As the first-round series of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs transition to the home rinks of the lower-seeded teams, some clubs are facing potential elimination.
Will teams like the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Edmonton Oilers avoid this fate as they head into Friday`s games trailing 2-0 in their respective series?
Game 3 is crucial. Historically, teams taking a 2-0 lead in Stanley Cup playoff best-of-seven series win 86% of the time, while those with a 3-0 lead win 98%.
Continue reading for previews of tonight`s games, including statistical insights, summaries of Thursday`s results, and Arda Öcal`s Three Stars from Thursday night.
Matchup Notes
Washington Capitals at Montreal Canadiens
Game 3 (WSH leads 2-0) | 7 p.m. ET | TNT
Curiously, the Capitals have a rare losing record (4-6) historically when holding a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series, making them the NHL`s only team with this distinction.
Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson, who didn`t play during Vegas`s 2023 Cup win, is compensating with stellar play this series, boasting a .951 save percentage and 1.47 goals-against average.
Connor McMichael, not Connor McDavid, was the offensive hero in Game 2 for the Caps, scoring his first career multigoal playoff game. McDavid has many such games but none yet this postseason.
Montreal`s goals have come from three different players: first-liners Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, and veteran Christian Dvorak, whose Game 2 goal was his third career playoff marker.
While Thompson shines for Washington, Sam Montembeault has been equally vital for Montreal, making key saves and maintaining a .921 save percentage and 2.49 GAA, numbers many teams would welcome.
Carolina Hurricanes at New Jersey Devils
Game 3 (CAR leads 2-0) | 8 p.m. ET | TBS
Carolina extended an impressive run by winning Game 2, now holding a 2-0 lead in their last five consecutive first-round series.
Frederik Andersen`s 25 saves in Game 2 marked his 13th playoff win with Carolina, placing him one victory shy of tying Arturs Irbe for second most in franchise history.
Seth Jarvis continues to impress; his Game 2 goal was his 14th career playoff goal, tying Sebastian Aho for the franchise lead among players aged 23 or younger.
New Jersey awaits updates on injured players like Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon, who missed Game 2. Hughes` absence is significant, as he averaged the second-most ice time among team defensemen in the regular season.
Despite the two losses, Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom has been solid, stopping 66 of 71 shots for a .930 save percentage.
Los Angeles Kings at Edmonton Oilers
Game 3 (LA leads 2-0) | 10 p.m. ET | TNT
With the understanding that the Oilers are never out of it, the Kings now have history on their side, holding a 7-1 record all-time when leading a best-of-seven series 2-0.
Los Angeles` power play remains a key driver, scoring in seven straight games (including late regular season) and going 5-for-10 this series, contributing to six goals scored in each of the first two games – a feat last achieved by the 2014 Sharks (also against the Kings).
Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar became the first Kings pair since Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey (1992, also vs. Oilers) to record four or more points each in a single playoff game.
Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner was pulled in Game 2 after allowing five goals on 28 shots, mirroring his benching in the 2023 playoffs after a rough start, which preceded improved play. He joins Grant Fuhr (`84, `85) and Andy Moog (`81, `83) as the only Oilers goalies to allow five goals in back-to-back playoff games (Oilers won Cups in `84 & `85).
While Edmonton`s stars (McDavid, Bouchard, Draisaitl) have produced points, the team lacks depth scoring. Could coach Kris Knoblauch shuffle the lines for Game 3?
Arda`s Three Stars from Thursday Night
1. Pavel Buchnevich
LW, St. Louis Blues
Delivered when the Blues needed him most: a hat trick and an assist in a dominant 7-2 victory as St. Louis avoids falling into a 3-0 hole against Winnipeg.
2. Kirill Kaprizov
LW, Minnesota Wild
Scored two power-play goals in the win over Vegas, joining an elite group. According to ESPN Research, only Mario Lemieux and John Druce had more power-play goals in their first 22 career playoff games.
3. Nate Schmidt
D, Florida Panthers
Became the first Panthers defenseman to score two game-winning goals in a single postseason, netting his second straight in the win.
Thursday`s Scores
Florida Panthers 2, Tampa Bay Lightning 0
FLA leads 2-0
Defenseman Nate Schmidt scored for the second consecutive game, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped all 19 shots. A major storyline was Brandon Hagel`s hit on Aleksander Barkov, resulting in a five-minute major and removing Barkov from the game. (Recap)
Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Ottawa Senators 2 (OT)
TOR leads 3-0
For the second consecutive game, overtime was required. Toronto won again, pushing Ottawa to the brink of elimination. Power-play goals were traded by Giroux and Knies, followed by regulation goals from Matthews and Tkachuk. Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit scored the winner 1:19 into OT. (Recap)
Minnesota Wild 5, Vegas Golden Knights 2
MIN leads 2-1
In a postseason where favorites have largely dominated, the Wild have defied expectations against the heavily favored Golden Knights, leading the series 2-1. Kirill Kaprizov added two goals, bringing his postseason total to four. Minnesota has scored five goals in consecutive games, totaling 12 in the series. (Recap)
St. Louis Blues 7, Winnipeg Jets 2
WPG leads 2-1
St. Louis refused to go quietly. The Blues scored three first-period goals, including the first two of Pavel Buchnevich`s hat trick, en route to a dominant 7-2 win. Buchnevich also had an assist, and Cam Fowler (goal, four assists) and Robert Thomas (four assists) had big nights. (Recap)
