The second spherical of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs continued on Saturday night time, and we already noticed one group advance to the convention finals because the Carolina Hurricanes
improved their postseason winning streak to eight consecutive games.
Let’s check out some extra winners and losers from Saturday’s motion.
Saturday’s winners
Jackson Blake, Carolina Hurricanes. Simply an unlimited sport for Blake on Saturday as he figured in to all three Hurricanes objectives of their 3-2, sequence clinching win towards the Philadelphia Flyers.
He scored two objectives, together with the time beyond regulation winner, whereas additionally helping on Logan Stankoven’s aim. The Hurricanes have one of many NHL’s deepest groups, and it has an important mixture of established veterans and on-the-rise younger stars. Blake is likely one of the latter.
Carolina Hurricanes are getting relaxation. There’s a college of thought that having an excessive amount of time without work within the playoffs generally is a unhealthy factor, because it may disrupt your momentum. However there may be additionally one thing to be mentioned for having relaxation and time without work, given how bodily and demanding a deep playoff run might be.
We’re about to search out out which college of thought will win out right here with the Hurricanes.
Due to their second straight four-game sweep to open the playoffs, they’re now going to have some important time without work as they await their Jap Convention Remaining opponent. The sequence between the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens is tied, 1-1, going into Sunday’s Sport 3, and if it goes seven video games, that might be almost two weeks off for the Hurricanes.
The earliest they might begin the subsequent spherical is Saturday, Might 16. That may be a full week. It may doubtlessly be as far out as Wednesday, Might 20. That might be 11 days.
Quinn Hughes, Minnesota Wild. The Wild’s in-season commerce for Hughes was important. Not solely as a result of it added an elite, top-tier defenseman, but in addition as a result of it gave them one other famous person to pair up with ahead Kirill Kaprizov. That’s vital in relation to constructing a Stanley Cup-worthy roster.
Hughes and Kaprizov each shone on Saturday night time in a 5-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche, with Hughes taking part in over 28 minutes, scoring a aim, including an help and serving to to manage the tempo of the sport when he was on the ice.
The Wild have some potential weaknesses on this roster (particularly at middle), however having a duo like it will give them an opportunity on most nights and towards any group.
Saturday’s losers
Matvei Michkov, Philadelphia Flyers. It’ll be a protracted offseason for the Flyers and Michkov following his second healthy scratch of the playoffs. The complete season was a small step backwards for one of many Flyers’ high younger gamers, however not even being within the lineup for 2 of the group’s final six playoff video games goes to be eye-opening.
Flyers offense. If there may be an space Philadelphia has to enhance with the intention to take the subsequent step, it’ll be with its offense. They in some way ended the playoffs having misplaced six of their ultimate seven video games, and scored solely 10 objectives in these video games. That’s not ok.
Colorado’s successful streak. Whereas Carolina remained good this postseason, the Avalanche noticed their successful streak finish at six video games of their 5-1 loss to the Wild. They’re nonetheless within the driver’s seat within the sequence and needs to be the highest Stanley Cup favorites, however they now have their first defeat of the playoffs.
