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What’s Going On In the Playoffs: Senators and Kings were eliminated
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Ryley Delaney
Apr 29, 2026, 17:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 29, 2026, 14:14 EDT
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Two teams have punched their ticket to the second round.
Not only that, but there were several teams down 3-1, or even 3-0, who have forced at least a Game 6. There are a handful of very exciting series that are ongoing, and this next week is shaping up to be a good one.
Let’s take a look at what’s going on in the playoffs.

Golden Knights/Mammoth

In the last edition, MacKenzie Weegar’s Utah Mammoth and Rasmus Andersson’s Vegas Golden Knights were knotted at one game each. This past week, the series remained deadlocked, as they split the games in Salt Lake CIty.
Game 3 saw Weegar score the opener, his second of the post-season. Before the end of the first, Dylan Guenther scored a power play goal, making it 2-0. Four minutes into the second, Lawson Crouse scored to make it 3-0, then added his second of the game just under six minutes later.
Down 4-0, it was unlikely that the Golden Knights were going to find a way to tie it, but they made some positive strides in the second half. Jack Eichel scored his first of the post-season before the end of the first, and Nic Dowd cut the Mammoth’s lead in half with just over three minutes to go in the game. In the end, Weegar’s Mammoth won 4-2.
The Golden Knights’ strong second half carried over to Game 4. Pavel Dorofeyev opened the scoring a minute into the first, then Brett Howden scored a power play goal late in the first. Cole Smith made it 3-0 three and a half minutes into the second, but the Mammoth pushed.
Nick Schmaltz scored eight minutes into the second, then Ian Cole scored less than 30 seconds later. That gave the Golden Knights a 3-2 lead heading into the third, and just under two minutes into the final frame, Michael Carcone tied it. Then Clayton Keller scored for the Mammoth to take the lead, but Howden scored his second of the game midway through the third, setting up overtime.
In the final minute of the first overtime period, Shea Theodore beat the Mammoth netminder to make it a best-of-three heading back to Vegas.
That Game 5 is on Wednesday with a start time of 8:00 p.m. MT. One team will have a chance to win the series on Friday in Salt Lake City, with that game also starting at 8:00 p.m. MT. If needed, Game 7 is on Sunday.

Oilers/Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks are potentially one win away from making the Edmonton Oilers’ off-season very interesting. In the last edition, the Ducks were down 1-0 in the series, but they’re now up 3-2.
Game 2 saw Leon Draisaitl open the scoring midway through the first, but the Ducks responded four minutes later. Then the Ducks took a 3-1 lead thanks to goals in the second, but the Oilers cut that lead to one midway through the second. Ryan Poehling scored a power play goal with four minutes left in the second, but the Oilers wouldn’t go away, making it 4-3 before the end of the second.
The Oilers tied the game with just over six minutes left in the third, similar to Game 1. However, Cutter Gauthier scored with five minutes left, giving the Ducks a 5-4 lead. They iced it with an empty netter to split the two games in Alberta.
Vasily Podkolzin opened the scoring for the Oilers seven minutes into the first, but it was the Ducks that took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Kasperi Kapanen tied the game four minutes into the period, then Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ first of the post-season gave the Oilers the lead. Again, the Ducks responded, with Alex Killorn scoring his second of the playoffs to send the game tied at three heading into the third.
It was all the Ducks in the third period. The Oilers gave up back-to-back odd man rushes, leading to two Ducks’ goals. Connor McDavid finally got involved in the series, scoring a power play goal to make it 5-4, but the Ducks’ fourth line made it 6-4 late in the game. Jackson LaCombe scored an empty netter for a 7-4 win.
The lone game that has gone to overtime so far was an important Game 4. You know the drill, the Oilers opened the scoring early in the first period, and even took a 2-0 lead into the intermission thanks to a power play goal. However, they allowed two power play goals in the second period, setting up an exciting third period.
Evan Bouchard’s power play goal early restored the Oilers lead, but Jeffrey Viel, the fourth-liner who gave the Ducks an insurance goal in Game 3, tied it with six and a half to go. Then in overtime, Poehling scored his third of the series after some controversy. In the end, the right call was made.
With the Oilers’ backs against the wall in Game 5 in Edmonton, Podkolzin scored early, Hyman added a second, and for the first time in the series, the Oilers took a 3-0 lead thanks to Draisaitl’s second of the series.
The teams exchanged power play goals in the second, but the Oilers ultimately came out on top 4-1, setting up a must-win Game 6. That’s on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. MT, and if the Oilers win, Game 7 is on Saturday.

Avalanche/Kings

The Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings played two close games in Denver, with the Avalanche winning both 2-1. Game 3 was another close one, as Gabriel Landeskog opened the scoring. Six minutes into the second, Trevor Moore tied it, but Cale Makar restored the Avs’ lead with just under eight to play in the second.
Artturi Lehkonen scored an insurance goal short-handed, giving the Avalanche a 3-1 lead. They needed that, as Adrian Kempe scored a power play with four minutes left in the game. Brock Nelson iced Game 3 with an empty netter, giving the Avalanche a 3-0 series lead.
Game 4 wasn’t particularly close Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring in the first, Makar extended their lead to two in the second, but Joel Edmundson cut the lead in half heading into the third. Nicolas Roy, the player who scored the overtime winner in Game 2, made it 3-1, then Devon Toews made it 4-1, before MacKinnon iced the game with an empty netter.
This marked the end of Anže Kopitar’s illustrious career, while the Avalanche will either play the Dallas Stars or Minnesota Wild. Speaking of which…

Stars/Wild

The two Central Division teams are playing one of the most exciting series of the first round. In Games 1 and 2, the Wild were able to split, giving them home-ice advantage. They squandered that in Game 3, as they fell 4-3 in double overtime. They overcame a 2-0 lead, eventually taking a 3-2 lead, but Matt Duchene scored the game-tying goal midway through the third. Wyatt Johnston ended it in overtime.
In Game 4, the Wild defeated the Stars 3-2 in overtime, splitting the two games in St. Paul. The Stars took a lead, the Wild tied it, with both goals coming in the first. In the second, the Stars took a 2-1 lead late, but again, the Wild tied it with just over five minutes left. Late in the overtime period, Matt Boldy won it for the Wild to make it a best-of-three.
Game 5, in Dallas, saw the Wild defeat the Stars 4-2. Four minutes in, Mats Zuccarello scored to put the Wild up 1-0, but Miro Heiskanen tied it with a power play goal. Late in the second, Boldy scored a power play goal to put the Wild up 2-1, then Michael McCarron gave them an insurance goal. Which was needed, as Jason Robertson scored with just over three minutes to play, bringing the Stars to within one. Kirill Kaprizov iced it for the Wild thanks to an empty netter.
The Wild have a chance to win the series at home, as Game 6 is set for Thursday with a 5:30 p.m. MT start time. If the Stars win, Game 7 will be played in Dallas on Saturday.

Canadiens/Lightning

Another exciting matchup is the Atlantic Division showdown between the Montréal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning. Both Games 1 and 2 required overtime, with the Canadiens winning the first and the Lightning the second.
Would you be shocked if I told you Game 3 also went to overtime? Habs forward Alexandre Texier opened the scoring early in the first, but Brayden Point tied it less than three minutes later. Lightning forward Brandon Hagel scored early in the second, but Kirby Dach tied it with just over seven to play in the second. There was no scoring in the third, setting up Lane Hutson’s overtime winner.
Game 4 didn’t go to overtime, but it was still a one-goal game with a bunch of drama. In the second period, the Canadiens jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Zachary Bolduc and Cole Caufield, coming just three and a half minutes apart. However, the Lightning showed life late in the third, as Jake Guentzel got them on the board. Less than two minutes into the third, Hagel tied the game, then won it for the Lightning with his second of the game.
Game 5 is on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. MT in Tampa. Two days later, the teams return to Montréal for Game 6, with a 5:00 p.m. MT start time. If needed, and it probably will be, Game 7 is on Sunday in Tampa.

Sabres/Bruins

In last week’s edition, the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins split the first two games. However, the Sabres dominated in Boston before losing Game 5.
Starting with Game 3, Tanner Jeannot scored the game’s opener just over three minutes into the second. But Bowen Byram tied it for the Sabres midway through the second. Alex Tuch gave the Sabres a lead four minutes into the final frame, and Noah Östlund iced it with an empty netter.
Game 4 wasn’t particularly close, with the Sabres winning 6-1. Sabres’ netminder Alex Lyon had his shutout ruined in the dying moments of the game, but the Bruins were pushed to the brink. They responded with a Game 5 win in Buffalo. Rasmus Dahlin opened the scoring in the first, but former Flame Elias Lindholm tied it midway in the second. David Pastrňák won it in overtime for the Bruins, setting up Game 6 in Boston.
That game comes your way on Friday at 5:30 p.m. MT. If the Bruins are able to win, Game 7 is on Sunday in Buffalo.

Hurricanes/Senators

The other series sweep in the first round belongs to the Carolina Hurricanes. They beat the Ottawa Senators in four with all four games being rather close. Game 3 saw the Hurricanes win 2-1, as Logan Stankoven opened the scoring five minutes into the first. The score held that way for over 50 minutes, before Senators’ forward Drake Batherson tied it. That tie lasted less than 90 seconds, with Jackson Blake scoring the game-winner.
Game 4 was another close one. Taylor Hall opened the scoring with five to play in the second, but Batherson scored his third of the post-season less than two minutes later. Midway through the third, Stankoven scored a power play goal to make it 2-1, then Sebastian Aho scored an empty netter. The Senators drew back to within one thanks to a Dylan Cozens goal with less than two to play, but Aho scored a second empty netter in a 4-2 win.
The Hurricanes will either play the Pittsburgh Penguins or Philadelphia Flyers.

Penguins/Flyers

In the last edition, we looked at how the Flyers took the first two games, both in Pittsburgh. They then proceeded to take Game 3 thanks to 5-2 victory. Penguins’ forward Evgeni Malkin opened the scoring in the first, but the Flyers scored three second period goals to put them up 3-1 after 40. Erik Karlsson scored to cut their lead to one, but Flyers’ forward Noah Cates responded with a power play goal, before Owen Tippett iced the game with an empty netter.
Up 3-0 in the series, the Flyers have closed it out, right? Nope. In Game 4, Sidney Crosby scored a power play goal in the first, then Rickard Rakell scored early in the second. Denver Barkey scored to cut the lead in half late in the second, but Kris Letang scored five minutes into the third to restore the Penguins’ two-goal lead. Again, the Flyers cut the lead to one thanks to Travis Konecny’s first of the post-season, but Connor Dewar iced the game with an empty netter.
Returning to Pittsburgh for Game 5, Elmer Söderblom opened the scoring for the Penguins early in the first. Dewar scored his second of the post-season early in the second, but Flyers’ forward Alex Bump scored just 12 seconds later to cut the lead in half. Late in the second period, Travis Sanheim tied the game, but even later in the second, Letang scored to give the Penguins a 3-2 lead, which they held on too.
Suddenly, the Penguins are a win away from setting up a winner-take-all Game 7. First, they have to win Wednesday’s game in Philadelphia, which has a 5:30 p.m. MT. If they do that, Game 7 will be on Saturday.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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