Stanley Cup Playoffs Day 3: Hurricanes win double-overtime thriller, Oilers get late-game heroics

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are back, which means that for the next two months, we’ll get non-stop action as we witness 16 teams get whittled down to the one that will be crowned as the 2026 Stanley Cup champions. Here at Daily Faceoff, we’ll be keeping you in the loop on everything that happens in the playoffs, every day until the Stanley Cup is hoisted in June.

We saw the last first-round series get underway on Monday night, as we had another busy slate of games, with some teams trying to take a firm grip on their respective matchups in the league.

Vladar posts shutout as Flyers take stranglehold

In the Battle of Pennsylvania, it has been the team from the City of Brotherly Love that was unkind to their rivals. After pulling out a big win in the first game of the series on Saturday, the Philadelphia Flyers rode an outstanding performance from goaltender Dan Vladar, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

It was a very quiet first period, as neither side put forth any sort of pressure. However, the action picked uo in the second period, with the Flyers striking first in the latter half of the frame. Rookie forward Porter Martone continued his hot play since signing with the team, scoring his second goal of the series to put Philly out in front.

A few minutes later, the Penguins had a great chance to tie the game on the power play, but it was the visitors who took advantage of the situation, with Owen Tippett making a great play to set up Garnet Hathaway for a shorthanded tally to make it 2-0 late in the middle stanza.

Tippett had an opportunity to put Philadelphia up by three, as he was awarded a penalty shot just before the halfway mark of the third after getting hooked by Penguins defender Erik Karlsson.

He was unsuccessful, but it didn’t effect the game. An empty-net goal from Luke Glendening sealed the deal, as the Flyers grabbed both games in Pittsburgh, and has all the momentum as they get set to play their first true home playoff game since 2018.

It was a memorable night for Vladar, who, after not posting a shutout during the regular season, stopped all 27 shots he faced on Monday night. Skinner made 20 saves in the losing effort, though it was hard to put the blame on him after Game 2.

It certainly didn’t help that Pittsburgh’s power play didn’t do anything. On top of giving up the shorthanded goal in the second, the team went 0-for-5 on the man advantage, and hasn’t scored on its seven chances so far in the series. The Flyers went 0-for-4 themselves, and are also 0-for-7 across the first two games.

Martinook ends chaotic double-overtime thriller

The second game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators was an instant classic. A back and forth battle with plenty of drama and controversy resulted in the Hurricanes grabbing a 3-2 win in double overtime.

The Hurricanes put the pressure on the Senators early in the game, and an early penalty to Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk put Carolina position to strike first, as Logan Stankoven, who came up with a key blocker right before the man advantage, scored his second goal of the series before the seven-minute mark of the contest.

The Hurricanes continued to pile on the chances, with Sebastian Aho’s first of the playoffs putting the home side up 2-0 before the halfway mark of the contest. The way things were trending, Carolina was going to run away with the game and a commanding lead in the series. However, those pesky Sens managed to turn things around. A few minutes after Aho’s marker, Drake Batherson snuck a shot over the shoulder of Canes goaltender Frederik Andersen. With a few minutes to go in the middle frame, Andersen let in a softy, as Dylan Cozens scored, five-hole to the game at two.

The third period was tight checking, with neither having too many opportunities to go out in front, though Linus Ullmark was tasked with making a couple of huge saves to keep the score level, with game requiring overtime to determine a winner.

The Hurricanes had long stretches of offensive zone time in the first extra frame, and it led to several great chances, including what seemed like a game-winning goal from Mark Jankowski. However, a lenghty review determined that captain Jordan Staal was offside on the zone entry. Yet, during the play before the goal, a penalty shot was going to be awarded to Jordan Martinook.

So, Martinook had a second chance to win the game, but Ullmark came up with another big save to keep the game going.

A second overtime was needed in Raleigh. With the amount of fatigue and the way things were playing out, it seemed as if a third extra period was coming to fruition. That possibility was nixed with just over six minutes to play in double overtime, as Martinook ripped a shot over the shoulder of Ullmark to give Carolina a huge win, and an important 2-0 lead in the series that’s set to move north of the border.

Unquestionably, this was a tough loss for Ottawa. After getting handled in the series opener on Saturday, the team gave the Hurricanes everything it had in Game 2. Now, they return home with the task of trying to erase a multi-game deficit.

Ullmark was stellar, making 41 saves in the losing effort. Andersen showed a glimpse that he has what it takes to be a clutch netminder, turning away 36 shots in Game 2. The Hurricanes capitalized on their lone power play in the game, while the Senators went 0-for-3 in Game 2.

Duchene, Johnston power Stars to even series

After getting blown out in the first game of the series, the Dallas Stars put forth a much better effort in Game 2 against the Minnesota Wild, with two players far apart in age leading the team to a 4-2 victory.

The first period saw saw the Wild and Stars come out swinging. Dallas had a lucky break to get on the board first. A little before the halfway mark of the opening period, Wyatt Johnston took a long shot that went wide of the goal, but the when the puck kicked off the end boards, it somehow snuck by Minnesota goaltender Jesper Wallstedt.

However, the lead didn’t last long. A few minutes later, with the teams playing 4-on-4, Brock Faber scored an absolute beauty, his first goal of his postseason, tying the game at one.

That goal went to the Wild’s legs, as they put the heat on the Stars for the remainder of the first and much of the second period. However, a power-play goal from Matt Duchene gave the Stars their second lead of the game minutes into the second period. Minutes into the third, Dallas managed to pad its lead with Jason Robertson tipping in his second goal of the series to add some insurance.

Less than two minutes after that, Faber scored his second of the game to give Minnesota a chance at a comeback, but an empty-net goal from Johnston secured a win for Dallas, sending the series to the Twin Cities tied at a game apiece.

there is one moment in the game that’s receiving plenty of discussion. In the final seconds of the second, Wild forward Marcus Foligno was handed a double minor for roughing after ripping down Stars defenseman Thomas Harley. It’ll be interesting to see if Foligno receives any additional discipline for the incident.

The Stars outshot the Wild 32-30 in the contest, including 16-8 in the final 20 minutes. Dallas netminder Jake Oettinger had a huge bounce-back effort, making 28 saves in the victory, while Wallstedt was credited wth 28 stops as well in the losing effort.

Special teams played a crucial role in the outcome. The Stars went 2-for-5 on the power play (granted, Johnston’s ENG came on the man advantage), while also killing off all four of Minnesota’s power plays.

Kapanen’s late goal drowns Ducks

The final series to begin was a battle between the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks, playing in their first playoff game in eight years, didn’t look out of place, but late rally by the Oilers led to the home side drawing first blood with a 4-3 victory.

It was apparent that the Oilers were juiced up for their first game of these playoffs, though they almost fell behind minutes into the game, as it looked like rookie Tim Washe put the Ducks on the board, but it was quickly waved off for goaltender interference.

Edmonton was able to take the fortunate call and turn it in their favor. Late in the first, Jake Walman spring Jason Dickinson on a breakaway, and the trade deadline acquisition scored in his first playoff game in six years to break the ice.

Then, exactly 60 seconds later, Kasperi Kapanen jammed home his first postseason goal since 2021, sending Rogers Place into a frenzy.

Though Edmonton had the momentum heading into the second period, the Ducks calmed the waters as Troy Terry scored just 19 seconds into the frame, cutting the deficit to one. Shortly after Oilers captain Connor McDavid had a chance to restore the two-goal cushion, the Ducks’ Leo Carlsson cleaned up a Troy Terry rebound to tie the game at two just before the five-minutes mark of the second.

Anaheim continued to press on the Oilers in the period. After a careless penalty from Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, Terry potted his second of the game on the power play, giving the visitors the lead for the first time.

The Ducks carried the one-goal cushion well past the halfway mark of the third period, when Dickinson cleaned up a rebound for his second of the game. Then, with less than two minutes to play in regulation, the returning Leon Draisaitl set up a play that led to Kapanen’s second of the game, putting Edmonton out in front.

Anaheim didn’t go down without a fight. They had a glorious chance to tie the game in the dying seconds, but Mikael Granlund missed out on a wide-open net, putting the back into Connor Ingram, and the Oilers managed to hang for a chaotic victory.

Edmonton certainly carried the play for a lot of the contest, outshooting Anaheim 34-27. Lukas Dostal did just about evertyhing he could to give the Ducks a chance, making 30 saves on Monday night. Connor Ingram silenced some doubters with his effort, picking up his first playoff win after making 24 stops.