Running analysis of Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Our hockey writers share their observations and insights throughout Round 2 of the NHL postseason.

Saturday, May 9

Wild goalie needs to steal game - and quick

Down 2-0, Minnesota head coach John Hynes has a key decision to make ahead of Saturday's Game 3 versus Colorado. Hynes is returning to Game 1 starter Jesper Wallstedt over giving Filip Gustavsson his second straight start. The high-upside rookie draws back in over the 27-year-old with a five-year extension that kicks in next season.

Now, Wallstedt might need to steal a game. It's time Minnesota got at least one notable performance between the pipes.

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Sportlogiq tracks a "steal" metric for goalies. A netminder earns a steal if its single-game goals saved above expected value exceeds the difference in the final score - for instance, 1.3 GSAE in a 3-2 victory. Tuesday's Game 2 loss to the Avalanche was Gustavsson's only appearance in the playoffs, while Wallstedt's recorded just one steal in seven appearances (Game 4 vs. Dallas).

Colorado's Scott Wedgewood, Carolina's Frederik Andersen, Montreal's Jakub Dobes, and Vegas' Carter Hart have all earned multiple steals.

Goalies are often showered with an outsized portion of the praise after a win and burdened with too much blame following a loss. That's the nature of the position. But it's also true that teams need their goalie to bail them out every once in a while. Saturday is one of those times for the Wild. - John Matisz

Colorado and Carolina flirting with history

The Avalanche and Hurricanes finished atop their respective conferences with regular-season point totals of 121 and 113. Neither squad's let up through four weeks of playoff hockey and together could make history this weekend.

Carolina enters Saturday's Game 4 against Philadelphia with the rare chance to sweep two series to start a playoff run. Colorado's a game behind but also rocking a perfect record, with Game 3 versus Minnesota also set for Saturday.

How unique is this scenario? No playoff team has started 8-0 since the NHL adopted the best-of-seven format for all four rounds of its postseason in 1987. (Four teams, including the Jean Beliveau-led 1960 Canadiens and Wayne Gretzky-led 1985 Oilers, started 8-0 or better prior to the change.)

How many times have two clubs started 7-0 or better? Never. - John Matisz

Habs are the bounce-back kings

The Canadiens are a young team, but their maturity and resilience has been on full display in the playoffs. Martin St. Louis' crew improved to 4-0 following a loss these playoffs with Friday's victory over Buffalo, and the Habs have to be confident heading home after that performance. Montreal jumped out to a 2-0 lead less than five minutes in, and controlled 69.7% of expected goals at even strength.

Montreal's bounce-back ability dates back to the stretch run of the regular season, as it hasn't lost back-to-back games since March 14-15.

Whether it's goalie Jakub Dobes standing tall, or the entire team in front of him tightening up defensively, the Canadiens have found a way to limit goals against and steal momentum from their opponents. Montreal's given up two goals or fewer in each of its bounce-back wins this postseason, and the young club appears to be feeding off the experience it's gaining in real time.

"It's built over time," captain Nick Suzuki said after Game 2. "There's not one specific moment where it's like, 'Oh yeah, we're really good.' We lost a lot, then we had to learn what it takes to win, and that journey leads to where we are right now and the confidence that we have in our game plan and in each other."

All that said, the Canadiens have yet to win back-to-back games in these playoffs. That will be the next test for this group against a Sabres squad that's also consistently found ways to answer adversity this spring. - Sean O'Leary

Friday, May 8

Prolific Marner, Vegas dismantle Ducks

Mitch Marner, clutch playoff performer.

The above sentence has a nice ring to it if you cheer for the Golden Knights.

It might make Maple Leafs fans vomit.

Marner, the poster boy for playoff failures during his nine-year tenure in Toronto, dazzled for his new team Friday. The first-year Knight recorded a natural hat trick and added a primary assist in a game-high 23 minutes of action. Vegas' 6-2 Game 3 win gives them a 2-1 series lead over the Ducks.

Marner has already doubled his career high for goals in a single playoff run (three in 2022-23, six in 2025-26) despite competing in just nine games.

"He's confident," Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella told reporters following Friday's dismantling of the Ducks, per Jesse Granger of The Athletic. "People give him shit about the playoffs, and this, and that. I don't think it bothers him a lick."

Marner had previously picked up two points in a playoff game nine different times. He'd grabbed three points on four different occasions. But Game 3 was the 29-year-old's first four-point effort, and he impressively managed to produce at five-on-five, five-on-four, and four-on-five against Anaheim.

Labeled a playoff choker in the past, Marner leads all playoff skaters with 13 points. The Leafs, meanwhile, very well could pick Gavin McKenna first in June's draft after winning Tuesday's lottery. Strange times. - John Matisz

Canadiens' faceoff men silence Sabres

The Canadiens are headed to Montreal tied 1-1 with Buffalo. It's a solid result given that the rowdy Bell Centre should provide an edge in Sunday's Game 3.

Rookie Jakub Dobes has been excellent between the pipes, stopping 39 of 44 shots across two games. Five of Montreal's seven goals have come from unlikely sources in Alex Newhook (two tallies in a 5-1 Game 2 victory), Kirby Dach, Mike Matheson, and Alexandre Carrier. What also sticks out about the Habs' start is the degree to which they've dominated in the faceoff circle.

I'm not talking about a random neutral zone faceoff five minutes into the second period here. No, the Habs are consistently owning the Sabres in high-leverage situations, winning 10 of 14 defensive-zone draws while down a man. These faceoff wins have led to Canadiens penalty killers icing the puck and shaving valuable time off the power-play ticker. At one point Friday, the Habs had won a stunning seven of eight D-zone draws while shorthanded.

Jake Evans, Montreal's best faceoff guy, is now six for 10 in those situations.

The Sabres' power play has been largely ineffective since the start of April, though it did score twice in Game 1 against Montreal. In Game 2, Buffalo rarely entered the offensive zone cleanly and, when they did enter, rarely found a rhythm upon setting up. Much of the Sabres' PP issues are specific to them. Still, the Canadiens' faceoff men deserve some credit. - John Matisz

Sabres' Benson blossoming into Tkachuk 2.0

Zach Benson's been a nuisance on and off the ice ever since he was a "young lad." The Sabres winger grew up trying to outscore (and annoy) his older brother during daily mini-stick battles at the Benson home in British Columbia.

The younger brother rarely tired and the smile on his face rarely left.

"I literally didn't run out of energy," Benson told theScore back in October.

Benson heads into Friday's Game 2 against Montreal with five points and a 63% expected goals rate in seven playoff contests. He's become one of the postseason's breakout stars for two main reasons: his savvy two-way game suggests he's 30 when in reality he turns just 21 next week, and he's a rat.

Benson has put plenty of thought into his place in the league, having studied three smart and small-ish Atlantic Division forwards in Brad Marchand, Matthew Tkachuk, and Brayden Point. Tkachuk's skill set and feel for the game overlap nicely with Benson's assets. Both are high-impact wingers who combine agitation with strong wall play and crafty goal-line playmaking.

"You have to pick your spots on the physicality and chirping side of things," Benson said of what he's learned in the early stages of his career. "That could be you going out of your way to hit a guy, or actually not running after him to save your energy and try to make a play on the offensive side of the game."

He added, "For me, I'm taking a guy who thinks the game at an elite level over a guy who can skate like the wind down the wing. Tkachuk's a prime example. He's a gamer. Always makes an impact. Guys like him win Cups."

The Sabres aren't even halfway to the Stanley Cup Final. But if they manage to make an appearance, Benson will surely be front and center. - John Matisz

Sky's the limit for Ducks' Carlsson

Leo Carlsson is a top 10 center on the planet - a superstar at 21 years old.

The Ducks franchise cornerstone earned that status months ago, having levelled up substantially year over year. But the Swede's only now starting to receive the kind of universal love he deserves; such is life for a small-market player who missed out on a prominent role at the Olympics because of injury.

Carlsson, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 draft, has evolved into the full package for the emergent Ducks. A dual threat offensively and stingy defensively, he offers a wondrous combination of size, agility, hockey sense, puck skills, and poise. Former NHL defenseman-turned-analyst Alec Martinez recently compared Carlsson to prime Anze Kopitar, which I think is fair. I'd go a step further and predict prime Carlsson will rack up points at a much higher clip.

Carlsson's notched four goals and five assists in his first eight playoff games, with the ninth set for Friday night as the 1-1 Ducks-Golden Knights series shifts to Anaheim. Among all postseason skaters, he ranks fifth in expected goals per game (0.60), fourth in scoring chances off the rush per game (1.38), tied for fourth in slot shots per game (2.50), and tied for ninth in slot passes per game (2.38), according to Sportlogiq. Superstar stuff. - John Matisz

Thursday, May 7

Hurricanes' special teams put Flyers on ropes

Thursday was a night of special-teams execution for the Hurricanes. Buoyed by a dominant all-situations performance by Jordan Staal, Carolina scored two on the power play and one shorthanded in a 4-1 Game 3 win over Philadelphia. The Canes, up 3-0 in the series, improved to 7-0 in the playoffs.

Perhaps we should have seen this outburst coming.

The Canes ranked fifth in power-play goals and tied for second in shorthanded goals in the regular season, but had converted on just three of 25 PP opportunities (while failing to score a shorty) over six playoff games. They were due, and they made a Flyers team with a terrible power play of their own pay.

Captain Staal potted his first of the postseason to open the scoring late in the first period - PPG. Late in the second, Staal connected with Jalen Chatfield off the rush for the defenseman's first of the playoffs - SHG. Then Andrei Svechnikov buried his first early in the third period - PPG. - John Matisz

Flyers forward group takes another hit

On Wednesday, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet announced all-situations center Noah Cates will miss the remainder of Round 2 after suffering an injury in the series opener against the Hurricanes. A day later, with Game 3 hours away, Tocchet passed along another bit of bad news: Dynamic winger Owen Tippett will be out Thursday as the Flyers attempt to come back from a 2-0 deficit.

Another forward, high-minute center Christian Dvorak, will dress for Game 3 despite being nowhere near 100% healthy. "He's a warrior," Tocchet said.

The Flyers, who finished with the 21st-ranked offense in the regular season, are thin up front at the best of times. Now their third-, fifth-, and sixth-highest point producers are either sidelined or playing hurt. The Tippett loss is especially tough to swallow given No. 74's unique game-breaking abilities.

Watch in Game 3 for veteran Trevor Zegras to move from wing to center and 21-year-old Denver Barkey to receive a boost in ice time. - John Matisz

Will Carolina's first line wake up already?

The Hurricanes own a 2-0 lead over the Flyers, with Game 3 set for Thursday night in Philadelphia. The Metropolitan Division series isn't over - expect a push from Philly - yet the odds of Carolina advancing to the conference final for a fourth time in eight years are very high (89%, according to MoneyPuck).

One little hiccup: the Canes' No. 1 forward line has been quiet all postseason.

Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Seth Jarvis have been outshot 25-20 and outscored 1-0 in 60 five-on-five minutes together. The trio's 35.4% expected goals share ranks 38th out of 42 playoff lines (minimum 30 minutes).

It's funny, opening the postseason with six straight wins despite getting nothing of substance from your top line is undeniably impressive. The Taylor Hall-Logan Stankoven-Jackson Blake unit has stepped up to lead the attack.

Then again, the Hurricanes may be playing with fire here.

Coach Rod Brind'Amour swapped Jarvis for Jordan Martinook in the third period of Monday's Game 2, and shortly after Jarvis collected his first goal of the playoffs alongside new linemates Jordan Staal and Nikolaj Ehlers. Jarvis was back on the Aho line Wednesday at practice, though. - John Matisz

Upstart Ducks flip defensive switch

In the NHL, playing tight defensively often comes down to coaching direction and player effort. The tactics are typically straightforward and every player in the league can buckle down defensively if they're motivated to do so.

We're seeing the switch being flipped with the Ducks right now.

Anaheim has been one of the league's worst defensive teams for a few years and finished the regular season 29th in goals against and 30th in expected goals against. The new Western Conference contender leaned into its rush-based attack and overall offense-first identity versus Edmonton in Round 1, and the approach worked. But different opponents call for different styles.

The Joel Quenneville-coached squad is apparently fine playing a low-event style against the Golden Knights in Round 2, limiting Vegas to 12 high-danger opportunities and three goals at five-on-five through two hard-fought games. Goalie Lukas Dostal has been solid but nothing spectacular in a 1-1 series. Instead, the real story is that the forwards and defensemen have bought in.

"Defensively, we played one of our better games all year," Quenneville told reporters following Wednesday's 3-1 Game 2 victory. - John Matisz

Wednesday, May 6

Game 1 of Sabres-Habs belonged to Buffalo's dogs

Montreal registered more shot attempts (54-47) and more shots on goal (28-16) while losing 4-2 to Buffalo, so Game 1 seemed closely contested. In reality, the Sabres dictated play all night in front of a raucous KeyBank Center crowd, limiting the Habs to a mere handful of premium scoring chances.

And while the Game 1 win truly was a full team effort for the Sabres, head coach Lindy Ruff's third and fourth forward lines stood out throughout the contest.

What do those trios, led by centers Josh Norris and Tyson Kozak, have in common? They're filled with dogged players, most notably Zach Benson, Josh Doan, and Beck Malenstyn. These are high-motor wingers who win puck battles all over the ice through sheer tenacity, skating, and smarts. Buffalo owned the transition battle at five-on-five thanks to efficient breakouts, safe passes in the neutral zone, and correct decisions at the offensive blue line.

Doan scored the opening goal and added an assist on one of the club's two power-play goals. Jordan Greenway, the left winger on Kozak's line with Malenstyn, potted the eventual winner to end a 41-game goalless drought. Benson earned two primary assists. Greenway and Malenstyn each delivered five hits. And Benson and Kozak each drew a penalty. - John Matisz

Tuesday, May 5

Wild make (appropriate) goalie change ahead of Game 2

Filip Gustavsson is replacing Jesper Wallstedt in Minnesota's net to start Tuesday's Game 2 against the Avalanche. The switch isn't overly surprising, and it adds up given what we know about the goaltending tandem.

For one, Wallstedt allowed nine goals on 42 shots in Sunday's Game 1 loss. Two: Coach John Hynes didn't have any issues rotating goalies in the regular season. Also, Gustavsson's a valued member of the Wild's core. His five-year, $34-million extension doesn't kick in until next season.

Wallstedt has been in the Wild's crease for all 469 playoff minutes. The 23-year-old rookie finished the regular season with a sparkling .916 save percentage while saving 0.92 goals above expected per 60 minutes in 35 appearances.

Gustavsson, who struggled for Sweden at the Olympics, had a .904 SV% and 0.56 GSAE per 60 in 50 regular-season appearances. - John Matisz

Sabres' center depth about to be tested

Buffalo's long-term outlook is rosy - especially with regards to center talent.

Superstar Tage Thompson is in the prime of his career and under contract through 2029-30. Ryan McLeod has evolved into a well-rounded middle-six pivot who wins more shifts than he loses. The oft-injured Josh Norris is another strong option for second- or third-line center when healthy. Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich, both 22, are bursting with potential. Konsta Helenius, a 19-year-old AHLer, looked sharp in nine regular-season NHL games.

The outlook ahead of Wednesday's Game 1 versus Montreal? Not so rosy.

Kulich (blood clot) has been out since November and isn't expected to play again this season. Ostlund (lower-body injury) logged 34 minutes in the first round and is expected to miss Round 2. Trade deadline pickup Sam Carrick (arm) is on a similar timeline, though he could very well return first. He practiced with the team Tuesday and is listed as "day-to-day."

Buffalo had Thompson, McLeod, Norris, and Tyson Kozak down the middle in practice. That group matched up just fine against the flawed Bruins in Round 1. Can it hang with the Canadiens for a full series? - John Matisz

Don't expect firewagon hockey again

Game 1 of Colorado-Minnesota was an exhilarating 15-goal bonanza. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but don't expect Game 2 to follow the same script.

Tuesday night's tilt will likely be closer to a 4-3 final score than to Sunday's loose and erratic 9-6 victory for the Avalanche. The clubs have dissected videos and adjusted their game plans, and both will be pushing to return to a less chaotic state of play.

In the regular season, the Avs allowed the fewest goals while rocking one of the most impressive statistical profiles in the NHL. They ranked sixth in expected goals against, sixth in shots against, eighth in inner-slot shots against, and fifth in offensive zone puck possession against, according to Sportlogiq. Their goalies combined for the league's best save percentage.

Meanwhile, the Wild allowed the fourth-fewest goals but finished in the middle of the pack in many key categories. They ranked 12th in xG against, 24th in shots against, 13th in inner-slot shots, and 24th in OZP against. Their goalies often saved the day, producing the second-best team SV%. - John Matisz

Monday, May 4

LaCombe kept losing in Ducks loss

Jackson LaCombe, the terrific young defenseman, built up so much momentum ahead of the Anaheim-Vegas series. Heck, he was a trendy early Conn Smythe Trophy pick following an outstanding Round 1 performance.

But Monday just wasn't LaCombe's night.

It's not as if the 25-year-old played poorly in 28 minutes (one assist, fantastic underlying numbers). The problem is that he's going to be seeing three sequences in his nightmares after a crushing 3-1 Game 1 loss.

The first came in the second period. The Ducks were trailing 1-0 when center Leo Carlsson pulled off an unbelievable spin-o-rama in the offensive zone, then slipped LaCombe a pass across the slot. LaCombe, uncovered, had an open net ... and he tried to make another pass.

The second sequence: A linesman called off a third-period icing in Anaheim's end despite LaCombe having the inside track on Jack Eichel in a tight puck race. Vegas scored the eventual winning goal seconds later. Tough break.

The third: The Ducks had an extra attacker out with 27 seconds left in regulation. LaCombe fanned on the puck at the offensive blue line and the Ducks were unable to produce any more offense. He smashed his stick against the post after watching Vegas end the game with an empty-netter.

LaCombe needs to shake off these unfortunate events prior to Wednesday's Game 2. The Ducks need him at full force. - John Matisz

Canes' Hall reminds us he's still impactful

Taylor Hall is no longer the force-of-nature Taylor Hall of 2018, when he won the Hart Trophy with New Jersey. Nor is he anything remotely like the dazzling Taylor Hall of 2010, when he was drafted first overall by Edmonton.

The 2026 version of Hall is a rejuvenated 34-year-old winger contributing on a nightly basis to the seventh team of his winding 16-year career. On Monday, Hall jammed a bouncing puck past the goal line to score his first career overtime playoff winner. The 3-2 marker deep into the OT period put Carolina up 2-0 over Philadelphia in what could be another short Hurricanes series.

Hall arrived in Carolina via Chicago in the eight-piece, three-team trade that sent Mikko Rantanen from the Avalanche to the Hurricanes in January 2025. His inclusion was maybe the fifth-most interesting part of the blockbuster.

Hall's speedy and always pressuring the puck. He still has some offensive juice, too. His first full campaign in Carolina has produced 48 points in 80 regular-season games and a team-leading nine points in six playoff games.

Logan Stankoven between Jackson Blake and Hall has been the Hurricanes' most productive line in the postseason. The trio's outscored the opposition 6-0 in 68 five-on-five minutes together against Ottawa and Philly. - John Matisz

Spotlight shines on Ducks' young core

We're about to learn a lot about Anaheim's promising young core.

Beating a patently flawed Oilers team is one thing. Overwhelming the veteran Golden Knights, one of the NHL's stingiest defensive squads in all situations, is an entirely different challenge. Game 1 goes tonight (9:30 p.m. ET) in Las Vegas.

Franchise center Leo Carlsson, 40-goal-scorer Cutter Gauthier, power forward Beckett Sennecke, and do-everything blue-liner Jackson LaCombe are all 25 or younger, riding rocket-ship trajectories, and competing in the playoffs for the first time. Carlsson, Gauthier, and LaCombe were supremely impressive in six games against the Oilers, while Sennecke was OK. But there won't be nearly as much room to operate offensively in Round 2. The Ducks will be consistently asked to problem-solve in transition and while on the attack in Vegas' zone.

Two-way forwards Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, and Mark Stone will be staring back at them in Golden Knights threads. Defensive center William Karlsson may appear in the series, too. Meanwhile, Vegas' blue line is big and rangy.

Lukas Dostal, another member of the Ducks' long-term core, is the better goalie in this matchup. But he'll be tested. Anaheim is porous defensively and the Golden Knights are armed with plenty of offensive weapons. - John Matisz

Avs-Wild is adrenaline rush of a series

Sunday's Game 1 between Colorado and Minnesota didn't simply deliver on the significant pre-series hype. No, the Central Division showdown was an offense-loving fan's dream, providing more frantic, uptempo action than the entirety of the Avalanche's Round 1 series against the lock-it-down Kings.

The result: a 9-6 Avalanche home victory, with winning goalie Scott Wedgewood making 30 saves on 36 shots. The 10th game in playoff history to feature 15 or more goals showcased the abundance of high-end speed, skill, and star power on both sides. For context, only 12 total goals were scored in the Hurricanes' sweep of the Senators last round.

Colorado held leads of 3-0 and 4-2 during the first 25 minutes of Game 1, and finished with eight different goal-scorers (Cale Makar bagged two). The Presidents' Trophy winner recorded an absurd 26 slot shots - a single-game high this postseason - as well as 14 scoring chances off the rush alone.

Game 1 was our first taste of Makar versus Quinn Hughes in the playoffs. Makar, who left the game briefly after taking a hefty Marcus Foligno hit, scored twice and added an assist in 17 minutes. Hughes pitched in a goal and two assists while dancing around the ice in a game-high 29 minutes. - John Matisz

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