Latest news with #Canadiens-Capitals
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NHL playoffs drama: Analysts react to Montreal Canadiens' Game 3 victory against Washington Capitals
HL playoffs: Montreal Canadiens vs Washington Capitals (via Getty Images) The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live was back with a lively analysis of the Montreal Canadiens ' fast-paced 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round . Hosts Emma Lingan and Ryan Kennedy broke down all the intrigue from the Canadiens' historic evening — including notable injuries, brawls, breakouts, and significant developments around the NHL — on their nightly live broadcast of the Stanley Cup Playoffs . Emma Lingan and Ryan Kennedy point to disorder and momentum stemming from Montreal Canadiens' win Playoff Frenzy April 25, 2025 | The Hockey News Emma Lingan and Ryan Kennedy led off The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live by breaking down how the Montreal Canadiens, with a deafening Bell Centre crowd behind them, dominated the Washington Capitals in a do-or-die game. From the dynamic goals by Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield to the gritty physical duels featuring Josh Anderson, the hosts highlighted the Canadiens' tireless energy that propelled their first home playoff victory since 2017. 'Josh Anderson really stepped up,' Kennedy said. The analysts also discussed how the home crowd and the energetic atmosphere helped boost the Montreal Canadiens. Further, they talked about the key injuries incurred by each of the starting goaltenders — Montreal Canadiens' Sam Montembeault and Washington Capitals' Logan Thompson — and how these updates altered the atmosphere of the game. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo 'I think the Montreals really maintained their composure throughout the early part of the game.' Lingan highlighted. 'I think it was a missed opportunity for Washingtons,' Kennedy added. Aside from the Canadiens-Capitals matchup, The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live also discussed breaking news around the league. Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel was suspended, providing another challenge for the Lightning in their playoff quest. The Edmonton Oilers, however, used Calvin Pickard as their goalie, a key shift in their approach at the goalie position. Also read: 2025 NHL playoff power rankings: Who's Primed to lift the Stanley Cup? Montreal Canadiens look to take momentum into Game 4 against Washington Capitals With the series now in favor of the Washington Capitals, the Montreal Canadiens will seek to carry the momentum of their emotional Game 3 win into Game 4 on Sunday. If Montreal can match the intensity and poise they displayed at Bell Centre, the Eastern Conference First Round could take a dramatic turn.
NBC Sports
18-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
From old guys chasing the Stanley Cup to new players breaking in, what to watch in the NHL playoffs
The puck drops on the first round of the NHL playoffs when Winnipeg hosts St. Louis followed by the must-see matchup of Colorado and Dallas. The other six series get going with the Toronto-Ottawa Battle of Ontario to another cross-state showdown between Tampa Bay and defending champion Florida. An infusion of young talent fresh to the league in recent weeks, a handful of veterans in their mid-to-late 30s chasing the Stanley Cup and the best goaltender in the league this season looking to change his reputation are among the things to watch as the playoffs unfold. 'There's a million different storylines that I love,' retired tough guy Paul Bissonnette said. New guys Just like Chris Kreider did for the New York Rangers in 2012, Tom Wilson for Washington in 2013 and Cale Makar for Colorado in 2019, a handful of teams have added top prospects just in time to make a difference at the most important time of year. The class of 2025 is headlined by Montreal's Ivan Demidov, St. Louis' Jimmy Snuggerud, Minnesota's Zeev Buium and Washington's Ryan Leonard. The hype around Demidov — one podcast even had a livestream of him arriving off his flight into Canada — has been the hottest because the 19-year-old Russian winger was considered the best young player not in the NHL. 'There's a 19-year-old kid that played his first game, Ivan Demidov,' color analyst Ray Ferraro said. 'He scored a goal and an assist. The building almost fell over in Montreal. It was amazing to watch.' Snuggerud also got his first goal for the Blues. Leonard slid his into an empty net the same night Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky's record. Buium could make his debut early in the playoffs. 'Not only Demidov but also Ryan Leonard coming in, Buium, it just seems like this young wave of players (are) getting to come in and potentially make an impact,' said Bissonnette. Demidov and Leonard will face off in the Canadiens-Capitals first-round series. Older guys Blues defenseman Ryan Suter is 39 and has played 1,526 regular-season games — the most of anyone currently in the NHL who has not won the Stanley Cup. Carolina's Brent Burns, also 39, is next at 1,496. Suter's team is a long shot to win it all. Burns' team has a better shot at getting through the East to have a chance at the Cup. There's also Ottawa's Claude Giroux at 36 and 1,262 games played and Dallas' Jamie Benn at 35 and 1,192 games hoping to finally reach hockey's mountaintop. 'One that I'd love to see win is Jamie Benn,' said 2003 Cup champion Mike Rupp. 'He's had some really good years. He's had some years where he's been in question and he's been through some stuff as far as just, 'Is that a good contract? Does he still have anything left in the tank?' And I thought he's really answered that the last few years.' Want some other greybeards without a ring? Toronto's Max Pacioretty, Minnesota's Mats Zuccarello and Tampa Bay's Luke Glendening and Cam Atkinson all fit the bill. 'Helly' in the spotlight Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck just finished a second consecutive season that should win him the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender, which would be his third. He went 47-12-3 with a league-best 2.00 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage that's the highest of any netminder with more than 35 starts. He also might win the Hart Trophy as MVP. But now his play is really in the spotlight after developing a recent reputation for turning into a different (worse) goalie in April. Hellebuyck over the past two playoffs has a 4.28 GAA and an .875 save percentage, which is the worst of anyone in that time with at least 10 appearances. 'I think the book is still out,' Bissonnette said. 'If he's able to get past that first round, it'll do a lot for his psyche and his confidence, so if I'm a betting man, I'm betting on Hellebuyck this playoffs.' Injury concerns Even before the grinding toll of the playoffs gets underway, the wear and tear of the regular season and some bad luck has caused some injuries that could tip the balance of series. The Stars won't have No. 1 defenseman Miro Heiskanen for at least the start of their series against the Avalanche, more than two months since he had knee surgery. There's also concern about scorer Jason Robertson, who left the regular-season finale with an apparent right leg or knee injury. 'Heiskanen makes such a huge difference on that back end.' Anson Carter said. 'When you have to go against (Nathan) MacKinnon every single night and have (Cale) Makar coming down the other way, you want to have someone that could equalize that. ... You can't replace a Heiskanen.' The Capitals have their own questions, since starting goaltender Logan Thompson and 30-goal-scoring forward Aliaksei Protas were injured in early April. Edmonton won't have top defenseman Mattias Ekholm for at least the first round, the Oilers' fourth consecutive year opening the playoffs against Los Angeles.
Associated Press
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
From old guys chasing the Stanley Cup to new players breaking in, what to watch in the NHL playoffs
The puck drops on the first round of the NHL playoffs Saturday when Winnipeg hosts St. Louis followed by the must-see matchup of Colorado and Dallas. The other six series get going next week, from the Toronto-Ottawa Battle of Ontario to Tuesday's opener of another cross-state showdown between Tampa Bay and defending champion Florida. An infusion of young talent fresh to the league in recent weeks, a handful of veterans in their mid-to-late 30s chasing the Stanley Cup and the best goaltender in the league this season looking to change his reputation are among the things to watch as the playoffs unfold. 'There's a million different storylines that I love,' retired tough guy Paul Bissonnette said. New guys Just like Chris Kreider did for the New York Rangers in 2012, Tom Wilson for Washington in 2013 and Cale Makar for Colorado in 2019, a handful of teams have added top prospects just in time to make a difference at the most important time of year. The class of 2025 is headlined by Montreal's Ivan Demidov, St. Louis' Jimmy Snuggerud, Minnesota's Zeev Buium and Washington's Ryan Leonard. The hype around Demidov — one podcast even had a livestream of him arriving off his flight into Canada — has been the hottest because the 19-year-old Russian winger was considered the best young player not in the NHL. 'There's a 19-year-old kid that played his first game (Monday night), Ivan Demidov,' longtime forward-turned-ESPN color analyst Ray Ferraro said. 'He scored a goal and an assist. The building almost fell over in Montreal. It was amazing to watch.' Snuggerud got his first goal for the Blues on Tuesday night. Leonard slid his into an empty net the same night Alex Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky's record. Buium debuted in the Wild's season finale. 'Not only Demidov but also Ryan Leonard coming in, Buium, it just seems like this young wave of players (are) getting to come in and potentially make an impact,' said Bissonnette, now an NHL analyst on TNT. Demidov and Leonard will face off in the Canadiens-Capitals first-round series. Older guys Blues defenseman Ryan Suter is 39 and has played 1,526 regular-season games — the most of anyone currently in the NHL who has not won the Stanley Cup. Carolina's Brent Burns, also 39, is next at 1,496. Suter's team is a long shot to win it all. Burns' team has a better shot at getting through the East to have a chance at the Cup. There's also Ottawa's Claude Giroux at 36 and 1,262 games played and Dallas' Jamie Benn at 35 and 1,192 games hoping to finally reach hockey's mountaintop. 'One that I'd love to see win is Jamie Benn,' said 2003 Cup champion Mike Rupp, who now works for NHL Network. 'He's had some really good years. He's had some years where he's been in question and he's been through some stuff as far as just, 'Is that a good contract? Does he still have anything left in the tank?' And I thought he's really answered that the last few years.' Want some other greybeards without a ring? Toronto's Max Pacioretty, Minnesota's Mats Zuccarello and Tampa Bay's Luke Glendening and Cam Atkinson all fit the bill. 'Helly' in the spotlight Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck just finished a second consecutive season that should win him the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender, which would be his third. He went 47-12-3 with a league-best 2.00 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage that's the highest of any netminder with more than 35 starts. He also might win the Hart Trophy as MVP. But now his play is really in the spotlight after developing a recent reputation for turning into a different (worse) goalie in April. Hellebuyck over the past two playoffs has a 4.28 GAA and an .875 save percentage, which is the worst of anyone in that time with at least 10 appearances. 'I think the book is still out,' Bissonnette said. 'If he's able to get past that first round, it'll do a lot for his psyche and his confidence, so if I'm a betting man, I'm betting on Hellebuyck this playoffs.' Injury concernsEven before the grinding toll of the playoffs gets underway, the wear and tear of the regular season and some bad luck has caused some injuries that could tip the balance of series. The Stars won't have No. 1 defenseman Miro Heiskanen for at least the start of their series against the Avalanche, more than two months since he had knee surgery. There's also concern about scorer Jason Robertson, who left the regular-season finale with an apparent right leg or knee injury. 'Heiskanen makes such a huge difference on that back end.' TNT's Anson Carter said. 'When you have to go against (Nathan) MacKinnon every single night and have (Cale) Makar coming down the other way, you want to have someone that could equalize that. ... You can't replace a Heiskanen.' The Capitals have their own questions, since starting goaltender Logan Thompson and 30-goal-scoring forward Aliaksei Protas were injured in early April. Edmonton won't have top defenseman Mattias Ekholm for at least the first round, the Oilers' fourth consecutive year opening the playoffs against Los Angeles. ___ AP NHL:
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Canadiens' Rookie Makes NHL History on Wednesday
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson tied one of the longest-standing rookie defenseman records in NHL history on Wednesday night. Hutson notched his 60th assist of the season in the Canadiens' 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, matching a record first set by Hall of Famer Larry Murphy in 1981. Advertisement Murphy reached that mark 44 years ago while playing for the Los Angeles Kings in the 1980-81 season, and the record has stood since that moment without fellow Canadiens defenseman Chris Chelios (55 assists in 1985) the closer to reaching it. 'It's cool,' Hutson said about the record following the Habs win on Wednesday. 'I really enjoy playing and the guys made it really easy on me, so it's just been a great season.' Hutson, 21, finished his rookie season with 66 points in 82 games, which also places him in a tie for fourth all-time among rookie defensemen alongside Phil Housley. Only Murphy, Brian Leetch (71 points), and Gary Suter (68) posted higher totals in their debut years. Hutson also passed Chris Chelios earlier in the week for the most points by a rookie defenseman in Canadiens history. Advertisement Montreal drafted Hutson with the No. 62 overall pick in the 2022 NHL draft, and he appeared in all 82 games this season after making a brief two-game cameo last year when he already assisted two goals. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) plays the puck at Bell Kirouac-Imagn Images Hutson's final assist of the year came on Kaiden Guhle's second goal of the game against Carolina, helping Montreal clinch a 40-31-11 record and the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens' victory also secured their first postseason berth since 2021 as they will now shift their attention to the East-best Washington Capitals in their first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs matchup. Advertisement As things stand, with Washington having one game left on their schedule, Hutson will enter the playoffs having more points (66) than all but two Capitals players in Alex Ovechkin (72) and Dylan Strome (81). Related: Kaiden Guhle Inadvertently Leaks Start Date of Canadiens-Capitals Series Related: Canadiens' Ivan Demidov Makes NHL History in Debut vs. Blackhawks
