TAMPA, Fla. — Every discussion about Steven Stamkos seems to revolve around the same inquiry:

How much can the Lightning afford to pay him?

It’s the obvious question. The team has salary cap problems, Stamkos gave Tampa Bay a hometown discount eight years ago that paved the way for the front office to put together a Stanley Cup roster, and...Read more

WINNIPEG — Mikko Rantanen found a stick he liked, and shot the Colorado Avalanche into the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Winnipeg Jets played their best game of the series facing elimination, but the Avs continued to put pucks past the pending Vezina Trophy winner and advanced with a 6-3 victory Tuesday night in Game 5 at ...Read more

BOSTON — Here we go again.

With a golden chance to put the Auston Matthews-less Toronto Maple Leafs away for another season in Game 5 at TD Garden on Tuesday, the Bruins lost to the Leafs in overtime, 2-1.

Sound familiar?

The B’s followed the first page of last year’s script in their series against the Florida Panthers, coming home with...Read more

RALEIGH, N.C. — On to the second round.

The Carolina Hurricanes ignited for two goals in eight seconds in the third period Tuesday in taking a 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders to clinch the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

The Canes, beating the Isles in five games, advance to face the New York Rangers in the second ...Read more

SUNRISE, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning have been the Florida Panthers‘ big brother since the teams’ founding. The Lightning are a year older, and like most big brothers, they have hit some milestones first.

The Panthers got to the Stanley Cup Final before the Lightning ever sniffed it, but not long after, Tampa Bay pulled ahead and won ...Read more

SEATTLE — Dave Hakstol, the Kraken's only head coach in their three-year history, was relieved of his duties Monday morning.

As far as potential replacements who can steer the Kraken back toward spring hockey, there are several tested, recognizable names looking for new landing spots, plus numerous newcomers looking for a promotion.

Dan ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- You don't have to know anything about hockey to know the Los Angeles Kings are in trouble heading back to Edmonton for Game 5 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series with the Oilers.

Just knowing how to count is knowledge enough.

After Sunday's 1-0 loss at Crypto.com Arena, the Kings trail the best-of-seven series...Read more

SEATTLE -- Seattle Kraken coach Dave Hakstol, who guided the franchise to its first playoff appearance a year ago, won’t get another chance at a second such berth.

The Kraken fired Hakstol, 55, on Monday after a disappointing campaign in which the team missed the playoffs and finished with 12 fewer wins and 19 fewer points than last season. ...Read more

The Kings needed a change in fortune Sunday, so they made a change in goal.

And while that changed the way the team played it didn’t change the momentum of the Kings’ best-of-seven NHL playoff series, with defenseman Evan Bouchard’s second-period power-play goal giving the Edmonton Oilers a 1-0 victory to send the Western Conference ...Read more

DENVER -- The Winnipeg Jets have a deep group of forwards, an excellent top pairing on defense and one of the best goalies in the world.

They don’t have Cale Makar.

In between yet another onslaught of power plays for the Colorado Avalanche against the suddenly undisciplined Jets, Makar scored one of the best goals of his distinguished NHL ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — Wyatt Johnston scored his second goal with 3:38 remaining in overtime and the Las Vegas Golden Knights lost 3-2 to the Dallas Stars in Game 3 of their first-round series at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.

The Knights lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 is at T-Mobile Arena on Monday.

Goaltender Logan Thompson tied his career-...Read more

TORONTO — With a chance to grab a stranglehold of this first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Bruins played their best game of the series on Saturday night.

Going away from their goalie rotation and starting Jeremy Swayman for the second straight game, the B’s did a tremendous job of limiting the Leafs’ scoring chances ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — Mikhail Sergechev could not sleep Friday night. The Lightning defenseman had just proven to his coaches that, not even 12 weeks after breaking the two major bones in his left leg, he was ready to return.

With Tampa Bay facing possible elimination Saturday night in its first-round series against the Florida Panthers, Sergechev ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — There will be no series sweep.

The Florida Panthers couldn’t recover from a three-goal first-period deficit and dropped Game 4 of their Stanley Cup Playoffs opening-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, 6-3, on Saturday at Amalie Arena.

Florida still leads the best-of-7 series 3-1 and needs just one more win to ...Read more

ELMONT, N.Y. — The Carolina Hurricanes couldn’t sweep the New York Islanders for the second time in six years. Instead, they’ll have a chance to close out the series at home on Tuesday.

Mathew Barzal’s goal 84 seconds into the second overtime gave the Islanders a 3-2 win on Saturday and sent the series back to Raleigh for Game 5 on ...Read more

DENVER — The best comeback team in the NHL during the regular season did it again in its first home game of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Colorado Avalanche quickly erased a one-goal deficit early in the third period and got plenty of help from a suddenly undisciplined Winnipeg Jets club en route to a 6-2 victory Friday night at Ball ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Zach Hyman, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid were three of the most dangerous scorers during the NHL regular season, combining for 127 goals and 315 points for the Edmonton Oilers. Stopping one of them is a challenge, stopping all three is pretty much impossible.

The Los Angeles Kings certainly haven’t found a way to do it, ...Read more

ELMONT, N.Y. — There’s no place like home. Although for the Carolina Hurricanes, Long Island isn’t far off.

The Hurricanes posted their fifth playoff road win in six tries at the New York Islanders on Thursday, moving within a win of a sweep after holding on for a 3-2 win in Game 3.

Brent Burns, Dmitry Orlov and Sebastian Aho scored for ...Read more

TORONTO — The Bruins entered the playoffs believing goaltending is the team’s strength. And in the first round, they haven’t been wrong.

And yet, all of a sudden, the goalie rotation question is back on the table.

That is not to say that Linus Ullmark was bad in Game 2, a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden. Far from it. He ...Read more