The Stanley Cup Playoffs are famously unpredictable, but few could've foreseen Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck losing his Vezina-caliber form in the first round.

Hellebuyck has an .870 save percentage in four games against the Colorado Avalanche and has allowed more goals (19) than any other goaltender in the playoffs. With Winnipeg in a 3-1 series hole, blue-liner Neal Pionk said it's up to the skaters to pick up their star between the pipes.

"We have the best goalie in the league, and we got to play better in front of him. So plain and simple," Pionk said, according to The Canadian Press. "We got to give up less chances, block more shots and compete a little harder in front of him."

The Jets pulled the netminder from a 5-1 loss Sunday in Game 4, but head coach Rick Bowness agrees with Pionk's assessment.

"I gave him a little bit of a breather in the third period last night and to put a little more onus on the players in front of him have to play better," Bowness said. "That's why we made that (change). It had absolutely nothing to do with his play at all."

The Avalanche have heavily controlled play in the series, outshooting the Jets 122-87 at five-on-five while also registering 56.35% of scoring chances and 59.67% of expected goals, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Colorado was the league's most potent offense in the regular season, but many expected Winnipeg to be a difficult test in large part due to Hellebuyck.

The 30-year-old is a Vezina Trophy finalist for the fourth time in seven seasons and is the presumptive favorite for the hardware after going 37-19-4 with a .921 save percentage and five shutouts in 60 games this season.

Winnipeg's must-win Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday night on home ice.

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Stuart Skinner stole the show in Los Angeles on Sunday night, making 33 saves in a 1-0 victory to help give the Edmonton Oilers a 3-1 series lead over the Kings.

Skinner's shutout was the first of his playoff career. He entered Game 4 with an .890 save percentage in the series after posting a .905 clip in 59 regular-season outings.

Evan Bouchard notched the game's only goal, a power-play tally 11 minutes into the second period.

The Kings put forth a strong effort to try and even the series, outshooting the Oilers 33-13 while controlling 64.52% of scoring chances and 74.86% of expected goals at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Edmonton's quiet offensive night came after the team scored a combined 17 goals in the opening three games of the playoffs.

The Oilers can end the series with a win on home ice Wednesday night. They've eliminated the Kings in each of the past two postseasons.

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Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness said forward Vladislav Namestnikov is being evaluated at the hospital after taking a puck to the face during Sunday's Game 4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Namestnikov was struck by a deflected slap shot from teammate Nate Schmidt in the third period and was helped off the ice.

Bowness said Monday that Namestnikov is dealing with a fractured cheek bone but wouldn't rule him out for Tuesday's Game 5, according to team beat reporter Mitchell Clinton.

"He's a tough kid," the bench boss said.

Game 5 is a must-win for Winnipeg with Colorado up 3-1 in the series.

Namestnikov posted 37 points in 78 regular-season games for the Jets this season and averaged over 14 minutes per contest. He's registered one goal so far in the playoffs.

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Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander spoke to the media Friday for the first time since the playoffs started but didn't provide any information about what's kept him out of the lineup for the opening three games.

"Look, that's just personal, so I'm not going to get into that," Nylander told reporters, including Sportsnet's Luke Fox.

He added: "It is what it is. There's nothing to really stress about. You can't force yourself back in, so I'll be ready when I'm ready."

Nylander's absence is reportedly due to a severe migraine that prompted Toronto's medical staff to test him for a concussion. The 27-year-old played in all 82 games for the Maple Leafs this season but was a surprise omission from the Game 1 lineup against the Boston Bruins and hasn't played since.

He's been skating throughout the series and was a full participant in Friday's practice on a line with Pontus Holmberg and Calle Jarnkrok, per Fox. Toronto has yet to confirm if Nylander will play in Game 4.

"Looked great to me on the ice," head coach Sheldon Keefe said.

Nylander's possible return Saturday would be a big boost for a struggling Maple Leafs attack that's managed only six goals in the series. He notched a career-high 98 points this season and has 40 points in 50 playoff contests with Toronto.

"I mean, the games are crazy to watch from home," Nylander said. "I've never been so nervous in my life."

The Maple Leafs trail the Bruins 2-1 in the first-round series and will look to snap a five-game losing streak in home playoff games on Saturday.

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The Florida Panthers are on the verge of advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 on Thursday to take a commanding 3-0 series lead.

Florida got off to a strong start with Matthew Tkachuk opening the scoring midway through the first period, but Tampa Bay responded with two quick tallies to start the middle frame and grab a short-lived 2-1 lead.

Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour, and Steven Lorentz scored in succession for the Panthers to put the game out of reach. Tkachuk then added an empty-netter after Nick Paul made it a one-goal game with just over five minutes to play.

The Lightning will look to extend their season with a win in Game 4 on Saturday night, while the Panthers hope to exact revenge on their in-state rivals for a 2022 sweep when the clubs last met in the playoffs.

Although the Panthers are in full control, it's been a tight series. Florida won Games 1 and 2 by a single tally and holds a narrow 7-5 goal advantage at five-on-five through three contests. However, the Panthers have been the stronger team by many metrics, holding edges in shot attempts (53.42%), scoring chances (60.61%), and expected goals (57.79%), according to Natural Stat Trick.

The Panthers' last sweep came in last year's Eastern Conference Final when they ousted the Carolina Hurricanes. The Lightning haven't been swept since falling to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of the 2019 playoffs.

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Up 2-0 in their opening-round series, the New York Rangers find themselves in the same position they were in last year but are confident the result will be different this time around.

"New team identity," defenseman K'Andre Miller said when asked what's changed about this year's club, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen.

New York stormed to a 2-0 lead in its first-round clash with the New Jersey Devils last spring before losing the next three contests and, ultimately, the series in seven games.

The collapse led to the club replacing head coach Gerard Gallant with Peter Laviolette.

The Rangers have an easier matchup on paper this year after winning the Presidents' Trophy, drawing the 91-point Washington Capitals in Round 1 after taking on the 112-point Devils in 2023.

Despite the advantageous situation, star blue-liner Adam Fox said New York knows not to take its opponent lightly as the series shifts to D.C. for Games 3 and 4.

"Definitely, you know you're not going to get anything easy," Fox said. "You win those two games last year, especially on the road, you think you can breathe easy coming home, but in playoffs, it's never like that. I think especially, now going on the road, we know we're stepping into a tough environment, and we'll be ready for that. I don't think we're expecting anything to come easy, especially on the road, especially with a desperate team over there."

The Rangers cruised to a 4-1 victory at Madison Square Garden in Game 1 and squeaked out a 4-3 win in Game 2. The series resumes Friday night.

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Up 2-0 in their opening-round series, the New York Rangers find themselves in the same position they were in last year but are confident the result will be different this time around.

"New team identity," defenseman K'Andre Miller said when asked what's changed about this year's club, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen.

New York stormed to a 2-0 lead in its first-round clash with the New Jersey Devils last spring before losing the next three contests and, ultimately, the series in seven games.

The collapse led to the club replacing head coach Gerard Gallant with Peter Laviolette.

The Rangers have an easier matchup on paper this year after winning the Presidents' Trophy, drawing the 91-point Washington Capitals in Round 1 after taking on the 112-point Devils in 2023.

Despite the advantageous situation, star blue-liner Adam Fox said New York knows not to take its opponent lightly as the series shifts to D.C. for Games 3 and 4.

"Definitely, you know you're not going to get anything easy," Fox said. "You win those two games last year, especially on the road, you think you can breathe easy coming home, but in playoffs, it's never like that. I think especially, now going on the road, we know we're stepping into a tough environment, and we'll be ready for that. I don't think we're expecting anything to come easy, especially on the road, especially with a desperate team over there."

The Rangers cruised to a 4-1 victory at Madison Square Garden in Game 1 and squeaked out a 4-3 win in Game 2. The series resumes Friday night.

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Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery has no regrets about starting Linus Ullmark in Monday's Game 2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

After keeping it a secret until warmup, Montgomery made the switch after Jeremy Swayman shined in a Game 1 victory, sticking to the rotating strategy the club employed throughout the regular season.

"No second guesses," Montgomery said, per Boston.com's Conor Ryan. "He was terrific. He made multiple big-time saves, and it's a strength of our team. Both of them played really well. We only scored two goals."

Ullmark stopped 30 of 33 shots in the loss. Last season's Vezina Trophy winner entered the postseason with a .915 save percentage in 40 appearances in 2023-24.

"There are some things to clean up, definitely. But it's a long series," Ullmark said. "Now it's all about recharging. The sun will come up tomorrow as well. We go to Toronto, and then duke it out once again."

Swayman made 35 saves in a convincing 5-1 Bruins victory in Game 1. The 25-year-old was near flawless against the Maple Leafs during the regular season, posting a 3-0 record with only four goals against.

Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday night.

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The Buffalo Sabres are bringing back Lindy Ruff for a second tour of duty as head coach, the team announced Monday.

"I am thrilled to welcome Lindy back as the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres," general manager Kevyn Adams said.

"As I went through the hiring process, it quickly became clear Lindy was the person for the job. He has experience, a proven track record, familiarity with young players, and so much more.

"I want to be clear, though, that this hire was not made with nostalgia in mind. Lindy is the right person for the job now, and any history with our organization and community is simply an added bonus. I believe wholeheartedly that Lindy can help our team reach their goals and am excited to get to work with him."

Ruff was fired from his post by the New Jersey Devils in March after three-plus seasons with the club. The Sabres parted ways with Don Granato last week.

Granato, who was hired in 2021, was the sixth different bench boss Buffalo employed between firing and rehiring Ruff.

Ruff commanded the Sabres for 15 seasons from 1997 to 2013. He's the franchise's all-time leader in games coached (1,165) and wins (571). Buffalo made the playoffs eight times under Ruff's guidance and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1999. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2005-06.

The 64-year-old is fifth on the league's all-time wins list at 864.

Buffalo was expected to compete for a playoff spot this season after finishing 2022-23 with 91 points, but the Sabres fizzled to a sixth-place finish in the Atlantic Division and regressed by seven points. After Granato was let go, franchise cornerstone Tage Thompson said he hoped the new coach could instill accountability and consistency into the roster.

The Sabres haven't reached the postseason since 2011, the longest active drought in the NHL.

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Colorado Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz announced his retirement from the NHL due to recurring injuries.

He will work as an analyst in his native Czechia for the upcoming World Championship, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Francouz was limited to only 73 games with the Avalanche across four seasons, posting a 44-21-6 record and .919 save percentage. He made seven playoff appearances for Colorado in 2022, helping the club win the Stanley Cup.

The 33-year-old was ruled out for the entire 2023-24 campaign in November after undergoing offseason adductor surgery.

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