* Taylor Hall scored his first career playoff overtime goal to cap Carolina’s eighth multi-goal comeback win in team postseason history as the Hurricanes improved to 6-0 to begin the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* Close games continue to be a trend this postseason with a game-winning goal scored in the third period during Game 1 of the Ducks and Golden Knights, as Vegas continued their success in series openers since joining the NHL.
* The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery takes place tonight and the drawing will once again be held live in-studio, allowing viewers to follow along and learn the results at the same time as participating teams.
* Tuesday’s lone game features the Wild looking to tie their Second Round series with the Avalanche after the teams combined for 15 goals in the opener Sunday.
HALL’S HEROICS IN OVERTIME KEEP CAROLINA UNDEFEATED IN 2026 PLAYOFFS
The Hurricanes found themselves trailing for the first time this postseason after the Flyers potted the game’s first two goals in a span of 39 seconds, but Nikolaj Ehlers (1-1—2) and Seth Jarvis (1-0—1) scored their first goals of the playoffs – the latter doing so in front of his hometown friends from Winnipeg in the final 10 minutes of regulation – to force overtime. It took nearly the full extra frame but Taylor Hall (1-0—1) tallied his first career playoff overtime winner with 66 seconds remaining and lifted Carolina to a 2-0 series lead.
* Carolina won each of its first two overtime games in a postseason for the fourth time in club history, following 2023 (3 GP), 2002 (2 GP) and 1986 (2 GP). The franchise improved to 19-11 through their first 30 overtime games as the home team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which tied the Islanders and Canadiens for the second-most wins in that scenario behind the Blues and Sabres (20).
* Jarvis factored on a game-tying goal in the third period of a playoff game for the fifth time in his career, which tied Ron Francis for the third most in franchise history behind Sebastian Aho (7) and Andrei Svechnikov (6). That goal was also the 20th of Jarvis’ postseason career, a total only Aho (37) and Svechnikov (23) have hit for the franchise.
* Hall, appearing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the sixth time in seven seasons after missing out in each of his first eight campaigns, has collected a point in every game for the Hurricanes to start 2026 and established a career high for points in a single playoff year (3-6—9 in 6 GP). The 34-year-old became the first player in franchise history to start a postseason with a six-game point streak.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS SURVIVE CLOSE CONTEST TO SECURE ANOTHER GAME 1 WIN
Brett Howden (1-0—1) opened the scoring and matched the franchise record for longest playoff goal streak (4 GP) – a tally that appeared to be the one to lift Vegas to victory in Game 1 of its Second Round series. Mikael Granlund then pulled the Ducks even with 6:03 remaining in regulation only to have Ivan Barbashev restore a Golden Knights lead 65 seconds later with the eventual game-winning goal as “close games” continue to be a trend in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* 88% of games this postseason (43/49) have been “close games” (one-goal margin or 2+ with empty netter) – tied for the highest percentage through the first 49 games of a postseason in Stanley Cup Playoff history (also 2024).
* Did You Know? There have been 20 go-ahead goals in the third period in the 2026 Playoffs, which is the most through this stage of a postseason since 2011 (20).
* Mitch Marner (1-1—2) collected multiple points for the second time in as many games (2-1—3 in Game 6 of R1) and did so on the eve of his 29th birthday. In doing so, he helped the Golden Knights earn their 13th win in Game 1s of a best-of-seven series since their inaugural season in 2017-18 – the most among all teams (next closest, CAR, BOS, COL all w/ 11).
2026 NHL DRAFT LOTTERY TAKES PLACE ON ESPN, SPORTSNET, TVA SPORTS TONIGHT
The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery will be broadcast live on ESPN, Sportsnet and TVA Sports from NHL Network’s Secaucus, N.J., studio at 7 p.m. ET tonight. The event will determine the order of selection for the first 16 picks in Round 1 of the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft and the participants are all teams that did not qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs (or clubs that have acquired the first-round drafting positions of those non-playoff teams).
* Three of the last five events saw the team with the best NHL Draft Lottery odds retain that spot, although the Islanders climbed from No. 10 to No. 1 last year and eventually selected Matthew Schaefer. Click here to watch Schaefer explain the event’s format to Winnie and Alice Martin, the daughters of Islanders special assistant to the GM Matt Martin.
* Gavin McKenna, a left wing with Penn State, ranked first among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings presented by BODYARMOR Sports Drink, while Ivar Stenberg, a left wing skating for Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League, topped the list of international skaters.
2026 NHL Draft Lottery Interactive Information Guide
TRIO OF FINALISTS FOR BILL MASTERTON TROPHY UNVEILED
Rasmus Dahlin, Gabriel Landeskog and Jonathan Toews are the three finalists for the 2025-26 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” Click here for more details.
QUICK CLICKS
* Ridly Greig suspended 2 regular-season games for actions in Senators game
* Charlie McAvoy offered in-person Player Safety hearing for actions in Bruins game
* Mats Sundin says risk joining Maple Leafs management worth reward
* Rasmus Dahlin loving playoff hockey in Buffalo after long wait
* Lane Hutson unfazed, rising to occasion for Canadiens ahead of Eastern 2nd Round
Wild, Avalanche to play Game 2 after combining for 15 goals in series opener
Quinn Hughes and the Wild are set to renew acquaintances with Cale Makar and the Avalanche after taking a time machine back to the 1980s and combining for 15 goals in Game 1 of their Second Round series. Minnesota looks to pull even before the series shifts to Grand Casino Arena for Game 3 on Saturday.
* Hughes and Makar accounted for three of the 15 tallies Sunday, which was tied for the NHL’s highest-scoring playoff contest over the last 30 years with a 15-goal opener between the Flames and Oilers in Game 1 of the 2022 Second Round. That series featured Makar’s teammate Brett Kulak, who became the only player in 30 years to play multiple 15-goal postseason contests – the highest total in League history belongs to Wayne Gretzky (5 GP).
* Vladimir Tarasenko was one of 14 different goal scorers Sunday – the NHL’s most during a playoff game in more than 30 years – with his tally coming off a move made famous by former Avalanche legend Peter Forsberg at the 1994 Winter Olympics. Minnesota and Colorado are four back of the League’s most unique goal scorers through the first two contests in a playoff series, a mark set by Chicago and the Minnesota North Stars during the 1985 Division Finals (18).
