Emily Kaplan is ESPN’s national NHL reporter. The Boston Bruins were sent home on Wednesday night, and the New York Islanders are the third team to reach the Stanley Cup semifinals. Tonight, the Colorado Avalanche — the top team in the regular season — will try to avoid a similar fate as the Bruins. But the Avs’ task isn’t easy: […]

1. Third-period nightmare For the first 40 minutes, the Avalanche had re-discovered its “A” game for the first time since Period 1 of Game 2. Coach Jared Bednar’s re-configured forward lines created chances and goals by Brandon Saad (first period) and Joonas Donskoi. Third-line winger Logan O’Connor was throwing his body around and trying to generate a fore-check. The Avs […]

The Bruins are on the brink of elimination after they suffered a 5-4 loss to the Islanders. And coming out of the contest, there are questions about Tuukka Rask. Boston’s long-time goaltender was replaced ahead of the third period Monday night by Jeremy Swayman. There wasn’t any injury update about Rask during the game, so that raised questions from the […]

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy isn’t happy with how many penalties his team has been assessed in the Islanders series. After the Bruins lost to New York 5-4 on Monday, Cassidy said during his postgame news conference that his counterparts have sold a narrative that they are “more like the New York Saints, not the New York Islanders,” according to a […]

The Avalanche hosts the Vegas Golden Knights for Game 5 of their second-round series on Tuesday night at Ball Arena (7 p.m., NBCSN). Three keys for Colorado, with the series tied 2-2: 1. MacKinnon and company. Let’s tell it like it is: Since Game 2, Vegas has done a remarkable job of defending star center Nathan MacKinnon and wingers Gabe […]

Its top unit is slumping, its defensemen are under siege from a relentless opponent and its entire roster is struggling to win battles. What can the Avalanche hang its collective hat on entering Tuesday’s critical Game 5 playoff game against Vegas? Its arena. Its ice. Its last change. And its fans. “The part of what gives me confidence is the […]

Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer. The 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs have seen two series sweeps already, and a third could be on the way, as the underdog Montreal Canadiens can eliminate the Winnipeg Jets in Game 4. Meanwhile, the intense New York Islanders vs. Boston Bruins series heads back to Beantown for a pivotal Game 5, as that […]

Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer. UNIONDALE, NY — Mathew Barzal skated back onto the ice after the New York Islanders’ Game 4 win. Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum had been raucous all night, and Barzal gave the fans one more chance to roar as the game’s first star, pumping his fist and screaming “let’s go!” as he saluted them. […]

TORONTO — Taya Currie became the first female player ever chosen in the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection draft Saturday. The 16-year-old goaltender from Parkhill, Ontario, was selected in the 14th round, 267th overall, by the Sarnia Sting. “It’s just awesome,” Currie told OHL TV when asked about her reaction to being drafted. “I can be a role model for […]

Suspended Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele said Friday that his family members received hateful messages after his injury-causing hit on Montreal's Jake Evans on Wednesday. Scheifele will begin serving his four-game suspension for charging Friday night. He checked Evans hard in Game 1 of the second-round series after the Canadiens forward scored an empty-net goal late in Montreal's 5-3 win. Evans […]