After two games played in three of the four second-round series, certain trends are becoming clear, some of which are concerning for teams many expected to advance deep into the postseason.
The current Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, find themselves trailing 2-0 in the series as they head home to host the Toronto Maple Leafs for Game 3 (scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on TNT). Later on Friday night, following their Game 1 victory, the Dallas Stars will aim to secure another win on the road against the Winnipeg Jets in Game 2 (scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT).
Below are previews for the upcoming games, including statistical insights. Also included is a summary of Thursday`s games and the top three performers from that night.
Series Previews
Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers
Game 3 | 7 p.m. ET | TNT
Historically, the Maple Leafs have won 84% of best-of-seven series after taking a 2-0 lead, while the Panthers have never come back from an 0-2 deficit (0-5 record).
This series showcases the two most productive lines at 5-on-5 in the current postseason: the Eetu Luostarinen-Anton Lundell-Brad Marchand line (eight goals) and the Matthew Knies-Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner line (seven goals, including the Game 2 winner).
William Nylander has now scored in three consecutive games, accumulating six goals and 13 points this postseason. He is the first Maple Leaf since Alexander Mogilny (2003) to score five goals in a three-game span and the first since Doug Gilmour (1993) to register 13 or more points in the first eight playoff games.
Following his goal in Game 2, Marchand has accumulated 32 career playoff points against the Leafs, ranking him fourth all-time. He is behind Gordie Howe (53), Alex Delvecchio (35), and Henri Richard (33).
Joseph Woll, filling in for the injured Anthony Stolarz, stopped 25 of 28 shots for Toronto. For Florida, Sergei Bobrovsky allowed four goals on 20 shots in Game 2, bringing his total to nine goals allowed across Games 1 and 2. This ties his second-highest total for goals allowed in a two-game playoff stretch during his career.
Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets
Game 2 | 9:30 p.m. ET | TNT
After their Game 1 victory, the Stars are now considered strong favorites (-360) to win the series according to ESPN BET, while the Jets are underdogs (+280). The win also ended Dallas`s eight-game losing streak in Game 1s.
In their 3-2 victory, Mikko Rantanen contributed significantly to the offense for Dallas, scoring his second hat trick in a single period this postseason. He also set a new Stanley Cup playoff record with 12 consecutive team goal contributions (either scoring or assisting), breaking Mario Lemieux`s 1992 record of nine.
Game 1 marked Jason Robertson`s return to the lineup after an injury sustained in the final regular season game. He played 13:44, including one minute on the power play, and recorded one shot on goal.
The first game also saw the return of Mark Scheifele, who had been out since Game 5 of the first round. He scored a goal and registered seven shots during his 22:36 of ice time.
Winnipeg`s Connor Hellebuyck and Dallas`s Jake Oettinger are widely regarded as the top candidates for the starting goaltender role for Team USA at the 2026 Olympics. Oettinger had the edge in their first head-to-head matchup, stopping 29 of 31 shots to secure the win, while Hellebuyck made 21 saves on 24 shots in the loss.
Arda Öcal`s Three Stars from Thursday`s Games
1. Tom Wilson
RW, Washington Capitals
Wilson played a crucial role in the Capitals evening their series against the Hurricanes. This was his first career playoff game with at least two points, two hits, two blocked shots, and three shots on goal.
2. Leon Draisaitl
C, Edmonton Oilers
Draisaitl scored the game-winning goal in overtime, giving Edmonton a 2-0 series lead over Vegas. He is now tied with Esa Tikkanen (1991) as the only players in Oilers franchise history to score multiple overtime goals in a single postseason.
3. Jack Eichel
C, Vegas Golden Knights
Eichel recorded three assists in the overtime loss to Edmonton. He now has eight points (one goal, seven assists) in his last five games, matching his personal best for points in a five-game span during his playoff career.
Summaries of Thursday`s Games
Washington Capitals 3, Carolina Hurricanes 1
Series tied 1-1 | Game 3 Saturday
Following their Game 1 loss to Carolina, the Capitals appeared revitalized, with veteran winger Tom Wilson reportedly `setting the tone.` Connor McMichael opened the scoring early in the second period. John Carlson extended the Caps` lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal in the third, assisted by Wilson and Dylan Strome. Shayne Gostisbehere netted a power-play goal for Carolina to narrow the deficit, but Wilson sealed the 3-1 victory with an empty-net goal in the final minute.
Edmonton Oilers 5, Vegas Golden Knights 4 (OT)
EDM leads 2-0 | Game 3 Saturday
Aiming to even the series, Vegas scored first with a goal from Victor Olofsson in the opening period. Edmonton responded strongly in the second with three consecutive goals (from Jake Walman, Vasily Podkolzin, and Darnell Nurse) before William Karlsson brought the Knights back within one. Evander Kane restored Edmonton`s two-goal advantage early in the third, but Vegas mounted a comeback with goals from Olofsson and Alex Pietrangelo, forcing overtime. Leon Draisaitl scored the game-winning goal in OT, securing a 5-4 victory for the Oilers and a 2-0 series lead as the series shifts to Alberta.
