Series, 5-4, in Second Overtime

 

Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) scored one goal and set up another, and Patrick Sharp (Vermont) set up the winning score in the second overtime as the Chicago Blackhawks edged the visiting Anaheim Ducks, 5-4, on Saturday night at the United Center in a Stanley Cup Playoff bout. The best-of-seven NHL Western Conference Final is now tied at two games apiece.

The Blackhawks led, 1-0, after 20 minutes and went up, 3-1, early in the third period before Anaheim scored three times in 37 seconds to take a 4-3 lead. Patrick Kane then tied the game for Chicago on a power play, and Sharp was stopped on a partial breakaway in the first overtime before assisting on Antoine Vermette’s game-winner in the second extra session.

 

Duncan Keith (Michigan State) clocked in at over 40 minutes of ice time for the second time in three games, including Chicago's triple-overtime victory in Game 2 at Anaheim. Kyle Palmieri (Notre Dame) assisted on Anaheim’s first goal of the night, while Ryan Kesler (Ohio State) scored the Ducks’ third goal.

 

Game 5 will be played Monday night at the Honda Center in California.

Palmieri, Ducks Top Hawks in Western Final Opener

Kyle Palmieri’s (Notre Dame) second-period score stood up as the game-winner as the Anaheim Ducks opened the 2015 Western Conference Final on Sunday afternoon with a 4-1 victory over the visiting Chicago Blackhawks at the Honda Center. Anaheim, which has won its last three games, is now 9-1 to date in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Palimieri’s goal made it a 2-0 game just over four minutes into the middle stanza. Andrew Cogliano (Michigan) helped put the Ducks up, 3-1, with an assist in the third period, before Anaheim closed out the scoring with an empty-net tally in the final minutes as the puck went in off Chicago captain Jonathan Toews (North Dakota).

The Ducks were outshot, 33-26, by the Blackhawks, who had a three-game winning streak in the first game of the Western Conference Final dating back to 2010 snapped. Chicago also had a five-game winning string in these playoffs broken, which dated back to April 24.

Game 2 will be held Tuesday night in California, before the series shifts to Illinois for Game 3 on Thursday.

Wisconsin's Schultz Signs with Edmonton

Defenseman Justin Schultz, who earlier bypassed his final year of eligibility at Wisconsin, has signed a free-agent contract with the Edmonton Oilers. The Badgers blueliner from Kelowna, B.C. took advantage of a loophole in the NHL's Collective Bargaining Agreement to bypass Anaheim, which drafted him four years ago, and join the Oilers instead.

Schultz, 21, was chosen 43rd overall by the Ducks in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, but withdrew from school after the 2011-12 season and then did not sign with Anaheim by June, which made him a free agent.

A 6'1", 185-lb. defender, Schultz recorded 16 goals and 28 assists for 44 points in 37 games last year. In three seasons with the Badgers, he posted 40-73--113 points and 62 penalty minutes in 121 outings. He tallied five game-winning goals in his tenure, and also registered 21 power-play tallies.

A two-time All-America selection, All-WCHA choice, WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, and Hobey Baker Award finalist, he led all NCAA Division I college defensmen in overall scoring the past two seasons. He also helped Wisconsin to its most recent NCAA Tournament berth during his freshman campaign.

Schultz is expected to attend training camp in September with the Oilers, who finished 32-40-10 last year and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the sixth straight season.