Stanley Cup playoffs daily: Previews, stats, schedule, bracketplayTkachuk tells McAfee: The NHL playoffs have been unreal so far (1:06)Matthew Tkachuk joins “The Pat McAfee Show” and describes how electric the NHL playoffs have been so far, especially after the Winter Games. (1:06)ESPN staffMay 10, 2026, 07:00 AM ETMultiple Authors
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None of the teams playing on Sunday will be sweeping their second-round opponent like the Carolina Hurricanes did on Saturday, and each of the contests will be pivotal to who does move on the conference finals.
After a dominant win in Game 2, the Montreal Canadiens now host the Buffalo Sabres in Game 3. Across the continent, the Anaheim Ducks are looking for a better result in Game 4 after losing Game 3 to the Vegas Golden Knights to fall behind one games to two.
Here’s what to watch — and a best bet — for Sunday’s games, along with scores and highlights from Saturday’s contests, and updated playoff stat leaders.
Read more:
Full schedule
Playoff Central
Stanley Cup odds
Conn Smythe Watch
Second-round picks
Offseason guide for eliminated teams
Sunday’s schedule
Buffalo Sabres at Montreal Canadiens
Game 3, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN) | Series tied 1-1
When a best-of-seven series has been tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 has a 248-126 series record; teams in that scenario have a 3-2 series record thus far in the 2026 playoffs.
The Sabres have a 6-10 series record all-time when seven-game series have been tied 1-1; the Canadiens have a 25-19 all-time series record in the same scenario.
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Buffalo needs Tage Thompson to get rolling again. He scored two goals in Game 1 in the first round against the Boston Bruins, but has zero goals in the seven games since.
Sabres forward Zach Benson has two goals and five points during his active three-game point streak. He is one of four players from the 2023 NHL draft class to have played professional games only in the NHL since being selected; Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson are the others.
Rasmus Dahlin has 30 shots on goal this postseason, which leads all defensemen. He has at least two shots on goal in all eight of the Sabres’ games so far, which is tied for the second-longest such streak in a single postseason. John Van Boxmeer (1981) and Jocelyn Guevremont (1976) equaled the eight-game streak, which Van Boxmeer had a nine-game streak in 1980.
Speaking of American-born players who need to get rolling again, Montreal’s Cole Caufield has just one goal in his past 11 games (going back to the regular season). The last time he had one or zero goals in an 11-game span was March 2024.
Nick Suzuki is riding a three-game goal streak, the longest in a single playoff run by a Canadien since Shea Weber in 2020. The last Montreal player with a longer streak was Alexei Kovalev in 2004.
Lane Hutson now has 10 assists through 14 career postseason games, which is the second-fastest Canadiens player to reach 10 playoff assists, behind Elmer Lach (12 assists in 11 games between 1941-44).
Vegas Golden Knights at Anaheim Ducks
Game 4, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) | VGK leads 2-1
Teams that have built a 2-1 lead in a best-of-seven series have gone on to have a 399-180 series record in Stanley Cup playoff history.
There are big stakes at play in Game 4. The Golden Knights have a 7-2 series record when leading 2-1 in a seven-game series, and the Ducks have a 3-6 series record when trailing 1-2. The Knights have a 7-1 series record when they’ve gone up 3-1, while the Ducks have lost every playoff series in which they’ve fallen behind 1-3.
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Calder Trophy finalist Beckett Sennecke has three goals in the 2026 playoffs, which is tied for fourth-most by a Ducks rookie in the postseason, behind Dustin Penner (6), Bobby Ryan (5) and Stanislav Chistov (4).
Jackson LaCombe has been held pointless in the past two games after scoring 10 points through his first six this postseason.
Ducks veteran Chris Kreider scored his 50th career playoff goal in Game 3, becoming the sixth U.S.-born skater to do so in NHL history. He joins Joe Pavelski (74), Joe Mullen (60), Mike Modano (58), Jeremy Roenick (53) and Patrick Kane (53).
Following a hat trick in Game 3, Vegas’ Mitch Marner now has six goals this postseason, which is the most in a single postseason in his career. His 13 points are one shy of his previous career best with Toronto (14 in 2023).
Teammate Brett Howden has two shorthanded goals this postseason, which is one shy of tying the record for most in a single playoff run. It’s been done seven times before, most recently by Tobias Rieder in 2020 with Calgary.
Jack Eichel has 54 career playoff points, which is the third-most for a U.S.-born player before their 50th career postseason game (Game 4 will be lucky No. 50). He is behind Brian Leetch (62) and Kevin Stevens (60) on the list.
Sunday’s best bet
The bet: William Karlsson one-plus points (+115)
The forward line comprising Karlsson, Mitch Marner and Brett Howden was the Knights’ most effective in Friday’s 6-2 victory over the Ducks, combining for seven total points. Returning on May 4 after losing six months to a lower-body injury, Karlsson watched his minutes shoot up to nearly 20 in taking over as the club’s second-line center.
While anticipating another hat trick from Marner feels like a big ask, this freshly assembled trio stands an excellent shot at putting up numbers against the fourth-worst defense in the NHL. — Victoria Matiash
Saturday’s scoreboard
Carolina Hurricanes 3, Philadelphia Flyers 2 (OT)
Hurricanes win 4-0
Unlike some of the other games in this series, this one was tightly contested from start to finish. Tyson Foerster got the Flyers on the board first, and the Flyers held that 1-0 lead after the first period. However, goals from Jackson Blake (12:35 of the second) and Logan Stankoven (4:13 of the third) put the Canes ahead. That lead was short-lived, as Alex Bump scored 99 seconds later to knot the score at 2-2, which would stand through the end of regulation.
However, there was no magic left for Philly, as Blake scored his second of the game to ice the series. Here are the keys to the offseason for the Flyers, while the Hurricanes await the winner of the Sabres-Canadiens series for the Eastern Conference finals. Full recap.
Minnesota Wild 5, Colorado Avalanche 1
Avalache lead 2-1
The Wild were not about to suffer the same fate as the Flyers, and pushed back with force in their first home game of this series. Kirill Kaprizov and Quinn Hughes each scored in the first period, and Ryan Hartman got on the board at 4:23 of the second to give Minnesota a 3-0 lead. Nathan MacKinnon answered for the Avs, but Brock Faber scored 20 seconds later to restore the lead to three goals.
Although the Avs had their chances in the third, none crossed the goal line, and Matt Boldy added an empty-net tally to seal the deal officially. Game 4 is on Monday in Minnesota. Full recap.
Playoff scoring leaders
PlayerGPGAP1. Kirill Kaprizov, F, Wild
Click here for full list of stats leaders.
Playoff goaltending leaders
PlayerGPWGAASV%1. Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes
Click here for the full list of goaltender stats.
Stanley Cup playoff bracket
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