8:20 PM ET ESPN News Services TORONTO — The Pittsburgh Penguins entered their qualifying round matchup against Montreal healthy but wary. Optimistic but guarded. While they’d shown plenty of grit during a regular season that featured extended absences by high-profile names on their star-laden roster, in a short series facing a goaltender like Carey Price,
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7:49 PM ET The Arizona Coyotes bench screamed into the empty void of Rogers Place, where an NHL postseason without fans is being played. The wait was finally over for the franchise, and a considerable one at that. The Coyotes advanced to the Stanley Cup playoff quarterfinals with a 4-3 overtime victory to eliminate the
9:00 AM ET Kevin Fiala was frustrated. The Minnesota Wild were trailing the Vancouver Canucks by two goals in Game 3 of their qualification-round series. The winger’s shot had missed its target, one of 10 wayward attempts for the game. As the whistle sounded to stop play, he buzzed Vancouver goalie Jacob Markstrom‘s crease, stuck
6:05 PM ET Associated Press SEATTLE — The Seattle Kraken have hired Everett Fitzhugh as the club’s first broadcaster, the team announced Friday. Fitzhugh is believed to be the first Black team broadcaster hired by an NHL franchise. He has spent the past five seasons as the director of media relations and broadcasting for the
11:44 AM ET Associated Press TORONTO — The Pittsburgh Penguins are turning to goaltender Tristan Jarry with their season on the line. Coach Mike Sullivan said hours before Friday afternoon’s game that Jarry will make his first playoff start when Pittsburgh faces Montreal in Game 4 of their play-in series. The Canadiens lead the best-of-five
7:45 AM ET Friday’s NHL slate features the highest stakes we’ve seen yet, with six teams facing elimination. Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby could all potentially go home. Oh, and the teams ranked 22nd (Arizona Coyotes), 23rd (Chicago Blackhawks) and 24th (Montreal Canadiens) in regular-season points percentage can all clinch a playoff spot.
7:00 AM ET Under the NHL’s CBA, players are required to wear a suit, dress shirt and tie to the arena on game days “unless otherwise specified by the head coach or manager.” It’s the only major professional sports league in North America with such a strict dress code. “Once you get onto the plane,
6:54 PM ET Associated Press ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Anaheim Ducks have re-signed defenseman Jacob Larsson to a two-year, $2.4 million deal. The Ducks announced the return of their restricted free agent Thursday. Larsson will make $1.1 million next season and $1.3 million in the 2021-22 campaign. The 23-year-old Swede has two goals and 14
8:40 AM ET Alarm. Breakfast. Hockey. Dinner. Sleep. Repeat. This is the life cycle in the NHL’s restarted season, for the 24 teams involved in the two hub cities and the bleary-eyed fans watching from home. It’s like a housebound hockey Coachella — a “Couch-ella,” if you will — as the made-for-TV tournament runs all
7:18 AM ET The Winnipeg Jets face elimination, while the Toronto Maple Leafs hope to roll on despite the loss of key defenseman Jake Muzzin. And oh yeah, the NHL’s two No. 12 seeds have the No. 5 seeds on the brink as well. We told you this was going to be like March Madness!