#NHLPeachy @NHL NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition – April 30, 2026
* Pavel Dorofeyev became the fourth player in NHL history with three tying goals in a playoff game and Brett Howden achieved a rare feat with a shorthanded winner in double overtime as the Golden Knights took a 3-2 series lead.
* Cam York’s first career playoff goal was the overtime clincher as the Flyers foiled the Penguins and advanced to the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, where they’ll face the Hurricanes. The 2026 First Round marked the fifth time in NHL history where all eight series in a playoff round featured at least one overtime game (also 2023 R1, 2017 R1, 2013 CQF & 2001 CQF).
* Kirby Dach, Lane Hutson and the Canadiens captured another one-goal victory and head back to Bell Centre with the club’s first 3-2 series lead since the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals.
* The Stars and Oilers can force the first Game 7s of the postseason as they look to record road wins and evade elimination against the Wild and Ducks, respectively.
DOROFEYEV, HOWDEN HELP GOLDEN KNIGHTS TAKE 3-2 SERIES LEAD
The Mammoth took the lead three times, but Pavel Dorofeyev (3-0—3) pulled them even each time including with a tying goal in the final 53 seconds of regulation, setting the stage for Brett Howden to score while shorthanded in double overtime to lift the Golden Knights to a 3-2 series lead.
* Dorofeyev became the fourth player in franchise playoff history with a hat trick after Mark Stone (Game 5 of 2023 SCF & Game 3 of 2019 R1), Jonathan Marchessault (Game 6 of 2023 R2 & Game 4 of 2021 R2) and Mattias Janmark (Game 7 of 2021 R1).
* With his third goal, Dorofeyev became the second player in franchise playoff history to score a tying tally in the final minute of regulation, following Marchessault who found the back of the net with 47 seconds left in Game 7 of the 2019 First Round (59:13). It also marked the latest game-tying goal in the postseason since Sam Reinhart in Game 4 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final (59:40).
* Howden became the second player to score a shorthanded winner in a game that required multiple overtimes (since 1933-34 when goals by type began being tracked), following teammate Tomas Hertl who did so in Game 6 of the 2019 First Round against the Golden Knights while he was a member of the Sharks.
YORK CALLS SERIES AS FLYERS ADVANCE TO SECOND ROUND WITH OVERTIME victory
Cam York scored the overtime clincher as the Flyers foiled the Penguins’ attempt to rally from a 3-0 deficit and earned their first series win since a six-game victory versus the Canadiens in the 2020 First Round. Philadelphia picked up its 45th series win overall to pass Edmonton (44) for the most by a non-Original Six franchise.
* York became the sixth player in club history with a series-clinching goal in overtime, following Joffrey Lupul (Game 7 of 2008 CQF), Jeremy Roenick (Game 6 of 2004 CSF), Ken Linseman (Game 3 of 1980 PRLM), Andre Dupont (Game 4 of 1975 QF) and Dave Schultz (Game 4 of 1974 QF). York and Dupont are the only defensemen among that group.
* York was born in Anaheim and played minor hockey with the Jr. Ducks program under coaches Craig Johnson and Scott Niedermayer, the latter of whom won a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy in Orange County when York was six years old. York’s interest in the sport started with a backyard roller hockey rink installed by his father, Jeff.
* Dan Vladar became the fifth goaltender in franchise history with a series-clinching shutout, following Pelle Lindbergh (Game 6 of 1985 CF & Game 5 of 1985 DF), Bernie Parent (Game 6 of 1975 SCF & Game 6 of 1974 SCF), Brian Boucher (Game 5 of 2010 CQF) and Ron Hextall (Game 6 of 1987 DSF). Vladar’s 42 saves marked the most by a Flyers goaltender in a potential clinching contest, eclipsing the previous high of 41 set by Phil Myre (Game 3 of 1980 PRLM).
* The Flyers and Hurricanes will play their first head-to-head playoff series. Philadelphia has an all-time record of 13-7 in its first series against a franchise, while Carolina is 9-7 including a 1-2 mark from when the club was known as the Hartford Whalers.
* Trevor Zegras (Dec. 23, 2023, April 1, 2022 & Jan. 27, 2022) and Andrei Svechnikov (April 9, 2024, Dec. 17, 2019 & Oct. 29, 2019) account for two of the NHL’s last three “cradle” goals and six overall (including four in seasons before 2022-23 when the shot type was officially tracked). Zegras also cradled the puck and flipped it over the net for an alley-oop assist on Dec. 7, 2021.
CANADIENS SKATE TO 3-2 SERIES LEAD IN ANOTHER CLOSE CONTEST
Kirby Dach scored a go-ahead goal 11 seconds after the Lightning tied the game and Lane Hutson factored on the game winner to extend his point streak as the Canadiens skated to a 3-2 series lead for the first time since the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals. This series is the second over the past nine postseasons to feature each of the first five games decided by a one-goal margin (also EDM-VAN in 2024 R2).
* Hutson became the third Canadiens defenseman to record a point in each of the team’s first five games of a playoff year, joining Larry Robinson (9 GP in 1978 & 5 GP in 1979) and Serge Savard (5 GP in 1977). Hutson’s run is also tied with Lars Eller (5 GP in 2014) as the longest postseason-opening streak by any Montreal skater over the past 15 years.
* Hutson collected an assist to improve his career playoff totals to 2-8—10 (10 GP). He required the fewest games by a defenseman to reach the 10-point mark in franchise history, besting Chris Chelios (13 GP). Hutson is the fastest Canadiens player to do so since Paul Di Pietro (10 GP in 1993).
SOROKIN, SWAYMAN, VASILEVSKIY NAMED VEZINA TROPHY FINALISTS
Ilya Sorokin (NYI), Jeremy Swayman (BOS) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL) were announced as the three finalists for the 2025-26 Vezina Trophy, awarded “to the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position.” Click here for full details.
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WILD AND DUCKS RETURN HOME WITH HOPES OF ADVANCING TOP OF MIND
All eyes are on the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs when rookie Jesper Wallstedt and the Wild as well as Cutter Gauthier and the Ducks return to their home rinks with an opportunity to clinch their first series victories since the 2015 First Round and 2017 Second Round, respectively.
* Wallstedt (3-2, .926 SV%, 2.05 GAA) sits one victory away from becoming the fourth rookie goaltender with a series-clinching win in the past four seasons (also Arturs Silovs: Game 6 of 2024 R1, Stuart Skinner: Game 6 of 2023 R1 & Akira Schmid: Game 7 of 2023 R1). Only one has ever done so for the Wild: Darcy Kuemper (Game 7 of 2014 R1).
* Anaheim, which ranks among the top five in winning percentage as the home team during the Stanley Cup Playoffs since its first-ever appearance in 1997, returns to Honda Center with an opportunity to oust the Oilers. Among franchises to end a playoff drought of five or more consecutive years, the Ducks can become the fourth to eliminate a reigning Stanley Cup champion or Stanley Cup finalist, after the 2019 Hurricanes (R1 vs. WSH), 2017 Oilers (R1 vs. SJS) and 1995 Flyers (CSF vs. NYR).
* Connor McDavid (8-17—25 in 16 GP), Leon Draisaitl (5-16—21 in 16 GP) and Mikko Rantanen (10-8—18 in 14 GP) are regulars on the score sheet when their teams face elimination in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and will look to do so again in order to force a Game 7 for the Oilers and Stars. Each star has averaged at least 1.00 points per game in potential elimination contests and rank second, 10th and 12th (tied) in League history, respectively (min. 5 GP).
