NHL Player News

Staal scored a goal and added five hits in Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Canadiens in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Staal ended a four-game point drought with the tally. The center has two goals, three assists, 16 shots, 61 hits, 11 PIM and a plus-4 rating over 12 playoff contests. Staal continues to play in a middle-six role, and while he's not setting the tone on offense, he's adding plenty of physicality and defensive work to keep the Hurricanes' structure in place.

Stankoven scored a goal on seven shots in Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Canadiens in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Stankoven had the third goal in a span of 2:47 for the Hurricanes late in the first period. The 23-year-old had been held off the scoresheet in the first three games against the Canadiens, so this was a welcome return to offense for him. Overall, he's put up eight goals, one assist, 42 shots on net, 18 hits and a plus-6 rating through 12 playoff contests.

Aho scored a power-play goal on two shots in Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Canadiens in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Aho tallied at 14:59 of the first period, sparking a burst of offense for his team. This ended a seven-game goal drought for the center, who was held to just two assists in that span. For the playoffs, he's earned four goals, two helpers, 23 shots on net, 18 hits and a plus-1 rating over 12 appearances. He continues to play in a top-line role, but Carolina has gotten offense from throughout the lineup.

Andersen recorded an 18-save shutout in Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Canadiens in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Andersen picked up his third shutout of this postseason. The Hurricanes' defense has been superb in this series, holding Montreal to fewer than 20 shots in each of the last three games, making Andersen's job that much easier. He's 11-1 with a 1.44 GAA and a .928 save percentage in 12 outings. Andersen is a virtual lock to start Game 5 at home Friday, with a win being all the Hurricanes need to book their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals versus the Golden Knights.

Dobes allowed three goals on 42 shots in Wednesday's 4-0 loss to the Hurricanes in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The fourth goal was an empty-netter.

Dobes was kept busy throughout the game, but the Canadiens' offense again had trouble solving the Hurricanes' defensive structure. With the loss, Montreal is on the brink of elimination, trailing 3-1 in the series. Dobes now has a 9-9 record with a 2.53 GAA and a .912 save percentage over 18 starts this postseason. Despite the recent losses, he's played well, so it's unclear if head coach Martin St. Louis will consider a change in goal for Friday's Game 5.

Dobes will guard the home goal versus the Hurricanes in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports.

Dobes is looking to bounce back after consecutive overtime losses in Games 2 and 3. He's still allowed just eight goals on 93 shots over the first three games of the series, but Dobes hasn't gotten consistent support from his teammates. As long as the 25-year-old continues to play well, the crease should remain in his possession.

Andersen is expected to get the starting nod on the road against the Canadiens in Game 4 on Wednesday.

Andersen has suffered just one loss in the postseason, coming at the hands of the Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He has a 10-1 record, a 1.56 GAA and a .923 save percentage in his last 11 outings. Despite sharing the workload and appearing in just 35 contests during the regular season, he has cemented himself as Carolina's No. 1 in the playoffs.

Landeskog scored a goal on two shots, added two PIM and doled out three hits in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Golden Knights in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.

Landeskog scored in three of four games in this series, accounting for nearly half of the Avalanche's seven goals. The captain's efforts weren't enough as his team went down in a sweep. He put up a total of six goals, five assists, 37 shots on net, 40 hits, 14 PIM and a plus-4 rating over 13 outings this postseason.

Blackwood stopped 24 of 26 shots in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Golden Knights in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.

Blackwood put in a good performance, but the Avalanche's offense didn't give enough support in the season-ending loss. Blackwood ended up allowing eight goals on 73 shots over four playoff outings while most often playing second fiddle to Scott Wedgewood. Both goalies are under contract for next year, which may lead to a tandem approach in the Colorado crease once again if they play at a level similar to the one they displayed in 2025-26.

Smith scored a goal on two shots, added two PIM and logged three hits in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Avalanche in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.

Smith's goal at 14:15 of the third period was an important one. It put the Golden Knights ahead 2-0, and it ended up being needed insurance when Gabriel Landeskog scored a few minutes later. The tally ended a nine-game point drought for Smith, who has managed to stay in the lineup despite a recent string of penalties. The 30-year-old winger has three goals, two assists, 10 shots on net, 66 hits, 22 PIM and a plus-4 rating over 16 playoff contests in a fourth-line role.