STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS MAY 11, 2026 – DEPTH SCORING HELP AVALANCHE MOVE WITHIN ONE WIN OF CONFERENCE FINALS
Five different goal scorers, including firsts of the postseason from Ross Colton and Parker Kelly, propelled the Avalanche to a 3-1 series lead as Colorado improved to 7-1 with a 5-2 win over the Wild in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs and moved within one win of the Western Conference Final. This marks the third time in franchise history the Avalanche have won seven of their first eight games of a postseason after 2022 and 2001, each of the past two years they hoisted the Stanley Cup.
- Through the four games Colorado has played during the 2026 Second Round, the Avalanche have totaled 20 goals from 14 different scorers. That matches the most through four games of a series in Stanley Cup Playoffs history achieved first by Chicago during the 1985 Division Finals.
- Kelly scored his first-ever goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and it came as the game winner with 8:28 remaining in the third period. This marked the League’s 12th go-ahead goal in the final 10 minutes of regulation in these playoffs, which tied the fourth most at this stage of a postseason (60 GP) in NHL history behind only 2010 (16), 1989 (13) and 1983 (13).
- Colton and Kelly became the 15th and 16th different Avalanche players to find the back of the net this postseason. Colorado tied Philadelphia for the most unique scorers so far in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs and have had more in a single playoff year twice in franchise history: 1996 (18) and 2020 (17).
HUGHES’ 10TH HELPER
Quinn Hughes (4-10—14 in 10 GP) recorded his 10th postseason assist with the Wild and became the ninth different defenseman in NHL history to reach the mark in 10 or fewer games with a franchise. The assist was also the 34th of his playoff career, which tied Evan Bouchard for the third most by a defenseman through 40 career playoff games, behind only Brian Leetch and Bobby Orr.
WILLIE O’REE COMMUNITY HERO AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
The NHL announced the three U.S. and Canadian finalists for the annual Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award, given to an individual who – through the sport of hockey – has positively impacted their community, culture or society. The two Award winners, one in the U.S. and one in Canada, will each receive an increased prize of $30,000 to donate to a charity of their choice. The four remaining finalists will each receive an increased prize of $10,000 to do the same.
SABRES CAN LEVEL SERIES IN MONTREAL, GOLDEN KNIGHTS & DUCKS VIE FOR 3-2 LEAD
Tage Thompson and the Sabres’ sights shift to squaring their Second Round series with the Canadiens in Game 4 before Mitch Marner and the Golden Knights battle the Ducks for a critical 3-2 lead in Game 5.
- Thompson (3-6—9 in 9 GP) leads the Sabres in scoring this postseason and will look to level the series 2-2 before shifting back to Buffalo. Thompson, along with Rasmus Dahlin, is coming off a second straight multi-point outing on the road – both players can match Gilbert Perreault (3 GP in 1981) for the longest multi-point road streak in Sabres history. Buffalo can square the series with its fourth road win of these playoffs, which would match the fourth most the franchise has had in a single postseason.
- Lane Hutson (2-7—9) also hopes to hit the 10-point mark and help Montreal take a 3-1 series lead in a best-of-seven series for the 30th time in franchise history – the first club in NHL history to reach the mark. Hutson can become the third Canadiens defenseman in the past 30 years to record 10 points in a playoff year, following P.K. Subban (14 in 2014) and Andrei Markov (10 in 2014).
- Marner (6-10—16 in 10 GP) paces all players in postseason scoring and co-leads the playoffs in games with at least three points (3 GP; also Nathan MacKinnon & Kirill Kaprizov). Marner can become the eighth player in NHL history with four-plus games with at least three points in his first postseason with a franchise. He would join Mikko Rantanen (5 GP w/ DAL in 2025), Doug Gilmour (5 GP w/ TOR in 1993), Mark Recchi (5 GP w/ PIT in 1991), Wayne Gretzky (5 GP w/ LAK in 1989), Jack Eichel (4 GP w/ VGK in 2023), Evander Kane (4 GP w/ EDM in 2022) and Frank Mahovlich (4 GP w/ MTL in 1971).
- The Ducks have shared the offensive load throughout the lineup so far this postseason – four different skaters have 10 points. Alex Killorn and Mikael Granlund (both w/ 4-5—9) could both boost that total to six – a number the franchise has seen just three other times in an entire postseason: 2007 (9), 2015 (8) and 2003 (6).
Avalanche’s Manson Fined for Butt-Ending
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for butt-ending Minnesota Wild forward Michael McCarron during Game 4 of the teams’ Second Round series in Minnesota on Monday, May 11. The incident occurred at 7:02 of the first period. Manson was assessed a double-minor penalty for butt-ending. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Bruins’ McAvoy Suspended Six Games for Slashing
Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been suspended for six regular-season games, without pay, for slashing Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Game 6 of the teams’ First Round series in Boston on Friday, May 1. The incident occurred at 18:29 of the third period. McAvoy was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for slashing.