Colorado has undeniable talent, but a lot to prove still
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Kyle Bonagura, ESPN Staff Writer
BOULDER, Colo. — Minutes after North Dakota State’s potential game-winning Hail Mary pass left the Bison 4 yards shy of a Thursday night, prime-time upset, Colorado coach Deion Sanders strolled into the postgame news conference more relieved than anything else.
“You ever felt like you won, but you didn’t win?” Sanders asked.
He was summing up his feelings in the moment, but he could have been speaking for all Buffaloes fans who left not-quite-sold-out Folsom Field having watched a version of their team that looked a lot like the disappointing one from a year ago. Colorado did a lot of good things in its 31-26 win, but it wasn’t the type of comprehensive performance against a lower-division team that will inspire fresh optimism about a significant step forward to come this season.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter looked every bit like the potential top-5 NFL draft picks their coach expects them to be. Sanders completed 26 of 34 passes for 445 yards and three of his four touchdown passes were to Hunter, who represented an unfair mismatch for NDSU’s secondary. He finished with seven catches for 132 yards.
“I think 31 NFL scouts came tonight and I think they saw what they came to see. So, let’s move on from there,” Deion Sanders said. “I’m going to try my best to hold back my anger, but we got the W.”
The more Sanders talked, the more positive he was about the team’s performance, but it still stood in stark contrast to last year’s season-opening win against TCU after which Sanders famously proclaimed, “Do you believe now?”
After that game, Sanders had people convinced the Buffaloes could compete for a conference title. A year later, it seems foolish to use the first game of the season to provide a great sense of what’s to come.
Early last month at Big 12 media day in Las Vegas, Sanders was asked about his expectations for the season. It was a standard offseason type of question to kick off an interview. And after a last-place finish in the Pac-12 last season, it would have been reasonable for Sanders to be measured in his response or to lean into any number of coaching standbys that don’t invite additional external scrutiny.
Instead, Sanders dismissed the notion the Buffaloes didn’t belong in the same breath as the conference favorites.
“I’d be an idiot to sit over here and not tell you we plan on winning,” he told ESPN. “I don’t know who sits down and says they don’t plan on winning. You got to be an idiot to say that.”
Winning a national title? Winning the Big 12? Winning more games than they lose? He stopped short of providing specifics, but this was not a man who was open to the idea the Buffs’ 4-8 finish from a year ago was grounds for the idea they would be competitively irrelevant again in 2024.
2:42
Travis Hunter after 3-TD game: I have a lot of confidence in myself
Colorado star Travis Hunter joins Scott Van Pelt to discuss his huge game against North Dakota State.
One of the main reasons he cited for why winning was the expectation was a revamped offensive line. Aside from center Hank Zilinskas, who started two games last season, the other linemen made their debuts against NDSU — and they finished with mixed reviews. Although Sanders was sacked only once, he was consistently put under pressure and the line failed to open consistent lanes in the run game. Colorado finished with a measly 59 yards rushing on 23 carries (2.6 yards per carry).
“You would love to run the ball a little more but shoot, when you have [504 yards] of total offense, I’m pretty good,” Sanders said. “I’m going to sleep good. Really good. Really good tonight with that. So, I’m cool with that. We would like to see a little more balance, but what is balance? Balance is wins.”
Shedeur Sanders also hinted his offensive line might have had something extra to play for.
“The O-line had an incentive. That’s it. They had a great incentive,” he said. “So, they definitely did what they were supposed to do today. So now I feel good.”
Sanders wasn’t without his mistakes. Namely when it came to game management.
After NDSU scored to make it 31-26, Colorado converted a first down at its 42-yard line that left 1 minute, 41 seconds on the clock. The Bison had one timeout left, which meant if the Buffs ran three straight running plays, they could have wound the clock down inside 10 seconds to go before punting on fourth down, which might have ended the game.
Instead, Sanders checked to a pass play on first down and took a deep shot that fell incomplete, functioning as an extra timeout for NDSU.
“Cover zero. Cover zero and we have the best receiver room in the nation, so it’s kind of disrespectful,” Sanders said when he explained his decision to throw.
When NDSU took over at its 8-yard line, it had 31 seconds left, which were almost enough to pull off a last-ditch miracle. NDSU’s Hail Mary was caught at the Colorado 4-yard line.
“It was something I definitely would learn from,” Sanders said. “So that’s why I’m happy. Everything in my life — I always was able to learn from it. So, there are not too many mistakes you’re going to see I made twice. That’s just something I’m going to learn, understand that even if it looks super tempting … you just got to go with [running the ball in that situation].”
In the end, it didn’t matter. Colorado got the win, even if it didn’t feel like one.
It seems such a short time ago that all 16 teams began the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs with a clean slate. On Tuesday night, two teams could have their postseason runs ended.
Can both teams stave off elimination to get another home game out of the 2025 postseason?
Meanwhile in the Western Conference, both series involving Pacific Division teams are tied 2-2 heading back to the higher seed’s domain. Which teams will take pivotal Games 5 in Vegas Golden Knights–Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings–Edmonton Oilers?
Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down in Monday’s games, and the Three Stars of Monday Night from Arda Öcal.
Matchup notes
Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs
Game 5 (TOR leads 3-1) | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
Games 2-4 marked the 11th time in the past 20 years that teams have gone to overtime three straight times in a playoff series.
Jake Sanderson‘s game-winning overtime goal was the first of his career, and he became the ninth defenseman age 22 or younger with an OT goal in the playoffs (and the first for the Senators).
Veteran David Perron scored his first playoff goal with the Senators, the fourth team with which he has scored a postseason goal (Blues, Golden Knights, Ducks).
Matthew Knies scored his sixth career playoff goal, which is tied for the fourth most by a Maple Leafs player age 22 or younger since 1976-77, behind Auston Matthews (12), Wendel Clark (11) and Russ Courtnall (8).
Toronto defensemen have scored five goals this postseason, the most by any team, a surprising outcome given that the Leafs had the fewest goals by defensemen in the regular season (21).
New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes
Game 5 (CAR leads 3-1) | 7:30 p.m. ET | TBS
The Devils have outscored the Hurricanes at 5-on-5 in the series (7-5), but trail on their own power plays (0-1), the Canes’ power plays (0-4) and when the net is empty (0-2).
Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen was knocked out of Game 4 following a collision with Devils forward Timo Meier. Meier has not scored on Andersen during this series, but scored on his first shot on goal against backup goalie Pyotr Kochetkov.
Andersen’s status is up in the air for Game 5, but he is the current leader among playoff goaltenders in goals-against average (1.59) this postseason, and is second among qualified goalies in save percentage (.936).
Andrei Svechnikov scored his second career playoff hat trick in Game 4. He has two for his career and is the only player in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history to score a playoff hat trick.
Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights
Game 5 (series tied 2-2) | 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
Game 4 broke one streak and continued another. Ivan Barbashev‘s OT winner snapped a three-game losing streak for Vegas in playoff OT games, while the loss for Minnesota makes it five straight defeats in home playoff games that go to the extra session.
Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson made 42 saves in the loss, his second career playoff game with 40 or more. He is the only goaltender in franchise history with multiple 40-save games in the playoffs.
Kirill Kaprizov registered an assist in the Game 4 loss, giving him eight points in four games this postseason, one behind the leaders.
Vegas forward Tomas Hertl is on a heater. His goal in Game 4 is his third this postseason, and he has eight goals in his past nine games going back to March 22.
The Wild have been mostly effective at keeping Jack Eichel off the score sheet. He had one assist in Game 4, his first point of the series after a team-leading 94 points in the regular season.
Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings
Game 5 (series tied 2-2) | 10 p.m. ET | TBS
With his two-goal outing in Game 4, Evan Bouchard became the fourth defenseman in Stanley Cup playoff history to have back-to-back multigoal games, joining Rob Blake (2002), Al Iafrate (1993) and Denis Potvin (1981).
Leon Draisaitl — who scored the OT game winner in Game 4 — now has eight four-point games in his playoff career. That’s the fourth most in Oilers history, behind Wayne Gretzky (20), Mark Messier (10) and Jari Kurri (10).
Tied with Draisaitl for the playoff scoring lead is Kings winger Adrian Kempe, who is also tied for the goals lead with four. Kempe had 19 total points in 22 previous playoff games, all with the Kings.
Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper has been busy, facing 134 shots, which is the second most among postseason goaltenders (Gustavsson is first with 136). Kuemper’s current .881 save percentage is the second worst of his playoff career, narrowly ahead of the .879 he generated while backstopping the Wild for two games in the 2013 playoffs.
Arda’s three stars from Monday night
Johnston scored his first goal of the 2025 postseason nine seconds in, which is tied for the fifth fastest goal to start a game in Stanley Cup playoff history. He had himself a night, with two goals and an assist in the Stars’ win.
Rantanen scored his first postseason goal with the Stars against his old team. Rantanen became the seventh different player in NHL history to score a playoff goal against a team with which he previously tallied 100-plus postseason points. The others: Jaromir Jagr (2012 and 2008 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins), Brett Hull (2002, 2001, and 1999 vs. St. Louis Blues), Wayne Gretzky (1992, 1990, 1989 vs. Edmonton Oilers), Jari Kurri (1992 vs. Oilers), Paul Coffey (1992 vs. Oilers) and Bernie Geoffrion (1967 vs. Montreal Canadiens).
His postgame quotes keep getting better and better, to the point where he deserves a star for saying, “I’m sick of talking about hits” — then asking the media for their thoughts. Love it.
Monday’s scores
Florida Panthers 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 2
FLA leads 3-1 | Game 5 Wednesday
After an exciting, but scoreless, first period, the game heated up even more in the second. Anton Lundell opened the scoring for the Panthers, and Aaron Ekblad delivered a vicious hit to Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel; the call was not penalized on the ice, and Hagel would have to leave the game. Thereafter, the Lightning scored two goals within 11 seconds from Mitchell Chaffee and Erik Cernak to take the lead well into the third period. But then in another span of 11 seconds, the Panthers pulled off the same feat, with goals by Ekblad and Seth Jones, sending the building into a frenzy. Carter Verhaeghe added an empty-netter for insurance. Full recap.
1:21
Panthers match Lightning with 2 goals in 11 seconds to take lead
Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones score within 11 seconds of each other as the Panthers grab a late lead in the third period.
Dallas Stars 6, Colorado Avalanche 2
DAL leads 3-2 | Game 6 Thursday
As wild as the opening game was Monday night, this one looked to be going down the same road early. Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston scored nine seconds into the game, which is the fastest goal ever to start a playoff game in Stars franchise history. Fellow young Star Thomas Harley joined him on the scoresheet with 45 seconds left in the first. From there on, Dallas kept Colorado at arm’s length, with a second-period goal from Mikko Rantanen, another from Johnston and one from Mason Marchment, followed by an empty-netter from Roope Hintz to put an exclamation point on the proceedings. Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon scored in the second period, but that was not nearly enough on this night. Full recap.
0:34
Stars score in first 9 seconds of the game
Wyatt Johnston wastes no time as he finds the net within nine seconds of play for a Stars goal against the Avalanche.
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Greg Wyshynski
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will have a hearing Tuesday with the NHL Department of Player Safety for elbowing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in the head in Game 4 of their series Monday night.
Hagel won’t play in Wednesday’s Game 5.
“He’s not playing tomorrow. And you know why,” said Lightning coach Jon Cooper on Tuesday.
Ekblad’s hearing will be held remotely.
With less than nine minutes left in the second period of Florida’s 4-2 victory, Hagel played the puck out of the Tampa Bay zone near the boards. Ekblad skated in on him and delivered a hit with his right forearm that made contact with Hagel’s head, shoving Hagel down in the process. The back of Hagel’s head bounced off the ice. He was pulled from the game because of concussion concerns and didn’t return to the bench.
Ekblad wasn’t penalized for the hit and remained in the game. He would play a critical role in the Panthers’ late-game rally to take a 3-1 series lead, tying the game with 3:47 left in regulation before Florida defenseman Seth Jones scored the winner 11 seconds later.
Hagel returned to the Lightning lineup in Game 4 after serving a one-game suspension for interference on Florida captain Aleksander Barkov in Game 2. The NHL ruled that Barkov wasn’t eligible to be hit and that Hagel made head contact with him, which forced Barkov out of the game. Barkov returned to the Florida lineup for Game 3, which the Lightning won in Hagel’s absence.
“It’s getting tiresome answering questions about a hit every single game,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after the game before asking media members whether they had anything to say about Ekblad’s check, with no takers. “All right, let’s move on,” he said.
Ekblad missed the first two games of the playoffs after he was suspended 20 games without pay in March for violating the NHL and NHL Players’ Association’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
The Department of Player Safety did make a ruling on Florida defenseman Niko Mikkola, who received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Tampa Bay’s Zemgus Girgensons in Game 4. Mikkola was fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the NHL CBA, but escaped suspension.
Cooper said the physicality of “The Battle of Florida” shouldn’t come as a surprise
“Players are missing games because of it, whether it’s physically or by the league. So it’s going to be talked about. But if anybody’s followed Tampa and Florida over the last five or six years, this is kind of how these series are. This one is a little different because of the major things that have happened, but these are hard-fought series,” he said.
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