Stanley Cup playoffs day-to-day: Previewing Monday’s four-game slate

Five sequence of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs have begun, and two extra will start Monday. Meanwhile, the 2 matchups within the Central Division are directly to Game 2.

Here’s the four-pack of video games at the calendar:

What are the important thing storylines heading into Monday’s video games? Who are the important thing avid gamers to look at?

Read on for recreation previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down ultimate night time, and the Three Stars of Sunday Night from Arda Öcal.

Matchup notes

Montreal Canadiens at Washington Capitals
Game 1 | 7 p.m., ESPN

You may’ve heard in regards to the 2010 playoff matchup between those two groups a time or so previously week.

In that postseason, the overpowering favourite (and No. 1 seed) Capitals, led by means of Alex Ovechkin, had been disillusioned by means of the No. 8 seed Canadiens, due largely to an epic efficiency in target from Jaroslav Halak. Halak is not strolling out of the tunnel for the Habs this time round (we think); as a substitute it is going to be Becancour, Quebec, local Sam Montembeault, who allowed 4 targets on 35 pictures in his one get started in opposition to the Caps this season.

Washington’s goaltender for Game 1 has but to be printed, as Logan Thompson was once injured again on April 2. But there is no query that there’s a disparity between the offensive output of the 2 golf equipment, because the Caps completed 2d within the NHL in targets in step with recreation (3.49), whilst the Canadiens completed 17th (2.96). Can Montreal stay up on this sequence?

St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets
Game 2 | 7:30 p.m., ESPN2

The Blues hung with the Jets for far of Game 1 or even gave the impression of the more potent group at positive instances, so pulling off the sequence disillusioned stays at the desk. But getting a win at the unfriendly ice on the Canada Life Centre can be of a few receive advantages in transferring momentum prior to the sequence strikes to St. Louis for Game 3. The Blues proved that Connor Hellebuyck isn’t invincible in Game 1, they usually had been led by means of stars Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas, who each were given at the board.

The Jets have a combined historical past after profitable Game 1 of a playoff sequence, having long gone 3-3 as a franchise (together with the Atlanta Thrashers days) on such events. Like the Blues, the Jets had been led by means of their stars, Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele, however the game-tying target got here from Alex Iafallo, who has performed up and down the lineup this season.

Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars
Game 2 | 9:30 p.m., ESPN

The Stars may like a redo on Game 1 after the visiting Avalanche necessarily managed the festivities for far of the competition. Stars ahead Jason Robertson ignored Game 1 as a result of an harm sustained within the ultimate recreation of the common season, and his go back faster than later can be very good for Dallas; he scored 3 targets in 3 video games in opposition to Colorado within the common season. Also of word, groups that experience taken a 2-0 lead in best-of-seven sequence have received 86% of the time.

Slowing down the Avs’ stars will probably be crucial in Game 2, which is a legitimate — if most likely unrealistic — technique. With his two targets in Game 1, Nathan MacKinnon was the 1/3 participant in Avalanche/Nordiques historical past to attain 50 playoff targets, becoming a member of Joe Sakic (84) and Peter Forsberg (58). In attaining 60 assists in his 73rd playoff recreation, Cale Makar was the third-fastest defenseman in NHL historical past to succeed in that milestone, in the back of Bobby Orr (69 GP) and Al MacInnis (71 GP).

Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings
Game 1 | 10 p.m., ESPN2

This is the fourth instantly postseason through which the Oilers and Kings have met in Round 1, and Edmonton has received the former 3 sequence. Will the fourth time be the attraction for the Kings?

L.A. went 3-1-0 in opposition to Edmonton this season, together with shutouts on April 5 and 14. Quinton Byfield was once specifically robust in the ones video games, with 3 targets and an lend a hand. Overall, the Kings had been led in scoring this season by means of Adrian Kempe, with 35 targets and 38 assists. Warren Foegele — who performed 22 playoff video games for the Oilers in 2024 — had a career-high 24 targets this season.

The Oilers input the 2025 postseason with 41 playoff sequence wins, which is the second one maximum amongst non-Original Six groups (in the back of the Flyers, with 44). They were eradicated by means of the group that received the Stanley Cup in every of the previous 3 postseasons (Panthers 2024, Golden Knights 2023, Avalanche 2022). Edmonton is still led by means of Leon Draisaitl — who received his first Rocket Richard Trophy because the league’s most sensible target scorer this season — and Connor McDavid, who received the goal-scoring identify in 2022-23 and the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs ultimate 12 months, despite the fact that the Oilers did not win the Cup.

Arda’s Three Stars of Sunday

For the ultimate a number of seasons, a lot of the postseason narrative for the Leafs has been the loss of manufacturing from the Core Four. So this was once a dream Game 1 in opposition to Ottawa for Marner (one target, two assists), Nylander (one target, one lend a hand), John Tavares (one target, one lend a hand) and Matthews (two assists) in Toronto’s 6-2 win over Ottawa.

Stankoven’s two targets in the second one era put the sport out of succeed in, with the Canes profitable 4-1 in Game 1. Stankoven is the second one participant in Hurricanes/Whalers historical past to attain two times in his first playoff recreation with the membership (the opposite was once Andrei Svechnikov in Game 1 of the primary spherical in 2019)

Howden had two third-period targets within the Golden Knights’ victory over the Wild in Game 1, together with a buzzer-beating empty-netter to make the overall rating 4-2.

Sunday’s effects

Hurricanes 4, Devils 1
Carolina leads 1-0

The Hurricanes got here out impressed thank you partly to the raucous house crowd and took a handy guide a rough lead off the stick of Jalen Chatfield at 2:24 of the primary era. Logan Stankoven — who came visiting within the Mikko Rantanen business — scored a couple in the second one era, and the Canes by no means appeared again. On the Devils’ facet, accidents pressured Brenden Dillon and Cody Glass out of the sport, whilst Luke Hughes left within the 1/3 era however was once ready to go back. Full recap.

play

Logan Stankoven’s second target offers Hurricanes a 3-0 lead

Logan Stankoven notches his 2d target of the sport to offer the Hurricanes a 3-0 lead.

Maple Leafs 6, Senators 2
Toronto leads 1-0

The first skirmish within the Battle of Ontario is going to the house facet, because the Leafs by no means let the Senators get very shut on this one. Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Mitch Marner scored within the first, John Tavares and William Nylander tallied in the second one, whilst Morgan Rielly and Matthew Knies put the sport away within the 1/3. Drake Batherson and Ridly Greig — scorer of a controversial empty-net target in opposition to Toronto in 2024 — scored for Ottawa. Full recap.

play

William Nylander zips house a target to pad the Maple Leafs’ lead

William Nylander zips the puck previous the goalie to offer the Maple Leafs a 4-1 lead.

Golden Knights 4, Wild 2
Vegas leads 1-0

In Sunday’s nightcap, the 2 groups performed an lightly matched first two classes, as Vegas carried a 2-1 lead into the 1/3. Then, Brett Howden labored his magic, scoring a target to pad the Knights’ lead 2:28 into that body, and placing the sport to mattress with an empty-netter that beat the buzzer. The Wild had been led by means of Matt Boldy, who had two targets, each assisted by means of Kirill Kaprizov. Full recap.

play

Brett Howden buries Wild in Game 1 with buzzer-beating target

Brett Howden sends the Minnesota Wild packing in Game 1 with an empty-net target for the Golden Knights within the ultimate 2d.