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.

BU's Kaplan Debuts with NHL's Flyers

Devin Kaplan became the newest forward from the 2024-25 Boston University men's hockey team to make his NHL debut this month. 

Kaplan, 21, a junior right wing who signed with the Philadelphia Flyers earlier this week, made his big league debut last night in the Flyers' season-ending 5-4 loss to visiting Buffalo, recording one hit and one shot attempt in just over 12 minutes of ice time. The Bridgewater, N.J. native spent the last three years at BU after being drafted 69th overall by Philadelphia in 2022, recording 25 goals and 39 assists for 64 points in 115 collegiate outings with the Terriers. 

Quinn Hutson, who won the Tim Taylor Award this season as the top rookie in men's college hockey, has played in two games with the Edmonton Oilers after signing with the reigning NHL Western Conference champions as a free agent. The junior right wing from Barrington, Ill. notched 56-58—114 points in 117 games with the Terriers. Hutson, 23, also led BU in scoring this season, with career highs of 23-27—50 points in 38 contests.

Ryan Greene, who captained the Terriers this season as a junior, signed with the Chicago Blackhawks and played in two games with the Original Six franchise that drafted him 57th overall in 2022. The Paradise, Nfld. native, who turns 22 in October, collected 34-71—105 points 118 career appearances with BU as a center.

Kaplan, Huston, and Greene helped BU to three consecutive NCAA Frozen Fours in their college careers, including this year's national title game, plus the 2023 Hockey East regular-season and conference championships, along with this year's Beanpot Tournament crown. In all, they guided the Terriers to an overall record of 81-35-4 over the last three years.

In addition, senior center Matt Caponi, who played this season at BU after skating for three years with Merrimack, signed with Bakersfield (AHL) and has played in one game with the Condors. Drafted 216th overall by Edmonton in 2023, the 21-year-old Mansfield, Mass. native put up 6-18—24 points in 40 games in his lone campaign as a Terrier. 

Also signing recently was BU sophomore left wing Shane Lachance, whose NHL rights had earlier been traded from Edmonton to the New Jersey Devils. LaChance, 21, from Andover, Mass., registered 25-32—57 points in 80 career games with the Terriers, including a goal in the 2025 NCAA championship game, and has been assigned by the Devils to Utica (AHL). 

2024 NHL Stadium Series Stars Former NCAA Skaters

The 2024 NHL Stadium Series has come and gone, and former NCAA players played their part.

John Marino (Harvard) tallied two assists and Erik Haula (Minnesota) set up another goal as the New Jersey Devils defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 6-3, outdoors on Saturday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. It was the Devils' first game in their original home of the Meadowlands since 2007, and came before a crowd of 70,328 at the current home of the NFL's Jets and Giants. Nick Seeler (Minnesota) notched the third goal for the Flyers.

On Sunday afternoon, Chris Kreider (Boston College) tipped home a power-play goal in the third period as the New York Rangers rebounded for a 6-5 overtime win over the New York Islanders in the two rivals' first meeting since Dec. 2022. Adam Fox (Harvard) collected two assists for the Rangers, who came back from 4-1 and 5-3 deficits to improve to 5-0-0 all-time in outdoor games. Islanders captain Anders Lee (Notre Dame) also registered a power-play goal on a deflection, while Brock Nelson (North Dakota) scored the Islanders' first goal and later added an assist. Attendance was 79,690.

Flyers Trade BC's Gauthier to Anaheim

It appears that Cutter Gauthier (Boston College) will not play for the Philadelphia Flyers after all.

The Flyers, who drafted Gauthier fifth overall in 2022, dealt his rights yesterday to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Jamie Drysdale. Multiple sources claimed that Gauthier ultimately did not wish to play for Philadelphia.

Gauthier, 19, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound left wing who was born in Sweden but grew up in Arizona, has not spoken publicly on the matter, although he reportedly would not meet with Flyers management. He is coming off of a Best Forward and All-Star team performance at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden, where he led the United States to a goal medal. He tallied two goals and a tournament-high 10 assists to tie for the event scoring lead with 12 points in seven games.

A product of the U.S. National Development Team program in Michigan, Gauthier is in his sophomore season at top-ranked BC where has tallied 29 goals and 31 assists for 60 points in 49 career NCAA contests to date, including 13-10—23 points in 17 outings so far this season. He is expected to turn pro at the conclusion of the Eagles' 2023-24 campaign, which resumes this weekend with a home-and-home series with Hockey East rival Providence.

Gauthier is the highest-drafted player ever at BC, along with former NHL skater and current Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin, who himself was tabbed fifth overall by the New Jersey Devils in 1989. Guerin won two Stanley Cups as a skater, one each with New Jersey and the Pittsburgh Penguins, and he later earned two more Cup rings as assistant GM with Pittsburgh.

NCAA Players Shine at NHL's Lake Tahoe Weekend

The 2021 NHL Outdoors weekend at Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada has come and gone, with more than a few former NCAA players making their marks both nights.

On Saturday, the Colorado Avalanche edged the Vegas Golden Knights, 3-2. The game was postponed for nearly 10 hours following the daytime first period, due to the sun adversely affecting ice conditions. A shot by Devon Toews (Quinnipiac) from the left point with less then seven minutes remaining in regulation after the restart stood up as the game-winner for the Avalanche, who wore retro reverse jerseys that honored the franchise's previous incarnation as the Quebec Nordiques. Toews also had the lone assist on Colorado's second goal of the game.

Alex Tuch (Boston College) got Vegas back within a goal on his backhand shot in close with 5:35 left, but the Golden Knights couldn't garner the equalizer in the time left. Alec Martinez (Miami) also scored for Vegas.

On Sunday evening, James van Riemsdyk (New Hampshire) tallied one goal and set up two others, but his Philadelphia Flyers fell, 7-3, to the Boston Bruins. It was Boston's fifth win over Philadelphia so far this season in five meetings.

Charlie McAvoy (Boston University) and Charlie Coyle (Boston University) both tallied goals for Boston, with Coyle's second-period score standing up as the game-winner. Trent Frederic (Wisconsin) scored his first career NHL goal for the Bruins, who also got two assists apiece from Connor Clifton (Quinnipiac) and Craig Smith (Wisconsin).

Joel Farabee (Boston University) scored Philadelphia's first goal, while Kevin Hayes (Boston College) notched two assists. Brian Elliott (Wisconsin) stopped 12 of 13 shots on goal in the final period for the Flyers, after entering the game in relief. Boston outshot Philadelphia, 35-19, overall for the night.

There were no spectators present at either Lake Tahoe contest due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The two games were the 32nd and 33rd, respectively, in the NHL's modern outdoor series of matches that dates back to the 2003 Heritage Classic in Edmonton.

Talbot Wins First Game as Flyers' Eighth Goalie

Cam Talbot (Alabama-Huntsville) helped make NHL history on Friday night in New Jersey. He became the eighth netminder to play a game this season for the Philadelphia Flyers, setting a new league single-team standard, and made 30 saves in his Flyers debut as his new team defeated the host Devils, 6-3.

Talbot, 31, was acquired by Philadelphia last month from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for goaltender Anthony Stolarz (Nebraska-Omaha). The former UAH netminder had posted a record of 137-110-24 and a 2.59 goals-against average in 284 career NHL regular-season appearances with the New York Rangers and the Oilers prior to the trade.

A native of Caledonia, Ont., Talbot turned pro in 2009-10 as a free agent with Hartford (AHL), where he played for most of the next three seasons. He played three years at UAH (2007-2010), where he went 15-44-6 in 70 games with a 3.03 GAA and also helped the Chargers to the 2010 NCAA Tournament his final collegiate campaign.

Former NCAA Netminders Traded in NHL

Two former NCAA netminders were traded for each other on Friday, with Cam Talbot (Alabama-Huntsville) going to the Philadelphia Flyers and Anthony Stolarz (Nebraska-Omaha) heading to the 
Edmonton Oilers in turn.

Talbot, 31, has posted a record of 137-110-24 and a 2.59 goals-against average in 284 career NHL regular-season appearances with the New York Rangers and the Oilers, from 2013 to the present. A native of Caledonia, Ont., he turned pro in 2009-10 as a free agent with Hartford (AHL), where he played for most of the next three seasons. He played three years at UAH (2007-2010), where he went 15-44-6 in 70 games with a 3.03 GAA and helped the Chargers to the 2010 NCAA Tournament his final collegiate campaign.

Stolarz, 25, has played a career-high 12 NHL contests so far this season, going 4-3-3 with one shutout for Philadelphia. In 19 career NHL contests, all with the Flyers, he has gone 6-4-4 with a 2.86 GAA. A native of Edison, N.J., and a second-round draft choice of Philadelphia in 2012, he played eight NCAA games with UNO in 2012-13, winning twice with the Mavericks, before joining London (OHL), where he won 38 games over two major junior seasons before turning pro with Lehigh Valley (AHL) in 2014-15.

Flyers Release Former UND Coach Hakstol

The Philadelphia Flyers relieved head coach Dave Hakstol of his duties on Monday. The Alberta native was in his fourth season with the club, having moved directly from the

University of North Dakota to the NHL three years ago. He finished with a record of 134-101-42 overall in Philadelphia, according to NHL.com, with two Stanley Cup Playoff berths.

Prior to joining the Flyers in 2015, Hakstol spent 11 seasons at UND, and led the then-Fighting Sioux to a 289-143-43 (.654) overall mark. UND advanced to the NCAA Tournament in all 11 campaigns, including seven Frozen Four appearances and a national runner-up finish in 2005. Prior to coaching UND, he spent four seasons as the head coach of the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers.

A former defenseman at UND (1989-1992), Hakstol, 50, played professionally with both Indianapolis and Minnesota of the now-defunct International Hockey League, prior to taking over the bench in Sioux City. He was succeeded in Philadelphia by former Lehigh Valley (AHL) head coach Scott Gordon (Boston College), who won his NHL debut Tuesday night with the Flyers' 3-2 victory over visiting Detroit.

Devils, Flyers Eliminated From 2018 NHL Postseason

The New Jersey Devils’ 2017-18 NHL campaign came to a close on Saturday in Tampa, Florida. The Devils dropped a 3-1 decision to the host Tampa Bay Lightning, who won the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, four games to one. It was New Jersey’s first playoff series appearance since 2012.

Kyle Palmieri (Notre Dame) assisted on the Devils’ only goal of the afternoon, while Cory Schneider (Boston College) stopped 35 of 37 shots in the loss. Tampa Bay advances to the Eastern Conference semifinals against either the Boston Bruins or Toronto Maple Leafs. Boston currently leads that series, three games to two.

The Philadelphia Flyers’ 2017-18 season ended Sunday as the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins scored five unanswered goals en route to an 8-5 victory. Pittsburgh, which won its ninth consecutive NHL playoff series dating back to 2016, closed out the Flyers in six games.

Jake Guentzel (Nebraska-Omaha) paced the Penguins with four goals and also added an assist, while Phil Kessel (Minnesota) set up two goals. Pittsburgh will next face the winner of the series between the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets, which Washington currently leads by a three-to-two count.

Devils Top Flyers, 4-3

In the end, it was Union College outdueling Yale University in a meeting of former ECAC/NCAA netminders.

The New Jersey Devils edged the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-3, on Thursday night in Newark, as Keith Kinkaid (Union) made 25 saves for the home team. Alex Lyon (Yale), making his first-ever NHL start, had 18 stops for the Flyers in the loss.

Ben Lovejoy (Dartmouth) assisted on Nico Hischier's game-winning goal in the third period to break a 3-3 tie. Kyle Palmieri (Notre Dame) scored New Jersey's first goal of the game on a power play, and also added an assist. Drew Stafford (North Dakota) also scored for the Devils, while Travis Zajac (North Dakota) earned nine minutes in penalties, including a first-period fight where he got the better of Philadelphia's Radko Gudas.

Shayne Gostisbehere (Union) tallied a goal and an assist for the Flyers.

New Jersey's Stolarz Wins NHL Debut

Anthony Stolarz (Nebraska-Omaha) made 29 saves for the win in his NHL debut on Sunday, as the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the visiting Calgary Flames, 5-3.

The 6-foot-6 Stolarz, who according to NHL.com is the first New Jersey native to play in goal in an NHL contest, spent one semester at Omaha in 2012. He went 2-5-0 with one shutout in eight NCAA appearances with the Mavericks before transitioning to London (OHL), according to hockeydb.com. After recording 38 wins in 55 games over two campaigns with the Knights, Stolarz turned pro in 2014-15 with Lehigh Valley (AHL), and finished 21-18-7 in 47 games last season with a 2.60 goals-against average and .916 save percentage for the Phantoms.

A native of Edison, N.J., Stolarz was drafted by the Flyers in the second round (45th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He spent his pre-draft year with Corpus Christi (NAHL) before enrolling at Omaha, and later served as a back-up for 26 NHL contests with Philadelphia before getting the start on Sunday.

Yale's Lyon Signs with Flyers

Yale goaltender Alex Lyon has signed a free agent contract with the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, according to multiple outlets. He will forgo his final season in New Haven, and closed out his college career on March 26 with 28 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss to UMass Lowell in the first round of the NCAA East Regional in Albany.

A native of Baudette, Minn. who prepped with Omaha (USHL) before enrolling at Yale, Lyon finished with a 19-8-4 record in 31 overall appearances this season. He also posted a nation-best 1.64 goals-against average along with a second-best .936 save percentage, and five shutouts. He went 14-6-3 in 23 ECAC games this year while pacing the circuit in GAA (1.61) and save percent (.938) to go along with four shutouts.

A finalist for the second straight season for the Mike Richter Award as the NCAA's best goaltender, Lyon completed his career with a record of 50-29-4 (1.88, .931, 15 SO) in 93 outings at Yale. He also helped the Bulldogs to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances his final two campaigns.

Elsewhere, Boston University goaltender Sean Maguire signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, according to the NHL club's web site, and will join Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) on an amateur tryout contract. He went 13-9-1 (2.41, .920, 2 SO) in 25 NCAA games this year with the Terriers, after sitting out from a medical redshirt season in 2014-15. A native of Powell River, B.C., Maguire finished with a 29-29-1 overall mark (2.58, .922, 6 SO) in three years at BU.

Hakstol Leaving UND for NHL

University of North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol is taking the reins of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, according to ESPN.

Hakstol, an Alberta native who went 289-143-43 in 11 seasons in Grand Forks, and led UND to seven NCAA Frozen Fours and four WCHA Tournament titles in that span, accepted the Flyers job Monday after resigning from North Dakota. UND went 29-10-3 this past season, falling to Boston University in an NCAA semifinal matchup in Boston.

A former UND lettermen on defense, Hakstol also played five professional seasons in the International Hockey League, according to his profile at hockeydb.com.His hiring was announced by Flyers general manager and former goaltender Ron Hextall, whose son, Brett, played for Hakstol at UND, and is now in the Flyers' system.

Hakstol, 46, replaces former Philadelphia Flyers player Craig Berube, who was dismissed after two seasons at his old team's helm. Philadelphia finished 33-31-18 this past season, and outside the Stanley Cup playoff picture for the second time in three campaigns.

UND assistant coach Brad Berry was expected to be named head coach of the former Fighting Sioux later on Monday.

Union's Gostisbehere Makes NHL Debut

The Ghost has arrived on Broad Street in time for Halloween.

Former Union College defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who helped the Dutchmen to their first-ever national title last spring, made his NHL debut on Friday evening as the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the visiting Detroit Red Wings, 4-2, at the Wells Fargo Center. He was drafted by the Flyers in the third round (78th overall) in 2012.

The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Margate, Florida product played in three games with Lehigh Valley (AHL) before being recalled to the parent Flyers late last week due to injuries on the Philadelphia blue line. He was a minus-1 with one shot on goal in just over 12 minutes of ice time against Detroit.

Gostisbehere, a Top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the NCAA's top player last season, registered nine goals and 25 assists for 34 points in 42 games as a junior at Union. He also had a goal and two assists, along with a plus-seven rating, in the Dutchmen's 7-4 NCAA championship game win over Minnesota in Philadelphia on April 12. He posted a pair of assists in a 5-4 NCAA semifinal victory over Boston College two days prior.

Gostisbehere, 21, who prepped with the South Kent School prior to enrolling at Union and helping the Dutchmen to multiple ECAC crowns, finished his three-year college career in Schenectady with 22-60—82 points to go with 85 penalty minutes in 118 total collegiate outings. He also played his first two pro games with Adirondack (AHL) last spring, and has two assists in five career AHL contests to date.

He is expected to remain with the Flyers on a day-to-day basis.

A Hextall Joins the Flyers (Again)

The father has helped the son.

Former University of North Dakota forward Brett Hextall will join the Philadelphia Flyers organization, where his dad, Ron, once tended net and now serves as general manger. He has signed a one-year minor-league contract, according to nj.com.

The younger Hextall will be assigned to the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate in Lehigh Valley. He tallied 39 goals and 42 assists for 81 points in 115 career collegiate games with the then-Fighting Sioux from 2008 to 2011, according to his stats page at uscho.com.

A 5’10”, 186-pound California native, Hextall also put up 254 penalties in three seasons while helping UND to three NCAA Tournament berths, two Western Collegiate Hockey Association championships, and two WCHA regular-season crowns. He was chosen in the sixth round by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft after playing junior hockey with the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League.

Hextall turned pro in 2011 and has spent the past three years with Portland (AHL), with whom he put up a career-high 11-12—23 points and 83 PIM in 59 appearances last season, as noted at hockeydb.com. In three campaigns with the Pirates, he registered 27-26—53 points and 221 PIM in 197 regular-season outings.

Hextall is a fourth-generation professional player, following his father Ron, his grandfather Bryan Hextall Jr., his great-grandfather Bryan Hextall Sr., and his great uncle Dennis Hextall.