PHILADELPHIA — The Penguins marched in range of history, forcing overtime in Game 6 against the Philadelphia Flyers after dropping the first three games of the first-round series.

But the comeback attempt ended in crushing fashion, as Cam York won the series in overtime for Philadelphia on a shot from the point.

The Flyers’ 1-0 win in ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — They say the third time’s the charm.

After striking out in their first two attempts to close the door on their first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Philadelphia Flyers finally came through with a harrowing 1-0 overtime win in Game 6 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

With two minutes, 28 seconds left in the extra ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The biggest Flyers home game in 16 years was the best of that mostly dull and empty stretch of time, 77 minutes and 32 seconds of total tension, loads of scoring chances, a near-equal number of stellar saves by the two goaltenders, all of the action and apprehension inside the Xfinity Mobile Arena building and building and ...Read more

TAMPA, Fla. — In a first-round series in which games have been decided by the narrowest of margins, Game 5 loomed large. With the series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens tied at two games apiece and basically down to a best-of-three, the team that prevailed Wednesday night at Benchmark International Arena would be in ...Read more

FORT WORTH, Texas — The Dallas Stars are a game away from their season ending, and now might be a good time for their best, not to mention highest-paid, scorer to start scoring goals.

The Stars need forward Mikko Rantanen not to win the game by himself, but it wouldn’t hurt. No one else is.

On Tuesday night at the American Airlines Center,...Read more

CHICAGO — The date was June 15, 2015, when the Chicago Blackhawks put an exclamation point on their modern dynasty.

Hall of Famer Duncan Keith broke a scoreless tie when the rebound of his own shot got behind Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop late in the second period at the United Center. Patrick Kane’s slap shot in the third ...Read more

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Bruins have always responded to the ugly moments of their season. And on the brink of elimination on Tuesday at Keybank Center, they did it one more time.

David Pastrnak scored at 9:14 of overtime on a partial breakaway to lift the B’s to a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres to force a Game 6 in Boston on Friday. Hampus...Read more

The Minnesota Wild are one win away from moving on to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.

They held off the Dallas Stars 4-2 tonight at American Airlines Center to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Game 6 is back in St. Paul, Minn., on Thursday.

Matt Boldy scored on a power play with 32 seconds to go in...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby whipped in a one-timer and raised his hands in the air. It was subtle, the kind of celebration you do when your team is trailing, 3-0, in a playoff series.

But with the opening goal of Game 4 in Philadelphia, Crosby announced his presence in the series. He hasn’t looked back.

With the Penguins on the brink of ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Rarely does a 10-second clip inside a hockey game tell the story of an entire playoff series, let alone one that doesn’t feature a goal or even a momentum-shifting save.

But there was Artemi Panarin, architect of three extra-man goals in the first three games, collecting the puck along the left wall with the desperate Los ...Read more

SALT LAKE CITY – John Tortorella’s morning skate press conference lasted 1 minute, 13 seconds.

He fielded five questions. Three times, he gave the same response verbatim.

“We’re ready to play,” he said.

It turns out the Vegas Golden Knights were, indeed, ready to play at the start. Then the rest of the game happened.

The final 35 ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Monday’s Game 5 could have been the last game of the Penguins’ Big Three era, with Evgeni Malkin’s future in Pittsburgh unclear and his team trailing the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-1, in a first-round series.

The PPG Paints Arena glass wasn’t ready to see it end.

A miracle bounce off the glass behind the Flyers’ net gave ...Read more

MONTREAL — The Tampa Bay Lightning desperately needed to win Game 4 Sunday at Bell Centre, as dropping both games in Montreal would put their season on the brink, requiring them to win three straight.

When Cole Caufield’s power-play goal with 6:31 left in the second period put the Canadiens ahead 2-0, it was the first multiple-goal lead for...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Seven times in the past 12 seasons the Los Angeles Kings have advanced to the Stanley Cup playoffs, only to leave after the first round.

They've changed coaches five times, general managers twice, even the team captains have changed over that span. But the results have not.

The latest flameout came Sunday when the Colorado ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Eventually, the dam did finally break.

The Los Angeles Kings put forth a valiant effort, but they were never able to hit and defend their way to enough offense, and the Colorado Avalanche finished off a four-game sweep Sunday afternoon with an 5-1 victory in Game 4 at Crypto.com Arena.

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and added an...Read more

BOSTON — Almost 15 years have passed since Milan Lucic blew up goalie Ryan Miller on TD Garden ice, an infamous hit that would help send the Buffalo Sabres into their Dark Ages. On Sunday in Game 4 at the Garden, the Sabres finally got a little payback.

With a chance to tie the best-of-seven series on Causeway Street, the Boston Bruins were ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The Penguins had almost 72 hours to sit on their 3-0 series deficit to the Philadelphia Flyers. They emerged from that long break as a rejuvenated team and delivered their best performance of the playoffs by far.

Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell each had a goal and an assist as Pittsburgh beat the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-2, on ...Read more

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild have turned their first-round matchup against the Dallas Stars into a best-of-three.

They rallied for a 3-2 overtime win in Game 4 at Grand Casino Arena to even up the series 2-2.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Dallas.

Matt Boldy deflected in a Jared Spurgeon shot with 28.9 seconds left in overtime to polish...Read more

For the Carolina Hurricanes, make it a sweep.

The Hurricanes finished off the Ottawa Senators in four games, winning a gutter war Saturday to take a 4-2 victory in the Stanley Cup first-round playoff series.

The Canes answered every challenge, physical and otherwise, in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series. They move on to face the ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Kings coach D.J. Smith gave his team the day off Friday, but he sent his players home with a message: if they don't show up for work Sunday, they'll have the rest of the spring and summer off, too.

Players don't like to call any game a "must-win" because of the pressure it brings, but there's no other way to look at ...Read more