Faceoff is scheduled for 10:00 PM ET
Venue: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
TV: TNT / truTV / HBO Max (also CBC, TVAS, SN, KCOP-13, Victory+)

The Edmonton Oilers are facing elimination in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round, with the Anaheim Ducks holding a commanding 3-1 series lead. After rallying from an early 2-0 deficit to win Game 4 in overtime (4-3) on Ryan Poehling’s goal just 2:29 into the extra frame, Anaheim has won three straight and is one victory away from its first series win since 2017. Edmonton, despite star power and home-ice advantage at Rogers Place, has struggled with defensive lapses and goaltending inconsistency in the series. The Oilers must force a Game 6 back in Anaheim or see their season end tonight in front of a desperate home crowd.

Edmonton earned the higher seed with strong home performance and elite forward talent. Anaheim, the Pacific’s third-place team, has exceeded expectations with speed, depth scoring, and resilience in its first playoff appearance in eight years.

Recent Team Forms

Oilers (last 10 games, including playoffs): Struggling to close out leads. Edmonton is 1-3 in the series, with high-event games exposing defensive gaps. They lead early in Game 4 (2-0) but allowed Anaheim to climb back twice before falling in OT. Special teams have been inconsistent, and goaltending has been under siege.

Ducks (last 10 games, including playoffs): Red-hot, winning three straight after dropping Game 1. Anaheim is averaging over 5 goals per game in the series (20 total goals in four games), with contributions from throughout the lineup. They have excelled on the power play and in overtime situations while maintaining strong 5-on-5 play.

Injury Report

Edmonton Oilers:

Adam Henrique (C) – Out (lower body; missed since Game 1).

Colton Dach (C) – Out (illness).

Connor McDavid (C) – Playing but limited (ankle injury sustained in Game 2; mobility concerns noted, though he has remained in the lineup).

Other depth forwards (e.g., recent returns for Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Jason Dickinson) appear available.

Anaheim Ducks:

Radko Gudas (D) – Out (day-to-day, lower body).

Ross Johnston (LW) – Out (day-to-day, lower body).

Jansen Harkins (C) – Out (day-to-day).
Roster otherwise healthy, with young stars like Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson fully available.

Edmonton’s depth has been tested, while Anaheim’s injury absences are mostly on the blue line and bottom-six.

Key Player Matchups

Connor McDavid / Leon Draisaitl (EDM) vs. Anaheim’s defense (Jackson LaCombe / others): McDavid remains the focal point despite the ankle issue; LaCombe has been outstanding limiting high-danger chances. Draisaitl’s return has helped, but Edmonton needs both stars to dominate for a comeback.

Cutter Gauthier / Leo Carlsson / Mikael Granlund (ANA) vs. Edmonton’s goaltending: Anaheim’s young core and veteran secondary scorers have powered the offense (multiple multi-goal games). Edmonton’s netminders (likely Stuart Skinner or Tristan Jarry) have allowed 20 goals in four games.

Evan Bouchard (EDM D) vs. Ducks forecheck: Bouchard has been involved offensively but exposed defensively in the series.

Special teams and goaltending: Both clubs have traded power-play goals; Anaheim’s penalty kill and 5-on-5 structure have edged Edmonton lately. Lukas Dostal has been solid for the Ducks.

Additional notes: The series has been high-scoring and physical, with Anaheim capitalizing on turnovers and Edmonton struggling to sustain leads.

Series History

2025-26 Regular Season: Oilers held a 2-1 edge in head-to-head matchups.

2026 Playoffs (Current Series): Ducks lead 3-1.

Game 1 (Apr 20 @ EDM): Oilers 4, Ducks 3

Game 2 (Apr 22 @ EDM): Ducks 6, Oilers 4

Game 3 (Apr 24 @ ANA): Ducks 7, Oilers 4

Game 4 (Apr 26 @ ANA): Ducks 4, Oilers 3 (OT)

nhl.com +1

Anaheim has flipped the script in the postseason with explosive offense after a close regular-season rivalry.

Betting Trends

The total has gone Over in all four series games (and many regular-season meetings). Edmonton is strong at home but 1-3 SU in the series overall. Anaheim is 3-0 SU lately and has covered as underdogs.

Game Odds

Anaheim Ducks                 6.5

Edmonton Oilers              – 175

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, April 27, 2026

Faceoff is scheduled for 8:00 PM ET (7:00 PM CT)
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
TV: ESPN2 / FDSNNO / Victory+ / FDSNWI / SN360 / TVAS2

The Western Conference First Round series is knotted at 2-2 heading into Game 5 at American Airlines Center. After Minnesota stunned Dallas with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 4—capped by Matt Boldy’s deflection with 29 seconds left in the extra frame—the Stars now get home-ice advantage back in a must-win environment. Dallas earned the higher seed and home advantage with a superior regular-season record, but the Wild have shown resilience on the road and in overtime. A Stars win pushes them to a 3-2 lead with Game 6 in Minnesota; a Wild victory sends the series back to St. Paul with Minnesota holding momentum.

Dallas finished eight points ahead of Minnesota in the Central and posted one of the league’s top defensive records. Minnesota advanced as a strong wild-card-level team with solid goaltending and depth scoring.

Recent Team Forms

Stars (last 10 games, including playoffs): Strong rebounders after the Game 1 blowout loss. Dallas is 2-2 in the series, winning Games 2 and 3 (including a gritty 4-3 2OT victory in Game 3). They have controlled play at even strength in stretches and boast elite special teams and goaltending.

Wild (last 10 games, including playoffs): 2-2 in the series with high-variance results. Minnesota dominated Game 1 (6-1), lost the next two narrowly, then stole Game 4 in OT. They have thrived in overtime and shown fight on the road but have been inconsistent in sustaining pressure.

Injury Report

Dallas Stars:

Roope Hintz (C) – Out (lower body; missed recent games, doubtful/expected return timeline beyond Game 5).

Nils Lundkvist (D) – Out (face; ruled out for Game 5).

Tyler Seguin (C) – Out for season (knee/ACL).

Nathan Bastian (RW) – Out (hand).
Roster otherwise healthy with depth forwards available.

Minnesota Wild:

Mats Zuccarello (RW) – Questionable (upper body; missed Games 2-4 after elbow to head in Game 1; skated and could return).

Yakov Trenin (C) – Out (upper body; missed Game 4 after hit in Game 2).

Other notes: Zach Bogosian (maintenance day recently) expected available.

Dallas’s injury depth is tested without Hintz and Lundkvist, while Minnesota’s top-line chemistry could get a boost if Zuccarello returns.

Key Player Matchups

Kirill Kaprizov / Matt Boldy (MIN) vs. Dallas defense (Miro Heiskanen / Thomas Harley): Boldy’s OT heroics in Game 4 highlight Minnesota’s scoring punch. Kaprizov remains a constant threat; Dallas must contain them without full defensive depth.

Jake Oettinger (DAL G) vs. Minnesota’s forecheck: Oettinger has been stellar in the series (strong in Game 3 and parts of Game 4). He faces a Wild team generating high-danger chances in OT scenarios.

Jason Robertson / Matt Duchene (DAL) vs. Minnesota’s back end (Jonas Brodin / Brock Faber): Dallas needs Robertson’s playmaking and Duchene’s veteran presence (2 assists in Game 4) to generate offense.

Special teams and goaltending: Both teams have traded power-play goals; the Stars lead in series special-teams efficiency, but Minnesota’s penalty kill has been opportunistic. Wild goaltending (likely Filip Gustavsson or Jesper Wallstedt) must match Oettinger’s level.

Additional notes: Dallas excels in puck possession and transition; Minnesota has capitalized on turnovers and overtime play. Physicality (hits, blocked shots) has been even, with both teams battling in front of nets.

Series History

2025-26 Regular Season: Dallas held the edge in head-to-head matchups.

2026 Playoffs (Current Series): Tied 2-2.

Game 1 (Apr 18 @ DAL): MIN 6, DAL 1

Game 2 (Apr 20 @ DAL): DAL 4, MIN 2

Game 3 (Apr 22 @ MIN): DAL 4, MIN 3 (2OT)

Game 4 (Apr 25 @ MIN): MIN 3, DAL 2 (OT)

The series has featured blowouts, OT thrillers, and tight checking—classic playoff hockey between Central Division rivals.

Betting Trends

Stars are strong at home in the postseason and have covered as favorites. Minnesota is 1-4 SU in recent road games and has seen variance in totals. Three of four series games have been decided by one goal (two in OT). Dallas is 2-0 ATS in last two home playoff games.

Game Odds

Minnesota Wild               5.5

Dallas Stars                         – 130

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, April 27, 2026

Faceoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET
Venue: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
TV: TNT / truTV / HBO Max (also NESN, MSG-B)

The Buffalo Sabres are one win away from their first playoff series victory since 2007 and can eliminate the Boston Bruins in Game 5 on home ice. After a dominant 6-1 road win in Game 4 at TD Garden—where they erupted for four first-period goals—Buffalo holds a commanding 3-1 series lead. The Bruins, who stole Game 2 but have been outclassed since, now face elimination in a hostile KeyBank Center environment where the Sabres have been strong all season. Boston must find answers in net and on special teams to force a Game 6.

Team Records

Buffalo Sabres: 50-23-9 regular season (109 points); Atlantic Division champions; 3-1 in the series.

Boston Bruins: 45-27-10 regular season (100 points); Eastern Conference Wild Card #1; 1-3 in the series.

Buffalo earned the top seed in the Atlantic and home-ice advantage with elite depth and goaltending. Boston advanced as a wild card but has looked overmatched against Buffalo’s speed and physicality in the playoffs.

Recent Team Forms

Sabres (last 10 games, including playoffs): 7-2 SU, with three straight series wins (including back-to-back victories in Boston). They are averaging strong offensive output (especially in transitions and first periods) while holding opponents in check. Game 4 was their most complete effort: four goals in the opening frame en route to a 6-1 rout. Buffalo leads the series in scoring efficiency and has won the special-teams battle lately.

Bruins (last 10 games, including playoffs): 3-7 SU overall, 1-3 in the series. Boston has been outscored badly in recent losses (Games 3 and 4) and is struggling to generate consistent offense. Their home playoff struggles continued in Game 4, extending a skid. Goaltending and defensive lapses have been glaring.

Injury Report

Boston Bruins:

Viktor Arvidsson (LW) – Out (upper body; left Game 4 after a hard check and will not return for Game 5).

No other major new reports, but the lineup will feel the absence of Arvidsson’s speed and depth.

Buffalo Sabres:

Sam Carrick (C) – Out (arm; ruled out for the entire first-round series).

Josh Norris (C) – Questionable / Day-to-Day (undisclosed; missed Game 4).

Roster otherwise healthy and deep, with youngsters like Noah Östlund available to step up.

msn.com +1

Buffalo’s depth has allowed them to absorb injuries better than Boston, whose forward group is now thinner.

Key Player Matchups

Rasmus Dahlin / Bowen Byram (BUF D) vs. Boston’s top forwards: Dahlin leads Sabres defensemen in production (74 points in regular season) and has been a two-way force. Byram and Mattias Samuelsson provide physicality that has disrupted Boston’s attack.

Tage Thompson / Alex Tuch (BUF F) vs. Bruins defense: Tuch and Josh Doan combined for goals and assists in Game 4’s explosion. Thompson’s speed creates mismatches.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen / Alex Lyon (BUF G) vs. Jeremy Swayman (BOS G): Buffalo’s tandem has been outstanding; Lyon was stellar in recent starts. Swayman has struggled with consistency and high-danger chances in the series.

Boston’s veteran core (e.g., Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak) vs. Sabres’ forecheck: Boston needs its stars to generate offense, but Buffalo’s young, fast forwards and defensemen have limited their space.

Additional notes: Sabres excel in first-period scoring and transition play; Bruins have been slow to adapt and are getting outshot/outhustled.

Series History

2025-26 Regular Season: Bruins held a 3-1-0 edge in head-to-head matchups.

2026 Playoffs (Current Series): Sabres lead 3-1.

Game 1 (Apr 19, BUF): Sabres 4, Bruins 3

Game 2 (Apr 21, BUF): Bruins 4, Sabres 2

Game 3 (Apr 23, BOS): Sabres 3, Bruins 1

Game 4 (Apr 26, BOS): Sabres 6, Bruins 1

sabrenoise.com +1

Buffalo has flipped the script in the postseason, winning three straight after dropping Game 2.

Betting Trends

Sabres are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games and 5-2 at home recently. Bruins are 2-5 SU in their last 7 road games and 3-8 SU in their last 11 overall. The total has gone Under in several recent Bruins games, but series games have seen scoring variance (including the 6-1 blowout). Buffalo is 5-14 SU historically at home vs. Boston in regular season, but playoff momentum overrides that.

Game Odds

Boston Bruins                    5.5

Buffalo Sabres                   – 170

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, April 27, 2026

* Kris Letang and Sidney Crosby connected on the game-winning goal to evade elimination for the second straight contest as the Penguins forced a Game 6 in a victory that saw the veteran blueliner become just the second defenseman in NHL history to score consecutive game-winning goals when facing elimination.

* Shea Theodore scored his first career playoff overtime goal as the Golden Knights became the third First Round matchup to be tied 2-2 and guaranteed that at least four series this round will require six or more games.

* Two of the three Game 5s slated for Tuesday feature teams looking to force a Game 6 – Boston and Edmonton – while both the Wild and Stars have an opportunity to take a 3-2 series lead in their First Round matchup.
 

LETANG, CROSBY ALLOW PENGUINS TO FORCE A GAME 6
Kris Letang scored his second straight game-winning goal and Sidney Crosby factored on two of his team’s three tallies to ensure the Penguins would play another contest in the 2026 Stanley Cup – both climbed a number of NHL lists in the process. Pittsburgh became the sixth team since 2016 to force a Game 6 after falling behind 3-0 in their postseason series and did so for the second time in Letang and Crosby’s career (also 2012 CQF vs. PHI).
 

* Letang became the second defenseman in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to score consecutive game-winning goals when facing elimination, joining J.C. Tremblay (Game 6-7 of 1971 QF). At age 39 (and three days), he also became the second-oldest player in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to score consecutive game winners behind Ron Francis (39 years, 63 days) during Game 6 of the 2002 Conference Quarterfinal and Game 1 of the Conference Semifinals.

* Letang climbed multiple lists among active defensemen – he recorded his ninth career go-ahead goal, which tied Brent Burns for the most along with his 25th career postseason tally, which passed Burns and Cale Makar (both w/ 24) for tops within that cohort. Earlier this season, Letang was featured in the NHL’s Skates Off series for his passion for fashion.

* Crosby moved into a tie with Mario Lemieux (9-12—21) for the second-most points in games when facing elimination in Penguins history behind Jaromir Jagr (12-16—28). The Penguins captain also recorded his sixth career multi-point performance in that same scenario – only three active players have more: Brad Marchand (8), Patrick Kane (7) and Connor McDavid (7).

* Crosby became the fourth active player to record 100 postseason wins, joining Corey Perry (137), Ryan McDonagh (107) and Marchand (100). He also moved up the NHL’s all-time playoff list for multi-assist periods, climbing into seventh with his 28th.
 

THEODORE’S OT WINNER HELPS VEGAS WITHSTAND UTAH RALLY TO EVEN SERIES

The Golden Knights opened a three-goal lead but soon faced a deficit of their own after the Mammoth responded with four straight. Brett Howden (2-1—3) levelled the game in the third period with his second of the night to set up overtime, where Shea Theodore scored with 52 seconds left in the extra frame to help Vegas head home with its First Round series squared.

* Theodore netted his first career playoff overtime goal and became the first defenseman to achieve the feat for the Golden Knights. Theodore’s last game winner in the postseason came in Game 7 of the 2020 Second Round when he tallied the series clincher against Vancouver.

* Jack Eichel (0-3—3) factored on the overtime winner and matched the franchise record for most assists in a playoff game. His six three-point playoff games with Vegas are tied with Jonathan Marchessault for the most in franchise history, while his three games with three-plus assists are now the most by a Golden Knights player in the postseason.

QUICK CLICKS

* Monday’s #NHLStats: Live Updates

* Start times for Stanley Cup Playoff games on April 29 announced
* MLB’s George Springer rocks full hockey gear for practice
*Nikita Zadorov fined maximum for cross-checking in Game 4 with Bruins
* NHL to begin revealing 2025-26 season award finalists on Tuesday
* NHL STREET to be brought to schools nationwide

TUESDAY HAS PIVOTAL GAME 5 IN DALLAS, TWO TEAMS TRYING TO evade ELIMINATION

Tuesday’s schedule features Edmonton and Boston looking to force Game 6 in its First Round matchups against Anaheim and Buffalo, respectively, as well as a crucial contest in Dallas with a 3-2 series lead on the line.

* Connor McDavid and the Oilers head into their 16th game facing elimination since the start of the 2017 playoffs as Jackson LaCombe and the Ducks aim for the franchise’s first series win since eliminating Edmonton in the Second Round of that same postseason. McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are among the League’s active leaders in points when facing elimination, with Draisaitl’s total including a 3-2—5 effort against Anaheim in Game 6 of the last head-to-head series.

* David Pastrnak can help the Bruins win a playoff round after facing a 3-1 deficit for the first time in franchise history, while Alex Tuch and the Sabres seek the club’s first series victory since a six-game triumph versus the Rangers during the 2007 Conference Semifinals. Boston can force a Game 6 for the first time since Morgan Geekie and Charlie McAvoy accounted for both goals in a 2-1 win against Florida during the 2024 Second Round.

* Matt Boldy played the role of overtime hero in Game 4 and leads the Wild back to American Airlines Center where they’ll face Jason Robertson, who can extend his postseason-opening goal streak to a franchise-record five games. Robertson can also tie the club mark for longest at any point in a playoff year shared by Minnesota North Stars forwards Steve Payne (5 GP in 1981) and Milan Marcetta (5 GP in 1968).