#NHLPeachy @NHL NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition – April 24, 2026
* Sabres rookie Noah Ostlund made his postseason debut and factored on Buffalo’s first and final goals during its comeback win as it took a 2-1 series lead in the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* Logan Stankoven became the second player in NHL history to start a postseason with three straight game-opening goals, while Cale Makar moved within one of teammate Brent Burns for the most playoff goals among active defensemen as the Hurricanes and Avalanche secured 3-0 series leads.
* Three Game 3s are scheduled for Friday: Lightning-Canadiens, Golden Knights-Mammoth and Oilers-Ducks, all of which are series deadlocked at 1-1.
BYRAM, OSTLUND POST MULTIPLE POINTS TO LEAD BUFFALO TO 2-1 SERIES LEAD
After Boston opened the scoring, Bowen Byram netted the first of three straight Buffalo goals, which was capped by rookie Noah Ostlund’s first career postseason tally, to give the Sabres their second comeback win of the First Round. Buffalo took a 2-1 lead in a best-of-seven series for the first time since the 2007 Conference Semifinals – it holds an all-time series record of 10-3 in that scenario.
* Byram (1-1—2) became the seventh defenseman in Sabres history to score a goal in consecutive playoff games and the second in the past 25 years, after Henrik Tallinder (2 GP in 2006). Owen Power factored on Byram’s goal and became the third player in Sabres history to post an assist in each of his first three career playoff games, following Marc-Andre Gragnani (3 GP in 2011) and Richard Smehlik (3 GP in 1993).
* Ostlund (1-1—2) became the 10th rookie in Sabres history to score a goal in his postseason debut and the first to do so since Todd Simon in Game 1 of the 1994 Conference Quarterfinals. Ostlund is one of only three rookies with a goal in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs and one of just two with multiple points, joining Philadelphia’s Porter Martone (2-1—3 in 3 GP).
STANKOVEN OPENS SCORING AGAIN FOR RARE FEAT AS HURRICANES TAKE 3-0 LEAD
Logan Stankoven (1-0—1) opened the scoring for the third straight time this postseason and Taylor Hall (0-2—2) recorded his second multi-point outing in the past three contests to help the Hurricanes take a commanding 3-0 series lead. Carolina took a 3-0 series lead for the fourth time in franchise history and second in the past three years (also 2024 R1). They’ve gone on to win each of those series in five games or fewer.
* Stankoven extended his postseason-opening goal streak to three, matching Pat Verbeek (3 GP in 1991) for the longest in Hurricanes/Whalers history. In fact, only two players in franchise history have posted a longer goal streak at any point in a playoff year: Bates Battaglia (4 GP in 2002) and Ray Sheppard (4 GP in 1999).
* Stankoven became the first player in Hurricanes/Whalers history to score the opening goal of a playoff game in three straight contests. Only one player in NHL history extended that streak to four: Michel Goulet from Game 2-5 of the 1985 Division Semifinals with the Nordiques.
MAKAR, LANDESKOG HELP AVALANCHE GO UP 3-0
Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog opened the scoring and Cale Makar netted his first goal of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Avalanche repelled a third-period comeback attempt by the Kings and skated to a 3-0 series lead. The Avalanche went up 3-0 in a best-of-seven series for the eighth time in franchise history – each of the past three series concluded in four games (2022 CF, 2022 R1 & 2021 R1).
* Makar scored his 23rd career playoff goal and tied Kris Letang as well as Victor Hedman for the second most among all active defensemen. The only active blueliner with more is Makar’s teammate, Brent Burns (24).
* Landeskog became the seventh player in Avalanche/Nordiques history with 30 career playoff goals, while his five game-opening tallies in the postseason are tied for the sixth most in Avalanche team history behind Joe Sakic (16), Peter Forsberg (12), Rob Blake (8), Nathan MacKinnon (8) and Milan Hejduk (7).
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MAMMOTH READY TO HOST FIRST-EVER PLAYOFF GAME. . .
Utah is about to become the 23rd state (including Washington, D.C.) to host Stanley Cup Playoffs action when the Mammoth welcome the Golden Knights to Delta Center for Game 3 of their First Round series – deadlocked at one game apiece. Five franchises that debuted in the 1990s or later have won their first-ever home game in the postseason: Vegas (Game 1 of 2018 R1), Nashville (Game 3 of 2004 CQF), Anaheim (Game 1 of 1997 CQF), Florida (Game 1 of 1996 CQF) and Tampa Bay (Game 3 of 1996 CQF).
* Logan Cooley has sparked the Mammoth offense through two games in the First Round after opening the scoring in Game 1 and netting the winning goal in Game 2. In Game 3, Cooley can join Nick Harbaruk (PIT in 1970) and Newsy Lalonde (MTL in 1918-19) as the third player in NHL history to score in each of a franchise’s first three postseason contests.
Need to Know: Active NHL franchises and their first home game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
Most goals
7 – North Stars (Game 3 of 1968 QF)
– Arenas (Game 1 of 1918 NHLF)
6 – Panthers (Game 1 of 1996 CQF)
5 – Lightning (Game 3 of 1996 CQF)
Shutouts
Golden Knights – Game 1 of 2018 First Round
Nordiques – Game 3 of 1981 Preliminary Round
Comeback Wins
Lightning – Game 3 of 1996 Conference Quarterfinals
North Stars – Game 3 of 1968 Quarterfinals
Canadiens – Game 2 of 1918 NHL Final
. . . WHILE FOUR OTHER TEAMS JOSTLE FOR A SERIES ADVANTAGE
The Oilers and Ducks as well as the Lightning and Canadiens are two of the NHL’s five series even through the first two games and will have their matchups shift to Anaheim and Montreal, respectively, as each club has its sights on a 2-1 advantage. When a best-of-seven series is tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 holds an all-time series record of 245-124 (.664; 5-1 in 2025).
* Leon Draisaitl and Cutter Gauthier have been crucial for the Oilers and Ducks in the First Round as the clubs skated to a comeback win in Game 1 and 2, respectively. Anaheim and Edmonton are one of three series to feature a come-from-behind victory through the first two games of its series (also MTL-TBL & UTA-VGK). Only three series since 2020 have started with three straight comeback wins combined: 2025 Second Round (EDM-VGK), 2024 Second Round (VAN-EDM) and 2024 First Round (WPG-COL).
* Juraj Slafkovský (Game 1) and J.J. Moser (Game 2) have played the role of overtime hero through the first two games between the Canadiens and Lightning. Montreal can require overtime in three consecutive contests within a single Stanley Cup Playoffs series for the fourth time in franchise history (Games 2-4 of 1993 SCF, Games 2-4 of 1993 DF & Games 1-5 of 1951 SCF), while Tampa Bay can do so for the first time in franchise history.
